昨日の「カラス襲撃事件」記述では、どうも動物種への恐怖の感情を予期以上に刺激したかも知れません。本意ではありません、わたしは動物愛護の平和共存派であります。ただし、クマと子育て期のカラスはどうも遠慮させていただきたい（笑）。
ということなのですが、東京出張で最近は上野とか、御徒町とかの空気感が好きになって宿泊することが多く、朝の散歩路では湯島天満宮に足を向けることが多い。そこの近くに「亀の子寺」があって、まるで「氏神」のような亀と目を合わして動けなくなったことがあって、つい思い出してしまった。
写真の上のヤツなのです。先日はすっかり目が合ってしまって、かれは微動だにせず、ちょっと威厳をすら感じさせられた。「なんだよオメー、文句あんのかコラ」みたいな雰囲気を醸し出している。あるいは、「寄らば遠慮なく噛み付かせてもらうからな，覚悟しろよ」ムード満々。
亀なのでまさか俊敏に噛み付くことはしないとは思いますが、思わぬ攻撃手段をかれは持っているのかも知れないと、警戒心を持たせるに十分。っていうように感じるのは、かれをして敵愾心を感じさせるような気配をこちら側が発しているのかなぁとやや気圧される。イキモノとしてはわたしもそれなりに加齢してきているが、亀は「万年」とも言われる長寿なので、かれ自身は相当の百戦錬磨なのかも。
しかしそういうこちらの心理状況を受け取られるのもシャクなので、こちらも無言で視線を返して、相対峙するというような、静寂で緊張感が多少ある一瞬の時間を過ごしていました。
そのほかの亀たちは水辺で仲間たちと談笑しているような印象で、こちらは人間世界とは無縁になごやかな亀社会が運営されている。この氏神だけが孤立して独自のエリアを専有している。この亀の群のボス的な存在であろうことは想像するに難くない。
きのう出会った子育て期のカラスの暴走ぶりとはまた違う感じで、イキモノ社会の独自な権威構造を見せつけられるようでもありました。やはりイキモノ社会と暴力、権力の存在は不変なのでしょうか？
ちょっと考えすぎかなぁ（笑）。
このお寺、湯島聖天・心城院は天台宗のお寺で、湯島天神は菅原道真という怨霊信仰に基づいてたたられないように「祭り上げ」られた神さまを祀っている。ここには江戸名水のひとつ「柳の井戸」があり、度重なった江戸の大火や震災、空襲の戦火にも遭うことなくきたのだという。その名水を守り続けてきたシルシとして、この亀の一群が存在し続けてきたのだと由緒書きにはある。
どうも北海道からたまに来るような人間など、ひとたまりもないくらいの心魂をもった亀の親分様かも知れない。まぁ、触らぬ神に祟りなしであります（笑）。

English version⬇

Ikimono Series 2: The Ujigami of Turtle Ujigami of Yushima Seiten
The majesty of the Ujigami of the Turtle Temple in Yushima Seiten reminded me of the violent nature of crows. I was somewhat pressured by the “code” of the strict power relationship in the Ikimono society. …

