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

Seki in Gifu prefecture of central Japan is the cutlery production area which ranks with Solingen in Germany. Half of Japanese cutlery is made here. They s tarted producing swords in the medieval era and making kitchen knife and razor blade at present . I visited two museums about cutlery. Btw, there is “Seki Traditional Swordsmith Museum” ( https://www.sekikaji-mus.com/ , in Japanese but automatic translation is attached) in the city. 岐阜県関市は、日本を代表する刃物の産地です。包丁など 日本の刃物の約半分を生産 しています。ドイツのゾーリンゲンと並ぶ世界的な産地でもあります。 中世には刀剣の生産を起源とし、今は包丁やカミソリの生産 で栄えています。 包丁などの刃物を展示販売している岐阜関刃物会館と、向かいにあるカミソリの国内シェア No1 ・フェザーの博物館を訪ねました。 なお、関には、市立の関鍛冶伝承館があり、関鍛冶の歴史や刀剣、ナイフを展示しています（ https://www.sekikaji-mus.com/ ) 。   Seki cutlery gallery 、岐阜関刃物会館 The ruin of the blacksmith’s workshop in the late Muromachi period (1338-1573) is under the floor of the entrance hall. It is written “ The Birthplace of Seki Blacksmithing”. 室町後期に鍛冶作業を行った遺跡 が会館の下にあり、“関鍛冶発祥の地”と書かれています。関では、 700 年余り前から刃物を作っていました。 Various...

The museum is in Gifu prefecture (central Japan). The rebuilt building imitates a typical farmer’s house in the early 20 th century (How large it is!). We can feel the life back then. 岐阜県関市武芸川地区の 戦前の標準的な農家を再現した建物 です。この建物が標準的とは。農民の家は大きいですね。戦前の暮らしを実感できます。 The floor plan is shown above. I took photos below from (1) and (2). ①と②から写真を撮りました。 (1) The  living room is in front ; the  guest room  which has a Buddhist altar is in behind. ①、 手前が台所（居間）、奥が座敷 です。仏壇があります。 (2) The view of the  dining room and the kitchen from the bedroom . ②、 納戸から見たお勝手と奥庭 です。竈があって台所ですね。 The kitchen is an earthen floor, which has a cooking stove ( kamado ). 奥庭は土間です。 We can open the cupboard ; it’s rally visitor-friendly. 食器棚は、開けても OK です。オープンな展示ですね。 Old utensils are set in the  barn . 納屋 には民具が展示されています。 A tube television and a VHS (Video Home System) cassette recorder  are also exhibited. The Showa period (1926-1989) when I was born and raised has gone. ブラウン管テレビや VHS ビデオデッキ も展示品になっていま...

Hakusan is a mountain (2,702m) which has been worshipped  by many people.  The museum is by the gateway of Mt. Hakusan  (Nagataki-Hakusan Shrine). The museum shows us not only the faith in Mt. Hakusan but also local lives. Sorry to say,  it is prohibited to take photos  inside the museum. I will visit next time after getting permission. (The photos of the brochure are upload in this article). 信仰を集める白山への登り口の一つ、美濃禅定道の長瀧白山神社の隣りにある博物館 です。道の駅とも隣接しています。白山信仰だけでなく、当地の民俗に関する展示も多かったのですが、 撮影禁止 なのが残念。今度は写真撮影の許可をいただいてから、訪問したいと思います。（写真は、いただいたパンフレットのものです）   Hall about Mt. Hakusan 、テーマ展示室 It is believed that a water deity resides in the mountain since ancient times. A monk (Taicho) established religious facility in 717, which was a starting point of the faith in Hakusan. Monks ( oshi ) lived and gathered believers  mainly from Tokai region. In 828, there were 360 branches which could accommodate believers in the area. On the other hand, there were disputes with two ot...

URL of the part 1 of this article (Water and Life) 、 Part1 （水と文化）の URL ： https://fun-old-japan.blogspot.com/2025/05/gujo-hachiman-hakurankan-12-part1.html   Faith in Mt. Hakusan 、白山信仰 Nagataki-Hakusan Shrine in Gujo is the gateway to Mt. Hakusan (2702m) , which was established as a religious mountain in 717. 郡上市には、 717 年に開山した 白山（ 2702 ｍ）への三番場（登拝道の起点）のうちの一つ 、長滝白山神社があります。 Mountain ascetics (priests) were engaged in missionary work ; donations were gathered from central Japan (Tokai region). It is written, “Mountain ascetics  not only guided worshippers to Mt. Hakusan and prayed for them, but also accommodated them at pilgrim lodge . In winter (people cannot climb because of snow), ascetics visited believers; they prayed for them, delivered talisman, medicinal herbs of mountains and map.  The Buddhist image on the left was hung during missionary work  at a believer’s residence, where neighbors gathered.” 白山の修験者たちは信者を増やし、東海全域から浄財が施入されるようになりました。修験者は、「夏期には先達として白山登詣...

The museum is in central Japan (Gujo city in Gifu prefecture). The city is famous for bon festival dance and its pure water. I’d like to show the relationship between water and locals in this article (part 1). 郡上八幡は、 三日三晩の徹夜踊り、郡上踊りで有名ですが、長良川上流の水に恵まれた美しい城下町 です。川で遊び、川で魚を捕り、川で染物を晒す。水への愛着の強さを感じます。   The organized entrance hall inspires us. 気分があがるエントランスです。 Diving from Shinbashi  (bridge) to the pure river; it’s 15 meters height. 新橋からの飛び込み。高さ 13 ｍです。 Unhappily, a  tourist died due to diving  in 2016. The locals discussed prohibition of diving, however, the signboard by the bridge says “A serious accident by diving happened here. We warn an inexperienced person and so on to dive recklessly. -city office-  “ . It means  diving is not prohibited . I totally agree with the thought that a diving is conditionally permitted (understanding the risk) but is not prohibited. The diving is glee in summer for locals; many young people enjoy it. 2016 年に 飛び込んだ観光客が死亡する事故 があり、...