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【家系史資料整理で「鳩山一郎」元総理の書を発見】



 家系史の資料類、いわば「三木家文書〜もんじょ」の整理整頓作業を進めています。現代らしくこれらを長期保存可能なようにデジタル化させて「三木家文書アーカイブ」としてWEB上に保存したい希望。子孫が「三木の家ってどんな家なんだろう」とふり返ったり、未来を創造しようとするとき参照できるだろうという願い。
 こうした作業でいちばんの難関はたぶん最後自分のことをどう保存するか、なんだろうなぁきっと。・・・それはそれとして、先人たちの記録を時間を掛けてゆっくり整理したい。
 そんな作業を進めてきていますが、整理する中で「揮毫」類が在り、そのなかに「鳩山一郎」という名前が出てきて「あれ、このひとなんか聞いたことある」と気付いて検索したら以下の情報。
 〜鳩山一郎 1883〈明治16〉年〜1959〈昭和34〉年は日本の政治家。第52・53・54代内閣総理大臣。戦後の55年体制が成立後、初の総理大臣。
 鳩山一郎元首相と北海道のつながりは、かれの曾祖父の鳩山和夫が北海道栗山町に農場を開いたことや、孫の鳩山由紀夫が北海道(旧4区)から政界進出したことが挙げられます。曾祖父である鳩山和夫が栗山町に大規模な農場を開拓。地元の栗山町には鳩山家ゆかりの「鳩山神社」がある。〜
 というような基礎情報をはじめて確認させられた(笑)。まことに無関心層。
 家系保存としては無造作に紙片をたたんで仕舞い込まれていたわけですが、さてどうするか?
 わたし自身はこういう有名人揮毫などは「へーえ」と口を開けているだけのタイプですが、ありがたがる傾向も世には存在する。記録整理者としては留意せざるを得ない。まぁデジタル記録処理としては、他のデータと同様の処理ですが、現物の「保存」方法としては少しく考えさせられるところ。
 栗山はわが家系が暮らしていた故地と近接した地域なので、そういった地縁からわが家に伝承してきたものなのでしょう。「どんな人間関係かなぁ」と想像が湧いてくるけれど・・・。
 まぁそれよりもはるかに巨大な想像力刺激案件が次々と生起するのが、家系史探査。名もなき先人の足跡を追っていると、驚かされるような「境遇」に遭遇してくる、よく生きたなぁ・・・と。
 複雑な人間関係が表現された「戸籍謄本」記録で浮かび上がってくる「迷宮」に惑う日々・・・。

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English version⬇

[Former Prime Minister Ichiro Hatoyama’s Manuscript Discovered While Organizing Family History Materials]
As a digitized document, it’s a one-off piece, but since the general public tends to value items like this, I’m struggling as the organizer to decide how best to preserve it. …

 I’m currently working on organizing and cataloging our family history materials—what might be called the “Miki Family Documents.” In keeping with modern practices, I hope to digitize them for long-term preservation and store them online as the “Miki Family Document Archive.” My hope is that future generations will be able to refer to them when they look back and wonder, “What kind of family was the Miki family?” or when they set out to shape the future.
 The biggest challenge in this process will probably be how to preserve my own legacy in the end. …That aside, I want to take my time and carefully organize the records left by our ancestors.
As I’ve been working on this, I came across some calligraphy pieces, and among them was the name “Ichirō Hatoyama.” I thought, “Wait, I’ve heard that name before,” so I looked it up and found the following information.
 ~ Ichirō Hatoyama (1883 [Meiji 16]–1959 [Shōwa 34]) was a Japanese politician. He served as the 52nd, 53rd, and 54th Prime Minister of Japan. He was the first Prime Minister after the establishment of the postwar “55-Year System.”
 Former Prime Minister Ichiro Hatoyama’s connection to Hokkaido stems from the fact that his great-grandfather, Kazuo Hatoyama, established a farm in Kuriyama Town, Hokkaido, and that his grandson, Yukio Hatoyama, entered politics representing Hokkaido (formerly the 4th District). His great-grandfather, Kazuo Hatoyama, developed a large-scale farm in Kuriyama Town. In Kuriyama Town, there is the “Hatoyama Shrine,” which is associated with the Hatoyama family. ~
 This was the first time I’d ever come across this kind of basic information (laughs). I’m truly the type who couldn’t care less.
 As part of preserving the family lineage, this piece of paper had been casually folded and tucked away—but now, what should I do with it?
 Personally, I’m the type who just gapes in surprise at things like famous people’s calligraphy, thinking “Wow,” but there are people out there who tend to cherish such items. As someone organizing records, I can’t help but take this into account. Well, in terms of digital record processing, it’s handled just like any other data, but as for how to “preserve” the physical item, it gives me pause.
 Kuriyama is a region close to the ancestral home where my family once lived, so this item was likely passed down to our family through such local ties. It makes me wonder, “What kind of relationships were involved?”…
 But family history research constantly presents cases that stimulate the imagination far more than this. As I follow in the footsteps of nameless ancestors, I come across “circumstances” that truly astonish me—I find myself thinking, “They really lived a full life…”
 Days spent lost in the “labyrinth” that emerges from “family register” records, which depict complex human relationships…

