Skip to main content

Posts

Peaceful days and fun of a village head in 19th century, part 18(千葉県流山の名主日記)

New Year's greetings and n ewlywed  daughter who wanted to go back to her parents' home (January and February, 1806) 、年始挨拶、実家に戻りたがる結婚したての娘(文化3年1、2月) 千葉県流山市にいた名主の日記から、その頃の楽しみを拾い出した記事です(日本語は後半)。 A New Year's greeting, Yokohama, Japan 1905 https://www.loc.gov/item/2020637841/   1806 As arrivals of foreign ships seeking trade increased, the Shogunate (Bakufu) ordered coastal domains ( han ) to strengthen their defenses. It also levied forced contributions on the merchants in Edo (old name of Tokyo); its finances were in dire straits. Yet, amidst such times, life for the Yoshino family continued just as it always had.     January The days were filled with New Year's greetings .   8 th , Hyōemon, who wrote this diary, traveled to Katō Village to offer New Year's greetings. The village was where Chiyo (likely his daughter) had married and moved just at the end of the previous year. The gifts he brought are recorded . Sanzaemon received ten sheet...
Recent posts

Peaceful days and fun of a village head in 19th century, part 17(千葉県流山の名主日記)

Yoshino family after the harvesting season (October to December, 1805) 、収穫後の吉野家(文化 2 年 10 ~ 12 月)   千葉県流山市にいた名主の日記から、その頃の楽しみを拾い出した記事です(日本語は後半)。 https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2541121/1/28   October 5 th , with the completion of rice threshing, this year's farm work finished . From the 7 th , Hyōzō and Mino went out to help at other households. 18 th , Fusajirō went to Kashiwa to see a play —though it is unclear whether it was a village production or a professional performance. He returned on the 21st.     November and December On November 28, Hyōemon—the author of this diary—traveled to Katō Village regarding a marriage proposal for Chiyo .   The records indicate the engagement took place on December 12, followed by the wedding on the 21 st . With the farming season over, it was the time of year for weddings and adoptions.   A matchmaker arrived from Katō Village to escort the bride (Chiyo). The procession included three men for t...

Peaceful days and fun of a village head in 19th century, part 16(千葉県流山の名主日記)

Autumn festival and the death of a newborn son (August of lunar calendar and September, 1805) 、秋祭りと新生児の死(文化 2 年壬 8 、 9 月)   千葉県流山市にいた名主の日記から、その頃の楽しみを拾い出した記事です(日本語は後半)。 Entrance to the temple, Yokohama, Japan 1900 https://www.loc.gov/item/2020634718/   Leap August  (August of lunar calendar) The villagers began preparations for the festival scheduled for the following month. 11 th , all the villagers set out to cut the timber for the shrine's ceremonial banner poles.   Unfortunately, some villages were suffering from poor harvests due to drought. Hyōemon, who kept this diary, received a request to conduct an official inspection on behalf of the samurai (on the 16 th ).   29 th , a similar request for an inspection arrived from his friend Zenzō in the Tonohiraga Village. Along with the letter came a gift of somen noodles—intended as a get-well offering for Hyōemon's sick mother. It was a massive quantity (enough for a hundred people); only a...