日本人は昔から鯨を食べますね？
海に面した彼杵では鯨にちなんだものをよく見かけます。 五島沖でよく捕れた鯨の肉は まず彼杵に荷揚げされ各地に流通したからでしょう。
大人数で命をかけて捕った巨大な鯨は 解体チームの素早い作業により一時間で解体されたといいます。
肉は塩漬けにして食料に
その他は大釜で煮て油に
骨は肥料に
血は薬に
丈夫な筋は弓や竹刀のツルに
歯は髪をとかす くしに。
鯨は余すところなく利用され 「鯨一頭七浦栄える」といわれました。
その鯨産業で 莫大な富を築いた深沢義太夫という人が波佐見にいました。
長崎県大村市の小さな山の上に 野岳湖という人工湖がありますが この湖は彼の寄付によって造られました。
In Japan, it was usual to eat whales. People never ate beef nor pork because eating them was a big no-no. In the past, whale was a good source of protein for Japanese people.
I see many things that are supposed to do with whales in Sonogi, the waterside of the Omura Bay, where once was a lively dock for the whale industry. Off the Goto Islands were great fishing grounds for catching whales. The whales were unloaded on the Sonogi dock.
A whale is huge, numerous whalemen fought with it which could kill many of them by just one slap with its tail. It is said that a whale was cut into some parts by numerous butchers within only one hour.
The meats were preserved in salt.
The blood made good medicine.
The bone made good fertilizer.
The strong nerves made good strings for bamboo swords and bows.
The teeth made good combs.
And the other parts were boiled to make good oil.
As you can see, people made the most of whales and nothing was dumped. Back then, one whale made seven villages rich.
Gidayu Fukazawa made a tremendous fortune by catching whale. He contributed his money to make the man-made Lake Nodake in Omura City.
He was originated from Hasami Town.
けっこう大きな湖です。まわりにはキャンプ場や資料館があります。
１６６１年に着工し２年で完成したそうです。
それまで その地方では干害、水害を繰り返し農民はとても困っていました。大村藩は対策としてダムを作ればいいのはわかっていたけれども なにぶん貧しい小さな藩だったのでお金がありませんでした。
深沢義太夫は他にもたくさん寄付をして社会に貢献した人でした。
人造湖のおかげで 水害知らずとなり 今では田んぼ、畑、果樹園が広がるのどかな野岳。 海を見下ろす日当たりの良い野岳は 私のお気に入りの場所です。
私にいろいろ教えてくれる 大村史話の本には 鯨漁のようすが生き生きと描かれています。 ちょっとクジラさん 可哀相な気がするけど 漁師達も命がけでした。
クジラの油は重要な除虫剤になり 畑や田んぼを青々とさせ 飢餓を減らしたと本には書かれています。
子供の頃 父のお酒のおつまみのクジラシリーズはどれも美味しそうだった。
とくにクジラベーコン。
Lake Nodake is big, beautiful and has camp sites and a museum. Construction began in 1661 and after two years, it was completed. The man-made lake was constructed, and therefore many farmers in that area were no longer suffered from any flood nor drought. The Omura Clan acknowledged that some infrastructure was needed to take care of water problems in that area, though, they couldn't afford it. The Omura Clan was such a small and needy one.
Gidayu Fukazawa also contributed many other public things for Omura locals to help people.
The completion of the infrastructure led farmers to make good rice paddies, farms. That area is called Hill Nodake and that's my favorite place. It's sunny, serene and has a stunning view of Omura Bay.
The Omura history book tells me a lot and what I'm so impressed was about how to hunt the huge whale. Hey, whales, I feel so sorry but in the book, it's described details so lively that I can't help but think it's just exciting. Not to mention, the whalemen were catching them running risks losing their lives.
The book adds that the whale oil was used by farmers as pest control for their crops . As a result lots of lives were saved from starvation.
In my childhood, Dad sometimes had some sliced whale meats as a snack. That looked way yummy.
