【108年前、大正初期の南紀・田辺市の街区と現在】

　南方熊楠さんの自邸探訪その２であります。こちらの敷地はおおむね400坪ほどで、江戸期に紀州藩の「支藩」であった安藤氏の城下町というのが街区の由来。旧邸で質問にお答えしていただいた女性からの伝聞では、南方家というのは、この安藤氏の家臣の家系であって熊楠氏の父親は明治以降、金融業で財を成したのだという。そういった経済的背景で次男であった熊楠氏は、夏目漱石や正岡子規などと同時期に東大の予備門で学び、そこから海外遊学にまで旅立って行ったとのこと。明治という時代の雰囲気、その空気感がかれの学業・探究に大きな基礎を形成していたことがわかる。
　その家系環境の中で、南方家の財産分与のようなカタチでこの400坪の屋敷地は熊楠氏にわたった。さすがに郷土を代表する人物について地域を挙げての調査活動がされていて、上のような「当時の街区地図」までもが公開されていた。わたし的にはそういった地道な調査活動に驚かされた。全国のこうした住宅探訪は、わたしの一種の「ライフワーク」化してきているけれど、ここまでの詳細ぶりははじめて。
　その街区地図、おおむね1916年のこの南方熊楠邸の建設当時、このような環境で日々を暮らしていたということがリアリティを持って伝わってくる。地図に赤い矢印を付けたので、位置関係がお分かりいただけるでしょう。今日の住宅建設では当然のこととして「立地環境調査」が自明のように行われるけれど、こうした「古民家」探訪での手掛かりは非常に貴重。街区図には「めし屋」「辻の餅」「木村パン」といった店舗の所在までが推定できる記述に出会う。さらに先日の訪問では、レンタカーのカーナビ案内で白浜方面からの道で左折した交差点の名前が「銀座」だった。紀伊半島の海上交通の要衝として金融業というものの存在感が地名にまで残っているのだろう。父親、南方家の状況もそうした街並みの様子からも伺えてくる気がした。南方さんの家からほんの3-400mほどの距離。
　昨日のブログでは南方さんの毎日の食事生活・台所、流しの場もわかった様子を書いたけれど、こうした周辺街区の詳細も見えてくると、より具体的な生活実相がみえてくる。世界的な植物学者・科学者を生んだ地域の誇らしさが感じられて、自然と好感を持たされる。
　さらに南方さんの家の5-6軒南側には「原秀治郎・原豊次郎」というお宅の所在も確認できた。実はわたし自身の家系伝承で、この「紀州の原家」というのはひとつのミッシングリンクなので、強く引き込まれてしまっていた。ひとつの探訪が、またさらに古層の探究のきっかけになる。まことに醍醐味（笑）。あ、この件は今回の南方熊楠さん探訪から激しく逸脱するので、横道探訪はいたしません（キッパリ）。


English version⬇

[108 years ago, in the early Taisho era, Nanki-Tanabe City, Nanki-Tanabe City, and the present
A “street” map of the time when Kumagusu Minakata lived in this city has been researched and published. The sincerity of the people of the entire community is amazingly informative. ・・・・.

　This is the second visit to Minakata Kumagusu's own residence. The site of this residence is about 400 tsubos (about 1,000 square meters), and the name of the town was derived from the castle town of the Ando clan, which was a “branch clan” of the Kishu clan in the Edo period. According to the legend of the woman who answered our questions at the old residence, the Minakata family was a family of vassals of the Ando clan, and Kumagusu's father made a fortune in the financial business after the Meiji era. With such economic background, Kumagusu, the second son, studied at the Tokyo University Preparatory School at the same time as Soseki Natsume, Shiki Masaoka, and others, and even went abroad to study. It is clear that the atmosphere of the Meiji era formed a great foundation for Kumagusu's academic studies and research.
　In this family environment, the property was given to Mr. Kumagusu as if it was a share of the Minakata family property. As one would expect, the whole community was involved in the research activities on the local representative of the local people, and even a “street map of the time” like the one above was published. I was surprised by such a steady research activity. Although this kind of house-hunting has become a kind of “lifework” for me, this is the first time I have seen such a detailed map of the area.
　The map of the area, which shows the conditions of the Minakata Kumagusu residence at the time of its construction in 1916, conveys the reality of daily life in such an environment. I have added red arrows on the map so you can see the location. Although “location and environment surveys” are conducted as a matter of course in today's housing construction, the clues provided by such “old minka” explorations are extremely valuable. On the street map, we found descriptions of stores such as “Meshiya,” “Tsuji-no-mochi,” and “Kimura Bakery,” which we could even guess where they were located. Furthermore, on a recent visit, the name of the intersection where I turned left on the road from Shirahama, guided by a rental car, was “Ginza. The presence of the financial industry as a key point of maritime transportation in the Kii Peninsula is probably preserved in the name of the place. I felt that the situation of the father and the Minakata family could also be heard from the appearance of the streets. It is only 3-400 meters away from Minakata-san's house.
　In yesterday's blog, I wrote about how I could understand Minakata-san's daily meals, kitchen, and sink area, but when I could see the details of the surrounding area, I could get a more concrete picture of his daily life. The pride of the area that gave birth to a world-renowned botanist and scientist can be felt, and this naturally makes one feel good about the area.
　Furthermore, five or six houses to the south of Mr. Minakata's house, I was able to confirm the location of a house called “Hara Shujiro and Hara Toyojiro. In fact, the Hara family in Kishu is a missing link in my own family history, and I was strongly drawn to it. One visit to the family's house triggers further exploration of the ancient layers of the family. It is truly a real pleasure (laughs). Oh, I will not go on a side trip, because this matter deviates from this exploration of Mr. Kumagusu Minakata.

