「志村一里塚」
Do you know about Japanese milestones? The Shimura Ichirizuka is a milestone that remains as a pair of two mounds. At 4T-AMKY, Teachers and Students write about Japanese culture, food, history, many spots to visit, and other stuff. Enjoy reading and knowing about deeper Japanese culture!
Shimura Ichirizuka (milestone)
Significance
I heard that there is an Ichirizuka that remains as a pair of two mounds on the Nakasendo road (Itabashi ward), so I visited there. It is Shimura Ichirizuka, the third Ichirizuka on the Nakasendo Road. It is still standing as it was built according to the rule of five ken (about 9 m) square and one height (about 3 m). Shimura-sakaue Station on the Toei Mita Subway Line was the closest station.
Shimura Ichirizuka is located on both sides of present-day National Route 17 (Nakasendo). Stones are neatly piled up around the mounds, and the mounds are much higher than eye level. The trees planted there were neatly groomed, the enoki trees were splendidly large, and they were magnificent Ichirizuka mounds.
The Ichirizuka is a pair of two mounds built every 1 ri (about 4 km) on the both sides of a major kaido (road) starting from Nihonbashi by Ieyasu Tokugawa, who ordered Hidetada to construct them in 1604. It served as a guide for travelers on their way, and the shade of enoki and pine trees planted on the mound was used as a resting place. With the deterioration due to wind and rain over the years and the development of railroads and other transportation, a notification was issued to abolish Ichirizuka in 1876 (Meiji 9), so, Ichirizukas are said to have been demolished nationwide.
There are only two Ichirizukas in Tokyo that have retained their original appearance. One is Shimura Ichirizuka (Itabashi Ward) and the other is Nishigahara Ichirizuka (Kita Ward), which I have introduced before. Both were designated as national historic sites as an important heritage in the history of transportation in 1922 (Taisho 11).
It was lucky that the mounds of Shimura Ichirizuka were built a little far from both sides of the Nakasendo road. Therefore, the mound has been able to retain its old appearance without being moved or cut down by the road widening project. In 1933 (Showa 8), when the Nakasendo road was widened and repaired to 25 meters, stones were piled around the mounds to prevent the earth and sand from being washed away. The mounds have been preserved until today.
Although the Ichirizuka is located along the busy Route 17, I think it is significant that both the mounds and the trees are very well maintained, and the two mounds remain together in a neat and orderly fashion. Though they cannot say anything, I felt that they were like living witnesses to the history of transportation in Japan from the Edo era to the present day.
「志村一里塚」
意義
中山道（板橋区）にも2基一対で残る一里塚がある、というので訪ねてみました。中山道の3里目となる志村一里塚です。五間（約9m）四方、高さ一丈（約3m）の定めによって築かれたまま残っているということです。地下鉄都営三田線の志村坂上が最寄り駅でした。
志村一里塚は、現在の国道17号線（中山道）の両サイドにありました。塚の周囲にはきれいに石が積み上げられ、目線よりずっと高い位置に塚があります。そこに植えられた木々はきれいに手入れされ、榎（えのき）は立派に大きくて、見事な一里塚でした。
一里塚とは、1604年（慶長9年）に徳川家康が秀忠に命じ、日本橋を起点とする主要街道の両側に1里（約4km）ごとに築かせた塚のことです。旅人の道のりの目安となり、塚に植えられた榎や松などの木陰が休憩場所として利用されました。しかし、長年の風雨による劣化や鉄道など交通の発達などもあり、1876年（明治9年）に一里塚廃毀（いちりずかはいき）の通達が出され、全国的に取り壊しが進んだということです。
東京都内で当時の姿を残している一里塚は、この志村一里塚（板橋区）と以前に紹介した西ヶ原一里塚（北区）の2カ所しかありません。1922年（大正11年）に交通史上の重要な遺跡として、両者とも国の史跡に指定されています。
志村一里塚は中山道の道筋から少し離れた位置に築かれていたことが幸いしたようです。おかげで拡幅工事によって移動したり、削られたりすることなく、昔の姿を留めることができました。1933年（昭和8年）に中山道の道幅を25mに拡幅・改修する工事の際に、周囲に石が積まれ、土砂の流出をふせぐ工事が施され、保全されて現在に至っているのだそうです。
交通量の多い国道17号線沿いにある一里塚ですが、塚も木々もとてもきれいに手入れされていて、整然とした姿で2基揃って残っていることは意義深いことだと思います。物こそ何も語りませんが、江戸時代から現代に至るまで日本の交通の歴史を見守ってきた生き証人のような存在だと思いました。
Ikuyo.K.
