【庄屋さん家の神童・三木通深氏８歳1831年の絵画】

　江戸期の播州での三木家のひとびとの消息がこの福崎には詳細な研究と共にあきらかにされて遺されている。この家の当地での足跡は明暦元年（1655年）に、当時の姫路藩・榊原家から「新田開発」の事業要請を受けた英賀城の末裔で酒造業などを営んでいた三木家が承って、移住してきたのだという。
　江戸期の経済のなかでは当然ながら為政者たちとのさまざまな関係性は重要だっただろう。戦国期までの武士階層のメンタルはひたすら暴力的な領地拡大意欲だっただろうけれど、中央統一政権の確立によってそういう拡張主義は壁にぶち当たって、家康の施政方針として平和主義・学問や秩序重視の姿勢が貫徹して行った。
　そういった社会の中で経済運営についてはそれまでの戦国期にさまざまな試行錯誤が繰り返されて、基本は農業生産でありながら、周辺的なものづくり産業から形成されていったことだろう。三木家はもっとも基本的な地域製造業として酒造に取り組み、姫路城下で一定の経済的基盤を確立していた。そういう家だからこそ、藩の側としても経済主体として未開墾の地域総合開発を任せたということかと思える。
　なお、戦国期以来の英賀・三木家では戦陣食としての「乾燥麺」〜そうめんなどの技術発達があったとも言われている。縁の深い讃岐の「三木」地域でも讃岐うどんとして地域名産になっている。三木家という存在には播州のそうめん文化に一定の足跡を感じさせられる。事実、この三木家住宅の裏には「もちむぎの館」という独特の麺料理発祥を謳い文句にした名物館が存在している。
　そういった来歴の三木家の福崎移住から７代目になる三木通深氏が描いたという絵画が遺されている。
　かれは1824年生-1857年没と短命だったけれど、幼時から神童のほまれ高く、その学識で地域で広く敬愛されていた柳田國男の祖母に入門して学問を学んだという。江戸期というのはこういう学問への社会的崇敬心が非常に重視された社会だったことが伝わってくる。家康の開いた江戸幕府の施政が日本人に遺したDNAの深さを思わされる。
　学問と同時に絵についても島琴陵・浦上春琴に師事した。そのかれが描いたのが上の絵。８歳の年齢として馬のデッサン力などまことに秀逸。こういう絵を見せられた方は「まことに神童」と目を見張ったに違いない。
　学問についてもやがて大阪懐徳堂（現代の大阪大）、江戸昌平校（現代の東大）に学んだという。昌平校では林大学学頭に学んだのだという。
　しかし経済的には７歳で大庄屋を拝命したけれど、叔父の後見を受け、その留学費用などや著名な文人墨客との交友が家政を傾け、三木家の財産を半減させたと言われている。

　８歳の子どもが一心不乱にこの絵に意識を集中して、細部にまで想像力を注ぎ込んだ様子が、筆使いの端々に強く印象づけられる。たぶん絵を描くに際しての少年の忘我の集中力に接したひとびとは、つばを飲み込むほどに愛を注がざるを得なかったことだろう。そういう状況が絵から伝わってくる。


English version⬇

Painting by Michihisa Miki, a child prodigy of the village headman's family, at the age of 8 in 1831.
My basic theme for many years has been "people and home," and the paintings left behind by my predecessors convey a sense of their way of life. It is a vivid realization. I am very grateful to the artist for his kindness and generosity.

