Nakano in central Japan (Nagano prefecture) was the directly controlled area by a shogun in the Edo period (1603～1868). There was a field office of a government agency. A government officer was dispatched to the office to collect tax and so on. On the other hand, locals have continued to foster their livelihood and culture. They love their land.
We can see Nakano City well from the
hilltop museum.
長野県中野市は千曲川沿いの町。江戸時代は幕領で、幕府から派遣された代官たちが支配し、江戸へ年貢を届けました。その一方で、土地に定着している住民たちの間では、俳諧などの文化や、杞柳細工（きりゅうざいく）などの新しい生業が生まれていきました。庶民は強いですね。
山の上に立つ博物館からは中野市街を一望できます。
Wildlife & Nature、自然
The section is just behind the entrance of the exhibition room.
展示室に入ると、まず、自然の展示。
The primitive period、原始
The research about primitive human bones attracted me. It says, “Their energy resource was nuts (74%), grains including corn (11%), fish and animal meat (15%). It was an era of plant-eating. I didn’t know it. A question came to me, whether western primitive people were also plant-eating or not.
縄文人の骨を分析すると、エネルギー源の74％が木の実、11％がトウモロコシやキビなどで、肉や魚貝は15％。縄文時代は「草食の時代」としています。知らなかったあ。ヨーロッパではこのころから肉食だったのでしょうか。気になりますね。
Cray dolls and miniature tableware are displayed. Those cute but impractical items were probably made in between house chores.
土偶やミニチュア土器も展示されています。生活の合間に作ったのでしょうね。可愛らしいです。
The early-modern times、近世
It is written on the large red panes, “The appearance of the peaceful era and Nakano”. It’s after the internal wartime.
「平和な社会の到来と中野」、いいですね。
Each showcase has its theme and old documents. The first one is about the dispatched government officer “daikan”. Before his boss (an executive officer of the shogunate) visited Nakano, he ordered village heads; not to be rude, repair and clean up bridges and roads, remove any potential risks for his boss to go through in 1744 (lower right). His boss was famous for tax increase policy, so he would not have been welcomed.
展示はテーマごとにパネルと古文書が展示されています。最初は代官の上司・勘定奉行が見聞に来るに際し、代官が名主に対し無礼無作法無き様、道橋は掃除と修繕をし、人馬の通行に危険なきよう、などを指示した御触書（右下、1744年）です。
勘定奉行は神尾春央。年貢増徴の推進者で「胡麻の油と百姓は絞れば絞るほど出る」と豪語したと伝えられる人です。嫌ですねえ。
The officer “daikan” and village heads communicated in writing. Rice tax was normal back then, but cash tax was applied in Nakano. Because, it is far form Edo (old name of Tokyo) and there was long mountain path.
It was written in the old document at lower
right, “A village head took on a task to carry cash to Edo; it was 1.5
million dollars at current value. He promised to compensate in the case of
losing the cash”. What a terrible mission he was ordered!
The period of a daikan’s stay was
just three years. So, they probably avoided risk
and didn’t care about happiness of locals.
名主と代官のやりとりは文書です。江戸まで山道が多い中野では、現金で年貢を納めていました。右下は名主が年貢の初納金2200両（約2.2億円）運搬を請け負い、紛失したら「弁納可仕候」と約束させられた文書。辛いですね。
中野代官の平均在任期間はわずか３年。大名と違って、領民への思いやりはなく、リスク回避が最優先だったのでしょう。薄情さを感じます。
On the other hand, locals (permanent residents) put effort into improving their cultural life. There were groups which created Chinese poems or haiku poems. Even farming villagers created haiku.
代官が保身に走っていましたが、庶民の文化活動は活発でした。漢詩や俳諧を作るグループがありました。農村部の人たちにも俳句をつくる人がいました。
The map above was made in the mid-19th century. “Jinya” in center is a field office of a government agency wherein a daikan worked. A jail located at the edge of the town; it was outside of Jinya office.
江戸後期と推定される中野中心部の絵図（陣屋）が展示されています。町外れには「牢屋敷」と書かれた建物（左上に拡大）があります。陣屋の外だったのですね。
Folk traditions、民俗
The section above shows us the living testimony of locals.
生活の息吹を感じられます。
The item above is multi-tiered food boxes that can be carried by hand. People used it on a special day; the lacquered boxes are so luxurious.
提げ重は、ハレの日の弁当箱。漆塗りのゴージャスな品です。
Utensils are also displayed. The pan at upper right was used at an irori fireplace. Local foods such as “oyaki” (bun stuffed with vegetables or others) and “nira-senbei” (chive pancake) were cooked by the pan. The bowl at upper left was used to knead flour for soba noodle, dumplings and so on.
こちらは日常の調理器具や食器。右上のほうろくには「囲炉裏で使う浅鍋。おやきやニラせんべい等の調理に使います」と書かれています。北信の名物ですね。左上は蕎麦や団子などを作るときのこねばち。小ぶりですね。
Tools, products and photos of businesses which started in the pre-modern and modern era, are displayed. Those are sericulture, wickerwork and hop cultivation.
近世・近代に始まった生業は、養蚕、杞柳細工、ホップ栽培です。写真とともに紹介されています。
The fanning mill above is set at the entrance hall. It was used to separate husk from grain. We can operate. I tried, and I felt it would be fragile; farmers probably used it tenderly.
ホールに唐箕が置かれていて、動かせます。やってみましたが、壊れたり糠が付いたりしやすそうな印象です。展示品を動かせるのはありがたいですね。
Visited in May, 2025
https://www.city.nakano.nagano.jp/categories/hakubutukan/ (in Japanese. Automatic translation is attached), accessed in February of 2026
Previous post (museum in the nearby city): Suzaka City “Kasaboko” dream hall、須坂市笠鉾会館ドリームホール
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in the northern neighbor city): Iiyama Furusato Hall、飯山市ふるさと館 (coming soon)
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