さて、薩摩鹿児島にはたった１日で弾丸往復したのだけれど、デジタル写真を整理整頓すればするほどに、その土地で感じていたことが脳内に復元されてきてなかなか静止してくれない（笑）。おいおいであります。この他にも九州を全県回ったので、たくさんの記憶が積層しているのだ（笑）。どうもデジタル写真というものには、そういう脳内刺激を起こす「機縁」が仕組まれているように思えてならない。
　人類と写真映像との「付き合い」は、まだそう長い時間経過してはいない。
　日本社会で言えば、まだ100年前後の経験にしか過ぎないのだろう。それまでの人類の「映像」体験とは比較にならないほどの量的な記憶蓄積環境、とくに画像デジタル化によって「自分の脳活動経験」を濾過した画像が、ひとりひとりに巨大保存され続けているのだろう。
　こういったいわば「記憶資産」の可能性は大きいと思える。
　・・・ということですがキリがないので（笑）、本日の写真は佐賀県唐津の様子であります。
　わたしは人生時間を札幌を主として、一時期東京で過ごし、東北各地や関西各地を転々と旅客的に過ごしてきたけれど、近年、高齢期になって夫婦で四国・九州を巡る機会を得ている。とくに札幌や東京（横浜市域）では城郭と「濠」の風景というものとはまったく無縁だった。そういう存在が日々の暮らしの背景風景になるということを想像したしたことすらない。歴史は大好きで武士の世の光芒をみつめることが数寄なのに、そういうものが日常生活的に親和している風景には縁がなかった。
　唐津という都市はたまたまカミさんが選んでくれた土地だけれど、数日間の滞在だったけれど、その生活感・息づかいにすっかり耽溺してしまっていた。滞在中にはカミさんが城の近くの病院に掛かっていたりしたので、ホテルから送迎していて、暮らし的な実感も得られていた。
　観光ばかりの目線ではない、生きる環境という側面まで感じられた。そして写真を整理していると、そのような生きた感覚が呼び覚まされてくる。人為的利用と自然条件の合体した運河の風情、それが城郭という剥き出しの暴力的権力と調和した時間を、この風景は見せてくれるけれど、「なんもさ」というような庶民の暮らしの穏やかさも、そこから伝わってくる。・・・という「やはり」旅人の目線。

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English version⬇

[Karatsu, Saga Prefecture / Everyday Life Amid Castles and Waterways]
The daily lives of ordinary people set against a landscape shaped by both natural topography and man-made waterways. Digital photographs that bring this sense of life to the surface and invite close examination. The explosive power of mental stimulation. …

　Well, I made a whirlwind round trip to Satsuma-Kagoshima in just one day, but the more I organize my digital photos, the more the feelings I had there come flooding back into my mind and just won’t settle down (lol). It’s quite something. On top of that, I’ve visited every prefecture in Kyushu, so I have layers upon layers of memories piling up (lol). I can’t help but feel that digital photos are somehow designed to trigger this kind of mental stimulation.
　Humanity’s “relationship” with photography and visual imagery hasn’t been going on for very long.
　In the context of Japanese society, it’s probably only been around 100 years. We now live in an environment where memories accumulate on a scale incomparable to humanity’s previous “visual” experiences—especially with the digitization of images, which allows each of us to continuously store vast amounts of images that have been filtered through our own brain activity.
　I believe the potential of this so-called “memory asset” is enormous.
　…But since this could go on forever (laughs), today’s photo shows a scene from Karatsu in Saga Prefecture.
　I’ve spent most of my life in Sapporo, with a stint in Tokyo, and have traveled extensively as a tourist throughout various parts of Tohoku and Kansai. In recent years, now that I’m getting older, my wife and I have had the opportunity to tour Shikoku and Kyushu together. In particular, in Sapporo and Tokyo (the Yokohama area), I was completely unfamiliar with the scenery of castles and “moats.” I had never even imagined that such sights could form the backdrop of daily life. Although I love history and take great pleasure in contemplating the splendor of the samurai era, I had never encountered a landscape where such elements were so intimately woven into everyday life.
Karatsu was a place my wife happened to choose, and although our stay was only a few days, I found myself completely captivated by its sense of daily life and the rhythm of the town. During our stay, my wife had appointments at a hospital near the castle, so I drove her back and forth from the hotel, which gave me a real sense of what life there is like.
　I was able to sense not just the tourist perspective, but the aspect of it as a living environment. And as I sort through my photos, that vivid sense of life is reawakened. This landscape reveals a time when the charm of the canal—a fusion of human intervention and natural conditions—harmonized with the raw, violent power of the castle walls, yet it also conveys the tranquility of ordinary people’s lives, as if to say, “It’s nothing special.” …Such is the “typical” traveler’s perspective.