Yesterday’s description of the “raven attack” may have provoked more fear of animal species than I expected. It is not my intention to do so, but I am an animal lover and a peaceful coexistence person. However, I would like to refrain from talking about bears and crows raising their young (laughs).
I have recently become fond of the atmosphere of places like Ueno and Okachimachi on my business trips to Tokyo, where I often stay overnight, and I often go to Yushima Tenmangu Shrine on my morning walks. There is a “Kame-no-Koji Temple” near there, and I was reminded of it because I once made eye contact with a turtle that looked like a “Ujigami” (guardian deity) and got stuck.
He is the one in the photo above. The other day, our eyes met, and he didn’t move an inch, even looking a little dignified. It was like he was saying, “What the hell, you got a problem with me? Or, it was in a mood of “I’ll bite you without hesitation if you come near me, so be prepared.
I don’t think he is agile enough to bite, but it is enough to make us feel that he may have unexpected means to attack us. I feel as if I am giving off a sign that makes him feel hostility, and I am a little pressured. As a creature, I am aging in my own way, but turtles have a long life span and are said to last “10,000 years,” so he himself may be quite experienced in a hundred battles.
However, it would be embarrassing for him to be aware of my psychological state, so I silently returned his gaze and we spent a moment of silence and tension, as if we were facing each other.
The other turtles seemed to be chatting and laughing with their friends at the water’s edge, and this turtle society was operating in a friendly manner, unrelated to the human world. Only this shrine deity is isolated and has its own exclusive area. It is not difficult to imagine that he must be the boss of this group of turtles.
It was a different feeling from the outburst of the crows I encountered yesterday when they were raising their young, and it was as if I was being shown the unique authority structure of Ikimono society. Is the existence of violence and power a constant in the Ikimono society?
Maybe I am overthinking things a bit (laughs).
This temple, Yushima Seiten Shinjoin, is a Tendai sect temple that enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, a god who was “festivized” so that he would not be attacked based on the belief in grudge spirits. The temple is also home to “Yanagi no Iido,” one of Edo’s famous water sources, which has survived the frequent fires, earthquakes, and air raids of the Edo period. According to the history of the well, this group of turtles has continued to exist as a symbol of the protection of this famous water.
It seems that these turtles may be the master of the turtles with a heart and soul so strong that even an occasional visitor from Hokkaido would not be able to stand them. Well, the god who doesn’t touch it has no curse (laugh).

Posted on 6月 21st, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

最近、脳科学者の中野信子さんがメディアでブレークしている。わたしはNHK-BSの歴史勉強番組「英雄たちの選択」の大ファンで、ここに彼女はときどき出演されている。で、歴史上の人物の脳の働き方目線でユニークな気付きを与えてくれている。歴史人物の行動規範とか、人物分析にまったく新たな解析手法で迫ってくれて非常に説得力がある。美貌でクールな意見を発出されるので凡百はコロッと説得されやすい傾向にある、なのですね（笑）。
で、最新研究領域に近い「脳科学」というものの広報役を担っているように思える。ある番組で彼女は日本人のDNA的な分析結果として「非常に心配性である」と語られていた。そこでそういった研究について調べていたら、量子科学技術研究開発機構という組織の研究論文に突き当たり、そのなかでもQ-LEAP量子生命Flagshipプロジェクトという興味深い研究成果を知った。
論文のサブタイトルには「過度に失敗を恐れて行動が消極的になりがちな人の脳で何が起きているか？ ―行動の動機づけシステムに基づく不安障害やうつ病の治療の実現に有用な知見」という長大なもの。https://www.qst.go.jp/site/q-leap/press220322.html
「国立研究開発法人・量子科学技術研究開発機構（理事長平野 俊夫）量子生命・医学部門量子医科学研究所脳機能イメージング研究部（主は量子生命科学研究所量子認知脳科学グループ）の山田真希子グループリーダー、および千葉大学大学院医学研究院脳神経内科学の小島一歩医師、平野成樹診療准教授、桑原聡教授らの共同研究グループは、罰を回避する行動にセロトニン神経伝達機能が関わっていることを発見した」のだそうです。＜論文発出：2022年3月22日＞
さらに「人間を含む動物の行動は、目標達成や報酬獲得のために“行動を賦活する系”と“罰や損害を回避するために行動を抑制する系”の大きく二つの動機づけシステムによって制御されていると考えられています。行動を抑制する系（行動抑制系）は、人間においては不安や抑うつなどの負の感情と関連していますが、行動抑制系に関して脳で何が起きているかは明らかにされていません。」とのこと。
人類というのは地球の全大陸を制覇するのに際して常にフロンティアスピリットを昂進させてきた存在であり、それは「チャレンジする魂」が根幹だろうと思える。日本人にはこのチャレンジすることを積極化させることに関与する脳内物質少ないという。むしろ相反する傾向である「心配性であること」に関与する脳内物質「セロトニン」の発出量が世界で有数に高いのだという研究結果。世界一般では50%以下であるのに、日本人は80.2%なのだと。
・・・面白い（笑）。こういう領域研究って経営や組織・人事運営に深く関わることが確実だと思う。目からウロコというか、そういった整理整頓が可能なのであれば非常に有用な研究領域。たしかに歴史の決定論解明にも、民族傾向の分析・把握、さらには組織運営にも非常に有益かと。
う〜む、このことがら、ちょっと深掘りしてみたい。・・・

