【喉痛で病院へ。「咽喉頭逆流症」との診断】

　写真は本文とはまったく関係ありません（笑）。日本の宗教画の定番、天井画として一般的な龍の図柄ですね。わたしの心象願望としては、病魔退散、であります。
　昨日朝、のどの違和感があって寝ていられず、早々に起き上がっていた。寝ている姿勢ではどうしてものどの違和感が昂進する。しかし眠たいので、夜中に２度ほど起きてうがいしてまた寝る⇒またのどの違和感という繰り返しでした。
　まぁ最後は起きていればのどの違和感は静まるので、やむなく早めに起きていることにして、デスクワークに向かって午前中にメドを付けてから病院へ。いくつかの専門病院が集まっているビルの中、わたしの「かかりつけ医」の糖尿病専門医さんにとりあえず向かったのですが、向かいに「耳鼻咽喉科」があって数回診てもらったことがあることを思い出して、今回はこっちに直行することに。
　のどの痛みということで、やはりコロナ云々の可能性・疑いへの対応で玄関に入る前にいったんは電話をして、その上で承諾されてから入室。
　通常の「予約客」のみなさんの合間を見てようやく診察していただけることに。状況説明をした結果、すぐに「カメラ」での詳細診断。麻酔をしてから10分後ほどで処置されて患部の詳細な画像も見ることが出来た次第。
　耳鼻科専門のお医者さんの見立てで「咽喉頭逆流症」という疾患名。「より深刻な病変、たとえば喉頭ガンなどの疑いはまったくありません。要するに胃酸の逆流症で、寝ている姿勢で発症する」との説明。あまり重度の病変ではなく、投薬などの治療で十分に改善が期待できるとのこと。
　「逆流症」については身の回りの同年齢層で非常に多くのひとが発症しているので、かなり内容は聞き及んでいる。そうか、最近の体調の優れないときの原因は、この疾患に起因しているのかも知れないと類推が拡張していた。
　たまたま発症前の夕食でちょっと辛めの中華の料理を食べて、その最中から鼻水がけっこう出ていたのですが、きっかけになった可能性があると気付いた。そして食後ほどなく就寝するというライフサイクルだと、より発症しやすいことも理解できた。投薬以降、けさはまったく違和感は解消されております。高齢期を迎えて、体調管理にはより注意深く対処していかねばと再度思い知らされました。ということで本日は、まったくの個人的備忘録ブログにて失礼。
　一方できのうは中国で悲惨な事件、家族が付き添って登校中の日本人少年が殺害される異様な事態。戦後のニッポン社会そのものが問われるような胸騒ぎがしてきています。・・・


English version⬇

[Went to the hospital with a sore throat. Diagnosis of Reflux Disease
Many people around me suffer from this gastric acid reflux disease. It is not a more serious disease and can be treated by improving lifestyle. I will do my best to rebuild my way of life. ・・・・.

　The photo has nothing to do with the text (laughs). It is a dragon, a common ceiling painting in Japanese religious paintings. My mental image of the dragon is that it is a sign of the end of illness.
　Yesterday morning, I could not sleep because of discomfort in my throat and had to get up early. The discomfort in my throat is always aggravated when I am in a sleeping position. However, I wanted to sleep, so I got up twice in the middle of the night, gargled, and went back to sleep => throat discomfort again, and so on.
　Well, in the end, the throat discomfort would subside if I stayed awake, so I decided to stay up early and headed to my desk to meditate in the morning before going to the hospital. I went to my “family doctor”, a diabetes specialist, in a building where several specialty hospitals are located, but I remembered that there was an ENT across the street and I had seen him several times.
　I had a sore throat, so I called once before entering the front door in response to the possibility/suspicion of corona, and was then allowed to enter the room.
　After I had been admitted, I entered the room and was finally able to see the doctor. After explaining the situation, a detailed diagnosis with a “camera” was made immediately. About 10 minutes after the anesthesia was given, I was able to see a detailed image of the affected area.
　The otolaryngologist gave me the name of “pharyngolaryngeal reflux disease. There is no suspicion of a more serious lesion, such as cancer of the larynx. In short, it is reflux of gastric acid, and it occurs in the sleeping position,” he explained. It is not a very serious lesion and is expected to improve with medication and other treatments.
　I have heard a lot about reflux disease, as many people in my age group have suffered from it. I was beginning to think that this disease might be the cause of my recent poor physical condition.
　I happened to eat a slightly spicy Chinese dish at dinner before the onset of the disease and had quite a runny nose during the meal, but I realized that it could have been the trigger. I also understood that I was more likely to develop the disease if I went to bed shortly after eating. Since the medication, Kesa's discomfort has been completely resolved. I was reminded once again that I must be more careful in managing my health condition as I enter my old age. So, please excuse me for today's blog, which is a personal reminder.
　On the other hand, there was a tragic incident in China yesterday, where a Japanese boy was murdered while on his way to school accompanied by his family. I am getting a nagging feeling that the postwar Japanese society itself is being questioned. ・・・・.