The history of the Miki family in Banshu during the Edo period (1603-1868) is well documented in Fukusaki, and has been left behind through detailed research. The Miki family's history in Banshu dates back to 1655, when the Sakakibara family of the Himeji domain at that time asked the Miki family, descendants of the Eiga Castle family, who were engaged in the sake brewing business, to develop new rice paddies in the area.
　Naturally, relationships with government officials were important in the Edo period economy. Until the Warring States period, the warrior class's mentality was one of violent territorial expansion, but with the establishment of a unified central government, such expansionism ran into a wall, and Ieyasu's policy of pacifism and an emphasis on learning and order came into effect.
　In such a society, economic management was subject to a variety of trial and error during the Warring States period, and while the foundation of the economy was agricultural production, it was also formed from peripheral manufacturing industries. The Miki family was involved in sake brewing as the most basic local manufacturing industry and had established a certain economic base under Himeji Castle. It is precisely because the Miki family was such a family that the clan entrusted the comprehensive development of the uncultivated area to them as an economic entity.
　It is also said that since the Warring States period, the Eiga and Miki families have developed the technology of "dried noodles" or "somen" as a battle food. In the Miki region of Sanuki, which is closely related to the Miki family, Sanuki udon is also a regional specialty. The Miki family's presence in Banshu's somen culture has left a certain mark on the region. In fact, behind the Miki family's residence is the Mochimugi no Yakata, a specialty museum that claims to be the birthplace of a unique noodle dish.
　There is a painting by Michihisa Miki, the seventh generation of the Miki family to immigrate to Fukuzaki, that depicts this family history.
　He was a child prodigy and was widely respected for his learning by his grandmother, Kunio Yanagida, who studied under her. The Edo period (1603-1867) was a time when social reverence for learning was highly valued in society. This reminds us of the depth of the DNA bequeathed to the Japanese people by the administration of the Edo shogunate established by Ieyasu.
　In addition to his studies, Ieyasu studied painting under Shima Kinryo and Urakami Shunkin. The above picture was painted by him, and his drawing of a horse at the age of 8 is truly outstanding. The person who was shown this kind of picture must have been awestruck, saying, "He is truly a child prodigy.
　In terms of studies, he studied at Osaka Kaitoku-do (today's Osaka University) and Edo Shohei-gakko (today's University of Tokyo). At the Changping School, he studied under the dean of Hayashi University.
　However, financially, although he was given the title of "daimyo-ya" (village headman) at the age of seven, he was looked after by his uncle, and it is said that his study abroad expenses and his friendship with famous writers and artists caused the family's finances to decline, reducing the Miki family's wealth by half.

The way the eight-year-old concentrated his mind and imagination on this painting, pouring his imagination into every detail, is strongly evident in every brushstroke. Perhaps those who came in contact with the boy's selfless concentration as he painted must have felt compelled to love him so much that they swallowed their spit. This situation is conveyed through the painting.

【江戸期経済・社会を支配する「庄屋屋敷」】

　きのうの続きです。江戸期の姫路藩、播州・福崎の地域経済を中核として運営していた「庄屋・三木家」再訪篇。江戸期は「武家による政治支配」体制だけれど、それは武力支配の構造が基本ではあるけれど、一方では年貢の取り立てや管理などについては庶民階級のなかに経済掌握の機能が必要とされた。
　いわゆる「庄屋層」というのが決定的に重要な役割を果たしていたのでしょう。この三木家は戦国期に英賀城に蟠踞していた武家であり、秀吉によってその武力は解体されたけれど、戦国期までの「地域支配」においては地縁・血縁などの重層的な人脈と、ムラ支配の経験知を豊富に持っていた。
　地域情報の集積体として、あらたな地域領主となった姫路藩としてはそうした存在を活用することが現実的な政治経済運営方法だったのでしょう。とくに大名とか藩とかが流動的になり、幕府から「鉢植え」的に領主がひんぱんに交代させられる体制が定まって以降、こういう実質的地域支配層の重要性は高まったに違いない。
　この三木家は旧英賀城にほど近い瀬戸内海沿岸地域に蟠踞していたうちの「一統」が、姫路藩の要請によって播州中部の福崎に入植してきたという家系伝承。姫路藩としては確実な経済支配体制を構築していくには、地域支配の実質を担っている庄屋層に依存することは自然な選択でしょう。
　三木家ではこの地域で土木開発などの生産手段整備作業を継続的に行ってきている。
　また、この家は江戸期の支配体制構築にとって不可欠であった秩序構築手段としての学問に積極的であり、歴代の当主の収集した図書類が豊富に蓄積されて、のちに日本民族学の祖といわれる柳田國男の学識を揺籃する地域最大の図書館機能を果たした。
　経済と同時に知の地域センター機能までも果たしていた存在。そういう意味では江戸期の支配構造というものがきわめて集約的に表現された屋敷なのだと思っています。

