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

Battle among lads over the shrine's drum after rice planting (May and Jun, 1806) 、田植え後、鎮守の太鼓をめぐる若者たちの争い（文化３年５･６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（日本語は後半です）。 Udon noodle in Musashino region   May 16 th , the rice planting at Yoshino family was completed, and the "Sanaburi" celebration was held. (Rice planting had begun on April 27 th .) 18 th , every household in the village finished planting. 19 th and 20 th were designated as rest days.   28 th , they pounded mochi for the Sanaburi（早苗振） celebration and took the day off. 29 th is noted as a "Sanaburi holiday"; yet weeding in the fields is also recorded. It was likely a half-day off. Since the entry for June 2 nd says, "Today marks the end of the Sanaburi holidays"; does that mean there was a five-day break starting on the 28 th ? That sounds great! Weeding in the fields (the process after planting) continued.     June Hyōemon, who kept a diary, received udon ...

Great fire in Edo / divorce, remarriage, and bereavement of acquaintances (March and April, 1806) 、江戸の大火、離婚・再婚・死別（文化３年３･４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記事です（日本語は後半に）。 Great Fire in 1855、安政2年江戸大地震火事場の図 https://lab.ndl.go.jp/dl/book/1302061?page=1   March Records on the diary indicate that a fire broke out in Edo (old name of Tokyo) around 10 a.m. on the 4 th , escalating into a massive conflagration that burned until dawn the following day. Japanese houses made of wood and paper, were unfortunately burnable. Hyōemon, who wrote this diary, received the news on the same day. This blaze is known as the "Great Fire of the Bunka Era"; it was one of the three major fires in the Edo period. It originated in Shiba and spread northeast to the Kanda and Asakusa districts. The death toll reportedly exceeded 1,200, and 126,000 houses were destroyed. The Shogunate (Bakufu) erected relief shelters and provided meals to the victims.   7 th , Hyōemon went to Edo . He foun...

New Year's greetings and n ewlywed  daughter who wanted to go back to her parents' home (January and February, 1806) 、年始挨拶、実家に戻りたがる結婚したての娘（文化３年１･２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記事です（日本語は後半）。 A New Year's greeting, Yokohama, Japan 1905 https://www.loc.gov/item/2020637841/   1806 As arrivals of foreign ships seeking trade increased, the Shogunate (Bakufu) ordered coastal domains ( han ) to strengthen their defenses. It also levied forced contributions on the merchants in Edo (old name of Tokyo); its finances were in dire straits. Yet, amidst such times, life for the Yoshino family continued just as it always had.     January The days were filled with New Year's greetings .   8 th , Hyōemon, who wrote this diary, traveled to Katō Village to offer New Year's greetings. The village was where Chiyo (likely his daughter) had married and moved just at the end of the previous year. The gifts he brought are recorded . Sanzaemon received ten sheet...