【桑の木の中の養蚕民家、湧き上がる暮らしパワー】

　さてようやく日常のワークデスクに戻って、いろいろな連絡事項の進捗確認をしていたら、直近のひとつの交信先から返書が届けられていた。どんな返信かと確認したら、なんともありがたい感想とともにこころよい受諾の内容。ほっとひと安心すると同時に、当方の提供した諸資料も内容を深くご理解いただいたことが伝わってくる文面。
　本当に心底がご理解いただけたと感謝。だんだんと伝わってくる心意がありがたい。つくづくと人間のコミュニケーション営為というものに感銘を受けていた。
　そういった主要実務の進行の合間に、粛々と6.43GBもの膨大な今回の取材写真データの整理整頓作業に取り組み始めています。写真整理はわたしの個人的な手法・我流でやっているのですが、このプロセスは当然ながら「ナマデータ」と対話しながらのものになる。
　その撮影時の空気感、自分がそのときに思っていたことの追体験にもなる。なので、なるべく時間を置かずに自分の「空間記憶」を鮮明化させる大きなポイントだと考えています。
　でも、きのう１日で仕掛かり終えた分量は全体の2-3%程度でしょうか。この作業だけでもたぶん１週間程度は掛かりそうであります。でも、住宅取材をながくやってきた人間としては、そのなまなましい「手道具」感が強く感覚させられるものでもあるのですね。
　そういうなかで今回のツアーの口切りとしてこの福島市民家園の住居群はあった次第。最初の家はこの養蚕民家。移築前は福島県伊達市にあった旧小野家住宅。江戸期〜明治期から戦前期まで日本の養蚕業は貴重な外貨を稼ぐメイン産業。欧米、とくにフランスで養蚕が不振に陥ったとき、日本の養蚕業が大発展した経緯がある。その養蚕業でも福島県北部地域は最先進地帯だった。北海道の旭川近郊で養蚕農家の古民家を取材したことがあるけれど、たしかその家もこの福島県地域からの移住者だった。
　室内に均質な採光を得るために切妻の屋根をカットさせた半切妻（あづま）屋根であり、屋根裏と中２階も蚕室として使われていた。北海道の家もほぼそっくりの構成だった。その建物が桑の葉たちに囲まれて建てられていて、誇らしく、またあたたかく訪問者を迎えてくれていた。

　建築年代は1873（明治6）年。世界の市場経済に参入したての日本社会だったけれど、その生産される生糸の量も品質も、いきなり世界レベルのものが出荷された。極東アジアの果ての島国が世界の列強たちに伍して行けたのは、なによりもこのような優しい雰囲気の中から蚕たちが生み出してくれたのだと考えると、味わい深い。建築としても、いかにも民俗性を重厚に訴求してくる。最後の写真は養蚕の民の「祈り」の表徴。


English version⬇

Sericultural silkworm houses in mulberry trees, the power of life that springs from them.
Sericulture, the largest foreign currency earning industry that supported Japanese society from the Edo period and Meiji period to the prewar period. More than a house, it is an “industrial heritage”. The spirit of our ancestors, the heart and soul of Made in Japan. The spirit of our ancestors, the heart and soul of Made in Japan.

　Finally, I returned to my work desk and was checking the progress of various communications when I received a reply from one of the most recent correspondents. When I checked what kind of reply I received, I found a heartwarming acceptance with a very grateful impression. I was relieved and at the same time, the letter showed that they deeply understood the contents of the materials we had provided.
　We were truly grateful for their deep understanding. I am grateful for the cordiality that is gradually being conveyed to me.
　I was deeply impressed by the appreciation of human communication activities.
　In between the progress of these major tasks, I have started to organize the huge 6.43 GB of photo data from this project. I am organizing the photos in my own way, but this process naturally involves talking to the “real data.
　It is also a way to relive the atmosphere of the shoot and what I was thinking at the time. So I consider it a major point to clarify my “spatial memory” with as little time as possible.
　But the amount I finished working on in one day yesterday was probably about 2-3% of the total. This work alone will probably take about a week. However, as someone who has been covering housing for a long time, I feel a strong sense of the “hand tools” that are used in this project.
　The houses in the Fukushima City Minka-en were the first stop on this tour. The first house was this silkworm farmhouse. Before its relocation, it was the former Ono family residence in Date City, Fukushima Prefecture. From the Edo and Meiji periods to the prewar period, sericulture in Japan was a main industry that earned valuable foreign currency. When sericulture was in slump in Europe and the United States, especially in France, the Japanese sericulture industry made great progress. The northern part of Fukushima Prefecture was the most advanced region in the sericultural industry. I once visited an old sericultural farmhouse near Asahikawa in Hokkaido, and I believe that the family had migrated from the Fukushima area.
　The house had a half-gabled roof that was cut off to allow for uniform lighting inside the house, and the attic and mezzanine floor were used as a silkworm room. The house in Hokkaido was almost exactly the same configuration. The building was proudly and warmly welcoming visitors, surrounded by mulberry leaves.
　The building was constructed in 1873. Although Japanese society had just entered the global market economy, the quantity and quality of the raw silk produced was suddenly world-class. It is fascinating to think that an island nation on the edge of Far East Asia was able to compete with the world powers thanks above all to the silkworms produced in such a gentle atmosphere. As an architectural structure, it also has a profound folkloric appeal.The last photo is a symbol of the “prayer” of the sericultural people.

【取材写真総量6.43GB、整理整頓作業へ】

　さてアポイント最後の地、東京での２日間を終えて昨日やや遅れた飛行機便で札幌に夜８時前に帰還。東京は知人の話では日中最高気温34度とのことで実際に陽射しの中に入るとキツいほど。まぁ移動についてはクルマ、目的は建築行脚なので、完全に外気の中にいる時間というのは、たぶんみなさん１日に１時間程度なのでしょう。移動の公共交通でも建築内部でも遮熱構造や冷房装置が機能して、まぁ日常生活は維持可能なのだろうと思われますね。
　しかし北海道に降り立ってみるひんやりとした空気感が全身を包んできてくれる。迎えに来てくれたカミさんは「羽織る服、持って来るかどうか、迷った」ということ。で、一晩寝て起きたら、やっぱり気温もあってか、気分が鮮明・爽快になっている。そういえばきのう朝は、上野公園を散歩していたのですが、歩き始めの時はすこし「ボーッ」としていた（笑）。疲労もあるけれど、やはり朝とは言え外気温が高温高湿の日中の「余韻」を残しているのでしょうか。
　ということで、本日からは日常的な業務に復帰しつつ、同時進行で表題のような大量の取材写真データの編集作業に向かっていきたいと思っています。
　Photoshopなどの画像編集ソフトを使いながら、取材した「肌感覚」を再体験・追体験、再構成していくプロセスなのですが、そこにさまざまな「情報」追加収集作業が同時並行する。そういうことが、わたしの素地や取材テーマの追求の核心を形成していってくれる。数寄な没頭の時間。