　こちらはいわゆる「座敷」の最高格式空間。南面する座敷には江戸期の秩序的な空間装置が表現されている。手前側は庭が展開し、外部からは築地塀で完全に仕切られている。万が一の時を考えて床の間側の壁の一部は出入り可能なように仕掛けられてもいる。実際に幕末期には一揆勢力がこの屋敷になだれ込んで、縁の一角にはそのときの「刀傷」が遺されたりしている。
　現代人は住宅建築として、その機能性について江戸期までのそれとはかなり隔絶してきている。しかし江戸期の建築もそういう機能性に於いては時代にきわめて適合したものだったのだと思う。現代人はその性能とデザインということが優先されているけれど、江戸期の高級住宅は、社会的機能性について強いニーズに的確に対応したものだったのだと思えるのですね。


English version⬇

The "headman's mansion" dominates the Edo period economy and society.
Performance and design and the essential pursuit elements of modern housing can be summarized, but on the other hand, it fits perfectly with the values that are different in the Edo period housing. ・・・・.

This is a continuation of yesterday's article. This is a revisit to the Miki family, the headman of the Himeji clan in the Edo period, who managed the local economy of Fukusaki, Banshu, as the core of the clan. The Edo period was a system of "political rule by the warrior class," which was based on a structure of armed rule, but on the other hand, the common people were required to take control of the economy in order to collect and manage tribute.
　The so-called "headman class" must have played a decisive role. The Miki family was a warrior family coiled in Eiga Castle during the Warring States period, and although their military power was dismantled by Hideyoshi, they possessed a wealth of knowledge and experience in ruling local communities, as well as a multilayered network of personal connections through geographical and blood ties.
　The Himeji clan, which became the new lord of the region as an accumulation of local information, probably found it a practical method of political and economic management to make use of such a network. In particular, the importance of such a real local ruling class must have increased after the feudal lords and clans became more fluid and the shogunate established a system in which lords were frequently replaced by "potted plants".
　The Miki family is said to have been one of the "lines" coiled along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea near the old Eiga Castle and settled in Fukusaki in central Banshu at the request of the Himeji clan. For the Himeji clan, relying on the village headmen, who were in charge of local governance, was a natural choice in order to establish a secure economic control system.
　The Miki family has been continuously engaged in civil engineering development and other means of production maintenance work in this region.
　The Miki family was also active in learning as a means of establishing order, which was essential to the establishment of the ruling system in the Edo period, and accumulated an abundance of books collected by successive heads of the family, which later served as the largest library in the region, where Kunio Yanagida, later considered the founder of Japanese ethnology, cradled his knowledge.
　It was the largest library in the region and served as a regional center of knowledge as well as an economic center. In this sense, I believe that the mansion is a very concentrated expression of the ruling structure of the Edo period.

This is the highest-rated space of the so-called "zashiki". The south-facing tatami room expresses the orderly spatial devices of the Edo period. On the front side, a garden unfolds and is completely separated from the outside by a Tsukiji wall. In case of emergency, a part of the wall on the alcove side has been set up so that it can be accessed. In fact, in the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate, a group of revolts swept into the house, and a "sword wound" from that time can be seen in the corner of the edge of the wall.
　Today, the functionality of residential architecture has become quite different from that of the Edo period. However, I believe that the architecture of the Edo period was very much in tune with the times in terms of such functionality. Although modern people give priority to performance and design, I believe that the high-class housing of the Edo period was a precise response to the strong need for social functionality.

