Annaka is located around 110km northwest of Tokyo (see the map at the end of this article). There were four post towns of Nakasendou (kaidou or highway) in the Edo period (1603～1868). The permanent exhibition room in the large building is as large as the area of one and half classroom. It shows fun things people used to do such as folk events.
The exhibits of the Jomon period (more than three thousand years ago) are very interesting. More than two hundred clay pots with animal faces are excavated. It was the largest number in Japan. The face of a wild boar is realistic, so it is written that people might had bred boars.
縄文時代の展示が見応えタップリ。5000年前の獣面付き土器は、中野谷松原遺跡から200点以上出土しました。全国で最も多い数です。イノシシの顔がリアルで、「飼育していた可能性もあります」と書かれてました。
The accessories in the ancient period are always attractive. Ladies had to make a large hole in their earlobe to wear the clay earrings on the upper right. I feel their passion to be beautiful.
原始時代のアクセサリーにはいつも感心していますが、右側の土製耳飾りは、今はない大胆な耳の穴の開け方です。おしゃれへの心意気。
Exhibits in a compact space are very understandable.
古代から近代まで、コンパクトながらも分かりやすく展示されています。
The kaidou (highway) and shukuba (post town) section. Those were in operation since the 15th century.
In the mid-19th century, 732 cedar trees were planted for travelers here, which prevented sunshine and wind. However, only 16 trees remain, because some of them were cut and were used to construct buildings in the Meiji period (1868-1912) and other were cut because of air pollution in the Showa period (1926-1989).
街道と宿場の展示。中山道の宿駅は、戦国時代から伝馬の役を担っていたそうです。
19世紀半ばには、732本の杉が植えられ、旅人の日除けや風除けの役割をしていました。しかし、明治に建築資材として伐採され、昭和には排気ガスの影響で伐採され、今では、16本を残すのみです。
The panel “Lives of people – worship and entertainment –“ is understandable and attractive. Although people suffered from the eruption of Mt. Asama in 1783 and floods, they have enjoyed lives. It is written in the beginning of the explanation that the lives in the Edo period (1603～1868) were not only hardships.
「人々のくらし―信仰と楽しみ―」と題している展示のパネルが分かりやすいです。浅間山の噴火や治水で苦労しながらも、人々は生活を楽しんできました。「江戸時代の生活は、苦しいことばかりではありませんでした」と書き始めています。
The photo above is a decoration of Ko-shougatsu (“Ko” means small, “shougatsu” means the New Year.) on the 15th of January. It was a full moon day in a lunar calendar which was used until 1872. People decorated models of farming equipment and cocoon-shaped rice cakes, and prayed for good harvest and rich silk-production.
小正月（1月15日）には、農道具のつくりものや繭玉を飾り、豊作や豊蚕を願ったと書いてありました。
The tea ceremony (party) is depicted on the simple picture above by Yamamoto (1837-1901). They were leaders of the local elegant culture: multi-talented people. The master probably shows his valuables. Their leeway to enjoy the party warms our hearts.
この素朴な絵は、山本有所（1837-1901）が茶会の様子を描いたものです。「上毛の風雅の道を牽引した多芸多才の人」ということ。主人は自慢の品々を見せているようです。絵のタッチもほのぼのします。
The photo above shows ofuda talismans. There are ofudas to drive mice away from four directions which have unfamiliar symbols. Those were issued by Inari shrine. Foxes are guards of Inari god and they are natural enemy of mice.
新収蔵資料の中に、「鼠除四方札」がありました。四枚あるので、四方に張ると思いますが、見慣れない記号が書かれています。興味深いですね。稲荷神社のものなので、ネズミに天敵のキツネを当てています。
Visited in October, 2021
Official website: https://www.city.annaka.lg.jp/gakushuunomori/shisetsu/furusato.html
(in Japanese), accessed in February, 2022
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