● Announcement
My book, *Writers and Living Spaces*, has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 6月 30th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　４−５日前からご近所で住宅解体工事が行われていて、散歩の道すがら見学させていただいていた。
　ご近所なので時折騒音が発生したりするし、どうも建築の様式としてブロック造と木造のハイブリッド的な建てられ方だったので、興味も増していた。敷地面積は目測で80-100坪前後。油圧ショベル（バックホー・ユンボ）のほぼ標準タイプとおぼしき重機で作業していた。
　上の写真はその途中状況。こういう作業にも「作法」があることは、この写真でも理解できる。外部側に建材の飛散などが生じないように、内部と外部の「構造」をわきまえながら、慎重に作業していた。写真の右側にはコンクリートブロックの壁面が三角屋根の形状のままにきれいに姿を現している。
　内部は木造で造作されていたようで、柱梁や床材などを重機で「つかんで」道路脇で待っている運搬用のトラックの荷台に器用に運び出している。動きにムダがなく、また素人目にもムリも感じられない。人間の作業意思が正確に発揮されている様子は、見ている側にも伝わってきていた。
　こういう様子は隣人としてありがたい。
　日常生活に対して多少の不都合〜道路のある程度の「専有」による人間動線の変更などはあっても、このように自制的で配慮の行き届いた作業を見せられると、内心では徐々に「応援」したくなってくる。実際に夕方に作業を手仕舞いしている瞬間に遭遇して「おつかれさま。作業、安心してみさせてもらいましたよ」と声掛けしたら、おお、とよろこびの表情で応えてくれていた。たぶん近所のひとに自分の工事作業がひょっとして迷惑になっているのではないかと、内心で心配していたかのよう。声掛けにそういう意図がないと知れて、思わず安堵の念が盛り上がったかのようだった。
　そして、下の写真は昨日の夕方、雨が上がってまた10,000歩越えの散歩の帰り道、覗いてみた様子。
　重機の安定を心がけているような「作業終了」の様子。いいね。
　戦後社会で旺盛に新築されてきた住宅建築。人口縮小局面で、これからこういう解体工事も増えていく趨勢でしょう。なにより安全第一の姿勢で、市民の日常生活を守っていって欲しいですね。

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English version⬇

[Observing a House Demolition Project. All I can say is, “Impressive!”]
The trend is for new construction to decline, while rebuilds, relocations, and renovations are on the rise. Demand for demolition work like this is likely to increase as well. A firsthand look at the work in progress…

