Various affairs during the busy farming season (May to August, 1807)、農繁期のさまざまな出来事（文化４年５～８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）
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| Mr. Watanuki’s residence at present、元野馬奉行 綿貫家屋敷 |
May
9th, Hyōemon—the author of this diary—paid a visit
to Mr. Watanuki Natsuemon.
Mr. Watanuki was a prominent figure who managed Koganemaki, a horse
pasture belonging to the Shogunate (Bakufu). It is said that
his surname "Watanuki" (literally "cotton-less") was
derived from the tradition that his ancestor wore garments without cotton
padding during a cold season. But they had not been poor of course.
The purpose of Hyōemon's visit was to request him a delay in the
payment
for cedar trees that had been felled by Sōemon (likely a kumigashira,
village official). Hyōemon managed to have the payment deadline extended to the
20th. However, Sōemon was unable to pay, so a further extension was
needed.
Despite the unpleasant request for Mr. Watanuki, his response
was gracious; Hyōemon wrote that Mr. Watanuki provided a feast of food and
sake and treated visitors with great courtesy. It was a response befitting a
man of his standing.
June
1st, rice planting at the Yoshino family was
completed. Afterward, family members were sent to assist other families.
7th and 8th were rest days, and 9th
was also a holiday.
10th was the village holiday of Sanaburi ; every family
had finished planting and villagers were holding a celebratory gathering.
July
7th, Shinpachi arrived; he was a boatman who
transported human waste used as fertilizer.
Hyōemon handed over the outstanding balance for the rice
seedlings and the waste—a little over seven ryō (equivalent to just over
700,000 yen). This was the settlement of accounts prior to the Bon season. While
the volume is unknown, the price was not cheap.
At the time, human waste generated in cities like Edo was purchased and used as fertilizer by farmers in the surrounding countryside. Consequently, urban sewage systems carried only rainwater and wastewater from washing; Westerners visiting Japan at the end of the Edo period (1603～1868) were surprised by the lack of foul odors in the cities.
The system of recycling human waste functioned effectively because money circulated simultaneously.
25th, it says "wild boar hunt from around
10 AM until evening". I wonder what happened next.
During a hunt conducted by the shogun in 1849 at northern Chiba pref., 265 animals were captured, including 29 deer, 122 wild boars, 4 rabbits, 10 raccoon dogs, and 2 pheasants. (Reference: O-shishigari).
On the same day, a record was made regarding a "dutiful
daughter" who was awarded a prize for subduing a bandit in
Kozuke Province, which is 70km away. Her name was Tome, and she was thirty-one
years old.
The reward consisted of farmland sufficient to provide
food for three people, a perpetual exemption from the annual land tax, and five
ryō (approximately 500,000 yen).
While it is said that a shogun and a daimyolord often engaged in such gestures to curry favor with common people,
seeing it actually recorded in this diary makes the reality of it.
August
1st, Hyōemon went to Fuse to watch sumo wrestling;
it is unclear whether the matches were amateur or professional.
Afterward, he stopped by Hanpei’s place, was treated to a meal,
and returned home that night. It was a good day.
There was excessive rainfall that year, so he
negotiated for a reduction or exemption of the annual land tax including
for neighboring villages. He obtained approval for some of the requests.
26th, it says that Teionbō of Chōfuku-ji Temple
departed for his first period of ascetic training in the mountains. Given
that the temple belonged to the Shingon sect, the location might have been
Mount Kōya.
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| Sumo match, somewhere in Japan (1905) https://www.loc.gov/item/89712743/ |
５月
9日、この日記を書いた兵右衛門は、綿貫夏右衛門殿を訪問。
綿貫氏は、幕府の馬牧場･小金牧を管理する名士だ。寒い時に綿を入れない着物を着ていたので、「綿貫」となったといわれるが、そんなに貧しくはないはず。
訪問の用件は、村の惣右衛門が杉を伐採した代金の支払いを待って欲しいとの願い。支払いを20日まで延ばしてもった。しかし、惣右衛門（多分組頭）は払えず、更に延長した。
綿貫氏の対応は、“御馳走飯酒、御丁寧也暫遊”
と書かれている。名士らしい対応だ。
６月
吉野家の田植仕舞いは1日。その後は他家の手伝いに人を出す。
７、８日は手休め休日、9日も休日と記載、10日が村の早苗振休日。どの家も田植えを終えて、打ち上げだ。
７月
７日、下肥船頭の新八が来た。苗代と肥代の残金、７両余りを渡す。盆前の精算だ。量はわからないが、良いお値段だが、お金が回ってのリサイクル。機能している。
25日、“猪狩り有り。四ッ時（午前10時頃）より夕まで”、その後どうしたか、気になる。
野山が続く流山がある千葉県北部では将軍の狩りが行われた。1849年は、鹿29頭、猪122頭、兎４羽、狸10匹、雉2羽など合計で265の動物が捕獲された。（参考：O-shishigari お鹿狩り）さまざまな野生動物がいた。
同日、“親孝行者の事”
として、上州足利郡で盗賊を取り押さえた女性に褒美が与えられたと記録されている。31歳のとめさんだ。褒美は、“田畑三石一斗、永代御年貢初役免除、金子五両”
だ。一石は、成人男子一年間分の食料だそうだ。
庶民に対する幕府や大名の人気取りは珍しいことではないが、日記に記載されていると実感が湧く。
８月
1日、八朔。兵右衛門は布施（現柏市）へ行き、角力を見物した。素人相撲かも知れない。その後、半平へ寄り、ご馳走になり、夜帰宅。良い一日だった。
この年は雨が多すぎ、近村の分も含め年貢の減免交渉を行い、一部は認可された。
26日、長福寺
“諦音房、初登山出立” とある。真言宗なので高野山かも。
Previous post (Peaceful days and fun of a village head in 19th
century, part 26（千葉県流山の名主日記）): Childbirth of the married daughter (March and April 1807)、嫁いだ娘の出産（文化４年3・4月）
Next post (Peaceful days and funs of a village head in 19th century,
part 28（千葉県流山の名主日記): A year spent without major issue (September to December, 1807)、この年もつつがなく（文化４年９～12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
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