Throughout history, countries have used markers along main roads to show you how far you are from the center of the country. In England, they used stones that marked the miles from London, so we call them “milestones.” The Tokugawa government made markers called “ichirizuka” at the beginning of the Edo period. One “ri” is about 4 kilometers, and the “ichirizuka” were two little hills, or “tsuka,” with trees on them. They showed how far it was to Nihonbashi in Edo. Most of the “ichirizuka” are gone now, but I sometimes drive past the Kasadera “ichirizuka” in Nagoya. It is along the old Tokaido that connected Edo to Kyoto. It is 88 “ri” from Nihonbashi. (116 words)