　For the past 4–5 days, a house has been undergoing demolition in my neighborhood, and I’ve been watching the process while out on my walks.
　Since it’s right next door, there’s been some noise from time to time, and because the building seemed to be a hybrid of concrete block and wood construction, my interest kept growing. The lot area is roughly 80–100 tsubo, based on a rough estimate. They were working with what appeared to be a standard hydraulic excavator (backhoe or “yumbo”).
　The photo above shows the work in progress. As you can see from this photo, there is a “proper procedure” even for this kind of work. They were working carefully, mindful of the “structure” between the interior and exterior, to prevent building materials from scattering outside. On the right side of the photo, a concrete block wall is neatly emerging, retaining the shape of the triangular roof.
　The interior appeared to have been constructed of wood, and the workers were using heavy machinery to “grab” the posts, beams, and flooring materials, skillfully hauling them out onto the bed of a transport truck waiting by the roadside. Their movements were efficient, and even to a layperson’s eye, there was no sense of strain. The way the workers’ intent was precisely executed was clearly evident to anyone watching.
　As a neighbor, I’m grateful to see this kind of work.
　Even though there are some inconveniences in daily life—such as having to adjust my route due to the road being partially “occupied”—when I witness work carried out with such self-restraint and consideration, I gradually find myself wanting to “root for” them in my heart. In fact, when I happened to see them wrapping up for the day in the evening and said, “Good work today. I felt completely at ease watching you work,” they responded with a delighted “Oh!” It seemed as though they had been secretly worried that their construction work might be causing a nuisance to the neighbors. Once they realized there was no such intention behind my comment, a sense of relief seemed to well up in them.
　And the photo below shows what I saw yesterday evening on my way back from a walk—another one exceeding 10,000 steps—after the rain had stopped.
　It looks like they’re wrapping up the work while taking care to stabilize the heavy machinery. Nice.
　Housing construction boomed in the postwar era. With the population now in decline, we’ll likely see more demolition projects like this in the future. Above all, I hope they’ll prioritize safety to protect the daily lives of citizens.

● Announcement
My book, *Writers and Living Spaces*, has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 6月 28th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　昨日は先般訪れていた東北地域・岩手県三陸海岸沖を震源とする地震のニュース。ちょうど朝の散歩から帰ってきたときに知った。わたしの住む札幌西部地方は震度２ということで散歩中は、特段の揺れも感じなかったし、迎えてくれた家人も「え？地震あったの？」という状況。
　八戸あたり、青森県階上での揺れが強烈だったとの報道。今年に入って北海道東北の太平洋側沿岸地域の地震ゾーンの活動がふたたび三度、活発化しているようです。先般の「東日本大地震15年」での被災地域探訪ツアーで、陸前高田などの壊滅的被災地の「その後」を凝視してきましたが、この地震活動期ぶりをみると、油断なくいのちを守る行動様式の徹底は、必須要件ですね。被災のみなさんのご無事を祈ります。
　・・・ということですが、自然は危険性を持っていると同時に、そこで生かされているいのちの営みというものへの深い「母性」を感じさせてもくれる。
　写真は、いつもの散歩定番コースのひとつ、北海道神宮外苑の円山公園緑地の池のほとりに棲息しているオシドリの「つがい」の様子。この時期はかれらの「ランデブー」時期らしく、いかにもお互いの性をいたわりつつ、未来に向かっての種の永続を念願している様が伝わってくる。
　そして６月初夏の「天国に一番近い」北海道の自然環境は、日々日射に重量感が増してきている。池の水の密度にもある濃厚さが加わって、水紋にも「重み」を感じさせられる。地面を彩る植物も土に還る枯れ葉すらも、そういう営みにやわらかい表情を提供してくれているし、目にやさしい新緑は池の水とも溶け合うばかりの光彩をみせる。
　徐々に加齢してくると、涅槃というコトバに反応するようになってくるのだけれど、こういうごく当たり前の日々のうつろいの中に、そういう実感が伴ってくる。
　先人、血縁のひとびとの江戸初期からの「生き様」をたどる旅路を行き交っているけれど、その背景としての自然環境生態は、このように変わらない自然な実相で見守ってくれていたように思える。呆然とさせられる感動を抱く。感謝しつつ、いまできることを全力で取り組むことが、変わらぬひとの務めでしょう。
　ひたすら足下を見つめて、精進ですね。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
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English version⬇

[Seeing “Nirvana” in Everyday Scenes of Nature…]
Lately, I’ve found myself spacing out and becoming entranced by the most ordinary of scenes. Old age. Both my ancestors and I have been sheltered by the same profound nature. …