　写真は福島市の民家園に保存されている「旧佐久間家板倉」。
　今回のツアーで最初に参観した場所のその「いの一番」の建築です。江戸期19世紀後半ということなので、まぁ築200年ほどの「農業の基本機能性建築」。こういう「機能性一択」の建築は非常に「清々しさ」に満ちている。求めるべき社会的機能に対してまっすぐである姿がすばらしい。
　屋根はクリの木の木羽（こば〜薄く加工した木板）を重ねて葺いている。壁は厚い板を柱に「溝」を掘って厚板を「落とし込んでいく」工法。板倉建築は通常、「穀倉」とも呼ばれ脱穀前の籾の貯蔵に利用される。床下を高くし小屋裏も開放させて風通しを良くする蒸暑対応の機能性建築そのもの。いわゆる気候風土に完全対応した建築と思える。壁の板は随時、取り外せるので籾の量にあわせて収蔵能力を調整も出来る。
　ただしこういった工夫をした建築だけれど、ネズミの食害からの防御は困難で、そういう対応としては「守り札」を貼って「祈った」ということ。
　この最後、祈るという部分にこころが反応する。そこに「民俗」というなにごとかが機縁を持っているのだと考えると、深く反応せざるを得なくなる。


English version⬇

[Total amount of photos covered: 6.43 GB, to be sorted and organized
Functional architecture to store and preserve rice and unhulled rice from the hot and humid climate. It seems to be a cradle of Japanese “spirituality” toward the most important foodstuff. Architecture and folk customs resonate with each other. Architecture and folklore resonate with each other.

　After two days in Tokyo, the last of my appointments, I returned to Sapporo before 8 p.m. on yesterday's slightly delayed flight. According to my acquaintance in Tokyo, the maximum temperature during the day was 34 degrees Celsius, and it was actually hard to be in the sun. Well, since we are traveling by car and our purpose is to visit architectural sites, we probably only spend about one hour a day completely in the open air. It is thought that the heat shields and air conditioning systems in the public transportation and inside the buildings function well enough to maintain the daily life of the people.
　However, the cool air that I felt when I landed in Hokkaido enveloped my whole body. My wife, who came to pick me up, said, “I wondered whether or not I should bring a coat of clothing. After a good night's sleep, I woke up feeling refreshed and clear, probably due to the temperature. By the way, I took a walk in Ueno Park yesterday morning, and when I started walking, I felt a little “fuzzy” (laugh). It was partly fatigue, but I guess the outside temperature, even in the morning, was still “lingering” from the high temperature and humidity during the day.
　So, from today, I would like to return to my daily duties while simultaneously working on editing the large amount of photo data from the interviews, such as the one in the title.
　Using image editing software such as Photoshop, I am in the process of re-experiencing, reliving, and reconstructing the “firsthand sensations” of the interviews, while simultaneously collecting various additional “information” at the same time. This process forms the core of my background and my pursuit of the theme of the interview. A time of immersion.

　The photo shows the “Former Sakuma Family Itakura” preserved in the Minkaen in Fukushima City.
　It is that “inochi” architecture of the first place we visited in this tour. It was built in the late 19th century during the Edo period, so it is, well, a “basic functional architecture for agriculture” about 200 years old. This kind of “functionality-only” architecture is very “refreshing. It is wonderful that the building is straightforward in terms of the social functionality that it should fulfill.
　The roof is made of layers of thinly processed wood shingles made from chestnut trees. The walls are made of thick wooden planks that are “dropped” into the pillars by digging grooves in them. The wooden house is usually called a “granary” and is used for storing unhulled rice before threshing. It is a functional architecture that is designed to cope with heat and humidity by raising the subfloor and opening up the back of the house to improve ventilation. It seems to be an architecture that fully responds to the climate. The wall panels can be removed at any time, so the storage capacity can be adjusted according to the amount of paddy.
　However, despite this ingenious construction, it was difficult to protect the building from rodent damage, so they put up “guardian tags” and “prayed” for protection.
　This last part, “praying,” is what makes my heart respond. When I think that something about “folk customs” is involved in this, I cannot help but react deeply.

【レンタカー移動終了・総移動距離1,537km/4日】

写真は「奥の細道」の芭蕉さんとその弟子・曾良さんの旅姿の銅造in栃木・黒羽。どういった考証だったのかはわかりませんが、博物館施設は公営のものなので、銅造依頼の根拠事実の発掘はそれなりだったのだろうと思います。たぶんこういった姿には信憑性が高いのだろうと。
　江戸期の一定の「公職」従事者であった芭蕉さんは、乗馬しての旅行きが可能だったのだろうと思います。WEB検索で「奥の細道の移動総距離」と入力すると〜元禄2年（1689）3月27日、芭蕉は門人曾良を伴い江戸を発ち、奥羽・北陸の各地をめぐり、8月20日過ぎに大垣へ着くまでの、距離約六百里（約2,400キロ）日数約150日にも及ぶ長旅である。 旅の目的は、歌人能因や西行の足跡を訪ね、歌枕や名所旧跡を探り、古人の詩心に触れようとした。〜とある。
　総移動距離と言うことでは、さらに芭蕉さんの時代から300年前後遡る南北朝騒乱期には、奥州勢力数万が京都まで移動したりしているので、馬と人足による移動手段自体は、そう大きくは変化していなかったように想像できる。


　目的地は全然違うけれど、今回のわたしの総移動距離は４日間で1,537kmでした。芭蕉さんの総移動距離の5/8を、4/150日で走り回ったことになる。時代差は335年間。
　広義の目的性では芭蕉さんとわたしの今回の旅は、畏れ多いですが同じ「表現のための取材行脚」という類似性。それに対して近現代の行脚はまことにありがたい科学進歩を享受できると実感。
　ただしさすがに加齢してきたことは少し実感（笑）。昨日は夕方以降、旧知の方との情報交換をたっぷりさせていただきましたが、その直前にレンタカーは引き渡しして、あとは公共交通機関利用。だったのですが、さすがに多少の「疲労感」を感じております。
　本日はようやく帰還するということで、多少ノンビリとベッドの上でストレッチしながら筋肉疲労箇所を特定して、筋肉伸ばしなどをしてみています。左足の大腿部などにコリを感じた。クルマ運転でいちばん多用する左足側にさすがに集中していた。クルマ運転で精神疲労以外にカラダからの筋肉疲労を実感するというのは珍しい。われながらよく持ってくれたなぁとカラダに感謝。
　江戸期までの人間は時速４kmの歩きが中心。ただウォーキングっていうのは人類の基本動作なので、疲労への耐性が非常に強いようにも思える。しかしそれにしてもこういう長距離を移動しようと考えた発起心・昔人の行動意欲の強さには感嘆させられる。すごいですね、芭蕉さん。