【1916（大正5）年頃の南方熊楠の家・台所空間】

　昨日は久しぶりのわが家帰還で、体力涵養を第一に過ごしておりましたが、都合５日間で札幌ー東京ー新幹線移動ー大阪ー南紀白浜ー奈良ー播州兵庫ー神戸ー大阪・堺ー関空から帰還、という長距離移動での疲労なので、すぐには全快はいたしませんね（笑）。仕方ないので、しばらくはジミジミとひっそり気味にしていたいと思っております。
　しかし今回見て来た住空間で、印象に残っているのはやはり南方熊楠さんの居宅。和歌山県田辺市という南紀の中心地に建てられていた建物で、いまから過ぐる100年ちょっと前のこの地域の「民俗」が伝わってくる空間でした。植物学、知の巨人という南方熊楠さんの暮らしぶり、息づかいの部分が感じられた。
　全体が植物学者らしくたくさんの自然の植え込み植物が中心の家で、かれはこの庭空間での「観察」で日々研究心を持ち続け、涵養していた様子がわかる。今日の一般的住空間とはまったく違って、用途毎の平屋などの小建築群が「分棟」形式で機能としては別れながら、しかし全体としてつながっている。
　そもそも蒸暑・温暖地域である紀伊半島の太平洋に面した「黒潮」的な自然環境を探究したかれらしく、その思索と生き様が強く連関していると感じた。
　南方家というのは、御三家紀州藩の士族であり、そうした家系環境のなかでさらに父親が商才もあったようで、最終的には「金融業」で成功を収めたという出自環境。そういう環境の中で、自由闊達に旺盛な学習を重ねることができた人物。「民俗」研究者として相互交流を持ったという柳田國男は、貧困な地方医家の出自だったことから比較して、相当恵まれた環境の人物だったと言えると思う。
　この家は、そうした家庭環境の中で実家の所有する広大な土地を分与されたものだった。今日の「住宅環境」とは相当の乖離が感じられる。そのなかでも強い興味を持ったのが、水回り・台所的な空間。
　上の写真は「台所」が外化したような小屋で、正面左には奉公の女中さんの２畳ほどの居室があり、真ん中には「カマド」が２つしつらえられていた場所。さらにその右側には井戸・ポンプが装置されているように「水回り・流し」空間という機能仕分け。写真撮影した手前側の「母屋」に正対して行ったり来たりしながら、食事作りに立ち働いていた様子が視覚的に感受することが出来る。
　３枚目の写真は、左手に「母屋」があって正面には流し機能の井戸・ポンプの空間。いまから100年前のこの南紀地域での家事仕事が空間的に直接、わかってくる。建物の端部では、構造が怪しくもなってきている。そういう様子がまた、この地域の気候環境を証言もしている。
　しげしげと参観学習させていただいていた。


English version⬇

Minakata Kumagusu's house and kitchen space circa 1916.
The kitchen space of Minakata Kumagusu's house around 1916 was a vivid depiction of life in the Nanki-Shirahama area more than 100 years ago, and as a Hokkaido native and a modern-day visitor, I found it interesting to see the reality of the area. The house and kitchen space of Minakata Kumagusu

　Yesterday, I returned to my home for the first time in a long time, and I spent my time with the first priority on physical rehabilitation. However, I will not be fully recovered soon because of the fatigue from the long-distance travel of Sapporo - Tokyo - Shinkansen bullet train - Osaka - Nanki-Shirahama - Nara - Banshu Hyogo - Kobe - Osaka, Sakai - return from Kansai Airport in five days (laugh). (Laughs) Since there is no other choice, I would like to stay quiet for a while.
　However, the most memorable living space I saw this time was Kumagusu Minakata's residence. It was built in Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, in the center of the Nanki region, a space that conveys the “folk customs” of this region a little over 100 years ago. The building was a place where one could feel the life and breath of Kumagusu Minakata, a botanist and a giant of knowledge.
　The entire house was filled with many natural plants, as if he was a botanist, and we can see how he kept and cultivated his research spirit through daily “observation” in this garden space. Unlike today's general living spaces, the house is made up of a group of small buildings such as one-story houses for different purposes, which are separated in function, but are connected as a whole.
　It seems that he explored the “Kuroshio” natural environment facing the Pacific Ocean on the Kii Peninsula, a hot and humid region, and I felt that his thought and way of life were strongly related to it.
　The Minakata family was a samurai family of the Kishu clan, one of the three largest clans in Japan, and their father was a talented merchant who eventually became successful in the financial business. In such an environment, he was able to freely and vigorously pursue his studies. Compared to Kunio Yanagida, with whom I had mutual exchanges as a researcher of “folk customs,” who came from an impoverished family of doctors in a rural area, I think it can be said that he was a man of considerably privileged circumstances.
　This house was built on a large plot of land owned by his family. It is quite a departure from today's “housing environment. Among these, I was strongly interested in the water and kitchen-like space.
　The photo above shows a hut that looks like an externalized “kitchen,” with a two-tatami mat room for a serving maid in the front left, and two “kamado” (a kind of wooden stove) in the middle. On the right side, there is a well and a pump, which is a “watering and sink” space. The “main house” on the front side of the photo is directly opposite to the “kitchen,” and we can visually perceive how the workers were standing and working to prepare meals while moving back and forth.
　The third photo shows the “main house” on the left and the well/pump space with sink function in front. We can directly understand spatially the domestic work in this Nanki area 100 years ago. At the edges of the building, the structure is becoming suspicious. This also testifies to the climatic environment of the area.
　I was able to observe and study the house with a keen eye.

【司馬遼太郎さんとの「縁」 in 姫路英賀】

　きのうのブログテーマ「霊柩車遭遇」ですが、わたし自身は「いい方」解釈派だったのですが、昨夕関西から帰還したのですが、なぜか搭乗機が「機体トラブル」で後発便よりも新千歳空港到着が遅れて、約２時間の遅延の事態に。こういうトラブル経験はしばらくなかったので、どうもあの霊柩車遭遇との関連を疑わざるを得ませんでした（笑）。
　まぁしかし、そういうトラブルでも遅れたとは言え、安全を確保してなんとか運航してくれたので、災い転じて安寧も得られたと考えられるので、やはり「禍福はあざなえる縄のごとし」でしょうか。
　写真は、播州姫路の縁の英賀神社境内のとある箇所に鎮座している、石碑。読みにくいと思いますが、司馬遼太郎さんがその自筆筆跡を残したものです。とくの「司」の字の崩しぶり、また「太郎」の簡略ぶりにはファンとしては完全にノックアウトされる思いがしてくる（笑）。いかにもかれの家系の故地での探訪時に求められて気軽に書いた自署という雰囲気が感じられる。こういった部分に、作家の「肉声」が、言霊のように宿っているように思えてならず、こちらに行く度に参観させてもらっている。

　機縁自体は、かれ司馬遼太郎さんが書いた「播磨灘物語」。歴史の掘り起こし型、独自のジャーナリズムとも思える歴史作品を書き続けたかれの、もっともその「肉声」に近い作品だった。かれの家系はこの英賀城跡地に建ち続けている神社と深く関わっている。その地縁と、わたし自身の家系の伝承とが、クロスしている。
　司馬遼太郎さん自身は、血縁などというものは一種の迷信に近い、というようなコトバを残しているけれど、しかし残された「縁のある」人間としては、それも含めて感受せざるを得ない。
　その土地の雰囲気、その地で暮らした人びとの思いとか息づかいなどを、空気感として感受する機会として全国の神社を巡ることは多いけれど、この英賀神社とこの石碑には特別の思いがしている。
　わたしは北海道人だけれど、もっと以前はこういった空気感のなかで生き続けてきた人びとの「末裔」であるということも伝わってきて、そこでの時間の痕跡が、なつかしさとなって反応してくるようになる。そうなんです、何回行っても、そのたびに別の想念、あたらしい気付きがそこここに発見させられる。また、そこでの時間経過も気付かされることも多い。
　人間の形而上世界というものには、科学で捉えきれないなにごとかはあるのだろうと思っていますが、そういう「味わい」にだんだん「ハマって」来ているのかも知れません（笑）。


English version⬇

Himeji Eiga in “A Connection” with Mr. Ryotaro Shiba
There must be such a thing as dialogue with the dead. Stones may be the final “dwelling place” of the human soul. I am healed by its interest. The stone is a place where the soul of a person is healed.