　Yesterday, there was news of an earthquake with its epicenter off the Sanriku Coast in Iwate Prefecture, in the Tohoku region—an area I had recently visited. I found out just as I was returning from my morning walk. In the western part of Sapporo, where I live, the tremor was classified as a “shindo” level, so I didn’t feel any significant shaking during my walk, and when I got home, my family greeted me with, “Huh? Was there an earthquake?”
　Reports indicate that the shaking was particularly intense around Hachinohe and in Hashikami, Aomori Prefecture. Since the start of this year, seismic activity in the earthquake zones along the Pacific coast of Hokkaido and Tohoku appears to have intensified for the third time. During my recent tour of the disaster-affected areas to mark the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, I took a close look at “what has become of” devastated areas like Rikuzentakata. Given the intensity of this current period of seismic activity, it is absolutely essential that we remain vigilant and thoroughly implement life-saving measures. I pray for the safety of all those affected by the disaster.
　…That said, while nature poses dangers, it also evokes a deep sense of “motherly” care for the lives it sustains.
　The photo shows a pair of mandarin ducks living by the pond in Maruyama Park, part of the Hokkaido Jingu Outer Garden—one of my regular walking routes. This seems to be their “mating season,” and you can really sense how they are tenderly caring for one another while hoping for the continuation of their species into the future.
　And in early June, in Hokkaido’s natural environment—often described as “the closest to heaven”—the intensity of the sunlight grows heavier with each passing day. The water in the pond takes on a certain richness, and even the ripples seem to carry a sense of “weight.” The plants coloring the ground—and even the withered leaves returning to the soil—lend a gentle expression to this cycle of life, while the fresh greenery, so soothing to the eye, shimmers with a radiance that seems to blend seamlessly with the pond’s water.
As one gradually grows older, one begins to respond to the word “nirvana,” and within these very ordinary, daily changes, that sense of reality begins to take hold.
　I am on a journey tracing the “ways of life” of my ancestors and relatives dating back to the early Edo period, and it seems to me that the natural environment and ecology serving as the backdrop have been watching over us with this unchanging, natural reality. I am filled with a sense of awe and wonder. I believe it is our unchanging duty as human beings to give our all to what we can do now, while remaining grateful.
　It is a matter of focusing single-mindedly on the path before us and striving diligently.

● Announcement
My book, *Writers and Living Spaces*, has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.
　

Posted on 6月 26th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　わたしは高齢期になっても、新しいことへの挑戦心を持ち続けることが必要と考えるタイプ。人間はいろいろなので他者にそういう価値観を押しつける考えではないのですが、自分事としては、そう考えています。
　で、無謀にもいま、あるITテックへの挑戦を鬱勃と「やろうかな、どうしようかな」と考えている。
　住宅雑誌を創刊してすぐに、編集出版関係にはIT化の波が押し寄せてきていて、ごく自然にMac環境に基本フィールドを移して行っていた。手作業が大きな部分を占めていた業務でその成果品がデジタル化されることで最終出荷までワンストップ型のフローが獲得できて、整理整頓がどんどん進んで行った。
　そういう経験から離陸してきても、依然としてMacに向かい続けるスタイルを維持してきた。
　で、気がつくとデジタルの「情報資産」という大きなストックが生成されてきている。で、ふと考えたら、こういうデジタル資産と向き合い続けてきた人間って言うのは、わたしたち年代が最初期にあたるのでは、と思い至った次第なのですね。デジタル機器との対話環境というのは、多少の高齢化でも十分に対応可能。たぶん「視力」がいちばんの問題でしょうが、まぁそれは気をつければクリアもできそう。
　・・・ということなのですが、そういう目的のためにと考えると、いくつかの「獲得すべきITテック」というものが浮かび上がってくる。組織のコントローラーの時にはそういう「人材」配置することでクリアできる部分ですが、必ずしもビジネス的な収益化構造が見えない段階では、そういう「投資」ではなく、自分自身の「スキルアップ」こそがもっとも最適。結果「高齢期の手習い」へと自分自身の判断力は、方向性を指し示している。
　さてここで、自分本来のズボラさに直面させられる（泣）。
　「好きなんだけど，メンドイ」という困った、自分自身の性向に向き合わざるを得ない。
　高齢期になって、結局人生でネグってきていた部分から再度「どうするんだよ」と攻められる。
　なんのことやらと、意味不明の愚痴のブログ記事であります。申し訳ありません、深く反省。
　前進か，撤退か、ボーッとMacに向かい続けております。