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

【遠隔自治体「戸籍謄本」費用支払いの「定額小為替」】


 先週、相次いで広島県の故地・2自治体に「戸籍謄本」の取得願いを提出していましたが、その反応が昨日寄せられていました。札幌市西区役所では「保存期間終了しているのでムリです」とあっさり問答無用処理されていた一件です。
 で、昨日寄せられた返信では、大都市の「福山市」の方の対応は「保存期間が終了して、破棄されています」という西区と似たような対応ぶり。悲しいけれどまぁしょうがない。
 一方で先般直接訪問していた「神石高原町」からは、2件の申請のウチ1件についてきわめて詳細な情報内容が寄せられて、アタマがクラクラするほどに紙面とにらめっこ状態に突入しています(笑)。昔人とはいえ、家系の関連人物なのでしっかり「個人情報」に配慮しながら、実相を探っているところ。
 という進展の中で、申請への「費用支払い」についても公的機関らしいマジメそのものの精算ぶりが送られてきました。写真は、お願いした作業が進まなかったことで「返金処理」されて送付されてきた「定額小為替」。
 これはなぜか「上限金額」が1,000円に設定されていて、その1シートごとに200円の手数料が掛かる。これは1,000円券ですが、最低は50円設定なので、手数料の方が高くなると言うナゾの制度設計。
 今回の返金にあたっては250円の残額が発生したのですが、さすが「公的機関」としての信頼性を最優先して200円額面の「定額小為替」と「切手」が帰ってきていた。さすがに50円はムダということなのでしょう(笑)。あ、どちらの自治体とは特定いたしません・・・。
 しかし、日本の「戸籍制度」のマジメな運用ぶりには、まことに脱帽の思い。
 今後の「家系史探索」にあたってはいよいよ、寺院の過去帳という最後の砦に突入するしかなくなった。まぁ一部ではすでに行ってきているのですが、同和差別などの問題もあって、なかなか門戸は鎖されているのが実態。まぁわが家系に残されている「文書類」の整理整頓が中心になってきます。
 さて、アタマがクラクラする難問に、日本人としてはかなり「マジメさ」の点において劣位と思えるわたしも、肝を固めて向かい合うしかない、と思っております。う〜む。

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English version⬇

[“Fixed-Amount Money Order” for Paying Fees for “Family Register Copies” from Remote Municipalities]
I’d never heard of this kind of “money order” before, but it came back to me as a refund for a payment made on a request that didn’t go through. I’m taking a good, long look at it…

 Last week, I submitted requests for “certified copies of family registers” to two municipalities in my hometown in Hiroshima Prefecture, and I received responses yesterday. In one case, the Nishi Ward Office in Sapporo flatly rejected my request, stating, “The retention period has expired, so it’s impossible,” without any further discussion.
 As for the replies I received yesterday, the response from the larger city of “Fukuyama City” was similar to that of Nishi Ward: “The retention period has expired, and the records have been destroyed.” It’s sad, but I suppose there’s nothing to be done about it.
On the other hand, from “Jinsekikogen Town”—which I had visited in person recently—I received extremely detailed information regarding one of the two applications, and I’ve been poring over the documents to the point where my head is spinning (laughs). Even though these are people from the past, they’re related to my family line, so I’m carefully investigating the facts while being mindful of “personal information.”
Amid these developments, I also received a settlement notice regarding the “payment of fees” for the requests—a document that exemplifies the serious, by-the-book approach typical of a public agency. The photo shows the “fixed-amount postal money order” that was sent to me as a “refund” because the requested work didn’t proceed.
For some reason, the “maximum amount” is set at 1,000 yen, and a 200-yen handling fee applies to each sheet. This is a 1,000-yen voucher, but since the minimum denomination is set at 50 yen, the fee ends up being higher—a rather puzzling system design.
 This refund left a balance of 250 yen, but true to form—prioritizing the credibility of a “public institution” above all else—I received a 200-yen “fixed-amount postal money order” and “stamps” in return. I suppose they figured 50 yen would be a waste (laughs). Oh, and I won’t specify which municipality this was…
 However, I truly take my hat off to the meticulous way Japan’s “family registry system” is administered.
 For my future “family history research,” I’ve finally reached the point where I have no choice but to storm the last bastion: the temple’s death records. Well, I’ve already visited some of them, but due to issues like discrimination against the Burakumin, the reality is that the doors are often firmly locked. So, my main focus will be on organizing and cataloging the “documents” preserved in my family’s archives.
 Well, faced with this dizzying conundrum, even I—who, as a Japanese person, feel I’m at a disadvantage in terms of “diligence”—have no choice but to steel myself and confront it head-on. Hmm…

