Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century, part 8（千葉県流山の名主日記）

Seeing off pilgrims to Ise (January, 1804)、伊勢参りの村人が出発（享和4年1月）

 

Line to Ise Shrine on New Year's Day; the most popular pilgrimage destination

 

1804

A Russian envoy arrived in Nagasaki, seeking trade. This marked the beginning of serious approaches from the modernized West towards Japan, which had adopted a policy of national isolation.

 

The era name was changed in February. This is also recorded in this diary.

 

The new era name was Bunka. This marked the beginning of what would later be known as the Bunka-Bunsei era. In the Bunka-Bunsei era, the common people's culture of Edo became refined, like senryu (short humorous poems).

However, the shogunate imposed strict censorship, restricting the publication of illustrated satire picture books and detaining writers.

 

 

January

On New Year's Day, Hyōemon, who wrote this diary, visited the local shrine (guardian deity).

 

On the 2^nd, despite it being so early in the new year, he lent money to Matabei of Nishihirai Village.

Matabei needed more money for his "Daidai-ko fund", which would be spent for a pilgrimage to Ise.

 

So, Chōfuku-ji Temple lent him approximately 530,000 yen (in current value), and Hyōemon added to that, lending Matabei approximately 1,000,000 yen.

Even though Matabei was in debt, he was going on the journey (pilgrimage).

 

On the 3^rd, Hyōemon gave Yūsuke of Hiregasaki Village a farewell gift (money) for his pilgrimage to Ise. Yūsuke was also going on a pilgrimage to Ise.

 

On the 6^th, Hyōemon traveled to Edo (old name of Tokyo) with his servant Matsunosuke to offer New Year's greetings to his lord.

 

On the 7^th, he met the lord and presented with 15 millet rice cakes and one duck; he also presented New Year's gifts to the retired lord and others.

The lord gave him calligraphy paper.

 

He stopped by Kanda in Edo, where his relatives lived, stayed in Senju because of rain, and returned to his village on the 9^th.

That day was the day of the local shrine festival, and he received sacred sake.

 

Btw, he walked through Asakusa on his way back, which was a bustling area at that time as well. Perhaps he wanted to entertain his servant because it was rare for a servant to visit Edo.

 

On the 10^th, he gave Shiba-ji a farewell gift.

Shiba-ji departed for Ise the next day.

Teirin from Matsugasaki Village also departed for Ise on the same day.

 

The pilgrimage to Ise was a once-in-a-lifetime long journey.

They were traveling with acquaintances from nearby villages, so it must have been fun.

Bridge to the ground of Ise Shrine、内宮の入口・宇治橋

 

Meanwhile, in the village, the young men had a waiting-sun event (Himachi) as usual.

 

On the 13^th, a fire broke out in Matsudo-juku (post-town), damaging 80 houses. It was a big fire.

 

On the 14^th, it says, "Taking a medicinal bath today" and on the 18^th, it says, "Medicinal bath, today is the last day."

How special bathing it was! They probably put medicinal herbs in the bath.

 

On the 20^th, a ceremony of thanksgiving was held at Sanno Gongen deity.

This is also a regular event, but this year was special.

It is written that a shrine was constructed.

 

The payment to the carpenter was around 110,000 yen, so it was either a small shrine or a renovation.

 

A Buddhist priest from Chofuku-ji Temple was invited to perform the relocation ritual instead of a Shinto priest from the shrine.

Shinto and Buddhism were syncretized back then.

 

On the 24^th, a ceremony of thanksgiving was held for Tenjin deity.

The main events of the New Year were over.

 

On the 30^th, Shiba-ji's family brought red bean rice and said, "Shiba-ji should have arrived in Ise last night, so please hold a waiting-sun event (Himachi) for him."

They were praying for Shiba-ji's safe journey; the number of days traveling to Ise was planned for 20 days.

 

 

Sanno Shrine in 2018, which was removed now

古間木公会堂の敷地内にあった山王神社（2018年）

 

 

1804年（享和4、文化1）

ロシアのレザノフが長崎に来て、通商を求めた。近代世界が日本に近づいてきた。

この年は、2月に改元。日記には、“二月十九日被仰出”と記載あり。

文化元年、後にいう化政時代・化政文化の始まりだ。

化政時代は江戸の庶民文化が洗練された時期だ。しかし、幕府は、絵双紙の出版･販売を制限し、秀吉の醍醐の花見を描いた喜多川歌麿は手鎖50日の処分を受けた。言論統制は厳しかった。

 

１月

元旦、鎮守参詣。

 

２日、日記の主の兵右衛門は、正月早々、金を貸す。相手は、西平井の又兵衛。
「太々講金」が足らないとのことで、長福寺から五両三分、主人が足して十両にして貸した。
伊勢参りの費用だ。借金しても、旅に出る。

３日、鰭ヶ崎の勇助に参宮の餞別を渡す。勇助も伊勢参りだ。

 

６日、使用人の松之助を連れて出府し、年始挨拶。
７日、殿様に粟餅15個、鴨を一匹献上し、御隠居様などにも年始の品を献上した。
殿様からは半紙をいただいた。

 

親戚がいる神田に寄って、雨のため千住に泊まり、９日に帰村。
９日は、鎮守・熊野権現奉謝の日で、御神酒いただいた。
松之助に江戸を楽しませるためか、浅草を通って帰村した。

 

10日、芝次に餞別を渡す。
芝次は、翌日、伊勢に出立。松ヶ崎の貞倫も同じ日に、伊勢参宮出立。
一生一度の伊勢参り。近村の知り合いと連れだって、楽しみだね。

 

一方、村では、若者たちが日待。例年通りだ。

13日、松戸宿で火事が発生し、80軒が被害を受けた。大火事だ。

14日、「今日、薬湯入ガヘ」とあり、18日に「薬湯、今日きり」と書かれている。いいねえ。

 

20日は、山王権現の奉謝。これも定例行事だが、この年は特別。お宮を造営した。
この日の大工への支払いは、金壱歩朱なので、小さなお社だ。
長福寺の法印にお出でいただき、遷宮した。神仏習合だ。

 

24日は、天神奉謝。正月の主な行事は終わった。

 

30日、芝次の家族が、「昨夜、芝次が伊勢に着いたはずなので、日待ちをして下さい」と赤飯を持って来た。往路は20日の計画だ。

当時は旅人の無事が何より心配。旅行中は陰膳を用意して祈る家が多かった。

 

  

Previous 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）

Next post (Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century, part 9（千葉県流山の名主日記): Agricultural off-season was a busy time due to travels and events (February and March, 1804)、旅やイベントで忙しい農閑期（文化元年２月・３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