Fun of Good Old Japanese - 江戸・明治に学ぶ　楽しむ生き方

Hakone Sekisho check point 箱根関所 There were 53 check points on the kaidou high-way in the Edo period to check passports of domestic travelers. The check point is called “sekisho”. “Hakone Sekisho” was rebuilt in 2004 based on excavation records and historical materials; it is in a mountainous area near Hakone pass. If you approach to Hakone Sekisho from Edo (old name of Tokyo), you walk down to the Ashinoko Lake and you find Hakone Sekisho beside the lake. The fence of the check point is installed even in the mountain. There is a lookout where officials checked ships that go across the lake. 江戸側から行くと、芦ノ湖に下った湖のそばに関所がある。関所の門から、山に向けて柵が伸びている。柵に沿って山側に登っていくと、見張り場所・遠見番所がある。船で関所を回避するものを監視したという。 旧東海道から箱根の関所を望む View of Hakone check point from the Lookout、遠見番所からみた関所全景 Edo-side Gate of the check point; the left side is a waiting space called "Sen-nin Damari" in which "Sen-nin" is for one thousand people and "Damari" means a waiting space. 江戸側の門、江戸口御...

 Odawara was a big post town on the Tokaidou highway in the Edo period. It is located before Hakone Mountain which is the hardest pass on the Tokaidou. After the Edo period, celebrities lived or had second houses in Odawara. 小田原は、戦国時代は北条氏の本拠地、江戸時代は箱根を前にした大宿場町となり、明治以降は有名人の住む都市になった。歴史、文化人、考古、民俗、自然科学の５つの資料室がある。歴史史料室は、武具や昭和の道具があり面白い。民俗資料室は、教室ぐらいの大きさで、地道というか素朴に地域の品を展示している。入館無料。小田原城内にある。 撮影は許可制。   This museum has five exhibition rooms (History, Culture, Archaeology, Folklore and Science). Tools and weapons in the History room interests me. In order to take pictures, we have to get approval from the officers of the museum. The sign board in front of the museum、郷土文化館の看板 Historical material room Everyday life   日常生活 Folklore material room Odawara lantern which is a well-known-product is exhibited in front of the room. Farmers' lunch boxes (three types) and a container for cooked rice with insulating material which is made by straws are exhibi...

This museum is located at the historic site where Japan and the U.S. signed an important treaty in 1854. At that time, Western countries colonized Asian countries. Historical materials from the Edo period to the Showa period are exhibited here. Photography is prohibited , so the photos of exhibits are from the brochure of this museum. 　ペリーが上陸した場所に建てられた資料館。江戸から昭和の資料を保存・公開している。横浜が開港した 1854 年に、世界では、アヘン戦争（ 1840-1842 ）、太平天国の乱（ 1851-1864 ）、インド大反乱（ 1857-1859 ）が起こり、欧米列強がアジアを植民地化していた頃だ。また、アメリカでは南北戦争（ 1861-1865 ）が起こっていた。 撮影禁止 のため、展示品の写真は入手したパンフレットのもの。 The book “New foreign topics (published in 1849)” mentioned that the heart-breaking news was that China was defeated in the Opium War; it was the greatest Asian country at that time, so it was a shocking news for Japanese. Meanwhile M.C.Perry led the US fleet and stayed at Tokyo bay in 1854. It was a gigantic threat for Japan, however ordinary people went to see the fleet as an entertainment. Perry forced Japan to abandon the isolati...

 This museum exhibits not only the local history but also people's daily life, so I could find a lot of fun of old ordinary Japanese here. There are also an ancient relic park and an old house near this museum which is in a suburb north of Yokohama. 横浜市の新興住宅地にあるが、古墳と古民家も隣接して展示されており歴史を感じる一帯になっている。また、歴史だけでなく人々の日々の生活がうまく展示されており、その中に楽しみを見つけられる。 1. Ancient  古代  Those are accessories which were used in the Joumon period (more than three thousand years ago). People earned by hunting at that time and it is said that they prayed for a successful catch. Ornaments for hair and ears, bracelets and pendants are exhibited. Those are still charming. 縄文時代のアクセサリー：髪飾り、耳飾り、腕輪など様々なアクセサリー。狩猟生活の中で、豊かな恵みを祈る呪術や祭りに司る人が身に着けていたらしい。 The photo (1)  above  shows the model of the Otsuka village in the Yayoi period (from 4 th century B.C. to 3 rd century), there are houses on the hill and fields on the ground. The picture (2) is a female cray doll and  The picture...