＜写真はテーマと無関係、北海道の初夏の花・ルピナス＞

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English version⬇

[Taking on IT at an Advanced Age, One Step at a Time]
I really want to learn these information processing skills, but my natural laziness makes me hesitate. I just sit there in a daze, feeling pathetic. …

　I’m the type of person who believes it’s essential to maintain a spirit of adventure and keep taking on new challenges even in my later years. People are all different, so I don’t intend to impose this value on others, but that’s how I feel about my own life.
So, recklessly as it may be, I’m currently mulling over a new IT challenge with great enthusiasm, wondering, “Should I do it? Or maybe not?”
　Shortly after launching a home design magazine, the wave of IT transformation swept through the editing and publishing industry, and I naturally shifted my primary work environment to a Mac setup. In a field where manual labor used to account for a large portion of the work, digitizing the final products allowed us to establish a one-stop workflow all the way to final shipment, and our operations became increasingly organized and streamlined.
Even after moving on from that experience, I’ve continued to stick with the Mac.
　And before I knew it, a massive stockpile of digital “information assets” had been generated. Then, upon reflection, it occurred to me that people of our generation are likely among the very first to have consistently engaged with these digital assets. The environment for interacting with digital devices is something we can handle just fine, even as we age a bit. Vision is probably the biggest issue, but that’s something we can likely overcome with a little care.
　…That being said, when I think about it in terms of that goal, several “IT skills I need to acquire” come to mind. When I was a controller at an organization, I could have addressed this by assigning the right “talent,” but at a stage where a clear business revenue model isn’t yet visible, rather than making such an “investment,” improving my own “skills” is the best approach. As a result, my own judgment is pointing me toward “learning new things in my later years.”
　Now, here I am, forced to confront my inherent laziness (sob).
I have no choice but to face my own troublesome tendency: “I like it, but it’s a hassle.”
Now that I’m in my later years, I’m once again being confronted by the parts of my life I’ve neglected, asking, “What are you going to do about this?”
This is a blog post full of nonsensical ramblings about who knows what. I apologize and deeply reflect on my behavior.
　Should I move forward or retreat? I just keep staring blankly at my Mac.

● Announcement
My book, *Writers and Living Spaces*, has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 6月 24th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　さて集中的な取材行脚は、その写真整理になんとかメドがついてきて、今度は分析・学習の段階にようやくなってきています。今回の旅路は「九州をも全周する」ことがメイン目標だったのでまだ未踏破に近かった佐賀県と大分県が主たる目標で、鹿児島県は「一回行ってるし」ということで、カミさんに探訪先はまったくの一任でした。
　しかし、現地で「これは・・・」と唸らされ、さらに写真整理を進めるに連れて、さらなる興奮的な盛り上がりになって来ています。薩摩藩が幕末期に取り組んでいたという「集成館事業」というものを少し知らされ、そのスピリッツが北海道開拓のグランドデザインに息づいているのだと、この年齢になって初めて知らされた思い。己の至らなさに心底驚かされ、遅ればせながら、薩摩と蝦夷地・北海道の「DNA」のつながりを強く意識させられた。以下、集成館事業についての解説より。
　〜集成館事業とは
　海に囲まれ大陸との交流もあった薩摩には、鎖国時代にも海外の情報がいち早く届いていた。幕末の薩摩藩は欧米列強のアジア進出や植民地政策に危機感を募らせ、島津斉形が中心となって積極的に西洋の技術を導入し、街や産業の近代化に取り組んだ。これが集成館事業。
　ここ磯地区には集成館事業の中核を担った工場群がありました。当初は水車動力や在来の技術を生かし、洋書を参考に旅行錯誤をくり返す。船舶の建造や蒸気機関の製造、反射炉による鉄製大砲の鋳造に挑戦。1863年の薩英戦争を経てさらに西洋の蒸気換関や機械類を導入、明治維新後、その技術が各地に伝えられ、集成館はわが国における産業革命の先駆けとなった。
　日本初の近代的工場群
　海岸にはカノン砲が並び、たくさんの工場建物が軒を連ねる。中央にそびえる煙突と大きな建物は鹿児島紡績所。その手前にあるベランダ付きの洋館は旧鹿児島紡績所技師館（異人館）。〜
　さらに、薩摩藩出身の第2代内閣総理大臣・開拓使長官・黒田清隆は札幌創成川に東側に麦酒醸造所、製糸場などを集めた工場群を築いた。これは集成館事業をモデルにしたと考えられている。また、北海道開拓に取り組んだ屯田兵は西南戦争では政府軍として遠征してもいる。・・・
　ということで、こうした「現地学習」で激しくこころが揺れ動かされていた次第。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
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English version⬇

