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.
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| 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 of the house around 4800 years ago. You touch the pieces of earthenware.
縄文時代中期（約4800年前）の家の模型。土器のかけらを触れるようになっている。
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| Earthenware in the ancient times、縄文時代、弥生時代の土器 |
The
exhibition area of the Middle Age; Kasukabe clan ruled this area and Satte
Fudou temple had a big power then.
中世の展示。春日部氏などがこの地域を支配した。また、仏教も盛んで幸手不動院（大正時代に東京に移転）が勢力を持っていた。
In the Edo period, Nikkou highway was
constructed. The Nikkou shrine was completed in 1639 which is one of the most
famous tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nikkou shrine is
really gorgeous;
Some carpenters who were engaged in
building the shrine lived in Kasukabe. They
learned high-level woodwork in the project. They started making furniture such
as chests of drawers of paulownia wood. Kasukabe has been famous for chests since then. By the way, paulownia
wood is expensive but it is used for furniture often in Japan because it is
light and fire-proof.
江戸時代に入ると、1612年頃から日光道中の整備が進む。1639年には日光に東照宮が造営される。大工たちは粕壁で桐たんすの製造を始め、粕壁の名物となる。
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| Map in the Edo period |
1800～1850年で設定した宿場想定模型。街並み159軒で、本陣１軒、脇本陣１軒、名主３軒、旅籠45軒が作られている。
This
facility is responsible for logistic and post system. There were 35 horses in a
courtyard; I felt the bustle and vitality.
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| Toiyaba、問屋場 |
荷物や郵便を扱う問屋場。馬や荷物を置くせいか、立派な広場がある。賑わいを感じます。35匹の馬を確保していたらしいです。
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| Large house of a village head、名主の家は敷地が広い |
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| Population of post towns on Nikkou highway、日光道中の宿場町 |
粕壁は、人口3700人で千住に次ぐ二番手グループ。
In the center of Kasukabe post town, there were Nikkou highway which width was 9m. The town was along the highway and the length was 1.1km. There were 114 restaurants and pubs along the street, so in every 24 meters there was a restaurant or pub. There were also sweets shops; four candy shops, three mochi cake shops and seven fruit shops. Kasukabe is around 35km away from the sea, however there was a sushi restaurant; sushi has been popular. Ten massagers and three public bath houses, which described in the dairy of Isabella Bird who traveled Japan around 150 years ago, were there. By the way, the average number of a family member was less than five; it wasn’t so large. I could imagine daily life of the ordinary people.
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| Livelihoods and number of houses of each job in 1849、嘉永二年の職業構成 |
In the center of Kasukabe post town, there were Nikkou highway which width was 9m. The town was along the highway and the length was 1.1km. There were 114 restaurants and pubs along the street, so in every 24 meters there was a restaurant or pub. There were also sweets shops; four candy shops, three mochi cake shops and seven fruit shops. Kasukabe is around 35km away from the sea, however there was a sushi restaurant; sushi has been popular. Ten massagers and three public bath houses, which described in the dairy of Isabella Bird who traveled Japan around 150 years ago, were there. By the way, the average number of a family member was less than five; it wasn’t so large. I could imagine daily life of the ordinary people.
粕壁宿は、道幅５間（９ｍ）の10町余り（1.1ｋｍ）の道に家々が並んでいた。嘉永２年（1849年）で、人口3.779人、戸数817戸であった。一戸5人弱だ。大きな家もあるのに、意外と少ない。飲食店は46軒ある。24mに一軒の割だ。スイーツ系が多い。飴菓子が４軒、餅菓子が３軒、水菓子はおそらく果物屋で７軒。海から遠いのにすし屋があるのがおもしろい。江戸の人は鮨が好きか。イザベラバードの日記に出てくる按摩もいるし、湯屋も３軒ある。人びとの暮らしを感じる。
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| Letter of apology、詫び状 |
運送屋の息子が、荷物の酒１駄を自宅に運び込んだことに対する、主人の詫び状。金目のものより重い酒を盗んだのが面白い。バカ息子はいつの時代もいるものだ。
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| Sugoroku or Japanese backgammon/Copy 日光・三社・成田山廻り滑芸振分双六」複製 |
1842年の双六の複製。名前が面白い。コースは分かれるが、上りは何れも日光東照宮となる。服を脱いで踊っている男もいて、旅は楽しそう。拡大してみていただきたい。
The
photo below is a palanquin you can get on. There are also many toys you can
play with. 体験コーナーの駕籠。乗れるようになっている。おもちゃもたくさんある。
Straw shoes which were used in the Edo period. It is amazing that
people walked 40km a day using this kind of shoes in winter. 草履。これで一日40kmも歩いたのだから、偉い。しかも農民は冬の旅だ。
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| Firefighting equipment、消防道具 |
Folklore of Kasukabe are introduced by posters. Kite flying which is held at
Edogawa riverside is also shown.
「春日部の民俗」として祭りの紹介パネル。GWに江戸川河川敷で行われる大凧あげの紹介もあった。
「春日部の民俗」として祭りの紹介パネル。GWに江戸川河川敷で行われる大凧あげの紹介もあった。
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| Brochure of the big kite flying、大凧揚げのリーフレットから |
【Thematic exhibition: Transportation and logistics after the Edo period （企画展：近代の交通・流通）】
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| The exhibition area |
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| Horse train around 1900、明治の馬車鉄道 |
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| Railway of the horse train、草加市内の馬車鉄道の線路 |
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| Rickshaw、人力車 |
This is a postcard about Ushijima which was printed in 1901. It is
written that the building might be a high-class restaurant which served
freshwater fishes. It was spring, it became warmer and people went out to watch
flowers. What a wonderful time! Ushijima became famous for wisteria blossoms around
1900, so many celebrities visited.
有名な「牛島の藤」の写真絵葉書の一部。1901年に発行された。奥にあるのは、料亭のようで、川魚料理が名物だったようだ。春になって、暖かくなって、花を見て、楽しい。明治後半には名所として知られ、東京から文人をはじめ沢山の人が訪れていたようだ。
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| Wisteria blossom at Ashikaga Flower Park、藤の花＠足利フラワーパーク |
8 funs（楽fun）were found. Visited in June, 2018
Official website : http://www.boe.kasukabe.saitama.jp/siryoukan/top.html
(in Japanese), accessed in August, 2020
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