Toyoshina Local Museum、豊科郷土博物館

 The museum is located in Azumino city, Nagano Prefecture. It introduces the local history and folklore very understandably. However, it is pity I cannot upload the photos of exhibits because of its guideline. So, I try to explain the exhibits with a few pictures I got from the museum and the area.

 安曇野市の歴史と民俗が良く分かる展示でした。撮影はOKなのですが、写真のネットでの公開はNGで残念。いただいた資料と現地の写真、そして主には文章でお伝えしたいと思います。

 

1．Residence and everyday life、家と日常生活の展示

 There is a replica of a living room in the early 20^th century. It says, “After a meal, people scraped their leftover food from their bowls with pickled vegetables and hot water for cleaning. (After that, they ate the used pickle and drank the hot water.) Then, people kept bowls in the drawers of the dining table.” The practice is similar to that of Zen priests.

 In some families, people reused the waste water from the sink and the bathtub to make fertilizer. They didn’t waste stuff.

 昭和初期の居間が再現されています。食後は、お椀や茶碗に白湯（さゆ）を入れて漬物で擦って食べ物を除き、飯台（はんだい）の引き出しに片付けます。ミニマリストですね。禅僧と似ています。

 また、流しやお風呂の排水を堆肥の発酵に再利用していた家もあったそうです。丁寧な暮らしです。

 

2．Rites of a family、イエの祭

 It is written, “Let’s travel into the 1960s; people looked forward to the day to worship gods, Buddha or ancestors back then.”

 People made their living due to their ancestors, because they took over agricultural fields and residence; they were always grateful to their ancestors, I think. They also worshipped gods and Buddha who prevented them from natural disaster, plague and so on.

 Photos and models explain the various rites and altars. For example, on the Bon days in summer, people eat tempura and dried cod fish, and they dance or play sumo wrestling in order to entertain the spirits of their ancestors who return on the Bon days. They do those even until now.

Brochure of the museum、博物館のパンフレット

「仏や神や祖先を祭るその日を楽しみにしていた昭和３０年代ごろの生活にタイムスリップしてください」と書かれています。いいですねえ。

 先祖からいただいた家産（家や田んぼ）で生業を立てていた時代です。先祖への感謝は欠かせないと思います。自然への畏敬、仏や神への日々の参拝も欠かせませんでした。

 多くの写真と模型を使って、祭壇や行事の様子が説明されています。例えば、お盆には、天ぷらや干だらのご馳走を食べ、仏様をもてなす盆踊りや相撲をするなど写真とともに分かりやすく展示されています。

 

 A tall lantern has been risen before Bon,  to signify a family member has passed away during that year. This is a beacon for the new spirit to return home. In the morning of the last day of Bon (16th of August), they wrap offerings by pumpkin leaves and float them to river. In the evening, they set a ceremonial bonfire and see off the ancestors' sprits. In this area, it is said that autumn comes after Bon.

「死を見つめ生を考える」（ふるさと安曇野 きのうきょうあした）から

 新仏がある家では、８月１日頃に高燈籠を立て、仏様が戻ってくるときの目印にしたそうです。関東や東北に多い習慣です。

 ８月１６日の午前中に、お供えをカボチャの葉などで包み、キュウリやナスの馬とともに川に流します。夕方、お墓で送り火を焚きます。安曇野では、「お盆が終わると秋風が吹く」とい言うそうです。

 

 People welcome the god who visits starting New Year's Day. Tradition says he stays around 15 days term. The rites for the New Year are as busy as the Bon's one, as detailed in the museum descriptions.

 One of the practices and beliefs, is when people eat taro soup. The tradition is the fortune god enters the body together with the taro. So, people believed that luck will be with them.

 After the New Year season, people see off the god; the fire festival is called “Sankurou” in the region. It was mainly held by boys. They stayed overnight in Sankurou shed. It should be cold, but should be enjoyable.

 They thank, praise the gods and Buddha because they are grateful for the continuation of their family generations. During this time, they gather and enjoy the celebration.

 お正月に来られる神様（正月様/年神様）のお祭りもお盆と同じく、盛大に行います。料理も含めて、その詳細が写真と文章で紹介されています。安曇野には、イモ汁を食べて福の神に滑り込んでもらうという言い伝えがあるそうです。

 松本や安曇野では、小正月の火祭りを「三九郎」と呼び、正月様を送ります。かつては、男の子が主体で行い、三九郎小屋で寝泊まりして楽しんだそうです。でも、寒そうですね。

 神仏への感謝と共に、イエが続いていることの喜び、集まる楽しみがあります。

 

3．Passage rites、通過儀礼

 Those are also elaborately explained. The concept (below), which is written on the first panel of the section, is very interesting; it shows the view of life and death. The way of thinking is based on the reincarnation of souls. We Japanese have many passage rites such as a Shich (seven years old) – Go (five) – San (three) celebration. It is written that there are many rites after birth and after death; that’s right. The reason is that we celebrate joining this world or going to another world; it’s a convincing and satisfactory explanation for me. My question why our extended family members gather often after the death or the birth of someone is resolved.

 Many photos and passage rite equipment such as a costume for baby are exhibited in the museum.

 誕生から葬儀までの通過儀礼が多くの写真と展示品で説明されています。

 最初に、「あの世からこの世へ（霊魂はめぐる）」のパネルで日本人の霊魂観を説明しています（上図）。通過儀礼はこの世（顕界）にデビューした生後から七歳までと、あの世（幽界）に逝った葬式の後にたくさん行われます。なるほど。パネルには書かれていませんでしたが、あの世に行く前？にも、還暦から始まってたくさんの行事がありますよね。

 日本は通過儀礼が多いのが特徴ですね。アメリカ人は誕生日ぐらいしかないと言っていました。家族が集まる良い機会です。

 

4．Village festivals、ムラの祭

 During festivals, people worship the gods and pray for their safety. This is common and necessary for those who have lived with nature; the area is not so snowy but very cold.