English version⬇

[End of rental car travel, total distance traveled: 1,537 km/4 days].
In Basho's time, horseback and foot were the basic means of transportation. Although some important persons used horseback transportation, we must take our hats off to those who were willing to use their physical strength and curiosity. The journey to the

The photo is a bronze sculpture of Basho and his disciple Sora from “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” in Kurobane, Tochigi. I do not know how the research was done, but since the museum facility is publicly operated, I think that the excavation of the facts on which the bronze sculpture was commissioned must have been done in a certain way. Perhaps there is a high degree of credibility in this kind of figure.
　Basho, who was a constant “official” during the Edo period (1603-1868), could have traveled on horseback, and a web search for “total distance traveled on the Narrow Road to the Deep North” shows that - on March 27, 1689 (Genroku 2), Basho left Edo accompanied by his student Sora, traveled around Ou and Hokuriku regions, and arrived in Ogaki after August 20, 1689 (Genroku 2). It was a long journey of about 150 days, covering a distance of about 600 ri (about 2,400 km). The purpose of the journey was to visit the footsteps of the poets Noin and Saigyo, to explore the poetry pillars and historic sites, and to experience the poetic spirit of the ancients. 〜The total distance traveled is 1,000 kilometers.
　In terms of the total distance traveled, it would seem that the means of transportation itself, by horse and foot, did not change much since several tens of thousands of Oshu forces traveled as far as Kyoto during the period of the Nanboku-cho uprisings, some 300 years earlier than Basho's time.

　Although our destinations were completely different, my total distance traveled this time was 1,537 km in 4 days. This means that I traveled 5/8 of Basho's total distance in 4/150 days. The time difference is 335 years.
　In the broad sense of purpose, Basho's and my trip are awe-inspiring, but they are similar in that they are both “expeditions to gather information for the purpose of expression. In contrast, I realize that the modern and contemporary travelers are able to enjoy scientific progress for which I am very grateful.
　However, I am indeed feeling a little older (laugh). Yesterday evening, I had a lot of time to exchange information with old acquaintances, but I handed over my rental car just before the meeting and used public transportation. I had to leave the rental car just before that, and the rest was done by public transportation, but as expected, I am feeling a little “tired.
　Today, as I am finally returning home, I am relaxing on my bed, stretching my muscles, trying to identify the areas of muscle fatigue, and doing muscle stretches. I felt stiffness in my left thigh and other areas. It was concentrated on the side of the left leg that is used most frequently when driving a car. It is rare to feel muscle fatigue from the body other than mental fatigue when driving a car. I was grateful to my body for holding up so well.
　Until the Edo period, people mainly walked at a speed of 4 km per hour. Walking is the basic movement of human beings, so it seems that they have a very high tolerance for fatigue. But even so, I am amazed at the strength of the initiator's mind and the old people's willingness to take action who thought of traveling such a long distance. It's amazing, isn't it, Mr. Basho?

【坂東太郎「ゴジラ」雲出現・・・暗雲の高速大渋滞】

　昨日は今回の取材ツアーの移動最終日。あちこちと高速で移動しているのですが、その最中、東北道・佐野SAの南方付近から大渋滞が発生してしまった。レンタカーで設定がよくわからなくて、道路交通情報にアクセスはしていなかったので、状況はまったくわからないまま、ノロノロ、停止の繰り返しを余儀なくされていた。まぁしょがない。
　と、ふと空を見上げると、ここのところの得意技の雲の様子がなかなかにシュール（笑）。きのうも書いたように雲というのは水分が大気に舞い上がって上昇し冷やされて造形されるものでしょうが、ときにいろいろな造形力を発揮する。この状況の中で観たこの雲には、つい「ゴジラ」が連想されたのであります（笑）。
　少年時代からマンガ少年〜SF好きだったので、ゴジラには深く魅了されてきた。小学校〜中学校を過ごしていた札幌市中央区・植物園の西側の道路に面していたわが家の２階からは、遠く日本海に石狩川が注ぐその流路に沿って上昇気流が発生して雲が造形され、それがいつも「ゴジラの軍勢の大行進」として見えていた。季節と時間によって、そのゴジラの表情、姿態にはさまざまな色模様があって、明け方のその行進にはおどろおどろしい不気味さが迫ってくるものがあった。
　一方で、夏の日中、脳天気に突き抜けた青空のなかで白っぽく連なっている様子には、可愛らしげなイキモノ感があった。
　そういった原体験以降、広い平野部での雲を見上げるときには、いつもゴジラとの再会を期待する心理が働いている。
　東京の暮らしではビルが林立していて、その上の空の面積が少なかったせいか、そういう習慣経験がほとんどなかった。ところが、その後、広い関東地域をクルマであちこち移動することが増えてくると、さすがに「坂東太郎」の本場であります（笑）。
　ときとして有力な「ゴジラ像」に出くわすときがあるのですね。そういうなかでも今回のゴジラさんはなかなかのタイミングで表れてくれた。色合いといい、プロポーションといい、なかなかなゴジラ感でこころに染み込んでくる。アタマの部分が実に明瞭で、お尻の尻尾もそこそこの出来映え。高さもたぶん数百メートルくらいはありそうで、巨大感は申し分ない。
　高速の大渋滞、ノロノロを幸いと、スマホで撮影できたのもなんともタイミングのいい性格。だいたい、こういうゴジラ雲は生々流転するものなので、チョット時間が経過すると、跡形もなくなってしまうのですね。
　ということで高速道路を攻撃する坂東太郎型ゴジラ、いかがでしょうか？


English version⬇

[Taro Bando “Godzilla” Clouds Appear... Highway Traffic Jam of Dark Clouds
Since his boyhood and the movie series, Godzilla-kun has become a complete lifelong friend. He entertains me by temporarily entrusting me with the clouds in the sky. It's been a while since I got the image. ...

