Villagers enjoyed festivals (September in 1806)、祭りを楽しむ村人たち(文化3年9月)
千葉県流山市にいた名主の日記から、その頃の楽しみを拾い出した連載記事です(日本語は後半に)。
| Village festival in Matsumoto City, Nagano pref. |
September
Hyōemon, the author of this diary, was away in Edo (old name of
Tokyo) on business.
3rd, he was in Kanda; he bought medicine and
discussed arrangements for the new head priest’s arrival at Chōfuku-ji Temple.
Then, he visited "Hasuke-ya" in Honjo to make
inquiries about a palanquin for the new head priest. He stayed overnight in
Senju and returned home on the 4th.
Welcoming a new head priest to the temple was a major
undertaking.
| Palanquin for the new head priest、住職用の寺院駕籠 |
Regarding the palanquin, Shiba-Kyu visited Hasuke-ya on the 5th, and handed over a deposit equivalent to 50,000 yen.
The cost for the restoration work was quoted at 2 ryō and 2 bu (about 250,000 yen). A complicated work would be entrusted to craftsmen in Edo.
It was the rice-harvesting season, but also the season for festivals.
4th, Hyōemon’s wife took Shun-chan and Nayo-chan to
the Hiregasaki Festival.
8th, nine festival-guests including
"Oira" from Hiregasaki Village, arrived at the Yoshino's house.
The festival took place on the 9th; the guests
returned home on the 10th. So, they stayed for two nights.
14th, Fusajirō (Hyōemon’s son) went to the Ōmuro
Festival, staying there for three nights.
18th, Hyōzō (a male servant) went to the Takada
Festival, and returned on the 20th.
19th, Chiyo, Shun-chan, and Nayo-chan went to the
Kashiwa Festival, accompanied by Eizō from Kashiwa. (Chiyo was a woman who had
married into a family in Katō Village.)
20th, Mino (a female servant) went to the festival in
the neighboring village of Kōde.
Each village has its shrine basically. And villagers hold a festival for the shrine at least once a year.
Such mutual interaction deepens ties of relatives, which are the foundation for mutual aid. However, in 1872 (Meiji 5), Yamanashi Prefecture issued an order that festival should be held on the Emperor's Birthday in September or on 10th of October. The authorities argued that the scattered timing of autumn festivals caused excessive expense (people needed to suspend their business operations for multiple days).
Yet, the very fact that the dates varied allowed people to visit relatives in different villages and to foster bonds. If all festivals fell on the same day, the effect would be lost.
This order reflected a modern era that prioritized tangible efficiency. It was a time to boost national strength and to emulate advanced Western nations.
It is difficult to value culture or activities properly, which do not generate monetary profit. Peace of mind and social harmony are often left by the wayside.
The members of the Yoshino household participated in
festivals six times in half a month including the festival in their own
village. They knew the ways to enjoy themselves even amidst the busy rice
harvest.
19th, Fusajiro attended a Himachi (waiting-sun
event) with Hyōemon at Shiba-Jo's house. Himachi is an event that lasts
through the night; so participating marked his entry into the circle of adults.
24th, another Himachi gathering was held at Yoshino's house. Guests included the head priest of Chōfuku-ji Temple and the retired head of the Shiba-I household, as well as villagers such as Gensuke. While the Himachi gathering is often held on the 23rd of the month, this particular gathering took place a day late.
Hyōemon recorded various matters in his diary besides festivals
and Himachi gatherings.
8th, he received a whole salmon from Seto
Village. Perhaps it was a token of gratitude for his effort in negotiating a
reduction in the village's tax.
10th, a horse escaped from the Gotomaki gate
of the pasture; it ate crops. The horse was owned by the Shogunate (Bakufu).
Villagers from Shibazaki, Naka and Komagi turned out in force to drive the
horse back to the pasture. They sternly scolded the gatekeeper.
Northern Chiba Prefecture was home to the Kogane-maki, a vast
horse pasture managed by the Shogunate.
