Isn’t it fascinating how remnants of the past linger in the most unexpected places? Right here, before us, stands the Oiwai Ichrizuka, a silent sentinel from a bygone era. This unassuming marker, a simple stone monument shaded by a zelkova tree, represents a time when the Saiōku Kaidō, a major road connecting Kyoto to western Japan, bustled with travelers and traders. Imagine, if you will, weary travelers from centuries past, their footsteps echoing along this very path, using the Oiwai Ichrizuka as a welcome guidepost on their journeys. These “one-ri markers,” placed every 4 kilometers, were more than just distance indicators. They symbolized the reach and organization of the Edo period’s road network. While its western counterpart has vanished, the Oiwai Ichrizuka on the east side of the former Oiwai-juku post town still stands. It offers us a tangible connection to a time when the rhythm of life moved at a different pace, marked by the steady progress of travelers on foot. As we move on, let this encounter remind us that even in the midst of modernity, whispers of history are always around us, waiting to be discovered.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to