　I myself was of the “good” interpretation of the theme of yesterday's blog, “Hearse Encounter,” but when I returned from Kansai last evening, for some reason, the plane I was boarding had an “aircraft trouble” and arrived at New Chitose Airport later than the later flight, resulting in a delay of about two hours. I had not experienced this kind of trouble for a while, so I had to suspect that it was related to the hearse encounter (laugh).
　Well, however, even though the flight was delayed due to such a trouble, it managed to operate safely, so I guess we were able to turn our misfortune to our advantage and enjoy peace of mind.
　The photo is a stone monument that sits in a certain spot in the precincts of Eiga Shrine, which is located on the edge of Banshu-Himeji. It may be difficult to read, but it is the handwriting of Ryotaro Shiba. As a fan of Ryotaro Shiba, I was completely knocked out by the character “Tsukasa” in “Toku” and the simplicity of “Taro” (laugh). It gives the impression that this was a casual autograph written at the request of the writer during a visit to the place where his family had passed away. I feel as if the writer's “voice” resides in these parts of the book, like the spirit of his words, and I visit the book every time I come here.

　The occasion itself was “Harimanada Monogatari” written by Ryotaro Shiba, the author of “Harimanada Monogatari” (The Tale of Harimanada). It was the work that was closest to the “voice” of Ryotaro Shiba, who continued to write historical works that could be considered as journalism in its own right, in the style of historical excavation. His family is deeply connected with the shrine that continues to stand on the site of Eiga Castle. This connection and my own family traditions are crossed.
　Ryotaro Shiba himself said that blood relations are a kind of superstition, but as a person with a “connection” to a place, I cannot help but be aware of this as well.
　I often visit shrines throughout Japan as an opportunity to get a sense of the atmosphere of the land and the thoughts and feelings of the people who lived there, but this Eiga Shrine and this stone monument have a special place in my heart.
　Although I am from Hokkaido, I can feel that I am a “descendant” of people who lived in this atmosphere long ago, and the traces of the time I spent there make me nostalgic and responsive. Yes, no matter how many times you visit, each time you will discover new thoughts and new insights here and there. I am also often reminded of the passage of time there.
　I believe that there is something in the human metaphysical world that cannot be captured by science, and perhaps I am gradually becoming “addicted” to this kind of “taste” (laughs).

【関西のあちこち探訪、ふと前に霊柩車・・・】

　一昨日、南方熊楠さんの探訪をしましていわゆる「民俗」についてのわたしなりのフィールドワークに１章が加わった感がありました。たくさんの体感写真群を撮影したので、札幌に帰還後その写真類を整理整頓して、「シン民俗」とでも言えるようなテーマを掘ってみたいと思っています。書物を通して人物や事柄への知識を深めるというよりも、わたしの場合は、その体験した肉体感覚を基礎にして、リアリティを構築するという方が数寄なようです。
　で、きのうは関西にきたら会う知人と会合しておりましたが、その場への道すがら一向に進まない渋滞にため息をついていたら、ふと前に停車しているクルマの長大さに気付いた。徐々に「気付いて」きて、これは「宮形」ではない、洋式だけれど霊柩車であると知れてきた。
　霊柩車についてはそれと遭遇すると、いかにも「禍福はあざなえる縄のごとし」というコトバ通り、それを悪い知らせと考えるひともいる一方、ラッキーと考えるタイプのひともいるという。わたしは、だいたいなんでも楽天的な志向なので、幸運の黒いクルマ、と思っている。なので、長い信号待ちの時間中、前車に乗っておられるだろう故人の方にじっと手を合わせ、こころのなかで般若心経を唱えさせていただいていた。＜実際に後部のガラス越しに白い棺桶とおぼしき映像も判断できていた。＞　高齢になってきて、死というものとの向き合い方が、おどろおどろしいものから、平明でごく自然なことと受け止めるようになってくる。そういった意識の反映なのでしょうね。ただ、日常的にいつも霊柩車と遭遇するワケでもない。すこし「非日常的」なスキマ時間。
　さて選挙が終わって、国民の意思は示された。個人的な「感覚」なのですが、日本の自民党総裁選挙という政党の制度では３年に１度と決められているのだけれど、一方で日本の進路と国運にとって死活的に重大なアメリカ大統領選挙との「日程調整」が今回のようにミスマッチであることは、これまでの政党政治の常識的判断力が衰えていることを実感させられる。制度はそうなっているけれど、これまでだったら保守側の「知恵」として日程調整があったのではないかと思う。今回のようにアメリカの帰趨が定まらない段階で、主権者たる国民に対して国の運命を選択させるというのは、まことに愚の骨頂だと思えた。「こんなタイミングで、なにをどう選べというのか？」と。政治家からの政治センスの喪失。
　そういう「しっぺ返し」が、いま深く明瞭に、与党に向けられているのだと思う。


English version⬇

A hearse suddenly appeared in front of me...
Why did the ruling party ask the people for their trust at this point in time, when the U.S. is still undecided about the course of events? The sovereign is showing its answer to the deterioration of its political sense. ...

