The old place name, Jizozaka has remained thanks to the efforts of NISHIOGI citizens: they attempted to overcome various difficulties such as administrative measures of changing display of place names.
In the middle of 1970s, a condominium was built on this slope. Zizo (the guardian of children and travelers in Buddhism) and Batou Kannon (Horse-head Bodhisattva of Mercy), which had been there since 18th century, were moved to Kansenji Temple located in the northeastern part of NISHIOGI. In later years, the then head of the Federation of Nishiogi Shop Owners set one of the six Douji called “Enmusubi-Douji” or literally matchmaking servant boy on the opposite side of the building in order to ask people to remember the place name; the six Douji were carved by a well-known sculptor Yabuuchi Satoshi as bases for the town tour, praying for children’s growth and ties of friendship and put at six different places in NISHIOGI.
「地蔵坂」は残った
「地蔵坂」という古い地名は、西荻市民の努力により、住所表示変更施策など行政や社会情勢の変化を乗り越えて生き残った。
1970年代半ば、この坂の中腹にマンションが建つことになった時、江戸中期から安置されていた地蔵や馬頭観音は近くの観泉寺に移設された。後年、当時の西荻窪商店会連合会の会長は、子供や縁を大切にしつつ街巡りをする拠点として彫刻家・籔内佐斗司氏に依頼して六童子を作製し、「地蔵坂」の名を忘れないようにしようとそのうちの一つ「縁結び童子」を対面の坂に設置した。