English version⬇

80.2% of Japanese are reluctant to take on new challenges due to fear of failure.
The “national character” is often expressed in a positive way, but it also suppresses a “challenging” mindset. A research paper published on March 22, 2022, which is also significant for management. …

Recently, brain scientist Nobuko Nakano has been getting a break in the media. I am a big fan of the NHK-BS history study program “Heroes’ Choice,” in which she sometimes appears. She sometimes appears on the NHK-BS history study program, “Heroes’ Choice,” and gives us unique insights from the perspective of how the brains of historical figures work. She is very convincing in her analysis of historical figures and their codes of conduct, using a completely new analytical method. He is a beautiful man with cool opinions, and ordinary people tend to be easily persuaded by him (laughs).
She seems to be playing a publicity role for “brain science,” which is close to the latest research field. In one of the programs, she mentioned that Japanese people are “very anxious” as a result of DNA analysis. In researching such research, I came across a research paper by the Quantum Science and Technology Agency (QSTA) and learned of an interesting research project called the Q-LEAP Quantum Life Flagship Project.
The subtitle of the paper is “What is happening in the brains of people who tend to be overly fearful of failure and reluctant to act? -Significant findings useful for the realization of treatment of anxiety disorders and depression based on motivational systems for action” lengthy.
https://www.qst.go.jp/site/q-leap/press220322.html
A research group led by Makiko Yamada, group leader of the Functional Brain Imaging Research Department (mainly the Quantum Cognitive Neuroscience Group of the Quantum Medical Science Institute of the National Institute of Quantum Science and Technology (President: Toshio Hirano), and a joint research group led by Dr. Kazuho Kojima, Dr. Shigeki Hirano, and Professor Satoshi Kuwahara of the Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, has discovered that serotonin neurotransmission is involved in punishment avoidance behavior. They found that serotonin neurotransmitter function is involved in punishment avoidance behavior. .
Furthermore, “It is thought that the behavior of animals, including humans, is controlled by two major motivational systems: a system that “activates behavior” to achieve goals and obtain rewards, and a system that “inhibits behavior to avoid punishment or damage. The “behavior suppression system” is thought to be controlled by two major motivational systems. The system that inhibits behavior (behavioral inhibition system) is associated with negative emotions such as anxiety and depression in humans, but what is happening in the brain with respect to the behavioral inhibition system is not clear. He said.
Human beings have always been exhilarated by the frontier spirit in conquering all continents on the earth, and it seems to me that the “spirit of challenge” is at the core of this spirit. It is said that Japanese people have few substances in their brains that are involved in actively taking on challenges. In fact, research shows that the amount of serotonin, a brain substance involved in the opposite tendency, “being anxious,” is one of the highest in the world. The Japanese have a serotonin level of 80.2%, compared to less than 50% in the rest of the world.
This is interesting. I am sure that this kind of research is deeply related to management, organization, and human resource management. It is a very useful area of research if it is possible to sort out the scales, or rather, to organize them. Indeed, it would be very useful in elucidating the determinants of history, in analyzing and understanding ethnic trends, and in organizational management.
Hmmm… I would like to dig a little deeper into this matter. I would like to explore this topic in more depth.