【「温故知新」型建築の未来可能性】

　さて先日は住宅業界専門誌「建築知識ビルダーズ」さん主催のエコハウスコンテストの審査員を務めさせていただいていましたが、自分自身もながく住宅関係に関与する人生を送ってきて、そのキャリアもワンクールセット感を持っています。
　しかしそういう経過を経て、これからの日本の住宅産業についてもう一度振り返り、そして今後の展開方向というものを考えて見る視点も大切だと思えてきた。コンクール審査員という経験をさせていただいて、それでは今後、日本の建築はどういう方向を目指すべきかと、多くのみなさんの「応募」活動に触れそうしたみなさんの直接の肉声に接したことで「衆知を集めた」感があった。
　
　そんな思いを持っていたのですが、最近見ていた住宅建築の中でわたし自身の家系にもつながる古建築を再訪していた記憶が一気に再活性され、起承転結が輪廻したような感覚を味わった。
　なんとその縁のある建物の一部が改装されてホテルに利活用されていることを知ったのです。写真は兵庫県の「福崎町」にある三木家住宅ですが、外観写真の右手奥、その石蔵施設部分がホテルに改装されていたのであります。コロナ禍でちょっと再訪には時間が空いたのですが、それにしてもこの建物をホテルに改装して再利用しようというビジネスコンセプトには驚き、そして拍手したくなった。
　通常の民家の新築に当たって高断熱高気密の住宅技術が活用されることで、さまざまな側面での技術変容が生起する。そのことが普遍化していくことは喜ばしい業界変化だと思います。そしてその部分での進化・高度化が追求されることは自然だろうと思われます。大いに賛同する次第。
　しかし一方で、日本にはすばらしい「情緒性」を保持し続けている古民家住文化がある。
　北海道でごく自然に高断熱高気密での世界共通的な住空間づくりが行われていく中に身を置いていて、刺激をもとめて全国を歩いていると、この日本独自の住宅の「情緒性」というものに圧倒的にノックアウトされる。世界各地でもそれぞれの地域で独自の「伝統」住文化があって、それが人間社会の思念の大きな部分に強い影響力を持っていることに気付く。
　ひさしぶりに「伝統建築」派のみなさんと会話したりすると、こういう良質な部分をこそ北海道の住文化は大いに「学ぶ」必要があると思えてくる。さきほど書いたように「輪廻」する感覚がある。

　こちらの「三木家住宅」はわたし自身のご先祖さまの一統として播磨国・福崎で続いた家系ですが、その古建築に現代的な価値感が付与され「新生」要素を持たされていることに非常に驚かされ、同時にちょっと胸アツな気分を持たされた次第。こういう動きを整理整頓してみたくなった。


English version⬇
　
The Future Possibility of "Onmyoshin"-type Architecture
A hotel that utilizes the emotionality of the "Miki Family Residence" in Fukusaki, Hyogo Prefecture in a modern way. This could be seen as an untapped business area for the housing industry.

The other day, I was serving as a judge for the Eco-House Contest sponsored by the housing industry magazine "Architectural Knowledge Builders." I myself have been involved in the housing industry for a long time, and my career has a sense of one-cool-set.
　However, after going through this process, I have come to think that it is important to look back on the future of the Japanese housing industry and consider the direction in which it will develop in the future. Having had the opportunity to serve as a jury for the competition, I was wondering what direction Japanese architecture should take in the future, and I felt that I had "gathered a lot of knowledge" by being exposed to many people's "entry" activities and hearing directly from them.
　
　I had this feeling of having "gathered the collective wisdom" of the many people who had submitted their ideas, and having come into direct contact with their real voices, I felt as if I had experienced a reincarnation of the beginning and the end of the story.
　To my surprise, I learned that a part of the building with which I had a connection had been renovated and was being utilized as a hotel. The photo shows the Miki family residence in Fukusaki-cho, Hyogo Prefecture, and the stone warehouse facility on the far right side of the exterior photo has been converted into a hotel. I was surprised at the business concept of converting this building into a hotel and reusing it, and I wanted to applaud it.
　The use of highly insulated and airtight housing technology in new construction of ordinary private houses will bring about technological transformation in various aspects. I think it is a welcome change in the industry that this will become a universal phenomenon. It is natural that evolution and sophistication in this area will be pursued. I agree with this viewpoint to a great extent.
　On the other hand, however, Japan has a culture of old private homes that continues to retain a wonderful "emotionality.
　While in Hokkaido, I am surrounded by the natural process of creating a highly insulated, airtight, and globally common living space, when I walk around the country in search of inspiration, I am overwhelmingly knocked out by the "emotionality" of Japan's unique housing culture. I realize that each region of the world has its own unique "traditional" housing culture, which has a strong influence on a large part of human society's thought process.
　After a long time since my last conversation with "traditional architectural" people, I feel that Hokkaido's housing culture needs to "learn" from such quality aspects. As I mentioned earlier, there is a sense of "reincarnation.

