Skip to main content

Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century, part 6（千葉県流山の名主日記）

Harvest after a flood (July to October, 1802)、

洪水と収穫（享和2年7～10月）

 

Travel views of Japan and Korea https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/agc/item/2018719954/resource/

 

July, 1802

1st, Tone River (the second longest river in Japan) overflowed, levee breached. It's terrible!

It is also written, "Great South Wind".

The village's fields had already flooded due to the heavy rains since the end of last month, and now the levee had broken.

 

4th, a letter was sent to the lord detailing the flood damage and requesting a reduction or exemption of tax.

 

note: Tax was not paid in the same amount every year. In a case of natural disasters, a village headman negotiated with his lord to determine an appropriate amount of tax.

Samurai understood that if farmers' livelihoods were disrupted, their own livelihoods would also be disrupted.

 

The annual pilgrimage to Oyama

Shiba-kyu and others departed for Oyama (Kanagawa Prefecture) on the 29th of last month. But they were stranded at the Tama River before Kawasaki.

 

Meanwhile, on the 8th, Hyōemon lent Gensuke (servant) approximately 15,000 yen at present value for his departure to Oyama.

 

Oyama Afuri Shrine is dedicated to the deity of rain; usually people pray for rain for agriculture. However, even while flooding, people borrowed money and went there; others were allowed to go.

 

The reason would be that travel was the greatest pleasure back then. So, if they decided to go, they would go whatever happened; others allowed them to go.

I'm sure that it was a way for villagers to release their frustrations.

Oyama Afuri Shrine  (https://www.afuri.or.jp/en/)

note: The pilgrimage to Oyama, followed by a visit to Enoshima and Edo (old name of Tokyo), was the most popular route among people near Edo.

 

After completing the Bon rites, Hyōemon traveled to Edo from the 26th to the 5th of the following month.

 

The journey to Edo was arduous; it was written "Bridges collapsing and temporary bridges in places." The "Great South Wind" on the 1st was probably a typhoon.

 

 

August

On the 10th, Hyōemon went to Edo again. He traveled by boat, not on foot.

Village affairs seemed busy, including settling lawsuits with other villages.

On the 21st, he returned to the village.

 

On the 24th, Genshu, who delivered medicine for Hyōemon, and Shiba-kyu from a nearby village came to his house. He treated them to udon noodles. It was a relaxing time with close friends.

 

 

September

Yokosuka Village and others suffered from a severe crop failure. A meeting was held to request a reduction in tax from the lord.

(It seems the impact of the flood was limited in Hyōemon's village.)

 

Hyōemon was a farmer and a lord's retainer; so, he inspected the rice growth status in Seto Village and probably reported it to the lord.

 

On the 22nd, Sagoemon from Seto Village visited Hyōemon to express his gratitude, bringing a bottle of sake and a whole salmon. It seems the reduction in Seto Village's tax was settled in a preferable result.

 

Although busy, he welcomed festival guests from the 8th to the 10th. There was also a waiting-sun event (Himachi). They never missed an annual event.

 

note: A village festival was a major event and an entertainment. Relatives in different villages visited a festival each other.

 

 

October

Rice harvesting started on the 2nd. Drinking at Heisuke's shop on the 6th. It's funny that many drinking parties are recorded.

 

On the 26th, the harvest was finished; the next day, rice drying begins. Rice cultivation was complete. It went well.

 

Women working in the rice fields of Japan, 1905 https://www.loc.gov/item/2020634462/


 

７月

１日、利根川大満水、堤切込。大変だ！ “大南風”と記されている。

先月末からの大雨で村の耕地が冠水している上に、堤が切れた。

４日、御屋敷へ水害の状況と年貢の減免を願う手紙を出す。

 

注記：年貢は、毎年同量を納めるのではなく、自然災害の時は、名主が領主と交渉し、年貢の量を決めた。

百姓の生活が成り立たないと、自身の生活も成り立たないことを武士は心得ていた。

 

恒例の大山詣り

先月29日に大山（神奈川県）に出立した芝久らは、川崎手前の六郷川で足止めをくっていた。

一方、兵右衛門は、８日、大山へ出立する源助（使用人）に金二朱（１万５千円ぐらい）を貸す。

 

大山阿夫利神社は雨乞いの神様 (https://www.afuri.or.jp/)。だけど、水害でも金を借りて行くし、行かせる。

 

