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

Salt Road linked the Sea of Japan and Matsumoto Basin (inland) which is 120km away. Marine products such as salt and agricultural/forestry products have been exchanged. The museum below was a private house built more than 200 years ago . It was near the checkpoint site. It shows items about porters and cattle-drivers who led around six cattle which carried loads. 日本海の塩や海産物を内陸部（信濃）に運び、内陸部の産物を沿岸部（越後）に運ぶための物流路が 塩の道 。 200 年以上前に建てられた３階建ての民家が資料館 。名主や庄屋の御屋敷ではないのに、こんなに残っている民家は珍しいです。越後側の口留め番所・山口関所跡の先にあります。館内では、荷を運んだ 歩荷（ぼっか）や牛方に関する品、現地の民具 が約 2100 点も展示されています。   Porters' costumes are displayed at the entrance hall. A porter carried a 10kg load and walked 30km a day on the mountain road. 玄関を入ると 歩荷の装束 。 50kg の荷を背負い、１日 30km ぐらい歩いたそうです。山道ですからね。 A porter had to carry a tag, which was a license . Someone used the tags above. 歩荷が携帯を義務づけられていた 鑑札 。誰かが持って歩いていたのですね。 The stone on the left was used to tie cattle . It remains at various places along the salt road even until now. The photo was taken ...

The museum is in central Japan (Niigata pref. Joetsu City). It was a parents' home of Dr. Sakaguchi (1897-1994) who made important research achievements in fermentation science . He was also a poet. He lived in the residence during WW2 to avoid air raids, and interacted with intellectuals and master sake (alcohol) brewers ; his family run a sake brewery. I'm jealous of him! 発酵学に貢献された坂口博士（ 1897-1994 ）の屋敷 を資料館にしています（新潟県上越市頸城区）。坂口博士は学者であるだけでなく、 歌人としても活動し、戦時中に疎開していたこの屋敷で地元の頸城（くびき）杜氏や文化人と交流 していました。 杜氏の酒造りと博士の粋人としての活動がわかります。庶民の憧れの暮らしですね。   The staff made bamboo lanterns at the entrance hall above when I visited. The showcase in behind has sake bottles. It is rare to be able to drink alcohol in museum except for brewery company’s ones. ホール では職員さんがイベント用の竹灯籠を製作中。後ろには、お酒が。酒造会社の資料館以外でお酒を呑めるところは珍しいです。   Brewery equipment such as a big presser are displayed in the exhibition room at the 1 st floor. Sakaguchi family is a wealthy farmer and also a brewery; brewery, which is initiat...

Joetsu in central Japan (Niigata pref.) was the provincial capital in the ancient era. In medieval era (especially in Sengoku period: domestic wartime), a warlord built a large castle (Kasugayama-jo). Thereafter, Takada Castle was built in the city center . Although the museum shows us the local history as the provincial capital, people’s life is also exhibited a lot. I was impressed by the residents’ power; they vitalized the city by leveraging its unique urban characteristics . Photography of exhibition rooms is prohibited; I took photos and uploaded them under the approval of the office. 新潟県上越市は、国府が置かれた越後国の中心地 。戦国時代は長尾氏が春日山城を築き、徳川幕府は高田城を築きました。「越後の都」としての歴史を軸にしていますが、人々の暮らしも紹介されています。 政治の中心地であることを活用し、町を活性化させてきた （例えば、観桜会）人々に感心しました。 ところで、 館内は撮影禁止 。博物館の許可を得て撮影し、アップロードしました。 （展示品は入れ替えがあります。写真は 2025 年７月の展示品です。）     Exhibition room of the medieval era . Letters of Uesugi Kenshin (a gifted warlord who stationed at Kasugaya Castle) and so on explained the era in detail. If you li...

Hida district is on the Hokkoku- kaidou (highway) which links mountainous area (Nagano pref.) and seaside one (Niigata pref.) . It is in a boundary zone between mountainous area and plain. 妙高市・斐太地区は、妙高山麓を流れる関川が山地から平地にでた場所にあり 、水田が広がる地域です。信越を結ぶ北国街道が通る地区でもあります。 Both the cattle and rice bales in the entrance hall are made by rice straw. There are rich rice fields there (The museum is at the first floor in the building at lower left). ホールには 牛と米俵の藁細工 があります。米どころですね。左下が資料館がある建物。 The exhibition starts with the history section. 展示室は歴史からスタート。 Although the history is not the theme of this blog, I would like to highlight the exhibits about Uesugi Kagetora. He was expected to succeed to  the powerful warlord  Uesugi Kenshin. Unfortunately, he was defeated at the castle near the museum. The carbonized rice at lower right is assumed to a onigiri (rice ball); it was found at the castle site. There is a history park “Hida-rekishi-no-sato” which has the castle site and the ancient ruins. ...