The Miki Family Residence here is a family lineage of my own ancestors in Fukusaki, Harima Province, and I was very surprised to see that modern values have been added to this old building to give it a "new life" factor, and at the same time, it made me feel a bit excited. I wanted to organize this kind of movement.

【地球的「天下大乱」＆民家のやすらぎ、いのちの育み】

　今週も出張から帰ってきてからいろいろな案件が多数進行し、エコハウス審査員のような臨時的な役務も発生していたので、やや腰などに疲労感。
　そういうことで平安な気分に復帰したいと思っております。多忙とか、世間の騒がしさというのはやはり精神疲労・肉体疲労の誘因だと思います。
　目を世界に転じるとハマスによるテロ攻撃から人質奪取、イスラエルのハマスへの報復宣言、準備などが勃発。ウクライナへのロシアによる侵略戦争に加えて中東も危機に突入。そして中国では相次ぐ政権内・軍組織での粛清の顕在化。前国務院総理の李克強の「突然死」のニュース。急激な経済的危機の深刻化のなかでの「出口なし」状況が、政治状況にも反映しつつあるように思われる。
　きのうの李克強の死について若干、WEB情報を見ていたら、かれが安倍政権時に日本訪問したときに日程の最後に北海道を訪れた目的として、トヨタの関連する「水素燃料自動車」の工場見学が目的だったという情報に接していました。このときの北海道訪問はその意図を巡って情報が非常にすくなくて、予定外に安倍元首相も急遽同行したことがきわめて不思議だった。
　ある情報ではEV技術開発の先行き、将来性に危機感を持っていた李克強が、水素技術に強い関心を持ち、中国もその方向に産業政策を取ろうとしていたのではとされていた。
　中国共産党内部での内部闘争と、産業政策のからみというような意外な視点というのもあるのだとわかった次第。かれの「突然死」には、どうもふたたびの「天安門事件」の伏線というような見方もあり得るかも知れませんね。
　日本にとっても、このような隣国の混乱ぶりは非常に懸念されるところ。

　っていうような天下大乱状況をみていると、住宅の「やすらぎ」ということに心が動かされる。写真は東京狛江市の復元古民家でこどもたちが遊んでいる様子。
　茅葺き＋寄棟形状の大屋根とこどもたちのシルエットが、日本人的な「こころ」を訴求してくれる。高断熱高気密という住宅革新によって大きく変容した住宅文化を北海道は作ってきているといえるけれど、しかしわたし的にはこういう伝統の世界観に強くシンパシーを感じています。
　エコハウス審査でも、伝統的な自然活用型の提案をされた方に、強いシンパシーを感じていた。そしてむしろ北海道としては、こういう伝統の家が創造してきた生活の情操をしっかり学ぶ必要があるのではないかと思い続けていました。
　日本人の精神性を涵養する原風景、というような印象が強いのですね。
　どうもまとまりのない本日ブログですが、閑話休題的なものとご容赦ください。


English version⬇

Global "Great Rebellion in Heaven" & Peace of Home, Nurturing of Life
The internal turmoil of power in neighboring countries and the sudden death of a central figure. The crisis in the Middle East after the terrorist attack on Israel. On the other hand, the comforting atmosphere of an old private house. On the other hand, the soothing atmosphere of an old private home...

