Fun of Good Old Japanese - 江戸・明治に学ぶ　楽しむ生き方

Takeda Town and Takeda Castle. The view from Ritsu-un-kyou. 竹田の町と竹田城。立雲峡からの眺めです。  There are Takeda Castle Ruins at the northern part of Hyougo prefecture in the western Japan. It is famous as “ Castle in the Sky”.  There is a quaint town under the castle where every house has a black roof.  It is a small information center, and it gave me peaceful time.  竹田城は兵庫県北部にある山城の遺構です。雲海に浮かぶ城跡の写真が人気を博してから、多くの人が訪れるようになったと情報館の方がおっしゃっていました。  しかし、歴史を感じる街並み、黒で揃えた屋根瓦。趣があります。  どうして、「黒なのですか」と伺うと、「生まれた時からそうなので、不思議に思ったことはないです」とのお返事。全うに時間が流れている感じがしました。  小さな情報館でしたが、良いひとときでした。   The famous picture is shown at Ritsu-un-kyou、立雲峡には有名な写真が掲示されていました。 Takeda castle from the town、町から仰ぐ竹田城跡  The information center is in Takeda castle town community center which was a sake (alcohol) brewer. There are a hotel and a souvenir shop together with the info center. 「たけだ城下町交流館」の中に情報館があります。元は酒造場で、今は、お土産屋さんやホテルがあります。 Almost all exhibits are about the castle. お土産屋さ...

  October 、 10 月  Villagers were busy for rice harvesting.  On the 2 nd , it was written, “Around 10 p.m. huge earthquake and several subsequent aftershocks”. It was “ Ansei Edo Great Earthquake ” which killed around 10 thousand of Edo (old name of Tokyo) people, and it broke down 1,727 houses and 1,400 durable warehouses (Dozou). 33 houses at Matsudo post town , which is just 8km away from Yoshino’s house, were broken down, but he didn’t write any damage of his village.  Next day, he went to Edo, so he saw the terrible status of Edo. He returned on the 4 th ; he wrote a letter and circulated it to the other villages.  After the earthquake, they continued harvesting as usual and finished it on the 5 th .  On the 6 th , there was an earthquake in the day time and a big earthquake in the evening. The aftershocks occurred subsequently, but his village didn’t seem to get damaged . Earthquake and fire at Yoshiwara red-light district in Edo 、吉原地震焼亡之...

  August (Giving birth) 、８月（出産）  On the 3 rd , rice harvesting started; busy season came again!  On the 12 th , Oura, who got married and lived in the near village “Komagi-shinden”, gave birth . The master’s mother went to Komagi with a messenger and she stayed for a night.  On the 13 th , she went to Komagi again with grain rice to make mochi cakes and stayed overnight again. I can imagine easily how delighted she was.    On the 17 th , the master went to Ise- Kou (religious group) and he wrote “the discussion to decide the delegates to Ise Shrine next year almost settled down.” He was selected as the member to go to Ise next year ; it was the greatest pleasure for everyone to go to Ise Shrine and enjoy traveling.    On the 21 st , his wife Onao also gave birth to a girl at night. It was also delightful.  On the 22 nd , he wrote a letter to Onao’s father in Maki village and dispatched Asakichi and Shigezou. Onao’s mother...

    Jun (relationship with helpers) 、 6 月（奉公人たち）  On the 1 st , the master went to Inamura regarding to Okei (female helper) . Three men came to talk about her on the day before. Thereafter, he sometimes had meetings about her, but finally he fired her in November. Various things occur when we hire someone.  However, the master discussed a lot with people involved; it was proper behavior to keep good relations.  Last year, he fired Gisuke who sometimes went somewhere ( Yoshino’s daily life 29 (Jan. to Mar. in 1854 ） ). He also discussed a lot with Gisuke’s parent and others at that time. (I didn’t write the details on my article.) Everyone works together 、皆で働きます＠ Hitachi City Museum 、日立市郷土博物館 Even kids took a role as a babysitter 、子供も子守として活躍します https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/agc/item/2018719763/resource/  1 日、奉公人のおけい（おけ似）さんの件で、主人は稲村へ行きます。前日、名戸ヶ谷源三郎さんら三人が来て、本件について相談しています。その後も相談が続きますが、結局、 おけいさんは 11 月に雇い止め になった模様です。人を使うと色々ありますね。でも、各所と話し合...

    Epidemic of smallpox 、疱瘡の流行  Children in this area were infected by the smallpox which was a fatal disease.  On the 6 th of March, the master’s mother went to “Hoso-yukake”. “Hoso” is smallpox and “yukake” is hot water shower . It was a kind of folk therapy at the end of the disease duration . I reckon people could intake weaken virus at this event, which would be same as vaccination. His mother also went to “Hoso-yukake” at the neighbor’s house last month.  On the 18 th of March, Ryusuke got sick. He was in a futon mat (Japanese bed) next day. The master went to a doctor in Ka village. The doctor came to the master’s house soon and dispensed two kinds of medicines. The master got medicines from the doctor next day.  On the 22 nd , Ryusuke seemed to get smallpox . The doctor’s son came and dispensed medicine. On the 23 rd , Kiuemon came with confectionary. Yasuuemon came on the 25 th , Sibai’s wife and friends came on the 26 th .  Mea...