 自然と共に生きる中で、神をもてなし、加護を願う祭りなしに暮らしを営むことができなかった、と書かれています。雪は多くありませんが、冬の寒さは厳しいそうです。

 

 The mainstream festival is “Ofune”. People make a float called “Ofune (ship)” and walk around the village. The concept is to show their origin as maritime people who migrated to the mountains.  So the float symbolizes the ship -shape in a mountainous area.

 Each village has their own float, however the number of successors is reducing. In some villages, they quit making float but restored later.

 Btw, models of the menu of “Ofune” festival feast are exhibited; Simmered carp, simmered vegetables, special rice (red rice or rice dish cooked with other ingredients), five assorted foods and so on are served.

Brochure of the museum、博物館のパンフレット

FYI、ご参考：Ofune museum of Hotaka Shrine、穂高神社・御船会館

 安曇野の代表的な祭が、舟の形をした山車でムラを巡る「オフネ」。安曇野族は、海人でした。

 各集落で「オフネ」を作りますが、祭の後継者がいなくなっています。でも、復活させたところもあるそうです。

 祭のご馳走は、「鯉の旨煮、煮しめ、五目ご飯や赤飯、五つ盛（五品の盛り合わせ）」など。模型が展示されています。

 

 Azumino is famous for its stone image of Dousojin (deity) beside roads (photo below). There are more than five hundred stone statues.

 Dosojin are usually enshrined at the edge of a village and stop the coming of bad fortune into the village. People also pray for healthy growth of children, good marriage, safety of their family and so on. Many Dosojin festivals are held in winter.

 Btw, there is Dosojin which face was scraped off. The legend has that the Dosojin could not prevent the village from the plague around 150 years ago. Villagers were too severe.

 The Onbashira (pole), which welcome the New Year god, is mainly stood up near Dosojin.

Dousojin near Sumiyoshi Nougyo (agriculture) Kouen (park)、住吉農村公園横の道祖神

Dousojin couple in front of Hotaka station、穂高駅前の道祖神

Onbashira pole、北小倉上区の御柱（博物館のパンフレットから）

 安曇野と言えば、道祖神。500基以上の碑があり、男女の神像が彫られた双体道祖神が有名です。

 集落の木戸（きど）ごとに祭られた道祖神は身近な神様で、子育て・縁結び・家内安全などさまざまな願い聞き届けてくれるそうです。道祖神祭は冬に行うことが多いそうです。ところで、「顔欠け道祖神」が堀金地区にあります。江戸時代末に疫病の侵入を防げなかったために顔を削られたという言い伝えがあるそうです。なかなか厳しい。

 また、年神様を迎える御柱は、道祖神が祀られている辻に立てられることが多いそうです。

 

 There are exhibits regarding kou (religious group). There are various kinds of kou such as Zenkoji (temple) kou. However, the custom to reserve a fund every month and dispatch the delegate to the temple or the shrine which kou members worship, is disappearing. It is written that the role of kou is bringing to an end.

 But the funeral ceremony is held by Koushin kou in Azumino. They support the event for several days.

 信仰のグループである講についても展示されています。安曇野市では、庚申講、念仏講、戸隠講、善光寺講などが多いということです。しかし、講仲間でお金を積み立てて代表者（代参者）を社寺に送るということがなくなり、講は役目を終えつつあります。

 なお、安曇野の葬儀は庚申講のメンバーで行って、葬儀があると三～四日間手伝ったそうです。安曇野には和やかな石仏だけでなく、庚申講の石碑もたくさんあります。

 

5．Water introduced to Azumino、安曇野に導かれる水

 The landscape above is often used in brochures and guidebooks for tourists. It’s an irrigation canal “Jikkasegi” which runs 15km. In 1816, farmers submitted the construction plan to the han (the local government). They got a permission and completed the civil work only in three months by themselves. Can you believe it? Total man-days were 67,000 (people), so more than 700 workers were engaged every day in average. The canal changed the land to the rice field.

 The signboard beside the canal says that the inclination is only 1/3000. Moreover, the canal passed over Azusa River which amount of water wasn’t rich, and introduced water from Narai River which had abundant water. (The canal passes under Azusa River by siphon now.) It supplies agricultural water to 780ha of field even now. I am moved.

 安曇野の観光パンフレットといえば拾ヶ堰（じっかせぎ）の写真です。1816年（文化13年）に、わずか３ヶ月で15kmの水路を完成させました。延べ6万7千人が参加した大プロジェクトです。農民達が松本藩の許可を得て完成させ、拾（十）ヶ村に水を供給し、畑や原野を水田に変えました。江戸時代は、住民自治の時代です。

 現地の看板には、等高線に沿って1/3000勾配の水路を作ったとあります。しかも、水量が多い奈良井川の水を梓川の上を通して引いています（現在は、下を通すサイフォン式）。今も780haの農地を潤しているということです。感動です。

 See the sakura petals on the canal water. Do you feel something strange? They move toward mountains. The water flows by the accurate inclination.

 川面に浮かぶ桜の花びらが流れる方向を見てください。違和感を感じませんか。人が作った傾斜の通りに、水は流れています。

 

Stone statues are also exhibited outside the museum. It’s very Azumino.

さすが安曇野です。博物館の屋外に石神石仏が展示されています。旧上川手村にあったものです。

 

 

Visited in April, 2021

Official website: https://www.city.azumino.nagano.jp/soshiki/43/1459.html (in Japanese), accessed in March, 2022

 

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