Since returning from my business trip this week, I have had a number of various projects in progress, as well as temporary duties such as being an Eco-House judge, which has left me feeling somewhat fatigued in my lower back and other parts of my body.
　I would like to return to a peaceful mood because of this. I believe that busyness and the noise of the world are the triggers for mental and physical fatigue.
　Turning our eyes to the world, we see the outbreak of terrorist attacks and hostage-taking by Hamas, Israel's declaration of retaliation against Hamas, and preparations for such attacks. In addition to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the Middle East is also plunging into crisis. And in China, a series of purges within the regime and the military have emerged. The news of the "sudden death" of former Premier Li Keqiang. It seems that the "no way out" situation amid the rapidly worsening economic crisis is being reflected in the political situation as well.
　While I was looking at some web information on Li Keqiang's death yesterday, I came across information that when he visited Japan during the Abe administration, the purpose of his last stop in Hokkaido was to tour a Toyota-related "hydrogen fuel vehicle" plant. There was very little information available on the intentions of this visit to Hokkaido, and it was extremely strange that former Prime Minister Abe also accompanied him on such an unscheduled and hurried trip.
　According to some sources, Li Keqiang, who had a sense of crisis about the future of EV technology development and its potential, took a strong interest in hydrogen technology, and it was believed that China was trying to pursue industrial policy in this direction.
　I now realize that there is an unexpected perspective that the internal struggle within the Chinese Communist Party and its industrial policy are intertwined. His "sudden death" could be seen as a foreshadowing of another "Tiananmen Square Incident.
　For Japan, this kind of turmoil in neighboring countries is also a matter of great concern.

　In the midst of such a chaotic situation, I am moved by the idea of "tranquility" in housing. The photo shows children playing in a restored old house in Komae, Tokyo.
　The thatched roof and the silhouette of the children appeal to the Japanese spirit. It can be said that Hokkaido has created a housing culture that has been greatly transformed by the housing innovation of high thermal insulation and high airtightness, but in my opinion, I feel a strong sympathy for this traditional worldview.
　In the Eco-House competition, I felt strong sympathy for those who submitted proposals that made use of traditional natural features. And rather, I kept thinking that Hokkaido needs to learn well the sentiment of life that these traditional houses have created.
　I guess I have a strong impression that this is the original landscape that cultivates the spirituality of the Japanese people.
　Please forgive the lack of coherence in today's blog.

【トータル５時間超 エコハウス審査員任務ようやく終了】

　昨年のジャパンホームショーの会場で出会った折に、旧知の建築知識ビルダーズの木藤編集長から軽く頼まれた「エコハウス審査員」の任務、昨日でようやく終了することができました。
　わたしは遠隔地でもあるのでZoomでの参加。事務所からゆったり参加だったのですが、開始が14:00で事前準備のため13:20にはスタンバイ予定のところ、直前に飛び入りのスケジュールも入って、参加できたのは開始の直前。やや汗汗、という状況での参加になりました。
　わたしは「ゲスト審査員」なので、受け取っていたデータ類もそれなりのもので、肝心の「建築費データ」が参照できていなかった。（ひょっとしてどこかにあったのかも知れませんが、見つけることはできていませんでした）という状況でした。
　錚々たる審査員メンバーの専門家のみなさんの顔ぶれを見ると、わたしのミッションとしては
１　ユーザー視点での見方を情報発信すること。
２　寒冷地・北海道の人間がだれもいないのでその立場・見方を意見表出すること。
３　今後の住宅業界が見据えていくべき方向性を審査過程で意見具申すること。
　というポイントが必要な要件ではないかと自己認識して意見を発表させていただくことにしました。メディアの立場という主催者のスタンスを忖度して、このように審査員への「期待項目」を意識するというのはまぁ、知らず知らず身についた部分でしょう。自分自身でもそういう立場になったこともありましたし。
　そういう意味では住宅としてのトータルな「完成度」という視点以上に、作り手のみなさんが大半である建築専門誌読者への「新しい着眼点」というポイントに絞った審査を行った次第であります。
　審査の過程でのわたしの発言については配信される動画を参照ください。視聴チケットのお申し込みはこちら　https://t.livepocket.jp/e/7u056　（無料かと誤解していましたが有料での配信ということ）
　結果としては京都での賃貸住宅のリノベーション事例がグランプリを獲得されました。
　わたしとしては住宅業界が今後、日本社会全体のなかで果たすべき大きな役割として、ユーザーの暮らしを向上させる、より暮らしやすい環境を主導的に作っていくということこそ「エコハウス」の趣旨にとって最重要と考えていましたので、この結果について大変喜ばしいことという印象を抱いたところです。
　
　ここからはぶっちゃけですが（笑）、北海道のみなさんと話していると「北海道からの意見は煙たがられる」「本州以南のみなさんからは自分たちをディスっていると誤解される」という意見が聞かれました。貴重なご意見をお寄せいただいたことに深く感謝します。わたしとしてはこういうポイントについて、注意深く発言したつもりでいますが、なお、誤解を生じるような点があったとすればご容赦ください。
　しかしトータル５時間坐った姿勢で注意を集中させ続けているというのは、なかなか重労働（笑）。就寝時、なぜか右足薬指が「つって」しまいました、イテテであります。