　The day before yesterday, I visited Kumagusu Minakata, and I felt that I had added a chapter to my fieldwork on so-called “folk customs. I took a lot of photos of the experience, and after returning to Sapporo, I would like to organize the photos and explore the theme of “thin folklore”. Rather than deepening my knowledge of people and things through books, I prefer to construct a reality based on the physical sensations I have experienced.
　Yesterday, I had a meeting with an acquaintance whom I will meet when I come to Kansai. On the way to the meeting place, I was sighing at the traffic jam that was not progressing at all, when I suddenly noticed the length of the car parked in front of me. Gradually, I “noticed” that it was not a “miyakata,” but a hearse, albeit a Western-style one.
　As for the hearse, when you encounter it, some people consider it as bad news, while others consider it lucky, as the saying goes, “A bad luck is as good as a bad rope. I am generally optimistic about everything, so I think of it as a lucky black car. So, during the long wait at the traffic light, I was praying for the deceased driver in the car in front of me and chanting the Heart Sutra in my heart. ＜I could actually see an image of what appeared to be a white coffin through the rear glass. ＞ As people get older, they come to accept death as a natural and natural thing, rather than a frightening thing. I think this is a reflection of such an awareness. However, we do not always encounter a hearse in our daily lives. It is a slightly “unusual” time.
　Now that the election is over, the will of the people has been expressed. My personal “feeling” is that the LDP presidential election is held once every three years under the party system, but the mismatch in the scheduling of the U.S. presidential election, which is critical to the course of Japan and the nation's destiny, is a sign of the decline of common-sense judgment in party politics. This is a reminder of the decline of common-sense judgment in party politics. Although the system is in place, I believe that in the past, the conservative side would have adjusted the schedule as a matter of “wisdom. But I think it is a foolish thing to let the sovereign people of the United States choose the fate of their country at a time like this, when the outcome of the U.S. election is still undecided. At a time like this, how can we choose? I thought. The politicians have lost their sense of politics.
　I believe that this kind of “payback” is now being directed at the ruling party in a deep and clear way.

【南紀白浜にて「南方熊楠」探訪】

　今回関西方面に来たかった目的のひとつが、こちらの南方熊楠氏の記念館や自邸などの探訪。大阪府内の根拠地としている地・堺市からいつも使っているレンタカーで一路、南紀白浜に向けて移動。
　わたしは仕事生活は一段落したわけですが、相変わらず「住宅探訪」は習い性になっていて、いまは全国に残っている人物とその住環境、みたいなテーマで行脚を続けているのです。住宅雑誌を創刊して、現実に建っている住宅について、主にその「作り手」主体の取材をしてきたのですが、どうしてもそうすると「個人情報」の制約が強くなってきて、住まいの基本要素である「人間の本然の実現」みたいな部分に十分には突っ込んでいけない部分を感じてきていた。
　もちろん多くのユーザーにとっては「家を建てる、持つ」というモチベーションが人生のひとつの究極的願望であるので、その目線から「作り手選び」という市場性が有り、それはまた作り手の「表現」でもあるので、そういうメディアは強い存在価値があり続けると思っています。
　わたしの場合には、そのNEXTとしてより人間性に深く絡むような部分を「深掘り」してみたい、という願望なワケですね。そうすると「個人情報」の制約からかなり自由な、昔人・有名人とかの個性の刷り込まれた住宅というのが、素材を提供してくれる。そして住情報に接してきての一定の知見から、それらをすこし違った視点から見ることができるように思われるのです。興味が非常に深くなるというか。
　今回は日本史の中でも非常に特異な「知の巨人」と言われ続けている「南方熊楠」に興味が盛り上がってきた次第。こういった個人的取材の流れの中で日本民俗学の祖とされる柳田國男についてはすっかり深入りして、ほぼその「空間世界」体験を得たのですが、柳田とも深い交流を持って南紀に住まい続けたかれのことを取材したいと強く思った次第です。
　写真は田辺市内に残っている自邸。隣接して「顕彰館」もあります。

　そしてこちらが公開されていた自邸の間取り。塀から顔を出している「本屋」には２階が一部にあるようですが、全体としては平屋で「分棟」形式を取っている。用途目的別に小建築が有機的に絡み合って相互連携しているカタチ。今日のような敷地面積の極小化が進展する以前の、いわば日本的な住伝統のひとつのカタチだと思います。古民家などでもこういった形式はよく見られる。
　そして植物学に深い知を集中させていったかれらしく、植生についても住空間と「呼応」させていると感じられる分布ぶり。ヤブ蚊に悩まされつつ、いっとき南方さんの暮らしぶり、生き方との「対話」体験を過ごさせていただきました。感謝。


English version⬇

Exploring “Kumagusu Minakata” in Shirahama, Nanki Prefecture, Japan
A person's living space is deeply engraved with his/her humanity. Conversely, the natural part of a person's desire to have a house is clearly and deeply felt. The house

　One of the purposes of my visit to the Kansai region this time was to explore the Minakata Kumagusu Memorial Museum and his own residence. From Sakai City, where I am based in Osaka Prefecture, I headed for Nanki-Shirahama in a rented car, which I always use.
　My work life has come to an end, but I am still in the habit of “house-hunting,” and I am continuing to make my rounds with themes such as the people and their living environments that remain throughout the country. Since the launch of the housing magazine, I have mainly focused on the “makers” of the houses that have actually been built, but I have felt that I could not go into the basic elements of a house, such as the “realization of human nature,” because of the restrictions on “personal information” that I had to deal with.
　Of course, for many users, the motivation to “build or own a house” is one of the ultimate aspirations in life, so there is a marketability in “selecting a builder” from that perspective, which is also an “expression” of the builder, and I believe such media will continue to have strong existence value.
　In my case, it is my desire to “dig deeper” into the next part of the media, which is more deeply related to human nature. In this case, houses that are free from the restrictions of “personal information” and that have been imprinted with the personalities of people from the past, famous people, and so on, provide me with materials. And from the certain knowledge I have gained from the housing information, I think I can see them from a different perspective. It is very interesting.
　This time, my interest in Kumagusu Minakata, who has been called a “giant of knowledge,” a very unique figure in the history of Japan, was aroused. In the course of these personal interviews, I became deeply interested in Kunio Yanagida, who is considered the founder of Japanese folklore, and I almost had a “spatial world” experience of him, but I strongly felt that I would like to report on him, who lived in Nanki and had deep interactions with Yanagida.
　The photo shows his own residence still standing in Tanabe City. There is also an “Honor Hall” adjacent to it.

　And here is the floor plan of his own residence, which was open to the public. The “bookstore” that peeks out from the wall seems to have a second floor in part, but the entire house is a one-story building in a “detached building” style. The small buildings are organically intertwined and interconnected according to the purpose of use. I think this is one of the forms of Japanese housing traditions that existed before the development of today's extremely small lot sizes. This type of building is often seen in old private houses.
　As he concentrated his knowledge on botany, the distribution of vegetation also seems to “correspond” to the living space. While being bothered by mosquitoes, I was able to spend some time “conversing” with Minakata-san's lifestyle and way of life. Thank you very much.