旅は当時の一番の楽しみだ。行くと決めたら行くし、行かせる。ガス抜きかな？

たまには、村人を、村から出してあげないとね。

大山詣り、帰りに江ノ島、江戸を巡るのは人気ルート。

 

盆行事を終えた兵右衛門は26日から翌月5日まで出府。

江戸への道中は、“橋々落ち、仮橋代所々にて”とあり、苦労して到着。1日の“大南風”は台風だったようだ。

 

 

８月

10日に再び出府。歩きではなく、船を使う。他村との訴訟の決着など村政が忙しそう。

21日に帰村。

 

24日、薬を処方してもらっている元秀と近村の芝久が来宅。うどんを振る舞う。仲良しとのホッとする時間だ。

 

 

９月

横須賀村などは凶作が深刻。年貢減免の寄合をし、領主に願い出る。

（兵右衛門の村では、水害の影響は限定的だったようす）

 

農民であり、領主の家来である兵右衛門は、瀬戸村の状況を見分。

22日、瀬戸村・佐五右衛門が、酒一升、鮭一本を持参し御礼に来た。瀬戸村の減免は落着したようだ。

 

多忙だが、８日から10日は祭の客を迎えた。日待もあった。年中行事は外さない。

村の祭りは一大イベント。親戚が訪ねて来たり、親戚を訪ねて行ったり。

 

 

10月

２日に稲刈りスタート。６日の平助店にて酒吞み。他にも飲み会がまめに記録されているのがおもしろい。

26日、刈り仕舞い、翌日、稲揚げ。稲作は終了、まずは、めでたしめでたし。

 

 

Previous post  (Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century, part 5（千葉県流山の名主日記): Rice planting and visiting the lord (May and June, 1802)、田植えとお殿様のお見舞い（享和2年５月、６月）

Next post (Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century, part 7（千葉県流山の名主日記): Life in the year end and annual horse capturing event (November and December, 1802)、野馬捕りと年の暮れ（享和2年11、12月） (coming soon)

 

 

The first article in this series (from 1802 to 1848)、シリーズ（1802年から1848年）最初の記事 : Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century, part 1（千葉県流山の名主日記）

 

The first article of the diary from 1849 to 1864, fifty-three articles in total、1849年から1864年の日記（53記事）の最初の記事： Yoshino’s daily life 01, About Yoshino and background 吉野家とその頃



ラベル:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

江戸・明治の性愛の楽しみ

性愛については、赤裸々に書き残す人は少なく、隠語で書かれていることが多いといいます。そりゃそうですよね。でも、いくつかの本には、江戸・明治の人々が性愛をどのように楽しんでいたかが書かれています。私が読んだのはほんの数冊ですが、その中から紹介します。ここでは、ビジネスとしての性愛や同性愛ではなく、日常の男女間の性愛を対象にします。人間に欠かせない楽しみですもんね。 ところで、今回は、英文を作れませんでした。私の英語力ではとても対応できない内容なので、英文作成に協力していただけるようでしたら、ぜひ、お声かけ下さい。 （ This article “Fun of   the eros （性愛） ” is written only in Japanese , because it is too difficult for me to write in English due to lack of vocabulary about eros. If you kindly help me, please let me know. ） 古代に書かれた出雲国の風土記には、忌部の温泉に老若男女が集まって市を作り「燕楽（ウタゲ）」をしたことが書かれています。また、常陸国の風土記には、筑波山でカガイがあり、春と秋に、飲食物を携えて山に登り、自由に情交を結んだことが書かれています（「宴と日本人」、伊藤幹治、 1984 ）。男女が楽しむのは、自然の成り行きですね。   江戸･明治の性愛の形 「売笑三千年史」（中山太郎 _1956 ）から、どんな形で性愛を楽しんでいたかを紹介します。この本は、神話の時代から明治時代までの売笑の歴史を書いた一級品の本だと思います。「売笑」は、「報酬を得るために多数の異性に対し、継続的に許す」ということだそうです。売笑の説明に入る前に、一般の人々の性愛活動について書かれています（第一章、第二節「婚姻の種々相と売笑の発生的関係」）。 「江戸・明治の性愛の形」（本項）は、主に、そこから紹介します。   【共同婚（乱婚）という習俗】 女性は特定の男性に独占されていませんでした。男性も、どの女性とでも OK でした。 天下の五奇祭のうち、洛北大原社の雑魚寝、近江筑摩社の鍋被り祭り、越中鵜坂社の尻たたき祭り...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Great Yoshiwara (published in 2018)　吉原はスゴイ

