Kou in Nagareyama (published in 1991) 流山の講

流山の講－流山市立博物館調査研究報告書8（流山市立博物館、1991）
Very good : ★★★

人の楽しみの発見度：★★★

Drawing of Ise-taitai-Kou at NagareyamaCity Museum

 (伊勢太太講の絵馬 流山博物館)

http://www.city.nagareyama.chiba.jp/life/1001505/1001749/1001773.html

The Kou looks like a mutual aid group in which people enjoy their group activities such as parties and travels. This book is a research report from Nagareyama City Museum. The research was consisted of interviews from elderly people. It reports Kou's activities from the mid-19th century to mid-20^th century. There were more than 300 Kou in Nagareyama, 86 of them remain at the time of the research.

 There are two kinds of Kou. The first one is to visit the shrine outside the village. Fuji-Kou visits Mt.Fuji. Ise-Kou visits Ise shrine which is 330km away. Other Kou visit Oyama, Mitsumine and so on. Osugi-Kou is held in 11 villages. They visit Osugi shrine which is the guardian god of epidemic disease and natural disaster of rivers and sea. It is 40km away.

Osugi Shrine、大杉神社（茨城県稲敷市）

  The people who are selected by each Osugi-Kou go to Osugi shrine. They returned to their villages with o-fudas.


O-fuda in my house

 O-fuda is a talisman of the shrine. “o” is a prefix for respect, “fuda” is a bill or talisman. The shrines and temples grant o-fuda to vistors. The o-fuda is as valuable as the god or deity. The delegation who visited Osugi shrine deliver o-fudas to every member of the Kou.

In one village, the delegation visits the member’s houses with a ozen (four-legged tray for festive food) and sacred sake. They deliver the ofuda and sake. They also purify their member by shaking the special bar called Heisoku. Finally they reach to the border of the village, they do “Tsuji-giri” which is a ritual to prevent invasion of disease and demon.



Ozen at Nagareyama City Museum

Heisoku at National Museum of Ethnology（幣束）

　古老からの聞き取りによる明治から昭和初期の講活動を体系的（講の種類別、地域別）に纏めた研究報告書である。３００を超える講が確認でき、調査時点で８６の講が活動している。互助的な行為より、人々が集う楽しみが講の中身だ。
　多くの村にあった講は、村外に参拝に行くものとして、大山講、三峰講、富士講、伊勢講、金村講･雷神講、大杉講がある。約４０km離れた大杉神社（悪疫退散、海河守護の神様）を祀る大杉講は１１村で行われており、代表者（代参人）２～６名が、年に１～２回、祭りの前に参拝し、お札をいただき各戸に配る。西深井地区では、幣束、辻札に加え、お札とお神酒用湯呑を乗せたお膳を持って、「ホーイホーイ」と掛け声を上げながら各戸を回り、お札を配り、お神酒をあげ、幣束でお祓いをする。村境まで来ると辻札を立てて、「辻切り」をし、疫病や魔物が村に入るのを防ぐ。

  The other kind of Kou is held inside the village. Nenbutu-Kou and Yusan-Kou are major types of Kou. “Nenbutu” means to chant Buddhist scriptures or sutra. Nenbutu-Kou is configured by women over fifties. They are invited to the funeral and they chant sutra. They gather every month, they chant sutra, they enjoy dinner, songs, dance and so on. Before the world war Ⅱ, every family sent a member to Nenbutu-Kou. After the war, it was not necessary to send a member to the Kou, so the number of participants reduced and half of the villages quit the Kou. In one village, men also attended the Kou, they brought their specialty foods such as sushi rolls in a lunch box and they enjoyed eating and drinking. 


Lunch Box from Yoshino at Nagareyama City Museum

Nenbutu-Kou at Nagareyama City Museum

 On the other hand, Yusan-Kou is a Kou for younger women. “Yusan” means a picnic or entertainment. Women usually participate the Kou with their children. They don’t pray, but they enjoy chatting, eating, drinking, singing, dancing and traveling. In one village, people visited Funabashi shrine which is 20km away by a boat until 1923, it was a river cruise. When they returned to the village, the event called “Yama-kaeshi” was hosted. “Yama” means mountain or god, “kaeshi” means to return to the village. They enjoyed song and dance such as Sumo-jinku, Yasuki-bushi, Shimoduma, they ate and drunk. Housework and farming were hard work for women, so going on the trip might have been a big chance to de-stress.

