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

 Yashio, which is a neighboring city of the central Tokyo, used to be in a marsh area. However, it is being developed after the railroad service to Tokyo started in 2005. Here, we can understand how people have utilized water.  八潮市は、埼玉県の東部、低湿地でしたが、つくばエキスプレスの開通後（秋葉原まで 20 分）、開発が進み、住宅がたくさんできています。水を利用した人々の暮らしがわかります。 The permanent exhibition room is as large as two class rooms. 常設展示室は教室二つぐらいの大きさです。 The title of the  ancient period  is “Start of the life in waterside”. It was a marsh area, so the water transportation developed even in the old time. 古代の展示 のタイトルは「水辺での生活の開始」です。低湿地ゆえ、河川交通が発達していました。 The theme of the  medieval period , when samurai warriors emerged, is “Utilization of the river”. 武士が台頭した 中世 のテーマは「川の利用」です。  There were  markets and towns along the rivers, and people gathered . Check points were controlled by Katori Shrine which is 70km west of Yashio. They levied in the name of collecting "the candle fee (offering)" at first. Shrines had power bac...

 Yoshikawa City in Saitama Prefecture, which is around 20km northeast of the central Tokyo, is located beside Edo River.  The exhibition room is as large as a classroom. Old articles for everyday use are preserved in good condition. And they are shown systematically. Although it’s not easy to find the fun of people in Yoshikawa, it’s easy to understand their lifestyle and to imagine how they enjoyed. The museum is open only on Saturday and Sunday when I visited.   Btw, Yoshikawa is on the opposite side of Nagareyama across the river, where Yoshino family lives. I read their diary during the Edo period and upload articles about it. Women often went to Yoshikawa for moxibustion therapy. (Reference: Yoshino’s daily life 33 (Jan. to Feb. in 1855 ） ) 吉川市は、埼玉県の東端、千葉県との境の江戸川に面しています。 土日のみ開館の教室一つぐらいの広さの資料館です。民具が良い状態で保存され、かつ、体系的に展示されていました。「吉川の人々の楽しみは？」という問いに対するズバリの回答はないのですが、吉川の人々がどのように生きてきたかは良く分かりますし、日々の生活を楽しんでいた様子も想像できます。 ところで、私が追っかけている吉野家の日記では、灸治に行く場所としてしばしば出てきます（参照： Yoshino’...

Noda is 30km north of the central Tokyo; it is the birthplace of Kikkoman (the largest soy sauce manufacturer). The museum in the ground of the soy sauce brewer's mansion; it was donated to Noda city. The lives of Noda people such as soy sauce manufacturing are explained well, although it doesn’t mention the fun of Noda people a lot.  千葉県野田市は キッコーマン発祥の地 です。博物館は、醤油醸造家・茂木氏の旧宅内にあります。邸宅は、野田市に寄贈されました。 醤油造りや農業、野田の人々の暮らし が良くわかりました。でも、人々の楽しみまでは掴めなかったかな。  It is a bit smaller than a school gymnasium. The permanent exhibition of the ancient era and the special exhibition “People lived in Noda” were held in the 1 st  floor, and the permanent one mainly about soy sauce manufacturing is held on the 2 nd  floor when I visited. 学校の体育館より少し小さいぐらいの展示スペースです。一階が古代の常設展、企画展「野田に生きた人々」、二階が醤油作りを中心にした常設展でした。   Ancient period 、古代の展示 The clay pots are shown together with equivalent kitchenware . They don’t change so much. 縄文土器を、 今の調理器具と並べているのが、いいですねえ 。 The stone equipmen...