【久しぶりの東海道新幹線…タイムトラベル感】

　きのうは急遽入った日程でその前日から東京におりまして、そこから本来の目的地である関西地方に長躯移動。で、仕事現役時にはよく利用していた体験記憶が甦って、タイムトラベル感……。
　写真は大好きな「伊吹山」であります。関東から関西に移動するとちょうど「関ヶ原」を過ぎたあたりで、その山容が顔を覗かせてくれる。わたしは地質学などはよく知らないのですが、全国の神社では「さざれ石」という小石が凝塊した石塊が置かれています。それらはこの伊吹山の組成から採取されているという説を聞いてから、この列島国家の成り立ちのなにごとかを表しているように思えて、一種の「ファン心理」を持っているのです。
　実際に壬申の乱や、関ヶ原合戦など、この伊吹山周辺地域で日本列島国土を二分するような政治・軍事対立の極限点が勃発しているのには、なにごとかの誘因があったのではないかと妄想している。また、列島で生きてきた人類史として、そういう機縁を伊吹山にもとめ、さざれ石伝統という事柄が生成されたのではないかとも思っています。
　最近の「移動時習慣」そのままに窓際席一択で、それも東京〜大阪の場合は海側眺望ではなく山側眺望で日本の最重要地域の現在を脳裏に焼き付けながらボーッと過ごしておりました。さまざまな想念、記憶の中の過去のさまざまが、いわば「走馬灯」のように駆け巡っておりました。こういうタイムトラベル感にはなにか、うっとりさせられるものがある。
　その事柄たちの体験時にはさまざまな印象を持って葛藤を持っていたはずだけれど、そういう葛藤もまた徐々に「些事」のように思われてくる。それよりもなお、多様な自然造形を見せるこの風土のオリジナリティをまざまざと実感させられる。美しい国・ニッポン。
　さて混迷の極みのような選挙戦が佳境に至っている。きょうはその最終日。今回もまた、日本国民の「審判」に強く興味を抱かされる。あ、わたしは月曜日に札幌帰還予定で、すでに「不在者投票」は夫婦で済ませております。混迷し迷いがあるとは言え、国民としての意思表示は未来への大きな責任。それぞれがそれぞれの意思を表示して、全体の結果にこころを致さなければならない。民主主義。
　伊吹山のさざれ石は、さまざまな素材が凝結して生成されている。それを日本の原風景と措定した先人の人びとの叡智を、そこに見るような思いがしています。少なくとも昔のように国内戦争のようなカタチとは違って、理性的な判断に委ねているという社会進化は、感謝とともに思い知らされる。


English version⬇

The Tokaido Shinkansen after a long time...a sense of time travel.
Though the memories of various experiences from various phases come back to me vividly from the train windows, there is a useful filtration called time. I will take my time as I go on. .......

　I was in Tokyo the day before yesterday on a sudden schedule, and from there I moved to the Kansai region, my original destination, on a long stature. I was in Tokyo the day before and had to travel from there to my original destination in the Kansai region.
　The photo is my favorite “Ibuki” mountain. When you move from the Kanto region to the Kansai region, just after passing Sekigahara, you can see the shape of the mountain. I do not know much about geology, but I have heard a theory that the pebble stones called “sazareishi” (pebble stones) placed at shrines all over Japan were taken from the composition of Mt. I have a kind of “fan mentality.
　In fact, I have a fantasy that there must have been some kind of inducement for the extreme political and military conflicts that broke out in the area around Mt. I also believe that the human history of the Japanese archipelago may have been inspired by such an opportunity, and that this may have led to the creation of the “ripple stone” tradition.
　As is my recent habit when traveling, I chose a window seat, not a sea-side seat in the case of Tokyo-Osaka, and spent my time in a daze with the present situation of the most important region in Japan burned into my mind. Various thoughts and memories of the past ran through my mind like a “running lantern,” so to speak. There is something enchanting about this kind of time travel.
　I am sure that the people had various impressions and conflicts when they experienced those things, but those conflicts gradually began to seem like “trivial matters. But more than that, the originality of this region, with its diverse natural landscapes, is clearly apparent to the viewer. Japan is a beautiful country.
　The election campaign, which seems to be in a state of confusion, has reached its climax. Today is the last day. Once again, I am very interested in the “judgment” of the Japanese people. I am scheduled to return to Sapporo on Monday, and my wife and I have already cast our absentee ballots. Although there is confusion and hesitation, expressing our will as a nation is a great responsibility for the future. Each of us must express our own will and be mindful of the overall results. Democracy.
　The ripple stones on Mt. Ibuki are a conglomeration of various materials. I feel as if I can see the wisdom of our predecessors who regarded it as the original landscape of Japan. At the very least, I am reminded with gratitude of the social evolution that has left the country to rational decision-making, unlike the domestic warfare of the past.

【狩猟採集文化と現代人〜ところ遺跡-6】

　この竪穴の「ところ遺跡」探訪ブログ記事シリーズは、その前の「福島市民家園」で、珍しく復元展示されていた「庶民の住宅」事例で江戸期後期の建築であるのに「土座」住宅に強く惹かれたことがきっかけ。
　オイオイ、と深く驚かされたのですね。日本の農耕文化社会でもほんの200-300年前までは、床上げ自体もまだ完全に普及していたとは言えなかったのだという事実。そうだとすれば、わたしたちの住空間意識の基底にまだまだそういった、郷愁のような印象部分が残っているのではないかと想像を膨らませられた。そして竪穴の構造木組みや、外皮の構成、そのデザインマインドのようなものが非常に気になってきたという次第。この「ところ遺跡」はその後のアイヌチセが平地住宅に移行してしまったのに対して、明瞭な竪穴住居としては最後期のものだと考えられた。
　米作に適さないと判断されたことで本州以南地域の歴史進行からは「化外」の地とされ続けた北海道ですが、明治以降、旺盛に開発努力が傾注され続けてきた。そのなかで常にテーマ追求されたのは、寒冷気候との格闘史。そのなかで地域の先人であるアイヌ民の住文化、それよりも少し前の人びとの住文化から知見を掘り起こしたいという志向性もあったでしょう。
　そういうときに、かれらの生業と本州以南社会の基本生業の違いがあまりにも大きかった。現代は狩猟採集の経済規模とは比較にならないレベルの農耕文化を基盤としている。狩猟採集で養いうる人口規模とはまったく隔絶した人口を涵養しなければならないし、その住環境を構築して行く必要が絶対にある。
　そうなんだけれど、こちらの遺跡住宅を見ていると、やはり通底してくるような郷愁的な空間意識を再発見させられる。ひとつひとつの建築素材が醸し出す雰囲気が、なんとも良いいごこちを提供していたように思えてならない。