Posted on 6月 19th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

聖徳太子絵伝の探究の余韻のなかに依然としてあります（笑）。2005年から「毎日更新」をスタッフから申し渡されて18年間、毎日欠かさずに書き続けていますが、そうすると自分の「数寄」な領域にテーマがどうしても偏っていくようになる。まぁ自然な成り行きでしょうね。ライフワーク。
自分のフィールドとして住宅建築がメイン領域ですが、そこに収められるのは人間のくらし。住宅についての「価値判断」は結局、人間のくらしの好みのようなもの。そうすると類的存在としての人間を考えるのが主要領域化していく流れなのでしょう。歴史とは人間がいろいろな時間の中で「どう対応してきたのか」を教えてくれるもの。過去を知ることではじめて現在と未来を考えることができる。
そういう歴史というのは、いかにも人類らしく興味分野は多種多様に展開してくる。
基本は経済だけれど、精神文化が与える影響はすさまじい。そういう精神文化の典型として宗教がある。法隆寺宝物館展示で、最初期に仏教行事として大陸社会から導入されたというこの伎楽の面を一覧表示で見ていて、いかにも「芸能」のルーツを感じてならなかった。
聖徳太子の時代612年に朝鮮・百済から伝えられたことが伎楽の日本事始め。仏教という世界宗教を日本社会に導入して、東アジア東海の列島フロンティア国家として、世界の潮流にキャッチアップして独立国家圏・社会としての確立を目指すため、こうした宗教付随の文化も導入された。
日本ではこういう仏教導入のカタチだったので、中国南部地域由来とされる伎楽も、政権がその存立についてグリップするように成立してきた。Wikipedia記述では〜『延喜式』によると法隆寺をはじめ、大安寺、東大寺、西大寺などに伎楽を上演する一団がおかれていた。4月8日の仏生会、7月15日の伎楽会と、少なくとも年2回の上演があった。〜という記載。仏教寺院への大衆動員の「見世物」としての役割。
しかしそういう国家関与だったので、やがて関与が薄まるとともに形式は「現地化」していって、やがて獅子舞などの地域密着型芸能に変容していったのだとされる。先日のブログで韓国・ハフェマウルに残る仮面劇との類似性を書いたけれど、獅子舞のような変容のワンパターンと考えるとわかりやすい。
しかしわたし的には、これらの仮面に象徴化された人間の表情のピンナップぶりが刺激的。14種類の人間典型にそれぞれ独特の表情が固定化されているけれど、土俗的風俗的な典型化が人びとの笑いを誘ったとされる。そこには社会風刺・批判精神も見える化されている。
先人たちの思考がひとつひとつの仮面に託されて、人間世界の細部を語ってくれる・・・。

English version⬇

The “Gigaku” masks of the lion dance roots typify human emotions.
The unique facial expressions of the 14 types of human archetypes are formed, but there is also a social satire and critical spirit that can be seen. An opportunity for dialogue with predecessors. …

I have been writing every day for the past 18 years since 2005, when the staff requested me to “update this page every day,” and as a result, my themes have become biased toward my “sukkyoku” area. Well, I guess it’s a natural progression. Lifework.
My main field of work is residential architecture, but it is human life that is encompassed within that field. In the end, “value judgments” about housing are like preferences for human life. In this way, thinking about human beings as similar beings is becoming the main field of study. History is something that tells us “how humans have responded” in various times. Only by knowing the past can we think about the present and the future.
History, as is typical of humankind, has developed in a wide variety of fields of interest.
Although the basic focus is on economics, the influence of spiritual culture is tremendous. Religion is a typical example of such a spiritual culture. In the exhibition at the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, I saw a list of Gigaku masks, which were introduced from continental society as a Buddhist event in the early days of Buddhism.
Gigaku was introduced to Japan from Baekje, Korea in 612 during the reign of Prince Shotoku, the first time it was performed in Japan. Buddhism, a world religion, was introduced to Japanese society in order to establish Japan as a frontier state in the East Asian archipelago, catching up with global trends and establishing itself as an independent national sphere and society.
According to Wikipedia, there were Gigaku groups at Horyu-ji Temple, Daian-ji Temple, Todai-ji Temple, Saidai-ji Temple, and other temples in Japan. According to the Engishiki, there was a Gigaku troupe that performed at Horyuji, Daianji, Todaiji, Saidaiji, and other temples, at least twice a year, on April 8 and July 15. 〜The first performance was held on April 8, and the second on July 15. The role of Gigaku was to serve as a “spectacle” to mobilize the masses to visit Buddhist temples.
However, because of the state’s involvement, the form eventually became “localized” as the involvement waned, and it is said that it eventually transformed into lion dances and other community-based performing arts. In a recent blog entry, I wrote about the similarity between the masked drama in Hafemaeul, Korea, and the lion dance, which can be easily understood as a pattern of transformation like the lion dance.
The pin-up nature of the human facial expressions symbolized by these masks is, to my mind, very stimulating. 14 types of human archetypes are fixed with their own unique facial expressions, but it is said that the earthly and folkloric archetypes drew laughter from the audience. The spirit of social satire and criticism is also visible in these works.
The thoughts of our predecessors are entrusted to each mask, and they tell us the details of the human world….

