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

  This museum was built at the ruin of the checkpoint which controlled the ships from going in and out of Edo (old name of Tokyo). The full-scale building was rebuilt in it. Moreover, we can know the fun of travelers or fishermen who passed here.   On the first floor, we can know about old toys and games of children. It was also good. There is a rental electric bicycle station in front of the entrance. It’s convenient. 資料館入口には電動自転車のレンタル・ステーションも。ちょっと便利。 　江戸への舟の出入りを管理した川の関所・中川船番所の跡に立つ資料館だ。 再現された番所があり 、その様子が良く分かるだけでなく、 川で旅した人、釣りした人など人々が楽しむ様子も伝わってくる 。 また、無料の一階のスペースには、昔の子どもたちの遊びの絵やおもちゃが並べてあってこれまた楽しい。   The ruined checkpoint was found in 2005. This building was designed based on the picture of “Edo-meisho-zue” (Edo guidebook).    Samurai officers checked not only passengers but also sake (alcohol) barrels when there was a shortage of rice, which is raw material of it. Many people of pleasure tours passed here , however they felt nervous. Their ...

Basho Matsuo (1644 ～ 1694) was the most famous master of Haiku short poem who established his own style called “Shou-hu”.   Making poems was popular even in the Edo period (1603 ～ 1868) among ordinary people.  Farmers made a group for making poems and invited a poem master for scoring their works. They also offered their poems to the shrines and temples.( Farmers in the Edo period (2009) 4.(2) How farmers enjoyed culture)  Meanwhile, in the Edo (old name of Tokyo), it was a bit of a gamble. Basho criticized the poet gamblers, then. ( Kiyu-Shouran (Part 1) ) His masterpiece was created here in Fukagawa, Edo. “ Furuike ya (Old pond) Kawazu tobikomu (Frogs jumped in) Mizu no oto (Sound of water)” It is a simple and short poem, however we can imagine the calm scene and sound easily.  By the way, he was born in Iga (western Japan) and served a samurai at first. When he was twenty-nine, he went to Edo to become a poem master.  He became a master...