　さて、札幌市の街区でも最近、ヒグマとの遭遇が多く報告されてきている。札幌市からのLINE情報を個人としてわたしは受け取っているが、数日毎に「ヒグマ情報」が発信されてくる。そしてついにわが家周辺の「三角山」付近では一般人の通行を禁止して「山狩り」のようにしてヒグマ除去作戦が展開されてきている。
　北海道島の先人のみなさんは、こうした戦いに継続的に立ち向かい、同時に狩猟せざるを得ないヒグマたちへのリスペクトも持ち続けていた。狩猟したヒグマの頭骨は一種の自然神として住居の中の神聖空間に祀っていたといわれる。その叡智に共感を抱いております。
　ということで、今回のテーマシリーズ終了とします。

English version⬇

Hunter-Gatherer Culture and Modern Humans - Tokoro-6
A dialogue with the living environment of our ancestors on the island of Hokkaido. Even today, the natural environment and how to maintain a sense of distance from brown bear ecology is a serious theme. How to live, how to live, how to live, and how to live, we continue to learn. The way of life, the way of living, and the way of learning continue to be learned.

　This series of blog posts on exploring the “Tokoro Ruins” of the pit was triggered by my strong attraction to the “Doza” houses, even though they were built in the late Edo period, in the unusually restored and displayed “common people's housing” examples at the previous “Fukushima City Minka-en”.
　You were deeply surprised by the “oui oui”. The fact is that even in Japan's agrarian society, the raising of the floor itself was not yet completely widespread until just 200-300 years ago. If so, it made me imagine that such nostalgic impressions may still remain in the base of our consciousness of living space. The wooden structure of the pit, the composition of the exterior skin, and the design mind of the pit were also of great interest to me. This “Tokoro site” was thought to be the last of the clear pit dwellings, whereas the later Ainu chise had shifted to flatland dwellings.
　Hokkaido was regarded as an “exotic” land in the historical progression of Honshu and southward because it was considered unsuitable for rice cultivation, but since the Meiji era, development efforts have been vigorously devoted to the area. The theme that has always been pursued in these efforts is the history of the struggle against the cold climate. In this context, there must have been a desire to uncover knowledge from the housing culture of the Ainu people, who were the predecessors of the region, and of people who lived a little earlier than the Ainu.
　At that time, the difference between their subsistence and the basic subsistence of the societies south of Honshu was too great. The present day is based on an agrarian culture at a level that cannot be compared to the economic scale of hunter-gatherer societies. It is absolutely necessary to cultivate a population that is completely different from the size of the population that can be supported by hunter-gatherers, and it is absolutely necessary to build a living environment for that population.
　Although this is true, looking at the ruins of these houses, we can rediscover a nostalgic sense of space that seems to run through the whole area. The atmosphere created by the individual building materials seems to have provided a very comfortable atmosphere.

　Recently, there have been many reports of encounters with brown bears in the city of Sapporo. As an individual, I receive information on line from the city of Sapporo, and I receive “brown bear information” every few days. Finally, a brown bear removal operation is underway in the area around our house, “Triangle Mountain,” in which the general public is prohibited from passing through the area, as if they were on a “mountain hunt.
　Our predecessors on the island of Hokkaido continually confronted these battles, while at the same time maintaining respect for the brown bears that they were forced to hunt. It is said that the skulls of the brown bears they hunted were enshrined in sacred spaces in their dwellings as a kind of nature god. We are sympathetic to this wisdom.
　So, this is the end of this theme series.

【竪穴住居の木組みと外皮構造〜ところ遺跡-5】

　今回取り上げている北海道東北部オホーツク沿岸の北見市常呂町の遺跡群についての研究は「東京大学大学院人文社会系研究科附属　北海文化研究常呂実習施設」として現地で半世紀以上調査研究を継続し歴年の成果を上げてきている。北海道民のひとりとしてその労を謝とするものです。施設ではyoutuve動画も公開していて、概要は非常にわかりやすく公開されている。「3000軒の竪穴を残した人々　−ところの古代文化−」https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfR4bQdQXH0
　わたし自身は2009年にこの地を訪れて、一訪問者としてひととおりの取材写真を撮影していた。竪穴住居本体とともに併せてこちらの東大の研究展示施設も見学して来ていた。そうやって残していた画像データを再編集していると、そのときの臨場感はある程度「濾過」されて、いわばより「客観視」した見方からの検証が可能になってくる。体験のゆるやかな「発酵」過程のようにも思える。対手が「遺跡」であるだけに、このような時間経過は情報検証、深掘りにも有効であるような気がしている。
　上の写真は擦文期竪穴住居の木組み構造の復元住居の実写写真と、研究施設展示での建築模型。遺跡研究や復元についての詳細な「手順」や蓋然性の担保手法については、現地の研究者のみなさんを信頼する一択で取材。ディテールの「建築工法」についても、復元建築で妥当と思われたことに基づいているのだろうと理解しています。
　木組みの方法も、当然当時（いまから約1,000年以前）のこの地で可能と推定できるものだろうと思います。素材も当然、周辺環境から入手可能なものをベースとして構成しているのでしょう。木組みは基本的に構造材としての自然木と、蔓性植物での緊結手法がとられている。この当時の「日本社会」での建築では仕口加工で木材同士を「嵌合」させていたでしょうが、そのような建築のプロ仕様は行われず、より始原的な手法に妥当性を見出していたのでしょう。
　壁・屋根の構造もより細い木材で木組みしていって、その外皮を萱状植物の束で被覆して行っている。萱などは周辺を流れる常呂川周辺の「茅場」から容易に採取可能と推定されたものと思います。屋根の頂部には「煙だし」として開口が開けられている。
　基底部についてはきのうまで紹介した工法で復元されている。このように復元されたインテリア内観を見ていると、当然ながらすべてが自然素材そのものであり、はるかな後世の人間・イキモノとしてその空気の呼吸感がなんとも好ましく思えてくる。

English version⬇

Wooden framework and outer skin structure of a pit dwelling - Tokoro-5
The sympathetic nature of the ikeimono conveys how they pursued a “rich way of life” by using the best of their wisdom and ingenuity with the materials available in their society at that time. ・・・・・.