Yasuki-bushi (YouTube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeOkchriww

 　村内の集まりとしては、念仏講と遊山講が多くの村で見られる。念仏講は、50歳より上の女性を中心とした年長者が多く、通夜等に呼ばれて念仏を唱えるほか、毎月集まって念仏を唱える。念仏の前後には食事をしたり、歌や踊りを楽しんだ講もあるという。戦前は、各戸から講員を出したが、義務制がなくなり、参加者が減って半数の村では講を止めている。向小金地区では、男女が参加し、海苔巻やお稲荷、散らし寿司など各自が工夫した食べ物を提重に入れて持ちより、飲食を楽しんだという。遊山講は、念仏講より若い世代の女性が集まり、子供を連れて参加するのが一般的である。拝みごとはせず、飲食や歌、踊り、旅行を楽しむ。北･小屋地区では、大正12年まで、舟で船橋大神宮に出かけ、帰ると「山返し」という参拝から戻った者を迎えるイベントを行い、下妻、相撲甚句や安来節などを歌って踊り、飲み食いしたという。これは、女性の日頃のストレス発散になったろう。

 There was another kind of Kou called Shingon-Kou wherein the members walked around villages.“Shingon” is the name of the Buddhist sect.
  There were agents who brought Kou members to the shrine. They were called “sendachi” or leader. Some of them visited the villages three times a year, they prayed for Kou members. I think it was their sales promotion. There were other agents called “oshi”. The oshi from Ooyama shrine visited villages and stayed at the member’s house.

　その他に、村々を回る真言講･送り大師という集まりもあり、多くの村が参加していたが、今は行われていない。また、講員をお参りに連れて行く「先達」がいて、御嶽講では、流山や近隣の亀有や金町、馬橋などにいる先達が先導するが、大畔新田地区の古老の話では、先達は１，５，９月に村に拝みに来る、という営業活動をしっかりしている。御師も同じく講のガイドをしていて、大山講の御師は村々を回り、泊まっていったという。

  It is said Kou became a minor activity after world war Ⅱ. The old person in Nagareyama said, “In late 1950s when televisions became common household items, people became not to participate in Kou. Monthly payment for Kou didn’t fit the new society.”People were hooked to watch TV in their houses with family at night, and they declined to go out to Kou. At that time, Japanese society changed a lot. Farmers became factory workers and started to live in cities where factories existed. Many people especially young people rushed to Tokyo to work in 1960s. Nagareyama is not far from Tokyo, it is a bedroom town of Tokyo. I guess some people in Nagareyama started to work in Tokyo, and new residents flowed into Nagareyama. It might have changed their traditional lifestyle that people worked and enjoyed together. It might be nuisance for some new neighbors to join the Kou.


　講は戦後急速に衰えていったと言われているが、流山地区の古老からは無尽について、「テレビが各戸に普及し始めた昭和30年代に人が集まらなくなったり、掛け金が世情に合わなくなったりしたため廃止した」という話が出ている。やはり、夜、講に出かけるのではなく、テレビを囲んで家族で団らんを楽しむようになったこと、また、東京に働きに出かけたり、地方出身の労働者の流入によって都市化し、ライフスタイルが変わったことが影響しているのであろう。近所の人との集まりとなると良いことばかりでなく、煩わしいこともあったのであろう。でも、近所づきあいが密だということは、一人暮らしや高齢者にとっては安心であったろう。

In terms of people’s fun,

 Kou is a good group because chatting, eating, drinking and traveling are usual activities. In Yamanashi prefecture, many people enjoy Kou called Mujin nowadays. One weekly magazine reported that people in Yamanashi are healthy because they enjoy communicating and partying in Mujin-Kou.

1. Events for delegation、代参人の歓送迎

 People celebrate the departure and the arrival of their delegation which are selected from the Kou members. When they depart from the village, they purify themselves. In some villages, the day becomes a holiday, no farming. When they get back to the villages, the event called saka-mukae is hosted. “Saka” means sake, border or slope, “mukae” means to welcome. In one village, people welcomed the delegation with traditional music using drums probably until 1975.  After their arrival, the delegation delivers o-fuda talismans. Parties are hosted for them in each village. At the age when they didn’t have enough entertainment, it might have been a great event for villagers. The members of delegation are sent with a farewell party, they travel and get o-fudas, then back to their villages with souvenirs and souvenir stories.   I can say each event is unforgettable fun for the members of delegation.

　人の楽しみの面からみると、すでに一部を記したが、集まる楽しみ、集まって食べる楽しみ飲む楽しみ、旅する楽しみが其処此処にある生活に溶け込んだ活動だ。

　講の代参人が村から出るとき、村に戻るとき、お祝いとなる。村から出るときは、代参人は水垢離などの潔斎を行うが、村が休みになる場合もある。帰りは、サカムカエ（酒迎、境迎、坂迎）という行事が行われることがあり、名都借では村境で太鼓をたたき囃子で代参人を迎える儀礼が1975年ごろまで続いていた。到着後は、代参人が寺社でいただいてきたお札を配るが、その後、「山返し」や「勘定講（代参代金の精算）」という飲食を中心とした会が各村で行われた。何もない時代の一大イベントであったろうし、代参人になって、送り出され、お札と土産、土産話を持って帰るのは、大きな楽しみであったろう。

2. Tekona-Kou; Kou for women and children、手児奈講（女性と子どもの講）

 Tekona was a beautiful lady who lived more than thousand years ago. She became a guardian deity of children and easy delivery for women. The members selected a host house, and had a party there. They brought rice and made Gomoku-gohan which was boiled rice mixed with vegetables. They made dishes of spinach with sesame dressing. They might have had a feast and chatted so long time.
 Tekona-Kou is held even now. People bring lunchboxes and sweets. They visit Tekona hall which is 15km away. Women might have a joyful picnic. Kou is held in January, February, March and November, and these are off-season for farmers.

