This picture depicts a michi shirube ishi, or a guide stone. Along the Chichibu pilgrimage roads, many of these stones serve as road signs to give direction to pilgrim travelers. As a traditional means of conveying information to large groups of visitors, stones may be used for directions due to their natural resistance to rain and wind. It would be common for current pilgrims to use signs like this for direction between Chichibu temples along the pilgrimage route. This particular stone says “go right 5^th street and front 3^rd”. 

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