　The research on the archaeological sites in Tsunero Town, Kitami City, on the Okhotsk coast of northeastern Hokkaido, which is the subject of this report, has been conducted for more than half a century by the “Tsunero Research Institute for Hokkai Culture Studies, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, University of Tokyo,” and has yielded results over the years. As a Hokkai-do citizen, I would like to express my gratitude for their efforts. The facility also offers youtube videos, which provide a very clear overview of the site. People who left behind 3,000 houses of pit - Ancient culture of the place -” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfR4bQdQXH0
　I myself visited the site in 2009 and took a number of photos as a visitor. I also visited the research and exhibition facilities as well as the pit house itself. When I re-edited the image data I had left behind in this way, the realism of the experience was to some extent “filtered out,” and a more “objective” viewpoint became available for verification. It seems like a slow “fermentation” process of the experience. Since the object is an “archaeological site,” I feel that such a passage of time is effective in verifying and digging deeper into the information.
　The photo above is an actual photo of a restored wooden structure of an Aburibun period pit dwelling and a model of the building at the research facility exhibition. As for the detailed “procedures” and methods to ensure the probability of site research and restoration, we have no choice but to trust the local researchers. We understand that the detail “building construction method” is also based on what was considered reasonable in the restoration construction.
　The method of wood construction was also based on what was considered possible at that time (approximately 1,000 years ago) in this area. Naturally, the materials used were also based on what was available in the surrounding environment. The wooden structure is basically made of natural wood as structural material and a method of bonding with vine plants. Although construction in “Japanese society” at this time would have “mated” timbers together using a joinery process, such professional specifications for construction were not performed, and a more primitive method was probably found to be appropriate.
　The walls and roof were constructed of thinner timbers, and the outer skin was covered with bundles of kayu (a kind of grass-like plant). It is assumed that the grass could be easily collected from the “thatch” around the Tsunero River, which flows in the vicinity. There is an opening at the top of the roof as a “smoke vent”.
　The base of the roof has been restored using the method described in the previous section. Looking at the interior of the restored building, we can see that all the materials used are natural materials themselves, and the sense of breathing air is very pleasing to us as human beings of a far future age.

【木製床仕上げ・1000年前北海道住宅〜ところ遺跡-4】

　きのうのブログで触れた「アイヌ期」住宅では、もうひとつ重要な擦文期までとの違いとして、縄文・続縄文・擦文と約3,000年間「竪穴」住宅で北海道の先人たちは暮らしていたのに、アイヌ期には「平地住宅」に移行していることが挙げられる。
　一昨日のブログで触れたように竪穴という住宅仕様は、なによりもその温熱環境的効果を期待したことが確実。人類史ではある期間、洞窟住居という段階があって、そこでの暮らしでの温熱的な「郷愁」に似た人間感覚記憶がDNAとして刷り込まれ、その後、より食糧を得やすい環境に移動していく過程で、その地で定住をはじめるとき、竪穴という新空間に惹かれ導かれて行ったのではないと夢想している。
　そういう人類史の普遍的スタイルに対してアイヌ期の住居は平地住宅なのだ。このことはいろいろな想像力、交易民というアイヌ民族の特性など強く刺激されるポイント。DNA的には擦文からアイヌという変移は間違いないのだろうけれど、生業において大きな変動があったのかもしれない。竪穴から平地住宅への変化にはさらに「温暖化」という背景事情もあったかもしれない。
　さて一方で、腰壁までの木製「土留め」は日本民家にも通底するようなインテリアの風景であり一種の「既視感」が迫ってくる。今日まで残る、腰壁までの仕上げとそれから上の仕上げを変えるのは、なにがしかの民族的インテリア感覚なのだろうか、と。
　上の２枚目の写真には、寝具としての萱状繊維が置かれている。夜間の温度低下をしのぐ用途だったと推定できる。ふとんの歴史を概観して見ると日本史で平安・鎌倉期に相当する時期にはまだまだ綿入りの寝具はなく、ちょうど筵のような萱状繊維の上で、普段から着ている服などを上に掛けて就寝していたとされている。「専用の掛け寝具」という概念はなかった。筵のような存在が敷きふとんの代わりだったのだ。そのような用途として、この地では萱状繊維それ自体が敷き込まれていたという推定。
　こういった段階から筵が畳に代わっていき、綿入りの寝具に進化していった。参考までにちょっと前のブログで紹介した江戸期の福島県の「土座」の写真再掲。土間・筵・床上げ・畳というような日本住宅の推移への連想が湧き上がってくる。

　竪穴住宅の中央部には囲炉裏があって土間になっているけれど、外壁側の周囲には床面に板材が敷き込まれている。壁面下部の板材と同様、こういった木材仕上げについてどのような「木割り加工」道具と技術があったのか、この点は今後、探究していきたい。東大の研究成果としてこのように住空間が復元されているので、蓋然性は高いのだろう。一種の「木製ベッド」と考えられる空間。面白い。


English version⬇

[Wooden floor finish, 1000 years ago Hokkaido residence - Tokoro ruins - 3
From the history of bedding, in this period, there was no concept of a quilt bedding, but a grass-like fiber as a role of bedding. The lower part of the bedding was finished with a wooden bed-like floor. ...

　Another important difference between the “Ainu Period” housing and the “Aboriginal Period” housing mentioned in yesterday's blog is that Hokkaido's ancestors lived in “pit” housing for about 3,000 years during the Jomon, Shijo-Jomon, and Aboriginal periods, but during the Ainu Period, they shifted to “flatland housing.
　As mentioned in the blog of the day before yesterday, the housing specification of “pit” was surely expected above all for its thermal environmental effect. I have a dream that, for a certain period of human history, there was a phase of cave dwellings, and that human sensory memories similar to thermal “nostalgia” from living in cave dwellings were imprinted in our DNA, and that later, when we moved to an environment where it was easier to obtain food, we were attracted to the new space of the pit and were led there. I think that they may have been attracted to and led by the new space of the pit when they began to settle down there.
　In contrast to this universal style of human history, Ainu dwellings were flatland dwellings. Although there is no doubt that the Ainu people's DNA has undergone a transition from the Scythian to the Ainu, there may have been a major change in the way they made their living. The change from pit houses to flatland houses may have also been caused by background circumstances such as global warming.
　On the other hand, the wooden “mud-frame” up to the waist wall is an interior landscape that is common to Japanese minka houses, and a sense of “déjà vu” looms over us. I wondered if it was some kind of ethnic interior design sense that changed the finish up to and above the hip wall, which has remained to this day.
　In the second photo above, a bedding material, a hemp-like fiber, is placed on the floor. It is assumed that it was used to keep the temperature down at night. Looking at the history of futons, it is said that in the Heian and Kamakura periods of Japanese history, there was still no cotton-filled bedding, and people slept on mat-like mats with their regular clothes draped over the mats. There was no concept of “special quilt bedding. A mat-like mat was a substitute for a futon. It is estimated that the straw mats themselves were laid on the ground for such a purpose.
　From this stage, mats replaced tatami mats and evolved into cotton-filled bedding. For reference, here are some photos of Fukushima Prefecture's “doza” from the Edo period (1603-1868) that I posted on my blog a while ago. The doza, mats, raised floors, and tatami mats allude to the transition of Japanese housing.

