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Takamori Folk Historical Museum、高森町歴史民俗資料館 ”時の駅”

“ Takamori” is in central Japan (Nagano prefecture); it’s famous for fruit producing area . The museum is named “Toki-no-eki (or literally, time station)”. Abundant exhibits show us how locals have lived and have enjoyed their life. 長野県高森町(伊那地方、天竜川沿い)は果樹栽培が盛んな地域 です。大量の展示品が人々の暮らしを語ってくれます。 When I visited, the entrance hall was decorated by  hina -dolls which are displayed in a girls’ day season . It’s colorful! 4月の訪問でしたが、 信州に多い月遅れのひな祭り中なのか 、エントランスにはひな飾りがありました。華やかですね。 The  first exhibition room  has a spacious space. 第一展示室 はゆったりと展示されています。 Kokugaku  in the  Edo period  (1603 ~ 1868)  is exhibited in the left half of the room. It is a study to investigate traditional culture and thoughts; it became one of ideological backgrounds to overthrow the feudal government ( Bakuhu ). Takamori people including the lord and the farmers learned the study. On the other hand, poetry was also popular; eminent poets visited the lord. Takamri is far from Edo (political...
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Toyooka history and folklore museum、豊丘村歴史民俗資料館

“ Toyooka” is in central Japan (Nagano prefecture); it’s in a countryside which has rich rice field and orchard . The museum shows us local life and so on. I was surprised that there was a female loyalist to the emperor in such a rural area at the end of the feudal era. There was a movement to develop Japan into a modern country even in a rural area back then. The photo of her section is at the end of this article. 長野県南部の豊丘村(天竜川左岸、伊那地方)は 稲作や果樹栽培が盛んな地域 です。人々の営みがわかる展示品だけでなく、 志が高い女流勤王家 がいた ことに驚きました。伊那地方は多彩な人々を育んできたように思います。勤王家は記事の一番下の写真で紹介しています。     Artifacts from prehistoric times  are displayed in an exhibition room which is as large as a classroom. The  stone rods (lower left) are explained as ritual implements to pray for growing of all creatures  including descendants; those were possessed by village. Symbols of reproduction and growth ! 原始時代の発掘物 が、教室ぐらいの広さの部屋で展示されています。 石棒には、「ムラ人共有のまじない道具 で、子孫繁栄はじめ自然界すべての物が豊かに繁殖することを祈る豊穣の祭りに使われたものとみられてます」との説明があります。生き物を生み育む...

Iida-Yakiniku Lab.、飯田焼肉研究所

“ Iida” is in central Japan (Nagano prefecture). “Yakiniku” is cuisine of grilled meat similar to Korean barbecue. The Laboratory declares to develop Yakiniku culture in Iida. The lab is run by a meat wholesale company. We can know how Iida people love Yakiniku! コンセプト「 信州“飯田焼肉”を文化として発展させていく 」が宣言され、「地域の財産、焼肉文化を記録として残し繋いでいく」と書かれています。 食肉卸・吉清グループの施設です。 焼肉愛 をベースにした飯田の文化がわかりますよ。 Half of the gallery is an exhibition space of the local Yakiniku culture.  The iron plate under the panels is the longest griddle  which achieved a world record. 半分のスペースで飯田の焼肉文化がパネルで説明されています。 パネルの下の鉄板は、世界記録になった長い鉄板 です。 The first butcher shop which mainly sold beef started operation at Iida in 1878. You might not know that  Japanese people had not eaten animal meat because of Buddhist influence. We started eating them in the modern era  (Meiji period, 1868-1912); pig farming started at Iida in 1895. We had traditionally eaten animal or bird meat as medicine. 飯田に牛肉を主に扱う店ができたのは 1878 (明治 11 )年。明...

Tenryu River learning center “Kawaranbe”、天竜川総合学習館・かわらんべ

“Kawaranbe” ( Kappa ) is youkai monster which was said to live underwater. The center is by Tenryu River which is the tenth longest one in Japan (213km). It shows us creatures at the river, flood and its prevention . The locals suffered from flood, but have lived in the area. 「かわらんべ」は、伊那谷の方言で「 カッパ 」の意味です。学習館は、諏訪湖(長野県)を源とし、遠州灘(静岡県)まで流れる天竜川の上流域、飯田市にあります。 天竜川の水害と防災、生き物を学べます 。今は防災がしっかりしていますが、水害で苦しみながらも暮らしてきた先輩たちがいたのですねえ。 Boulders were flushed by torrent . Even stone monument (upper left) was flushed. 河川展示室では、天竜川の歴史と文化を教えてくれます。天竜川は 数々の巨石を押し流し てきました。 It was said that a dragon or a large snake caused flood . Therefore, people have enshrined a water deity. A flood often caused plague, so people established a shrine for repelling plagues and have held a ritual (festival). They relied on deities. 龍や大蛇が洪水を起こす と考えられていた時代、人びとは水神を祀り、洪水を防ごうとしました。また、洪水で疫病が流行ると津島様を勧請しました。まさに神頼みですね。 Festivals offered to deities are fun events for locals . The upper photo shows a river port; the long river was ...

Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest and museums、赤沢自然休養林の資料館

In 1665, the local government (Owari- han ) prohibited cutting trees in the area. Many trees were cut to build castles and residences back then, therefore, landslides frequently happened. Owari- han decided to protect mountains and forests. I totally agree with their long-term policy. The recreation forest was the forestry base and the birthplace of forest bathing in Japan. The train which carried timber is a popular tourism event now. 赤沢自然休養林は、 1665 年に尾張藩が伐採を禁止した留山(とめやま)でした。江戸初期に築城や都市の復興等で伐採が急増したため、山崩れが各地で起こり、留山にして森林を保護したのです。開発し尽くさないことに感心します。(木を刈り取ってしまった山は、尽山(つきやま)と呼びました)。 自然休養林は、かつての林業の拠点であり、日本の森林浴発祥の地 です。 かつて木材を運んだ鉄道は今や人気アトラクションになっています。 The train slowly ran in the forest. The  role of carrying timber was taken over by truck  in 1975. ゆっくりと森の中を進んでいきます。 木材輸送の役割は、 1975 年にトラックに 引き継ぎました。   Forestry railway memorial museum 、森林鉄道記念館 The small museum is at the ex-starting station. The  train car in front was a barbershop . Forestry workers stayed in forest, so ...