In May 2016, during a 3-night, 4-day business hotel drive trip, we headed from Kanazawa to Kofu just because we managed to get a place to stay. At that time, by chance, I came across this monument depicting a fight between frogs.
Several green frogs, looking strong, were straddling and beating up a clumsy-looking brown frog. I, a pacifist, rushed over thinking, 'Hey, hey, what's going on?' and 'We can talk this out.'　(Nihedon @ KesaranPasaran Lab)

Why is the symbol of 'Nawate Street' a frog?

The frog on Nawate Street is apparently a type called the 'Kajika frog.' The Kajika frog can only live in clean rivers, and it is said that many Kajika frogs used to inhabit the old Metoba River.

Hoping that the Metoba River would once again become a clean river where Kajika frogs could live, the frog was chosen as the symbol of 'Nawate Street.'

By the way, the town name 'Nawate' comes from 'nawa,' which means 'rope,' and 'te,' which means 'embankment.'

It is said that the town name 'Nawate' comes from the 'long, narrow embankment like a rope' situated between the southern moat of Matsumoto Castle and the clear stream of the Metoba River.

In 1879, Yohashira Shrine was established, and Nawate Street developed as the approach to the shrine.