　Yesterday was the last day of travel for this news tour. We were traveling at high speed from place to place, and in the middle of the trip, there was a huge traffic jam starting near the southern part of Sano SA on the Tohoku Expressway. I was not sure of the settings on my rental car and did not have access to road traffic information, so I had no idea what the situation was, and was forced to repeatedly slow down and stop. Well, it had to be done.
　I looked up at the sky and saw a rather surreal sight of clouds, which is my specialty these days (laugh). As I wrote yesterday, clouds are formed when moisture rises into the air, rises, and cools. The clouds I saw in this situation reminded me of “Godzilla” (laugh).
　I have been deeply fascinated by Godzilla since I was a comic book boy - science fiction lover since my boyhood. From the second floor of my house facing the road on the west side of the botanical garden in Chuo-ku, Sapporo, where I spent my elementary and junior high school years, I could always see the rising air currents along the Ishikari River, which flows into the distant Sea of Japan, and the clouds that form along its course as “the great march of Godzilla's army. Depending on the season and the time of day, Godzilla's expression and appearance would vary in color and pattern, and the march at dawn would have a frightening, eerie quality to it.
　On the other hand, the whitish lines of them in the blue sky that pierced the sky during the summer daytime had a cute and innocent feeling to them.
　Since that original experience, when I look up at the clouds over a wide plain, I always have a psychological expectation of a reunion with Godzilla.
　In my life in Tokyo, perhaps because of the forest of buildings and the small area of sky above them, I had almost no such habitual experience. Later, however, as I began to travel around the large Kanto region by car more and more often, I found that I was indeed in the home of “Bando Taro” (laughs).
　(Laughs) Sometimes you come across an influential statue of Godzilla. Among such, Mr. Godzilla this time showed up at quite a good time. The coloring and proportions of this Godzilla are quite impressive, and it really sinks into the heart of the viewer. The head is very clear, and the tail is also in good shape. The height of Godzilla is probably several hundred meters, giving it a perfect sense of enormity.
　The fact that I was able to capture this image with my smartphone, taking advantage of the heavy traffic on the expressway and the slow pace of the road, was also a good sign of its good timing. Generally, such a cloud of Godzilla is a living and flowing thing, so after a little time, there is no trace of it.
　So, how do you like the Taro Bando type Godzilla attacking the highway?

【建築空間から人間・社会を考える。雲を追って】

　昨日は今回の取材ツアーのいちばん行きたかった場所を感受することができた。いま、いちばん自分が体験してみたかった住空間。
　そこで大量の写真撮影をしつつ、心象においてはずっとその住空間を創造した施主のこころと対話するような時間を過ごしている。わたしの写真の先生はひとりいてその方から言われたたったひとことだけを、いわば杖として使わせていただいて、撮影している。そしてその方法を超えて、ある瞬間、心象が飽和してくるような「発見」があったりする。
　そのあと、写真を整理整頓する作業が始まっていくのだけれど、写真たちにはその時点での自分の心象も多少は反映していたり、あるいは「まんま」がゴロンと出ていたり（笑）、する。それは自分の内面をもひとつの「取材対象」として吟味するような時間。そうやって、対手としての取材対象人物と、取材者である自分との対話総体が浮かんでくる。
　そういったプロセスを経て、大量の取材蓄積が積層していく。一種の液体のようになって折り重なってやがてそれが海のように感じられてくる。そこから蒸溜してくる「飽和物質」があって、それが大気という巨大キャンパスに反映して、雲のように形象化される。
　最近、雲の姿に強く刺激される自分がいるのですが、どうもこんなふうな自分の中での「濾過」
があって気付いてきていることのような気がする。
　写真は鹿島神宮のなかの「奥宮」の後ろ姿。建築としては江戸幕府を開設できた当時の徳川家康が日本社会最大の「武神・タケミカズチ」に対しての奉納の心理から造営させた建築と言われている。前述のようなことから言えば、神社という空間は、きわめて「日本社会」特殊な心象空間であり、民族とも民俗とも言えるようななにごとかが、表徴されている空間なのだと思う。たぶん、日本列島という地域空間で暮らしてきた人間たちが、自分たちの心象にもっとも近いこころの「アジール」としてリスペクトし続けてきた空間。さきほどの記述から言えば、そういう大地・大海を濾過した水分が雲のように像を結んだ象徴的存在とも思えるのだ。
　そしてなぜか、表側の奥宮建築よりもこのショット、背景の木立の側から観た後ろ姿に出会ったときに、より「数寄」を感じていた。なんというか、魅力的と思えたのだ。
　さて取材ツアーはきょうも続く。あすあさっては、知人友人との邂逅になるので取材としては最終日に当たる。きょうはどんな数寄とめぐり会うことができるか、と楽しみなのですね。わたしは、まだしばらくは「雲を追う」旅路のようです（笑）。


English version⬇

Chasing Clouds, Considering Human Beings and Society through Architectural Space
The “last” house visit of the person I wanted to see the most. I felt something was “conveyed” to me and “made sense” to me. The journey to follow the clouds continues. The journey to follow the clouds will continue.