[That DNA Lives On in Hokkaido: Learning About the Shimazu Clan’s “Shuseikan Project”]
I had merely passed through Kagoshima. This time, I learned for the first time about the outline of this brilliant project undertaken by Satsuma during the late Edo period. The military settlers in Hokkaido were educated and guided by it, and even fought in battles alongside it. …

　Now that I’ve finally made some headway in organizing the photos from my intensive reporting trip, I’m finally moving on to the analysis and learning phase. Since the main goal of this trip was to “travel all the way around Kyushu,” my primary targets were Saga and Oita Prefectures—areas I’d barely visited before. As for Kagoshima Prefecture, I figured, “I’ve been there once already,” so I left the choice of destinations entirely up to my wife.
　However, once I was on the ground and found myself thinking, “This is…,” and as I continued sorting through the photos, my excitement has only grown. I learned a little about the “Shuseikan Project,” an initiative undertaken by the Satsuma Domain during the late Edo period, and it felt as though I was discovering for the first time at my age that its spirit lives on in the grand design for the development of Hokkaido. I was deeply shocked by my own ignorance, and—better late than never—I became keenly aware of the connection between the “DNA” of Satsuma and that of Ezo (Hokkaido). The following is an excerpt from an explanation of the Shuseikan Project.
　~What Is the Shuseikan Project?
Surrounded by the sea and having had exchanges with the continent, Satsuma received information from overseas quickly even during the era of national isolation. Toward the end of the Edo period, the Satsuma Domain grew increasingly concerned about the expansion of Western powers into Asia and their colonial policies. Led by Shimazu Naokata, the domain actively introduced Western technology and worked to modernize its cities and industries. This was the Shuseikan Project.
Here in the Iso district, there was a cluster of factories that served as the core of the Shuseikan Project. Initially, they utilized waterwheel power and traditional techniques, learning through trial and error while referencing Western books. They took on the challenges of shipbuilding, steam engine manufacturing, and casting large iron cannons using a reverberatory furnace. Following the Satsuma-British War of 1863, they introduced even more Western steam engines and machinery. After the Meiji Restoration, these technologies spread throughout the country, and the Shuseikan became a pioneer of the Industrial Revolution in Japan.
　Japan’s First Modern Industrial Complex
　Cannons line the coast, and numerous factory buildings stand side by side. The large building with a chimney towering in the center is the Kagoshima Spinning Mill. The Western-style building with a veranda in front of it is the former Kagoshima Spinning Mill Engineers’ Quarters (Ijinkan). ~
　Furthermore, Kiyotaka Kuroda—the second Prime Minister of Japan and Commissioner-General of the Hokkaido Development Commission, who hailed from the Satsuma Domain—established a cluster of factories on the east bank of the Sosei River in Sapporo, including a brewery and a silk mill. This is believed to have been modeled after the Seishukan project. Additionally, the Tonden soldiers who worked on the development of Hokkaido also served as government troops during the Satsuma Rebellion. …
　As such, my heart was deeply stirred by this “on-site learning” experience.

● Announcement
My book, *Writers and Living Spaces*, has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

Posted on 6月 22nd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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