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

Otari Village in central Japan (Nagano prefecture) is in a snowy area . Locals suffered from not only snow but landslide. However, they have established livelihoods, and have enjoyed events such as New Year’s Day. 小谷村は長野県北部・白馬の北側にある豪雪地帯 です。雪だけでなく地滑りなどの自然災害を受けてきました。そのような中でも、人々は日々の暮らしを営みつつ、お正月などの行事を楽しんできたことがよく分かります。 The building was constructed in the early Meiji period (1868-1912); it was also utilized as a village office. 郷土館は明治初めに建てられた建物で、村役場としても利用されていました。 At the entrance hall, we can see the section which exhibits dinosaur footprints. The history and folklore sections are behind it. If we look up, we find  thick beams which hold up the roof and heavy snowfall  on it. エントランスからは恐竜の足跡の化石が見えます。その奥は歴史や民俗の展示です。見上げると 雪の重みに耐える屋根を博物館の太い梁が支えています 。 The section shows an  old highway  (Chikuni  kaidou , a.k.a Salt Road) which linked Itoigawa (cost city) and Matsumoto (inland city) . The transit-duty which was charged at Chikuni checkpoint is written on the panel above....

Hakuba village is famous for a mountain resort which many foreigners visit especially in winter. In the museum, we can understand the mountain work and life in the old days well. The clothes and tableware of the section of a special day such as a wedding ceremony tell us how people enjoyed an event. 日本を代表する山岳リゾートの長野県・白馬村 にある資料館です。 昔の山での仕事、暮らし がよく分かります。また、結婚式のようなハレの日の衣服や食器を展示したコーナーがあり、 ハレの日にどんな楽しみ方をしていたのか 、その一端を知ることができました。 The museum is in an administration office of Hakuba Green Sports Forest which has BBQ site and so on. There is no dedicated staff of the museum; it is a good idea to reduce cost. Generally, visitors to a local museum are not so many. アスレチックや BBQ などの施設がある白馬グリーンスポーツの森の管理棟の中に資料館があります。独立した資料館は来訪者が少ないので、よいアイデアだと思います。 Large agricultural equipment is set in center, various tools and utensils are displayed along the walls. 展示室の中央に大型の農機具が展示され、壁際にさまざまな仕事の用具などが展示されています。 The section is about “ Salt Road ”, which links Itoigawa (seaside city) and Matsumoto (inland city). Ha...

Omachi city in central Japan was a post-town on the Chikuni highway, which linked Matsumoto (inland city) and Itoigawa (coast city of the Sea of Japan) . Salt and so on were brought to inland region through the highway a.k.a. "Salt Road" . Chouji-ya was a residence of a village head who also was a salt wholesaler. The buildings including storehouses are open to the public. I was surprised that even raw fishes were transported to Omachi from the seaside without a cold-chain and trucks; the sea is eighty kilometers away. People wanted to eat sashimi or sushi so much. I was also moved by the local festival which hero is a boy. Omachi is a calm city, however, locals have been passionate. 長野県の旧宿場町・大町市にある資料館 です。大町は、 日本海沿岸の糸魚川と内陸部の松本を結ぶ千国街道 が、山間部を抜けて松本平に入ったところにあります。庄屋であり塩問屋であった平林家とその蔵が「ちょうじや」の展示室として公開されています。 生魚を海から 80km 離れた大町までの山道を 24 時間で運んだ物流システム（すなわち、生の海の魚へのニーズの高さ）、そして、子どもを主役にした祭りへの情熱に驚きました。普段は静かな街ですが、熱いですね。   Sacred rice-straw ropes were hung, because it was the annua...