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

  Koriyama is located around 200km north of Tokyo. It was a post town on Oushu-kaidou highway which connected Edo(old name of Tokyo) and northern Japan. The water which is introduced from Inawashiro Lake changed this post town to an industrial city. There are few exhibits about entertainment, but we can see a lot of exhibits which show difficult farmers' life and relief projects.   Photography is prohibited. Images of exhibits are pictures on the brochure.   郡山市は、奥州街道の郡山宿であったが、猪苗代湖から水を引いた安積疎水によって大きく発展した街である。二本松藩に含まれる。人の楽しみについての展示は少なく、搾取された農民の苦しさの展示が多かった。その中でも、農民の救済策にほっとするものがあった。 【全館撮影禁止、展示物の写真はカタログ掲載のもの】 <Difficult life of farmers in the Edo period >   Farmers struggled against heavy tax at that time, so they rioted sometimes. The letter, which mentioned that the daimyo lord admitted their requirement and promised to return rice, is exhibited. On the other hand, rich merchants and farmers had self-defense groups against the farmers' riots. Those ...

  Kasukabe was a post town on Nikkou-doucyuu highway which connected Edo(old name of Tokyo) and Nikkou where the shrine dedicated to the first Tokugawa shogun is. Kasukabe is located about 35km north of Tokyo.   This museum shows you the history of Kasukabe since ancient times. The attractive exhibit is a model of Kasukabe post town in the end of the Edo period (1:200 model). The panels of the post town help you to understand the people’s lives there. There were many shops including pubs and there was a silly son who was into sake (alcohol). You can get on a palanquin, wear an armor (helmet) and straw shoes , and you can play using old style toys. Exhibition room、展示室 縄文時代からの春日部（埼玉県）の歴史が展示されている。江戸時代末期の日光街道・奥州街道の粕壁（かすかべ）宿について、模型（１ / ２００）とパネル展示と合わせて良く分かるようになっている。広さは、教室３つほどで丁度良い。籠に乗ったり、兜をつけたり、昔のおもちゃで遊んだり、草鞋をはいたり、体験できるようになっている。教育センターの中に郷土資料館がある。人の楽しみの面からみると、宿場には居酒屋はじめさまざまなお店があって賑わっていたこと、そんな中で酒好きの放蕩息子もいたことなど、人間味があって面白い。 The photo below is a full-scale model o...

Tokyo International Airport is in Narita which is located 60km east from Tokyo. Narita has flourished as a temple city of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple which was established in 1080. Narita Tourist Pavilion This pavilion is an information center and museum. The attractive exhibits of this museum are Gion festival floats. I like models of travelers in the Edo period . Traveling and festival are fun. Gion festival floats 、祇園祭の山車 成田観光館は観光案内所ある資料館。その目玉は、祇園祭の山車。実物が置かれています。でも、成田への交通路と旅人の模型が、地味ですが、いい感じ。旅は楽しい、祭りは楽しいということでしょうか。成田山新勝寺、新勝寺の資料館霊光館、参道とともに紹介します。  People usually traveled to Narita from Edo(old name of Tokyo) on foot, which was three-day trip. The route is flat so Narita was popular destination. The river cruising was joyful because people chartered ship and they ate and drunk in it. It is written that the ship was similar to a luxurious passenger train in present time. The Ukiyoe printing below depicts the travel of Kabuki actors who went to the Narita Temple to...