Posted on 6月 17th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

法隆寺宝物館「聖徳太子絵伝」記事、第17回目は最終回。聖徳太子さんの死とその後の国家宗教的な偶像化について。このシリーズの第一回はこちら→端正なモダニズム「法隆寺宝物館」探訪。

日本が仏教の広布を「鎮護国家」の基本に据えた、その創始に深く関わった皇族として摂政・厩戸王を長く敬愛し、そして「聖徳」という尊号を寄贈して長く崇敬し続けたことはわたしたちの歴史と精神性の重要ななにか物語っているのだと思う。通常のブログ記事テーマとはちょっと異質なテーマ選択でしかも全17回にまで及んでしまった。
日本建築でも特異に象徴化された存在である法隆寺の宝物としてながく保持され、それが皇室に献納されていまは東京国立博物館のなかでも「奥の院」のような位置に保存され、そのなかの中核的な宝物とされてきている。
現代でも高校の修学旅行先の最大公約数はやはり法隆寺なのだろう。この寺は仏教寺院というよりも、日本という国家の始原期・飛鳥の時代のいわば象徴のようなものとして、その建築が日本人に刷り込まれ続けてきたといえる。
そういった全体としての国家意識・宗教心の定着に聖徳太子が果たした役割は巨大。日本津々浦々に建設され維持され続けた仏教寺院、日本仏教にとっては、かれの存在はキリスト教におけるイエスキリストのようだったともいえる。この国で仏教が排斥もされず根付き続けたことの根拠として、仏教側では繰り返し、その事跡を広布し続けてきた。
622年にかれが死んで以降、たぶん個人の記録としては日本史ではじめて「絵伝」というような事跡紹介が制作され続けた。権力機構としての皇室にとってもこうした人物の事跡が正統性の根拠としてながく機能し続けてきたことは疑いようがない。かれの生きた事跡とともに、死後の象徴化も奇跡的。
聖徳太子は愛し続けた妃とほぼ同時に世を去った。葬送には天皇も参加したとされる。
いちばん上の絵はかれが空想の乗り物に乗って「前世で残した」経文を小野妹子に持ち帰らせた中国・叡山にまで乗っていくありさまを表している。日本国家では自身の権力基盤を宗教権威にまで高めてきた状況を物語っている。
民族のDNAの純粋化というようなものは日本のような島国国家にはあり得るのだろう。大陸国家ではあり得ないような民族的心性のようなものが存在している。十七条憲法の最初に「和を以て貴しとなす」と宣命したことは、その後の日本民族にも刷り込まれていったのだと思う。こういった人物に仮託されたものについて、今後も考えて見たいなと思っています。

English version⬇

The Death and Idolization of Prince Shotoku: The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures-17
Japanese history may have utilized the traces of this man to the nation’s own “religiosity”. The deeply penetrated “faith” of Prince Shotoku. …

The 17th and final article in the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, “Shotoku Taishi Eaden. It is about the death of Prince Shotoku and his subsequent idolization as a state religious figure.

