Located at the base of Mount Tateshina, Mochizuki has long been known for its horses. The area received its name, which roughly means "desirable moon," because it used to give horses to the Imperial Court and the shogunate on the day of the full moon on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, according to the old calendar.Shinshū no Kaidō Tabō, Nakasendō. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Kantō Region. Accessed July 3, 2007.
