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

 Gifu City is famous for Ukai (cormorant fishing) and Oda Nobunaga (feudal warlord, 1534-1582). Nobunaga was the very powerful war lord who tried to unify Japan during the internal war time. He is also famous as the hero of “Nobunaga's Ambition“ (video game). He moved his HQs from Nagoya to Gifu in 1567 . He stationed just nine years and moved to Azuchi ( Azuchicastle museum ) which is closer to Kyoto where the emperor resided. Many tourists who are interested in Nobunaga visit Gifu even until now. The city is designated as “Japan Heritage” (A Ruthless Warlord’s Spirit of Hospitality).  岐阜市の観光は織田信長と鵜飼いですね。 1567 年に尾張・清須城から拠点を移した信長が岐阜にいたのは９年間。でも、今も信長を慕って岐阜を訪ねる人は多いです。「『信長公のおもてなし』が息づく戦国城下町・岐阜」として、日本遺産の認定を受けています。   The photo above is the view of the  castle at dawn . Do you know where is the castle tower? It’s at the summit (329m) behind Nagara River. 日が昇る直前の岐阜城 です。天守閣がどこにあるか分かりますか？　長良川の向こうの金華山の山頂、標高 329 ｍにあります。  I crossed the river and took the photo abov...

  The museum is in front of Ogaki Castle ; it used to be in the castle’s site. The classy garden and interior calm down our minds. The museum exhibits not only war and daimyo lord but also people’s lives which help us to understand the area. I took photos under the approval of Ogaki City office.   大垣城 のすぐ前 にあり、庭も内装も上質で落ち着く博物館です。かつては城郭の中でした。城下町の博物館らしく戦いや藩主に関する展示が充実しています。庶民の暮らしに関する展示もあり、大垣の様子がわかります。 大垣市の許可を得て撮影しました。   The wooden gate and wall were moved from a chief retainer’s residence of Ogaki  han  which was a local government in the  Edo period  (1603 ～ 1868). 門と木の塀は大垣藩（ 10 万石）の家老宅から移築 したものです。 There is a garden inside the gate and bonsai of  satsuki  azalea were displayed in behind when I visited. 門を入ると庭園 があり、その奥ではさつきの盆栽が展示されていました。  There is a well on the approach of the museum entrance. Around 200 years ago, a flowing well appeared when a konjac (food) manufacturer drove in a bamboo pile; He got pure water. Thereafter, Ogak...

It is written, “The castle was used as the headquarters of the West Army and was one of the fierce battle sites”. It was “Battle of Sekigahara” in 1600. In the following Edo period, Toda clan stationed in the castle and ruled the area. It is pity that the castle tower burned down in 1945 by airstrike and was rebuilt in 1959. Some exhibit panels are written in Japanese plus English. 関ヶ原の東 15km にある大垣城は、 西軍を率いた石田三成の本拠地 になりました。その後は、譜代大名・戸田氏（十万石）の居城になりました。国宝だった天守閣は太平洋戦争の戦火で焼失したといいますから残念なことです。再建された天守閣には、大垣城での戦さと共に、城下の生活も展示されていて、庶民の生活も少しわかります。   Ogaki is lowland and has suffered from flood. The park went under the water in the past. 大垣は、木曽三川に囲まれた湿地帯。公園になっているところは、洪水で水没したというのですから、大変なことです。 We can see “Sekigahara” from the observatory room of the castle (4 th  floor). 大垣城４階（展望室）からは関ヶ原が見えます。 It is written, “ he (the lord) is said to have actually entered it (castle tower) just once or possibly a few times in his entire life . --- The castle donjon was not built for the lord hims...

 “ Waju” is river islands in central Japan. Waju-life museum was a landowner’s house which has a Mizuya (or literary water house) for evacuation from flood . The models of foods are very interesting; we can understand their lifestyle well. “Waju museum” which introduces their livelihood is near it.  輪中の暮らしを紹介する輪中館のすぐ近くにあります。 典型的な地主建築ということで、洪水時に避難する水屋を残しています 。食事の模型が展示されていました。生活の様子が良くわかります。農家の展示では珍しく、すばらしい。  「『生活のにおいが感じられる・ふれることができる』をねらいとして」とリーフレットに書かれていましたが、その通り。  The approach to the house is an upslope. The level of ordinary houses is higher than rice field by 1.2 to 1.5 meters . On the other hands, it of some landowner’s houses is higher by 3 meters. Stone wall strengthens the embankment. It looks like a samurai’s house.  門へのアプローチが登っています。 通常の家で、田面から 1.2 ～ 1.5 ｍ高くし 、地主の家では 3 ｍかさ上げしたものもあります。盛り土の崩壊を防ぐために石垣を積んでいます。盛り土を作るため、家の周りには堀ができ、武士の館のようです。  Residents usually lived in  Omoya (main building) on the right. During flood, they lived in Mizuya on t...