　Yesterday, I was able to visit the place I wanted to visit the most during this tour. This is the living space I wanted to experience the most.
　While taking a large number of photographs there, I have been spending my time talking with the mind of the owner who created the living space in my mind's eye. I have one photography teacher, and I use only one word from him as my walking stick, so to speak, when taking photographs. And beyond that method, there are moments when I make a “discovery” that saturates my mind with images.
　After that, I begin the process of organizing the photos, and they may reflect some of my own mental images at the time, or they may be “just as they are” (laughs). It is a time to examine one's inner self as an “interview subject. In this way, a total dialogue between the interviewee and myself as the interviewee emerges.
　Through such a process, the accumulation of a large number of interviews is accumulated. It becomes like a kind of liquid, and eventually it starts to feel like an ocean. From there, there is a “saturated substance” that distills and is reflected in the huge campus of the atmosphere, and it takes on the form of a cloud.
　Recently, I have been strongly stimulated by the appearance of clouds, and I am beginning to realize that there is such a “filtration” within me.
I feel that this is something I have been noticing because of this kind of “filtration” within myself.
　The photo is a back view of the Okumiya Shrine in the Kashima Jingu Shrine. It is said that Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was able to establish the Edo shogunate, had this shrine built as a dedication to Takemikazuchi, the greatest god of war in Japanese society. In light of the above, the space of a shrine is a very specific mental space of “Japanese society,” a space that expresses something that can be called ethnic or folklore. Perhaps, it is a space that people who have lived in the regional space of the Japanese archipelago have continued to respect as an “asylum” of the mind closest to their own mental image. From the above description, it seems to be a symbolic existence where water filtered through the earth and the ocean has formed an image like a cloud.
　And for some reason, I felt more “sukiyaki” when I encountered this shot, the back view from the side of the grove in the background, than the front side of the Okumiya architecture. It seemed more attractive to me.
　The tour continues today. The day after tomorrow will be the last day of the tour, as I will be meeting with friends and acquaintances. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of Sukiyos I will be able to meet today. As for me, it seems that I will be “chasing clouds” for a while yet (laughs).

【昨日から取材ツアー中、旅の空から】

　写真は福島県内某所での夏雲の様子であります。
　きのうは札幌を出発してから関東に入り、その後福島県まで移動していました。ちょっと移動距離がハンパなく、前から気になっていた古建築・古民家などを探訪中。ホテルに入ってもずっと大量に撮影した写真整理などでほぼ没頭中。
　まぁいま仕掛かり中の企画に関連しているのですが、久しぶりの集中取材日程ということで、ちょっとブログ記事のまとめ時間が確保しにくい環境。日程を詰め込みすぎなのかも知れません。歳を考えなければというところです。
　飛行機で窓側席を一託するようになったせいなのか、最近は雲の生成、そのビジュアルに単純にこころが奪われてしまっています。日本列島というのは南北に長く、山岳列島でもありしかも四周が海に囲まれているので、たぶん雲の表情の多様性には恵まれた風土なのではないでしょうか。
　加齢と共に単純化の傾向が心理に働いてくるのかも知れませんが、少年期以来、こういう多様な雲の表情というものに弱いように思う。ダイナミックで劇的な光景を見続けていると、結局、男の人生は雲を追い続けているだけのようにも思える（笑）。
　まぁそういうのもシンプルで受け入れやすい考え方。
　ということで、本日も早朝からあちこち移動を予定しているので、さっそく出発したいと思います。あしたはもう少し時間に余裕を持ちたいと思います。よろしく。


English version⬇

From the skies of travel, on a tour that started yesterday.
Today's report is a report of the clouds that are changing in a thousand different ways due to the overcrowded schedule of the press tour. See you tomorrow. See you next time.

　The photo shows summer clouds at a certain location in Fukushima Prefecture.
　Yesterday, I left Sapporo, entered Kanto, and then traveled to Fukushima Prefecture. The distance traveled was a bit overwhelming, and I was exploring old buildings and houses that I had been interested in for some time. Even after getting back to the hotel, I was still immersed in organizing the large number of photos I had taken.
　It's related to a project I'm working on, but it's been a while since I've had such a concentrated schedule, so it's been a little difficult to find time to write a blog post. I may be cramming too much into my schedule. I should think about my age.
　Perhaps it is because I now have a window seat on airplanes, but recently I have been fascinated by the visuals of cloud formations. The Japanese archipelago is long from north to south, is a mountainous archipelago, and is surrounded by the sea on all sides.
　Perhaps the tendency to simplify comes with age, but ever since I was a boy, I have had a weakness for such diverse cloud formations. After all, when one keeps seeing dynamic and dramatic scenes, it seems as if a man's life is just a continuous pursuit of clouds (laughs).
　Well, such is a simple and acceptable way of thinking.
　So, I would like to leave as soon as possible, as I am planning to move around here and there from early in the morning today. I hope to have a little more time tomorrow. Best regards.

【人類・出アフリカ拡散での「タンパク源」変容】

　昨日、ビデオ収録していたNHK-BS「フロンティア〜80億人/人類繁栄の秘密」を勉強させていただいた。わたしのテレビ視聴はカミさんによるビデオ収録で保存された番組一択。彼女はわたしの志向傾向をほぼ把握してくれているので、こういう一般メディアからの情報整理の勘所が非常に「かゆいところに手が届く」感じでありまして、深く依存しております。というか、カミさんという仏陀の掌の上でキン斗雲に乗って動き回る孫悟空みたいなわたし（笑）。
　この番組には「人類グレートジャーニー」についての最新科学研究の様子が非常にわかりやすくまとめられていて、居ながらにしてこういう最先端研究の学者さんたちの意見も、その人となりも含めて開示していただける。なんとも素晴らしい時代と思います。わたしのように住宅ジャーナリズムという極少分野の人間にも、こういった知見を学べることに感謝。
　で、きょう書いてみたいと思ったのは、出アフリカで全大陸に拡散していったときに、人類の主要なタンパク源の構成が、変化したのだという事実の解明、というか最新知見。


　約7万年から7万5千年前にインドネシア・スマトラ島トバ火山が大噴火を起こし気候の寒冷化を引き起こし、その後の人類の進化に大きな影響を与えたという学説が有力だけれど、その結果、人類は不可抗的にアフリカを離れて移動を開始しなければならなかった。
　その時期を境にして、主要なタンパク源の構成が陸生動物主体から、海・水生の魚類がほぼ半数にまで比率が上昇してその構成割合が急激に変化したというのですね。74000年前の「遺跡」というのがアフリカ・ナイル川上流地域にあって、そこで発掘される骨片から解析されてきた。
　わたしは肉も好きですが、やはり魚類には日頃から寿司ネタとして非常に親しみを感じている。そのこととトバ火山噴火・人類グレートジャーニーが密接な関係性だということに、深く驚かされている次第。世界の人類の中でもたぶん四周を海に囲われている日本列島では、必然的に魚食が主体になっていったというように考えていたのですが、魚食文化習慣は出アフリカの始原期にまで遡るのだという発想起点の大転換。
　たしかにだから、インド洋からアジア太平洋沿岸部というルートがメインになって日本列島にまで移動してきたことに必然性を感じさせられる。
　う〜む、面白い。
　どうも最近、NHK-BSの番組は頑張っているように思われますね。公共放送として中国語番組での事件などちょっとどうかと思われる事件もあるけれど、こういう番組もあると、公平に評価したいと思っています。


English version⬇

Protein Sources” Transformation in Human and Ex-African Diffusion
Humans flexibly transformed their food habits as a result of global cooling following the Toba volcanic eruption. The diet of land animals and that of saltwater fish changed almost equally. ...

