４５.五叉路の銀杏

五叉路の一角に一本の銀杏の木がある。
そこには石碑が残されており、
明治初年代に記された碑文にはここに猿田彦という名の神社があったそうだ。
かつての阿佐ヶ谷村の鎮守、今の神明宮に寄り添うように社が存在していたらしい。
猿田彦といえば日本神話で先導役、
道案内の神である。
道中安全の神、道祖神だ。
それがこの五叉路にあったということはここが昔から往来の要所だったのだろうな。
事実、中世には桃園川流域の阿佐ヶ谷に小道の存在が記録されているそうだ。

45. Gingko Trees at the Five Crossings

A gingko tree stands at the corner of the Five Crossings, 
and a stone monument is left there. According to the inscription, 
in the early Meiji Era, 
there once was a shrine called "Sarutahiko" here.
It is said that it was located near the Shinmeigu Shrine, formerly 
the Asagaya village shrine. 
As for Sarutahiko, he is what is called the God of guidance in 
Japanese mythology.According to the fact that the village shrine was 
located at the Five Crossings, it was probably the key point of
traffic here since ancient times. 
In fact, in medieval periods, it is claimed that there once was a
road in the watershed of the Momozono River in Asagaya.