“Where does this road begin?” It’s a question silently posed by the \u6b66\u5eab\u6751\u9053\u8def\u5143\u6a19 Stele. The \u6b66\u5eab\u6751\u9053\u8def\u5143\u6a19 Stele marks the starting point of a road. Let’s explore its history.
Road origin markers in Japan date back to the early Meiji era. The government used them for distance surveys. Then in the Taisho era, more road markers appeared. These marked the start of roads under old road laws. The \u6b66\u5eab\u6751\u9053\u8def\u5143\u6a19 Stele is one of these Taisho era markers.
The Taisho era markers came about after the Old Road Act of 1919. Regulations specified where to place them. Cities and towns should place them where roads began or ended. Each city or town had one such marker.
In 1922 detailed rules emerged. These rules covered the shape and materials of road markers. Most were made of granite. They were about 25 centimeters wide and tall. Their height was about 63 centimeters. The \u6b66\u5eab\u6751\u9053\u8def\u5143\u6a19 Stele likely followed these guidelines.
The front of these steles usually had the city or town name. It also stated that it was a road origin marker. The back sometimes had the year of installation.
After 1952 the legal basis for these markers disappeared. New road laws didn’t specify their placement. They became more symbolic than legally significant. Many disappeared due to road work. Some vanished because of land development. By 2014 fewer than 2000 Taisho road markers remained nationwide.
Local researchers now track these remaining markers. They document them on the internet. The \u6b66\u5eab\u6751\u9053\u8def\u5143\u6a19 Stele survives as a testament to Osaka’s road history.
Interestingly the starting point of roads in the Edo period was at the Korai Bridge. Later under the road law the starting point was in front of the Osaka City Hall. Then the \u6b66\u5eab\u6751\u9053\u8def\u5143\u6a19 Stele was moved to its current location.
So, the next time you pass the \u6b66\u5eab\u6751\u9053\u8def\u5143\u6a19 Stele remember its story. It is more than just a stone. It marks a place in time. It shows how roads and laws shaped Osaka.