吉原はスゴイ‐江戸文化を育んだ魅惑の遊郭（堀口茉純、 2018 ） 人の楽しみの発見度： Excellent ★★★  This book is written about an authorized red-light district Yoshiwara which was in Edo (old name of Tokyo). There are many pictures in this book and you can understand all about Yoshiwara by this small book.  The author is a pretty actress who is devoted to Japanese history especially Edo city (https://hoollii.com/). She tries to depict the contribution of Yoshiwara to foster Edo culture. Yoshiwara by Kunisada,  新よし原尾州楼かり / 国貞 http://www.ndl.go.jp/landmarks/details/detail274.html?sights=shinyoshiwara;tokyo=taito 、国会図書館 この本は、ほぼすべてのページに浮世絵などの挿絵がある。 　前書きで、著者は遊女たちが過酷な労働環境で性的サービスを提供したというブラックな事実を踏まえつつも、江戸文化の形成に貢献したポジティブな側面を伝えたい、と記している。 　著者の堀口さんは、執筆時 35 歳の和服が似合う美しい方、 2008 年、江戸文化歴史検定 1 級に史上最年少の 25 歳で合格し「お江戸ル」と称している（ https://hoollii.com/ ）。遊郭・吉原の全てをコンパクトに纏めた良い本だ。 1.     What is Yoshiwara?  Yoshiwara was north of Edo city and surrounded by  rice fields. The  area was ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Life in Edo, old Tokyo (published in 1959) 江戸生活事典

Very good : ★★★  (this is a long and interesting page)   Various entertainments at Edo or old Tokyo in the  Edo period are written in this book. I found a lot of fun here. I focus on the fun of common people, so I put aside the fun of Daimyo loads , samurais and rich merchants in this book.   In terms of people’s fun, Edo was the paradise definitely. There were a lot of funs in day time and night time. Edo attracted people especially from the country side. I started from my favorite chapter. 　三田村鳶魚（えんぎょ）の著作を事典にしたもの。江戸の生活の様々な楽しみが書かれていて、発見が多い。ここでは庶民の楽しみにフォーカスし、大名、武士、大店の主の楽しみは拾わなかった。 　 人の楽しみの面からみると、まさに、江戸はパラダイス。昼も夜も出会いも、いろいろなものがあって、人を地方からも引き付ける。 気に入った章別にピックアップしていく。  Edo or old Tokyo was very busy city, 熈 代勝覧＠三越前 Chapter 7: Daily lives、 風俗概要 (1)   Seasonal recreation、遊楽  Seasonal recreations are written at first. On the New Year’s Day, people went out to see the sunrise. Also winter is a good season to see Mt.Fuji . ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Travel of Isabella L. Bird in 1878, part 1　イザベラバードが見た明治初期の日本（1）

Arrival and visiting Asakusa 日本着、そして浅草訪問   Isabella arrived at Yokohama, near Tokyo, in May of 1878.   She travelled northern Japan including Hokkaido and western Japan including Ise mainly by rickshaw , then she left Japan in December. This diary was written as letters to her younger sister.  She described in detail, so we can understand what happened clearly.  She was 46 when she came to Japan, and she hired Japanese lad as an interpreter. I admire her coura ge because she was the first lady foreigner to visit inland.  This book is stored up in many libraries and Manga version was issued.  She observed various things such as behaviors of Japanese people, plants and stratums meticulously and she elaborated on scenic beauty. I leave those matters to other authors, I would like to focus on the fun of old Japanese which she saw in Japan.   The photo of Isabella in 1896 from the exhibition “Voyage of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan” 、1 896 年の...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kaidou (Highway) and Shukuba (Post town) 街道と宿場

  “Kaidou” is translated as a highway or a walking route. There were no cars in the Edo period , and there were almost no cars in the Meiji period too, so pedestrians and horses moved on the highway mainly. “Kai” is a city or town, and “dou” is a road, so “kai-dou” means not only a highway but also towns where people touched and treated travelers from other area.  Unno post town on the kaidou, 北国街道・海野宿 Ohuchi post village, 会津西街道・大内宿 　Kaidous were constructed from the 7 th century. Kaidous were systems which supported transportation and logistics, and they were rest area for travelers. From the 17 th century, Tokugawa shogunate developed the network of the kaidous very well, so people could travel across Japan easily.   In the Japanese textbook for high school students, kaidous were explained as follows. - Tokugawa shogunate developed the kaidou system. They managed the five major kaidous directly; their starting points were Edo(Tokyo).   There...
Post a Comment
Read more