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Kinasa Folk Museum (1/2)、鬼無里ふるさと資料館 きなさーれ（part1）


The village “Kinasa” is in central Japan (Nagano prefecture). The name “Ki (鬼, demon or powerful being)-na (無, non-existent)-sa (里, village)” is interesting; it is said that demons were driven away in the ancient era.

Although the village is in a mountainous area, it prospered as a hemp production center and made money to own gorgeous festival floats. There had been smart people who were good at creating business probably.


鬼無里。古代に鬼が退治されて居なくなったという伝説がある集落です。長野市と合併する前は鬼無里村でした。山中の村ですが、麻の生産で栄え、精緻な祭り屋台を作るほど富を集めました。糧を得る知恵をもつ人々がいたのですね。

 


Four actual festival floats are in the first exhibition room. The village had seven floats in the peak-time. Master craftsman (Kitamura Kiyomatsu, 1830-1906) made all in a decade; he was invited from the neighboring prefecture (Niigata).

最初の展示室には祭り屋台（市重要文化財）が並びます。往時は７台ありましたが、４社の４台が残り、祭りの時は展示室から出ます。越後の北村喜代松（1830～1906）が10年で７台を製作しました。


The one above (Kagura) is similar to a portable shrine. Locals shoulder it and parade around the village. Its wood carving is so elaborate, too.

こちらは神楽と呼ばれ、お神輿のように担いで歩きます。こちらの彫刻も大変精緻。


Next exhibition room.　次の展示室へ。


Major local industries in the past were hemp cultivation and production of thread for tatami-mat; because flat land, which is suitable to rice farming, is scarce. Those industries are exhibited in detail.

Hemp production started in the end of the 16th century. The photo on the lower right shows binding dried hemp.

稲作に適した平地が少ない鬼無里を支えてきた麻の栽培と畳糸などの製品の製造が丁寧に説明されています。麻の栽培は文禄年間（1592-1596）にはじまりました。右下は収穫し乾燥した麻の結束作業。


Hemp was an integral part of farmers’ income until around 1950. After hemp cultivation declining due to the order of GHQ and to imported products, tobacco took a role of earning cash income.

麻は鬼無里の主力製品です、裏作は蕎麦でした。戦後GHQによる麻薬原料の栽培禁止、化繊や外国産品の普及によって麻が減ったあとは、タバコが現金収入源になりました。


The yearly schedule above shows the terms for farming various products in around 1955. Hemp was planted in April, was harvested in August and was dried until October. Rice, beans and soba (buckwheat) were cultivated at the same time. After harvest season, tatami-mat sewing thread was made from hemp.

Hemp cultivation was centered in their life until around 1960. Even annual event days were adjusted. For example, they celebrated New Year's Day on the 1st of February because they were busy to make thread in January.

麻の栽培は４月から８月、米、そば、豆の収穫が終わった11月からは冬の雪と寒さを利用して畳糸作りをはじめます。

昭和35年頃までは、麻の作業を中心に行事が組まれ、麻の収穫のためお盆は近在より一週間遅く、畳糸の寒ざらしのため正月は2月1日に祝いました。


All family members were engaged in making tatami-mat sewing thread. It is written “the work was hard, but they felt fun of family togetherness”. It’s great.

The cauldron on upper right is set outside, in which hemp was boiled. A hemp is 3 meter long, so they had to turn it upside down while boiling.

い草をとめる畳糸の作り。一家全員の仕事で「厳しい労働のなかに、一家団欒の楽しみがあったという」と書かれています。家内作業の良さですね。

皮を剥ぎやすくするために麻を煮た釜が屋外に展示されています（右上）。麻は3ｍと長いため深い釜で麻をひっくり返しながら煮ました。


They split hemp to make fiber, then they twist fibers together to make thread. The folk song says, “The spinning is done with love by a couple. So, thread’s color is white and its quality is the best in Japan”. The thread was sold at a high price.

麻を裂いて繊維にし、撚っていきます。村の民謡に「手撚り車は恋車･･･夫婦紡ぎの畳糸　色も白じろ日本一」と歌われたほど高品質で、高値で売れました。


Living room of a farmer’s house was rebuilt. The size of a standard house, which included a working space and a stable, was 14.5 meters wide and 9.1 meters deep. Living space was not so large.

農家の茶の間が再現されています。標準的な農家は間口８間（14.5ｍ）、奥行き５間（9.1ｍ）、132㎡です。馬屋や作業スペースの土間もありましたから、そう広くはないですね。


Actual tatami threads are displayed. Hemp cultivation declined because of the spread of chemical fiber and foreign one.

畳糸の製品も展示されています。麻の栽培は戦後、化学繊維や外国産の普及で急激に減り、ほとんど作られなくなりました。

 

 

Visited in May, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

Previous post (museum near Kinasa): Ogawa village local and historical museum、小川村郷土歴史館

Next post (part 2 of this article): Kinasa Folk Museum (2/2)、鬼無里ふるさと資料館 きなさーれ（part2） (Coming soon)

 

 

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