　Yesterday, I had the opportunity to study the NHK-BS program “Frontier: 8 Billion People/Secrets of Human Prosperity,” which had been videotaped. My TV viewing is limited to programs that have been video-recorded and saved by my wife. She has a very good grasp of my preferences, and I am deeply dependent on her for her “itchy hands” when it comes to organizing information from the general media. I am like Sun Wukong riding around on a kin-do cloud in the palm of the Buddha called Kami (laugh).
　This program is a very easy-to-understand summary of the latest scientific research on the “Great Journey of Mankind,” and it allows us to hear the opinions of these cutting-edge research scholars, including their personalities, without having to leave our homes. What a wonderful time we live in. I am grateful that even someone like me, who is in a very small field of housing journalism, is able to learn about this kind of knowledge.
　What I wanted to write about today is the clarification, or rather the latest findings, of the fact that the composition of the main protein source of mankind changed when it spread across the continent from Africa to the rest of the world.

　The prevailing theory is that about 70,000 to 75,000 years ago, the Toba volcano on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, erupted in a major way, causing the climate to cool down, which had a major impact on subsequent human evolution, but as a result, humans had to leave Africa to begin their migration, which was irresistible.
　The “remains” of 74,000 years ago are located in the upper Nile River area in Africa, and bone fragments excavated there have been analyzed.
　I am a meat lover, but I am also very familiar with fish as a sushi ingredient. I am deeply surprised by the close relationship between this and the eruption of Toba Volcano and the Great Journey of Humankind. I had thought that among all the humans in the world, the Japanese archipelago, which is surrounded by oceans on all four sides, inevitably became a predominantly fish-eating region.
　This is true, so it is inevitable that the main route from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific coast of Asia was the migration to the Japanese archipelago.
　Hmmm, interesting.
　Apparently, NHK-BS seems to be doing a good job with its programs these days. As a public broadcaster, there are some incidents, such as an incident in a Chinese-language program, that I am a bit uneasy about, but I would like to fairly evaluate some of these programs.

【無垢フロアの再生工事〜ワックス掛け】

　やっぱり建築工事って楽しい（笑）。それもリフォームの場合は施主側にとってはいちばん「変化」が明瞭に見えて、あかるい未来が可視化されていくプロセスのように錯覚させられる。
　これは自明のことで、工事を依頼する、あるいは自力で「模様替え」するなどのこころの作為は、どうしたって「後ろ向き」な気持ちではできるわけがない。日本の住宅市場はこれまでひたすら新築需要によって支えられてきたのだけれど、人口減少局面に至ってどう考えても新築需要の一本足打法で通用するとは思われない。そしてその後の住宅市場はどのように生き延びていくのかと考えれば、やはり欧米的な市場構造が基本的には構想できるのではないだろうか。「いまあるものをもっとよくする」志向性。
　わが家の床工事の様子-2。きのうはワックス掛けの工程。前後２回のワックス掛けだったそうで、本日仕上げの３回目のワックス掛けが行われる予定。業者さんの方で冷蔵庫などの適時移動作業なども行ってもらえて、おおむね10坪ほどのパイン材の床面が、美しく香しく再生される予定。上の写真は２回ワックス後のものなので、おおむね仕上がりもこのようだろうと思います。

　こちらは一昨日の工事写真、表面の汚れを削り出してパイン材素地が再生された様子。新築当時の無垢板への偏愛につい気が緩んでしまって、表面の汚れや傷みを放置してきたのですね。でもパイン素材は「やぁ久しぶりだなぁ」みたいな表情で「なんもさ」と語って許してくれていたように思える。そう、気の置けない旧友との再会みたいなものでしょうか。「いや、ワルかったな、ほっといてイヤな思いをしていなかったか？」
　しかし無垢材は「手を加える」ことによってキチンと応えてくれる。そういった対話が可能な相方のように思える。第一、様子を確認するのにわが家からこちらのセカンドハウスまでは移動に往復１時間くらいかかるのに、いそいそと行きたくて仕方がなくてまるで「呼ばれて」いるかのよう。
　家と人間の関係性、いわば「愛着」という心理が重要な部分なのでしょう。
　ひるがえって考えると、こういうユーザー心理にこそ住宅業界の延命可能性が存在するのだと思える。行政や工事店にして見ると通常的な「建築工事」ですが、こうしたユーザー心理にしっかりとターゲティングした需要アプローチが必要なのでしょうね。
　さて本日には工事完了しますので引き渡されて以降、どのように空間を使っていくか、生活の再構築。こういうユーザーのワクワク心理もなかなかに奥深そう。


English version⬇

Reclamation of Solid Floor - Waxing
Waxing firmly based on the reflection of the new construction to protect the material. How can the industry stimulate users' attachment to their homes will be a core part.