・手児奈講は、万葉集にも歌われている佳人･手児奈を祀る講で、安産・子育ての神として信仰されており、女性と子供の講である。講員から宿を決めて、集めた米で五目飯を焚き、ほうれん草の胡麻和えなどを食べたという。ご馳走であったのだろう。今でいう女子会だ。お喋りに花が咲いていたと思う。今でも行われている地区では、弁当と茶菓子を買ってくるようになっている。15km離れた市川の手児奈霊堂に参ることもあった。ピクニックだ。１，２，３、11月に行われるので、農閑期の楽しみだろう。

3. Wakaishu-Kou; Kou for young men、若者の講

 Guys who graduated high school but not married gathered in January. They ate and drunk, so it was a crazy party. It helped to beat up their stress. This Kou changed to a local young men's association.

　若い衆講では、中学を卒業し結婚をする前の男たちが正月に集まり、飯を食べて酒を飲んでどんちゃん騒ぎをした。これもストレス発散で、青年団へと変わっていく。 

4. Inshoku-Kou; Kou for big eating、飲食講

 This gives me curiosity, because every house dispatched one guy bringing 450g of rice which became 1kg of boiled rice. They ate until they became really full. I am not sure if white rice was precious as food or not, but it made them happy. They didn’t drink, just ate. It was held every month. 
　飲食講では、一戸一名の男が参加し、米３合づつを出し合って、芋汁でご飯を思いっきり食べたという。当時は白ご飯は貴重だったかもしれず、飲むのではなく、食欲に走る会で面白い。毎月、宿で行う。ということで、泊まり込みかも知れない。

5. Zenkoji-Kou、善光寺講 

　In one village, elderly people and children gather at Kannon hall on rainy day every month. They enjoy food and drink. Children were given sweets. On the other hand, elderly people communicate with lovely children. I can imagine smiles of elderly people. 

　西深井地区の善光寺講：毎月、雨が降った日に老人と子供が観音堂に集まって飲食する。老人にとっては、可愛い子供とのふれあい、子供にとってはお菓子をもらって甘やかせてもらう。今、幼稚園で高齢者とのふれあいという会があるが、これを地域で自発的に行っていた訳だ。高齢者の笑顔が目に浮かぶ。

6. Tenjin-Kou; Kou for mainly elementary school boys、天神講（子ども達の講）

 Tenjin is the god of learning. The children usually stayed at the shrine, the public house or the member’s house. They prayed for getting good grade. Their neighbors offered them food. In one village, children visited each house and offered o-fudas or sacred sake may be around 22^nd of January. People gave children money for candles. Children stayed at the house in Komagata shrine on the 24^th and 25^th. Twenty fifth is the day of Tenjin god. They offered particular calligraphy to the hall of the shrine, and made sweet bean soups with rice cakes. It might have been fun for children to cook by themselves; which is similar to a camp. They cook rice and taro soups too. Also they might have enjoyed chatting. However, this Kou ended by the local government instruction after the World WarⅡ. The reason was that it wasn’t good for children to stay and sleep by themselves. I am sure it was a big fun for them because they could be apart from their nagging parents. Tenjin Kou penetrated all over Japan, and changed to children’s club.

Text book in 200 years ago and the scroll hanged in Tenjin-Kou

・天神講は、学問の神様天神様を祀る子供の講だ。小学生中心で、男子は神社や寮、講員の家を宿としてお篭りをすることが多い。食事は近くの家が作ったという。東深井地区では、１月22日頃、子供たちが各戸を回り、お札をお神酒を配って灯明料をいただく。24日と25日の夜に駒形神社の社務所に泊まる。25日は天神様の日だ。書初めを社殿に上げ、大人が持ってきた笹団子やお供えの餅を汁粉にして食べるという。子供だけで料理するのも楽しい。キャンプの要素もある。持ち寄った米や味噌でご飯と芋汁を作り、甘酒も飲んだという。ワイワイガヤガヤであろう。ただ、子供だけで泊まるのは良くない、ということで、戦後は教育委員会の指導で止めているとのこと。子供たちにとっては、うるさい親から離れて楽しかったであろう。全国に天神講はあるが、子供会として引き継がれている。

7. Taishi-Kou、大師参

 In one village, people traveled to Soma-taishi until 1934; it was 2N3D trip. There are several famous sakura or cherry blossom trees in their area. However there are seldom reports about cherry-blossom viewing, so this is a rare record. Soma-taishi might be 10km away, so they enjoyed food and drink mainly.

cherry-blossom or sakura

・北･小屋地区の大師参：1934年まで二泊三日で相馬大師に花見に出かけていた、とある。近隣に桜の名木があるにもかかわらず、流山では花見を楽しんだ、という記述が少ない。これは数少ない一例である。相馬大師は、柏市の桜の名所でもある布施弁天と思われるが、10kmしか離れていない。二泊だから、飲食中心の会であったと思う。

Reference : About Nagareyama

Nagareyama city museum、流山市博物館

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