27th, a wedding took place at the Shiba-Jo's
house.
Seven porters carried the bride's trousseau. It was possible
that Shiba-Jo (the head of the household) was taking a second wife; his
previous wife had passed away in May, and a marriage proposal had been raised
in August. It was a rather quick remarriage.
9月
この日記を書いた兵右衛門は出府中。
3日、神田で薬を買い、長福寺の新方丈入院の誂えものについて話し、本所の「葉助や」へ行って、長福寺用の駕籠の聞き合わせをして、千住に泊まり、4日に帰宅。忙しい。
お寺に新しい住職を迎えるのは大変なイベントだ。
駕籠の件は、5日に芝久が出府して、手金2歩(2分)を渡した。
修復代が2両2歩とのこと。この手の仕事は、江戸の職人に頼むことになるようだ。
さて、稲刈り中だが、祭りのシーズン。
4日、鰭ヶ崎祭りに、妻がしゅんちゃん、なよちゃんを連れて行った。
8日、吉野家に鰭ヶ崎のおいらなど祭客9人が来た。
9日はお祭り、祭客は10日に帰った。
14日、房次郎くんが大室の祭りに行き、17日までお世話になる。
18日、使用人の兵蔵が高田の祭りに行き、20日に戻る。
19日、柏の栄蔵に連れられ、ちよ、しゅんちゃん、なよちゃんが柏の祭礼に行った。ちよは加藤村へ嫁いだ人だ。
20日、使用人のみのはお隣の幸田の祭りに行く。
相互の交流は、親戚の絆を深め、互助の基盤となる大切なことだ。しかし、明治5年に、山梨県で、秋祭の日がバラバラで何日も家業を休むので失費が多いとして「9月の天長節の日か10月10日に一定せよ」との命令が出た(安丸良夫[1979]『神々の明治維新-神仏分離と廃仏毀釈-』岩波新書)。
バラバラだから、あちこちの村の親戚を訪ね、交流ができるのに同じ日だと意味がない。
産業革命を終えていた西洋を目指し、富国強兵を進め、効率を最重要視していた時期の政策だ。文化の評価、金銭的価値を生まないことの評価は容易ではない。心の平安や世の平安は置き去りになりがちだ。
吉野家の人たちは、村の祭りを含めて、半月に6回も祭りに参加。稲刈り中でも楽しんでいる。
19日、房次郎くんは兵右衛門と一緒に芝次家の日待に参加。日待は夜明かしの行事なので、大人の仲間入りだ。
24日、吉野家にて日待。長福寺の方丈や芝伊の隠居のほか、源助ら村人も招いた。「二十三夜待ち」は広く行われているが、この日は一日遅い「二十四夜待ち」だ。
祭りや日待の他にも、さまざまなことを兵右衛門は日記に書いている。
8日、瀬戸村から鮭を一本いただく。年貢の減額交渉をした御礼だろうか。
10日、五斗蒔の木戸から逃げ出した野馬が農作物を食い荒らした。幕府が飼っている馬だ。芝崎村、中村、古間木村の村民総出で追い出し、木戸番を厳しく叱る。
千葉県北部には、広大な幕府の馬牧場・小金牧があった。
27日に、芝常の家で婚礼。荷物人足が7人来ての嫁入りだ。“後□(虫損)”とあり、主の芝常が後妻をもらったかもしれない。芝常の妻は5月に他界。8月に縁談が持ち上がっていた。再婚が早い。
Previous post (Peaceful days and fun of a village head in 19th
century, part 21(千葉県流山の名主日記)): Nishi-Mata had a woman in a house at Akasaka, Edo (July and
August, 1806)、赤坂伝馬町の仮宅に女性がいた西又(文化3年7・8月)
Next post (Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century,
part 23(千葉県流山の名主日記): Arrival of the new head priest and late autumn events、新方丈の入院、晩秋の行事(文化3年10・11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
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