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

The residence and the museum are in Nagano prefecture in central Japan. A village head lived in the ex-Takemura residence below ; there is a large gate in front. The Takemura family was not only a farmer but also might be a transporter. The residence is large. Two buildings are estimated to be built in the mid-18 th century. On the other hand, the museum was an ex-city hall . All buildings were moved to the foot of mountain and were conserved. 上の旧竹村家住宅は、長野県南部の伊那地方にある 旧名主宅 。長屋門の奥に広い住宅があり、農業だけでなく、街道の荷物の取り次ぎを行っていたと伝えられています。 18 世紀中頃の建築と考えられています。 旧市役所庁舎（郷土館） とともに、名刹・光前寺の近くに移設・保存されています。   Ex Takemura residence 、旧竹村家 The residence has a thatched roof; a wooden roof became mainstream in the area later on. It has three entrances, and the one on the left was a special entrance for  samurai  officer. 萱葺きの家です。江戸末期の伊那地方では、板葺きが主流になりました。入口は３カ所（武士用、家人用、馬用）あります。 There is an  irori  fireplace inside the main entrance . Surprisingly enough, there is a  bathroom soon behi...

“Shinshu Iijima” is a town in central Japan (Nagano prefecture), and “Jinya” is a field office of a government agency ( shogunate or bakufu ) in the Edo period (1603 ～ 1868). A government officer was dispatched to the office to collect tax and so on. I was surprised with tags which were used in an illegal gambling. The photo below is an approach which links the rebuilt Jinya and the kaidou (highway). The Japan central alps stand behind the Jinya. 幕領の代官役所であった陣屋を 再建した 建物 です。幕末は 1 万 5 千石、最盛期は 5 万石の管轄地をもったということで、大名規模ですね。 代官は常駐ではなく、年貢の徴収などの時に江戸からやって来ました 。「博奕の小間札」が展示されていてビックリ！ 写真は、 伊那街道から陣屋に通じる道。背後には中央アルプス が聳えています。 Let’s go inside and see clockwise! では、陣屋の中を右回りで拝見します。 Local staff stationed  in the room. The head of the office ( daikan ) hired them. 書役部屋。 読み書きができる地元の人 を代官が雇いました。 The  court . A criminal and a litigant sat outside. We can touch exhibits here. 白州 。文書の上には文鎮代わりに十手が置かれていました。展示物は手に触れても OK なので、 はじめて十手を持ちました 。適度な重さですね。 The office . Senior staff who were promoted fr...

“ Matsukawa” is in central Japan (Nagano prefecture); it’s famous for fruit producing area , such as apple, pear and grape. However, fruit planting started in 1915. The traditional industries like rice farming, soy bean planting, sericulture and transportation by horse are exhibited; those were livelihood of locals. 長野県松川町（伊那地方） はりんご、なし、ぶどうなどの 果樹栽培が盛んな地域 です。果樹栽培が始まったのは意外にも 1915 年。資料館では、米や大豆作り、養蚕、馬による輸送など、人々が生業を営んでいた跡がわかります。 The section of  local festivals  is nearby the entrance. The major one is “Onbashira-matsuri”; people cut trees, then raise them in the shrine. The model between the portable shrine and the photo panel shows how people draw a tree from the mountain to the shrine. Such a big ritual empowers locals. 展示室入口は 祭りのコーナー です。郷土色豊かな数々の祭りがありますが、 一番は、御射山神社の御柱祭り 。南信・中信では御柱を立てる神社が多いのですが、諏訪大社に次ぐ規模の祭りそうです（パネルの前は御柱を曳く模型）。核となるイベントは町を盛り上げますね。 There are exhibits from the primitive age to the modern one. 展示室では原始時代から現代までが展示されています。 The tiny earthenware and miniature stone too...

“ Takamori” is in central Japan (Nagano prefecture); it’s famous for fruit producing area . The museum is named “Toki-no-eki (or literally, time station)”. Abundant exhibits show us how locals have lived and have enjoyed their life. 長野県高森町（伊那地方、天竜川沿い）は果樹栽培が盛んな地域 です。大量の展示品が人々の暮らしを語ってくれます。 When I visited, the entrance hall was decorated by  hina -dolls which are displayed in a girls’ day season . It’s colorful! ４月の訪問でしたが、 信州に多い月遅れのひな祭り中なのか 、エントランスにはひな飾りがありました。華やかですね。 The  first exhibition room  has a spacious space. 第一展示室 はゆったりと展示されています。 Kokugaku  in the  Edo period  (1603 ～ 1868)  is exhibited in the left half of the room. It is a study to investigate traditional culture and thoughts; it became one of ideological backgrounds to overthrow the feudal government ( Bakuhu ). Takamori people including the lord and the farmers learned the study. On the other hand, poetry was also popular; eminent poets visited the lord. Takamri is far from Edo (political...