Karuichi - Karuichi

An ancient city located in Karu, Takechi County, Yamato Province (Okaru, Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture). Of the three roads, Kami, Naka, and Shimo, that run parallel to each other from north to south through the Yamato Basin, the Abe-Yamada road, an extension of the Kami road, curves sharply westward to become Nankingoku-dori in Fujiwara-kyo, and Karu City is located where this intersects with the extension of the Shimo road. The extension of the Shimo road leads to Kii (Wakayama Prefecture), and Yokooji, which intersects at right angles 3 kilometers north, leads to the eastern provinces and Naniwa. The prosperity of the city can be seen in the poem by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, who met the woman who would become his wife here.

[Hiromichi Mayuzumi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大和(やまと)国高市(たけち)郡軽（奈良県橿原(かしはら)市大軽）にあった古代の市。大和盆地を南北に並行して走る上(かみ)・中(なか)・下(しも)の3道のうち、上つ道の延長線である阿部(あべ)・山田(やまだ)道が大きく西へ曲がって藤原京の南京極(みなみきょうごく)通りとなり、これが下つ道の延長線と交差するあたりが軽市。下つ道の延長線は紀伊（和歌山県）に通じ、北方3キロメートルの所で直交する横大路(よこおおじ)は東国および難波(なにわ)に通じる。ここで妻となる女性に巡りあった柿本人麻呂(かきのもとのひとまろ)の歌にも、その繁栄ぶりがうかがわれる。

［黛　弘道］

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