Azumi area in Matsumoto city of central Japan is in a mountainous area which altitude is around 900 meters. It is also snowy. Despite these difficulties, people have continued to reside there. We can learn it in this museum.
After the WW2, development of hydraulic
power plants, roads and tourist spots made local life better. I can say machines
made people happy. Although some would say it was just a destruction of nature,
I think it was the way to coexist with nature.
この地域は、山地で雪が多く暮らしは容易でないと思いますが、人びとがなんとか暮らしていた様子が分かります。戦後は、ダム開発、道路開発、上高地の観光開発で、暮らしは良くなりました。機械のおかげです。自然破壊との批判もあるかもしれませんが、破壊にはいたらず、共存の範囲だと思います。
I visited in the early November; it’s a cold day. The museum is closed from December to the end of April.
11月上旬に訪問しましたが、寒い日でした。資料館は12月から休館、GWから営業再開されます。
The life in Azumi is shown in the main exhibition room at the first floor. Exhibits about agriculture, forestry and sericultural industry are in center, the ones about daily life are on the right, and the paintings of Kato Taidou（1896-1965）on the left. His arts about his hometown Azumi are exhibited. So, let's walk around the room.
1階主展示室では、安曇の暮らしを紹介しています。中央には農林業・養蚕業の道具、右側は暮らしの道具が展示されています。左側は、安曇生まれの加藤大道（1896-1965）の絵画で、素朴な里を描いたものが魅力的です。展示品を見ていきましょう。
Tools above were used in mountains. Azumi was a forestry village until the modernization. Many men were engaged in the industry.
炭焼き（左上）など山仕事の道具。江戸時代は林業の村で、多くの男たちは松本藩が行っていた伐採事業に従事していました。
Lumbers were carried out by wooden slider (the photo was taken in around 1900). There are three men on the photo (inside the white dotted line). What a dangerous job it was!
シュラによる出材（明治末期）。シュラは「修羅」とも書く木材の滑り台です。三人の作業者を確認できますが（白破線内）、一つ間違うと命を失う職場ですよね。
Lumbers were floated on Azusa River and were carried to the center of Matsumoto. The photo was taken in the early 20th century. It was a really physical work. However, constructions of dams and development of truck transportation took over the river one.
梓川を利用して松本の土場（集積場）に搬出された木材。対象から昭和初期の写真です。人力で大変な仕事でした。ダムの建設、トラック輸送の普及とともに土場はなくなりました。
In the Edo period (1603～1868), cattle in this area brought timbers to Takasaki which is around 200km away. Then, the timbers were brought to Edo (old name of Tokyo) through river. Cattle are suitable to carry heavy things.
There were many drivers who guided cattle. They traveled with cattle from mountainous area to urban area. I want to know the road conditions and to know what they though while walking.
江戸時代は、牛が白木を積んで、峠を越えて、群馬県の倉賀野（高崎市）まで運びました。倉賀野からは、利根川につながる烏川があります。
牛は重量物の輸送に適していて、安曇には牛方がたくさんいました。山中から需要地の都市部まで、どんな道を、どんな思いで運んだのか･･･。
It is written on the caption of waraji straw sandals, “Especially in a winter night, the sounds of hitting straw for making sandals from residences resonated. In each residence, family members sat around an irori fire place and talking while making straw products. It was a feel-good time.” The happiness is near at hand.
わらじの説明には、「冬の夜などは あちこちから ぞうりやわらじを作るための藁をたたく音がこだまし合い、イロリを囲んで話し合いながらのワラ細工も 楽しい家庭のだんらんであった」と書かれています。楽しみは手の届くところにありますね。
Watashi has been used to toast mochi cake and so on in an irori fireplace. It’s a quality time of a family.
炭火の上のワタシ（渡し）で、餅やおやきをあぶったそうです。今を使われています。楽しい時間ですね。
Old kitchenware and tableware are displayed. The tray on the right is a model which was used at Buddhist memorial service in around 1904. It was a treat back then.
食事の道具。右は仏事のお膳（明治37年ごろ）で、おかずが三品に汁と飯です。当時のご馳走ですね。
The dolls above were decollated on a girls’ day (third of March). It’s a fun time to enjoy with children during hard working.
節句の人形。厳しい仕事の中で、子供と過ごす大切な時間だったと思います。
There is a natural refrigerator by the museum. Air is cooled while going down between rocks. Pickled vegetables or silkworm-egg cards were stocked there. It is used for aging Japanese sake (alcohol) at present. No energy consumption!
稲核（いねこき、資料館の隣）には風穴があり、漬物（稲核菜）や蚕種を冷蔵保存していました。今は、日本酒も熟成させているとTVで放映していました。冷たい岩くずの隙間の空気が下りてくるのを利用しています。SDGsですね。
The wooden bridge (Zousui bridge) was a crucial one to pass Azusa River. It was renewed every twelve years; many farmers were gathered as workers. The completion event, in which the bridges from both sides were connected, was a highlight. Many spectators gathered. Although it was a hard work for farmers, it was a task to be proud of simultaneously, I think. The bridge is a concrete one at present (below).
江戸時代の前からあった雑炊橋です。梓川を渡る唯一の頼れる橋で、12年に一度の橋の架け替えには多くの人足がかり出されました。両岸の桁を結ぶ作業は工事のハイライトで、「人出を見るなら諏訪の御柱曳きか、雑司橋（雑炊橋）のみのた（行桁）渡しか」といわれた大イベントだったそうです。かり出された農民たちはたいへんですが、張り合いもあったでしょう。現在は下のコンクリートの橋です（2024年5月撮影）。
The stone monument by the bridge tells us the legend concerning the name of it.
雑炊橋の名の由来を記した石碑が橋のたもとに建てられています。
The photo above was taken in around 1935. The bus run on the dangerous road beside Azusa River. However, the bus made an ordinary person to go to Kamikouchi, which is one of the most attractive spots in Japan, with ordinary clothes.
昭和10年ごろの沢渡の道路とバス。梓川沿いはまだまだ危ない、というか、無理に作った道でした。でも、上高地に乗り合いバスが入り、背広姿の人でも入れる場所になりました。
The landscape of Kamikouchi strongly attracts tourists.
上高地の景色は、人々を惹きつけています。（photoAC/Funnymanさんの写真）
Visited in November, 2023
Official website: 冬期休館
https://matsu-haku.com/azumishiryo/
(in Japanese), accessed in July, 2024
Previous post (old former private house in the same city): Residence
of Baba family in Nagano、馬場家住宅（松本市）
Next post (museum in a downstream area of Azumi): Azusagawa･Academia Hall、梓川アカデミア館
Comments
Post a Comment