The fact that Japan has long held in high esteem the regent King Umato-oh as a member of the imperial family who was deeply involved in the founding of Japan, which placed the spread of Buddhism as the basis of its “state of tranquility and protection,” and that he donated the honorific title “Shotoku” to Japan and continued to be revered for a long time, tells us something important about our history and spirituality. This is a rather unusual theme for a blog post, and it has been covered in a total of 17 articles.
It has been kept as a treasure of Horyuji Temple, which is a unique symbolic existence in Japanese architecture, and it has been presented to the Imperial Family, and now it is kept in the “inner sanctum” of the Tokyo National Museum, where it is regarded as the core treasure.
Even today, Horyu-ji is probably the most common destination for high school excursions. This temple is not so much a Buddhist temple as a symbol of the Asuka period, the original period of the Japanese nation, and its architecture has been continuously imprinted on the Japanese people.
Prince Shotoku’s role in the establishment of such an overall national and religious consciousness is enormous. For Japanese Buddhists, his presence was like that of Jesus Christ in Christianity. His presence in Japan was like that of Jesus Christ in Christianity, and his presence in Japan has been repeatedly publicized by the Buddhist side as evidence that Buddhism has not been ostracized and has continued to take root in this country.
After his death in 622, the first personal record of his life, perhaps in Japanese history, was produced in the form of a “pictorial biography” of the event. There is no doubt that for the imperial family as a power structure, the traces of such persons have continued to function as the basis of legitimacy. In addition to the traces of his life, his posthumous symbolism is also miraculous.
Prince Shotoku died at about the same time as his beloved wife. It is said that the emperor participated in the funeral.
The last picture shows him riding in an imaginary vehicle to Mount Eizan in China, where he had Ono Imoko bring back a sutra he had “left behind in a previous life. It tells of a situation in which the Japanese nation has elevated its own power base to religious authority.
The purification of ethnic DNA is possible in an island nation like Japan, but not in a continental nation. There exists a kind of ethnic mentality that is not possible in a continental nation. I believe that the first sentence of the Seventeen-Article Constitution, which proclaimed that “harmony is the key to nobility,” was imprinted on the Japanese people in the years that followed. I would like to continue to think about and look at what was hypothesized in these figures.

Posted on 6月 15th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 歴史探訪 | No Comments »

ここのところ東京国立博物館の法隆寺宝物館展示での聖徳太子絵伝の記事に集中していました。絵伝ということでわかりやすく、1000年の時を超え共有認識を得られることでちょっと過熱気味（笑）。
ということでクールダウンで本日は中休み。
６月も半ばになってきて北海道は天国に一番近い島状態。クルマで自然豊かな環境の中を走るのには最高の季節であります。そういう「野趣」を満喫させてくれるのが各地で露地物として出荷される山野菜類。
ことしは食習慣改善の取り組み、真剣に実践中なのでその食材として、アスパラ・フキ・ワラビなどから目が離せなくなっております。豊富な食物繊維摂取がいかに健康に大事か、身を以て知らされている。
カミさんもわたしと完全に同じような食習慣改善に取り組んでいるので、こういう食物繊維類の収集、それもなるべく新鮮で香り高いものをと各地をいっしょに走り回っている。
ことしは例年以上にヒグマの出没情報が多くなっているので、山菜類の捕獲には困難が伴っていると思われますが、各地の「道の駅」などでは毎週土日など、豊富に山積みされています。そのご苦労に感謝しつつ、購入させていただいています。
わが家の場合は、アスパラはシンプルに茹で上げて食し、その他の山菜はコンブ・鶏肉などでしっかり出汁を取った煮浸しとして基本食材化。ごはんを制限しているなかで、むしろ主食化しつつある。
でもそうすると自然からの贈り物なので、下処理作業が不可欠になります。