　In the center of the pit house, there is an earthen floor with a hearth, but around the outer wall side, there are planks laid on the floor. As with the planks on the lower part of the wall, what kind of “wood splitting” tools and techniques were used for this kind of wood finishing will be explored in the future. Since the living space has been restored in this way as a result of research conducted by the University of Tokyo, it is highly probable. This space can be considered a kind of “wooden bed”. Interesting.

【1000年前北海道「カマドと囲炉裏」〜ところ遺跡-3】

昨日に引き続き、擦文期（約1000年前当時の北海道島での時代区分）の竪穴住居。きのうは主に竪穴住居の土壌面の掘り下げ土木工事作業と、その「温熱的」人類知に沿ってまとめてみた。成員30名程度のムラ社会にとっての価値感を考えて見た次第。
　それに対してこのブログの「協働者」とでも言えるShigeru Narabeさんから反応。いつも的確なポイント指摘でわたしの着目するテーマ領域に対しての啓示をもたらしてくれています。長文ですが、要旨は以下の通り。
　「炊事道具一般を「鍋・釜」と呼ぶ。カマを据える処という言葉が恐らくカマドの語源。ナベにはツルというハンドルが着くのがデフォルトかと思う。全国にナベツル岩がある。ナベはツルで吊るのがデフォルトであろうと想像する。アイヌ文化は鉄ナベを吊る文化。住居にはカマドではなくてイロリがある。カマドではなくイロリを用いるのは、季節により住居を移動する身軽さと暖房とあわせた燃料効率の問題のようにも感じる。さて、常呂遺跡の竪穴住居跡はどうなのだろう？」＜全文はhttps://www.facebook.com/replanmarke/　コメント欄をご覧ください。＞
　という指摘でしたので、本日はそのポイントの写真です。
　みごとにカマドと囲炉裏が同居している。
　室外に燃焼の煙を排出する「煙道」も持ったカマドが玄関脇に定置されている。一方で囲炉裏の上部には食物を保存乾燥させる用途の木組み器具が定置されている。ここから囲炉裏に向かって自在鉤が存在すれば囲炉裏に「暖房＋調理」の機能を兼用させるアイヌ期文化となるところ。しかし、東大の常呂遺跡研究者の示唆であるのか、明確な鉄鍋などの吊り下げ構造「自在鉤」の呈示は見られない。時代的には本州地域から鉄鍋などの「文明利器」は相当程度の流入は想像できる平安・鎌倉の時代相だけれど。
　実はアイヌ期になぜカマドが消滅したのか、北海道の考古研究者でも定説が認められないとされてきている。擦文期の人びととアイヌ期にはこのライフスタイルの大きな違いという謎が横たわっている。常識的に考えて擦文人とアイヌ民に継承性はあったと思えるのだけれど、いくつかの基本的ライフスタイル相での違いが明瞭なのだ。
　この常呂遺跡には、その後のアイヌ期の痕跡は残されていないとされる。北海道の住宅情報人としては、考古研究者のさらなる研究の進展を期待している段階。
　きのう触れた外周側の土留め的な板状素材が林立して、土間床面との明瞭な対比を見せている。そこから萱状の屋根・外壁素材が壁面を構成している。囲炉裏の裸火に照らされて浮き上がってくるこういうインテリア空間環境で、先人たちは日々の活動後の床に就いていた。どのような寝物語をして共同体成員たちは明日の活力を涵養したか、いっとき思いを巡らせていました。


English version⬇

1000 years ago in Hokkaido, “Kamado” and “Irori” - Tokoro-3
The contrast between the Aburibun period and the Ainu period lifestyle and culture. According to the results of research at the Tokoro site by the University of Tokyo, it was assumed that people cooked food in a kamado (a kind of cooking stove). In contrast, the Ainu period is characterized by hearths for both cooking and heating. The Ainu period is characterized by the use of hearths for both cooking and heating.
Continuing from yesterday, the pit dwellings of the Aburibun period (the period category on Hokkaido Island at that time about 1,000 years ago). Yesterday, I mainly summarized the excavation of the soil surface of the pit dwelling and its “thermal” anthropological knowledge. I thought about the sense of value for a village society of about 30 members.
　Shigeru Narabe, who can be called the “collaborator” of this blog, responded. He has always made precise points that have brought revelations to the theme area I am focusing on. The following is the gist of his response, although it is lengthy.
　The term “pot/kettle” refers to cooking utensils in general. The word “kamado” is probably derived from the word “kama,” which means a place to set up a kama. I think the default is to attach the handle “Tsuru” to the nabe. There are nabetsuru rocks all over the country. I imagine that the default is to hang the nabe with a crane. The Ainu culture is one of hanging iron nabes. The houses have irori, not kamado. The use of irori instead of kamado seems to be a matter of lightness in moving from one dwelling to another depending on the season, as well as fuel efficiency in combination with heating. Now, what about the pit dwelling sites at the Tsuneero site?

So today's photo is of that point.
　The kamado and the sunken hearth are beautifully coexisting in the same house.
　The kamado, which also has a “flue” for discharging combustion smoke outside the house, is stationed by the entrance. On the top of the hearth is a wooden structure used to store and dry food. If a free hook was placed toward the hearth from here, it would indicate that the hearth served both heating and cooking functions in the Ainu culture. However, there is no clear indication of a “free hook” for hanging iron pots and pans, as suggested by researchers at the University of Tokyo's Tsunero Site. Although it is possible to imagine a considerable influx of iron pots and other “civilized” tools from the Honshu area during the Heian and Kamakura periods, it is not clear why the Ainu culture would have been involved in the construction of these pots and pans.
　In fact, even archaeologists in Hokkaido have been unable to come up with a definitive theory as to why the kamado disappeared during the Ainu period. The mystery lies in the great difference in lifestyle between the people of the Abrahamic period and the Ainu period. Although common sense would suggest that the Abrahamic people and the Ainu people were interrelated, there are some basic lifestyle differences that are clear.
　It is believed that no traces of the later Ainu period were left at the Tsunero site. As a housing informant in Hokkaido, I am looking forward to further research by archaeologists.
　The earth-roofed wooden planks on the outer perimeter of the house, which I mentioned yesterday, stand in sharp contrast to the earthen floor. From there, the roof and exterior walls are made up of grass-like materials. In this interior space environment, illuminated by the open fire of the sunken hearth, our ancestors slept on the floor after their daily activities. For a moment, I was thinking about what kind of bedtime stories the members of the community used to cultivate their vitality for tomorrow.