English version⬇

Finally, after more than 5 hours of eco-house jury duty, we are done.
1. user's point of view; 2. Hokkaido's point of view; 3. future direction of the industry. 〜It was a pleasure to participate and have a dialogue with such a stance. I was happy to participate and have a dialogue with such a stance.

Yesterday, I was finally able to complete my assignment as an "eco-house judge," which I was lightly asked to do by Mr. Kido, the editor-in-chief of Architectural Knowledge Builders, whom I have known for a long time, when I met him at the Japan Home Show last year.
　I was able to participate via Zoom because of my remote location. I was able to participate from my office in a relaxed manner, but the show was scheduled to start at 14:00 and I was supposed to be on standby at 13:20 to prepare for the show, but I had to jump into the show just before the show started. I was a bit sweaty and a bit nervous.
　Of course, since I was a "guest judge," the data I had received was quite adequate, and I was not able to refer to the important "construction cost data" (I may have found it somewhere). (Perhaps there was some data somewhere, but I could not find it.
　Looking at the distinguished jury members, all of whom were experts, my mission was to
1. To provide information on how to look at things from the user's point of view.
2. To express my views and opinions from the perspective of Hokkaido, a cold region of Japan, since no one from Hokkaido was present.
3. To express my opinion on the direction that the housing industry should take in the future during the screening process.
　I have decided to present my opinion based on my self-awareness that the following points are necessary requirements. I guess it is a part of my experience to be aware of the "expectations" of the judges based on the stance of the organizer as a member of the media. I have been in such a position myself.
　In that sense, the judging was focused on "new points of view" for the readers of architecture magazines, the majority of whom are makers, rather than on the total "degree of completion" of the house.
　Please refer to the video for my comments on the judging process. For tickets, please visit https://t.livepocket.jp/e/7u056 (I mistakenly thought the video was free, but it was paid for).
　As a result, the grand prize was awarded to a case study of renovation of a rental house in Kyoto.
　I was very pleased with this result, as I believe that the most important role the housing industry should play in Japanese society as a whole in the future is to take the initiative in improving the lives of users and creating a more comfortable living environment, which is the purpose of Eco-House. I am very pleased with the results.
　
　To be frank (laugh), when talking with people in Hokkaido, we heard many comments beforehand, such as "people in Hokkaido are not interested in opinions from Hokkaido" and "people in Honshu and southward misunderstand that we are dissing them. I am deeply grateful for their valuable opinions. I have tried to be careful in my remarks on these points, but please forgive me if there were any points that could have been misunderstood.
　However, it is hard work to keep one's attention in a sitting position for a total of five hours (laughs). When I went to bed, somehow my right ring toe got cramped.