写真左はフキを適当な長さに切った後、板の上で塩を振って「板ずり」処理したあと後、茹で上げたフキから繊維スジを取った様子。一方、右側はアスパラの、ちょっと外側繊維が強烈な格安「ハネ品」（笑）でして、こちらはピューラーで外側を丹念に剥き上げたものの残骸の様子です。
どちらもホント、手間暇がかかるのですが、こういう作業に没頭するのもなかなかいい（笑）。その単調な作業に打ち込むことでいわゆる三昧のような没入感に満たされて、自然と向き合うようなそういった満足感に包まれる気がするのですね。
北海道の土の香り、山の空気感が凝縮された香りが身体感覚と共振するかのよう。
一方で旬の海のお魚さんたちも馴染みのお店で仕入れてきて、こちらも三枚下ろしさせてもらう。すっかり余市の新岡商店さんで見よう見まねさせていただいてから、週末の調理作業の定番化してきている。これまでは口に入れるしか縁がなかった魚さんたちをそのお姿を確認させていただいてから、謹んで解体させていただく。捌くという調理行為にはなにか、人間の本然を揺さぶるような部分を感じます。
なんともありがたい、天国にいちばん近い北海道の季節であります。

English version⬇

Wild vegetables and wild plants season is at its peak in Hokkaido.
The natural flavors of the mountains and fields are prepared with time and care. The simple preparation work is wrapped up in a feeling of “samadhi”. The key to improving eating habits is to consume natural wild vegetables and fiber. The best way to improve your eating habits is to consume natural wild vegetables and fiber.

Recently I have been concentrating on an article about the pictorial biography of Prince Shotoku in the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures exhibit at the Tokyo National Museum. The pictorial biography of Prince Shotoku is easy to understand, and the fact that it transcends 1,000 years of time and provides a shared recognition has made me a bit overheated (laugh).
So I’m taking a break today to cool down.
It is now mid-June and Hokkaido is the closest island to heaven. It is the best season to drive a car in a rich natural environment. Wild vegetables that are shipped from various regions are a great way to fully enjoy the “wildness” of Hokkaido.
As I am seriously implementing efforts to improve my eating habits this year, I cannot take my eyes off asparagus, butterbur, bracken, etc. as ingredients for such efforts. I am learning firsthand how important it is to consume plenty of dietary fiber for good health.
Since my wife has been working on the same kind of dietary habit improvement as I have, we have been running around together to collect such dietary fibers, especially fresh and aromatic ones.
This year, there have been more reports of brown bears than usual, so catching wild vegetables has been difficult, but at “roadside stations” around the country, there are piles of them every Saturday and Sunday. We are grateful for their efforts and purchase them.
In my family’s case, asparagus is simply boiled and eaten, and other wild vegetables are used as basic ingredients in a stewed soup made with kombu (kelp), chicken, and other vegetables in a broth. While we are limiting the amount of rice we eat, it is becoming more of a staple food.
But then, they are a gift from nature, so the preparation work becomes essential.

The photo on the left shows butterbur cut into appropriate lengths, then salted and “itazuri” processed on a board, and then the fibrous threads removed from the boiled butterbur. On the right is a cheap asparagus with a little bit of strong outer fibers (laugh).
Both of these are really time-consuming and labor intensive, but it is quite nice to be absorbed in this kind of work (laugh). By devoting yourself to this monotonous work, you are filled with a sense of immersion in what is called “samadhi,” and you feel a sense of satisfaction, as if you are facing nature.
The aroma of Hokkaido’s soil and condensed mountain air seems to resonate with your physical senses.
On the other hand, I also purchase seasonal fish from my favorite restaurant and have them cut into three pieces. Since I learned how to do this at Shinoka Shoten in Yoichi, it has become a regular part of my weekend cooking. I have never had the privilege of putting fish in my mouth before, but after I see what they look like, I respectfully dismantle them. I feel that the act of cooking shakes our true nature.
It is the season in Hokkaido that is the closest to heaven.

Posted on 6月 13th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: おとこの料理＆食 | No Comments »