　Building construction is fun (laughs). In the case of remodeling, the “change” is most clearly visible to the client, and it gives the illusion of a bright future (laugh) being visualized in the process.
　This is self-evident, and it is impossible to commission construction work or to “redecorate” on one's own with a “backward” mindset. The Japanese housing market has been supported by the demand for new construction, but it is unlikely that the single leg of demand for new construction will be sufficient in the face of a declining population. In this context, the market structure of the U.S. and European countries can be considered as the basic concept of how the housing market will survive in the future. The “make what you have better” orientation.
　The flooring work at my house - 2. The floor was waxed twice before and after the waxing, and the third waxing is scheduled for today. The contractor will also be moving the refrigerator and other appliances, and the pine wood floor will be restored to its original beauty and fragrance. The photo above was taken after the second waxing, so we expect the finished product to be similar to this.
　This is a photo of the construction the day before yesterday, showing how the surface dirt has been scraped away and the pine wood substrate has been regenerated. I guess I had been so relaxed in my preoccupation with the solid board when I built the new house that I had neglected the stains and pains on the surface. But the pine material seems to have forgiven you, telling you “nothing” with a look like “Hey, it's been a while. Yes, it was like a reunion with an old friend you don't feel comfortable with. No, that was badass. Didn't you feel bad for leaving me alone?”
　But solid wood responds to you neatly by “adding a hand” to it. It seems to be a partner with whom such a dialogue is possible. First of all, even though it takes about an hour to travel from my house to this second house and back to check on the house, I couldn't help but feel as if I was being “called” to the house.
　The relationship between a house and a human being, or “attachment,” so to speak, is an important part of the psychology.
　In retrospect, it seems that it is in this kind of user psychology that the housing industry's potential for prolonging its life exists. For the government and construction companies, it is ordinary “construction work,” but I think a well-targeted approach to this kind of user psychology is necessary.
　Now that the construction will be completed today, we are reconstructing our lives and how we will use the space after it is handed over to us. This kind of psychology seems to be quite profound.

【無垢フロアの削り出し研磨で芳香復活！】

　わたしの本拠地は札幌市西区山の手ですが、こちらは職住一体の環境でもあり「公的」な関わりの方が大きな割合になってきています。そこで住宅建築そのものはわたしのプランで建設していたもう一軒の方の改装計画を徐々に進めてきています。
　こっちは新設会社（とは言っても個人企業ですが）の本拠兼用みたいに機能させればいいかと考えています。近隣には大企業の施設が集中し、また住宅企業のモデルハウス住宅展示場などもある環境。高速道路へのアクセス環境が抜群で、これからの移動交通の利便性という意味では、札幌市内でもかなり面白い立地条件。たぶんこれからの「都市環境」の条件を考えたら、発展可能性が高いのではないかと思っています。
　そういう計画に取り組み始めたら、いろいろ近隣関係も深まって変化が起こってきている。一種の「地域改造」的な機縁にもなってきています。自分自身の方向性としても、可能性が広がっていく環境だと思っています。
　さてその住宅内部ですが、コストはそう掛けなかったけれど、素材自体はシンプルに本物素材を使っていた。とくに愛着に直接つながる床材については吟味して、パインの無垢板を張っていました。建築当時はその無垢板の芳香が漂っていて、うれしかったことを記憶している。それがあまりにも心地よかったので、その後、汚れを防止するためにワックス掛けを仕上げなければならなかったのに、ついつい放置してしまっていた。以来、24年の歳月が流れて、やはり床は黒く変色していた（３枚目の写真）。写真は１枚目と３枚目が「使用後・使用前」。
　この無垢材は厚みも十分にあるので汚れたら表面を削って、研磨することでメンテナンスできるのですが、どうもそういう需要はあんまりないようで、専門の業者さん探しにカミさんは苦労した。確かにそうした方がいいとは思っても、実際に住みながら家具なども固定的に配置させると、それを全部移動させてメンテナンスするというのは、かなり思い切りが必要。
　今回はわたしの「再活用」プランがあって、大量の家具・モノの整理整頓に取り組めたことから、「ここまでしたら、やっぱ、床も再生させたい」という願望が盛り上がって実現できた次第。
　削り出し・研磨の業者さんが持ち込んでくれた機材は、北欧製とのこと。世界に冠たる日本の技術ではなかった。そのことは日本の住宅需要のある側面を表していると思える。やはり北欧の木の文化にはまだまだ学ぶべきことが多いと痛感させられた。
　しかし研磨後のパイン材の芳香の復活再生には、一同、驚かされることひとしお。「やっとわたしの本来の姿に戻れたわ」という素材のよろこびの声も伝わってくるかのよう。やっぱり「真物」の価値はなにものにも代えがたい。


English version⬇

Aroma revival by grinding and polishing solid floors!
The “impression” is stored in the real material. The invisible value of fragrance is amazingly regenerated. A value that transcends aging. ・・・・・.

　My home base is in Yamanote, Nishi-ku, Sapporo City, where the work and residence are integrated, and the “public” involvement is becoming a larger proportion of my work. So we are gradually moving forward with plans to renovate the other house, which was being built according to my plans.
　I am thinking of making this one function like the home base of a newly established company (although it is a private company). The neighborhood has a concentration of large corporate facilities, as well as model homes and exhibition halls for housing companies. Compared to the Yamanote area, this location has excellent access to the expressway, making it a very interesting location within Sapporo in terms of future convenience of transportation. I think it probably has high development potential in terms of future “urban environment” conditions.
　Once we started working on such a plan, various neighborhood relations have deepened and changes are taking place. It is also becoming a kind of “community remodeling” opportunity. I believe that this is an environment where possibilities are expanding in terms of my own direction.
　The interior of the house was not very costly, but the materials used were simple and genuine. In particular, the flooring, which is directly linked to the house's attachment to its owners, was carefully selected and covered with solid pine boards. At the time of construction, I remember being happy to smell the aroma of those solid boards in the air. It was so pleasant that I had to finish waxing it to prevent stains afterwards, but I had neglected to do so. Twenty-four years have passed since then, and the floor was still discolored black (third photo).
　This solid wood is thick enough to be maintained by scraping and polishing the surface when it gets dirty, but apparently there is not much demand for that kind of work, and Kami had a hard time finding a professional contractor. Even though it is true that it would be better to do so, it takes a lot of determination to move and maintain all the furniture and other items that are fixed in place while actually living in the house.
　This time, my “reuse” plan allowed me to rearrange a large amount of furniture and objects, and this in turn stimulated my desire to revitalize the floor as well.
　The equipment brought in by the scraping and polishing company was made in Scandinavia. It was not world-class Japanese technology. This fact seems to indicate a certain aspect of Japan's housing demand. It made me realize that there is still much to learn from the Scandinavian wood culture.
　However, we were all surprised to see the aromatic pine wood revive and regenerate after being polished. It was as if we could hear the joy of the material saying, “I can finally return to my original state. The value of the “real thing” is irreplaceable.