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

【家系の「文書類」をデジタル保存・整理作業】


 写真は、わたしを1代と数えた5代前で、明治維新直前の江戸末期を生きた先祖「三木文蔵」の葬儀記録帳の最後のページ。
 当主の葬儀にあたってその生きた人的交流の実相が表現される葬儀記録は伝統的記録表現。家系史〜ひいてはその生きた時代相を理解するのに最適な記録になります。わが家ではこの記録帳の「傷み」が心配されたので、広島県立文書館の西向先生に依頼して内容を精査いただき、先生からも江戸末期の地域社会や経済、人間関係を考えるうえでも有益な資料との評価をいただきました。
 この資料を含め、いま「本家」筋の長兄の家からわたしに譲受された史的資料類をデジカメ撮影して電子形態で保存し、さらにこの機会に時代順に整理整頓して、年代ごとに仕分けして「三木家文書」としてアーカイブ保存させようという計画。こうした記録類がデジタル化される意義は大きい。今後、WEB上に保存させるなどの手段を通して「一族共通の史的資産」として活用可能になる。
 次兄がまとめてきてくれた一族の「足取り」の通史をさらに発展させて、いまを生きる一族にとって貴重な先祖の「人生体験記憶」をなまなましく活用出来るようにさせたい。人間は親がいなければこの世に存在しない。けっして「自分ひとり」だけの命ではない。
 過去を生きた先人の足取りから「学べる」ことは非常に大きいと思う。
 因果は応報し輪廻する。未来を生きるいのちに少しでも役立てられれば、という願い。
 今を生きている自分としては、その「基礎工事」的な心境で、謹んでこのアーカイブ化をジミジミと取り組んでいます。その基礎工事のさらに基礎、みたいな作業を始めたところ。
 そして自分たちの世代もまた未来にとってはひとつの「過去生」として見えてくるでしょう。自分たち自身の「歩み」に対してのクールダウンした見方も獲得できてくる可能性がある。
 こういう新しいタイプの「歴史資料蓄積」は、歴史好きの日本人に取っても新領域として浮かび上がってくる可能性も高い。いつまでも「信長だ秀吉だ家康だ」ばかりが日本人の歴史興味ではないだろうと思うのです。さまざまな「家系」が複雑に絡み合い日本人の歴史は紡がれてきた。このような「家系史アーカイブ」が基盤を形成するようになる「未来」。・・・あり得るのでは?

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English version⬇

[Digitizing and Organizing Family “Documents”]
A process of permanently preserving the vivid traces of our ancestors’ lives and passing on the true story to future generations. An archive for “living better.” …

 The photograph shows the final page of the funeral record book for my ancestor “Miki Bunzo,” who lived during the late Edo period just before the Meiji Restoration—five generations back, counting me as the first generation.
 Funeral records, which capture the true nature of a person’s social interactions during their lifetime, are a traditional form of documentation. They are the ideal records for understanding family history—and, by extension, the social conditions of the era in which they lived. In our family, we were concerned about the “deterioration” of this record book, so we asked Professor Nishimuki at the Hiroshima Prefectural Archives to carefully examine its contents. He confirmed that it is a valuable resource for analyzing the regional socio-economic conditions of Hiroshima Prefecture during the late Edo period.
 Including this document, I plan to photograph the historical materials recently transferred to me from the home of the eldest brother of the “main branch” of the family using a digital camera and preserve them in electronic form. Furthermore, I intend to take this opportunity to organize and arrange them chronologically, sorting them by era, and archive them as the “Miki Family Documents.” The significance of digitizing such records is immense. In the future, through means such as storing them online, they will become usable as “historical assets shared by the entire clan.”
 I wish to further develop the comprehensive history of our clan’s “journey”—which my second-eldest brother has compiled—so that we, as the living members of the clan today, can vividly draw upon the “memories of our ancestors’ life experiences.” Without our parents, we would not exist in this world. Our lives are by no means our own alone.
 I believe there is much we can “learn” from the footsteps of our forebears who lived in the past.
 Cause and effect bring about retribution and the cycle of reincarnation. My hope is that this will be of even the slightest help to the lives that will live in the future.
 As someone living in the present, I am humbly and steadily working on this archiving project with a mindset akin to laying “foundation work.” I have just begun work that serves as the very foundation of that foundation work.
 And our own generation, too, will likely come to be seen as a “past life” for the future. There is a possibility that we will also gain a more detached perspective on our own “journey.”
 This new type of “historical record accumulation” is highly likely to emerge as a new frontier even for history-loving Japanese people. I don’t think Japanese interest in history will forever revolve solely around “Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu.” Japanese history has been woven from the complex intertwining of various “family lineages.” A “future” in which such “family history archives” form the foundation… Could that be possible?

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

 

【詐欺電話が掛かってきた! 即、警察に通報】


 昨日は一昨日からのつづきで家族兄弟からの「先祖探索」についての打合せ会議。
 これからの人口減少局面で「いのちの繋がり」をいかに可視化させ子孫に伝えていくか、その方法論と実相のピント合わせを継続的に熱論。次兄とたっぷり3時間ほど打ち合わせ脳味噌も熱を帯びたような状態。あれこれと探索の糸を巡らせていた時間。
 ケータイに着信音。兄弟間で活発に連絡を取り合っている最中だったので即通話モードに。すると、
 「アナタのクレジットカードが、不正利用されている可能性があり、現在利用を停止させています。」というようなアラートから入ってきた電話。咄嗟のことで、通話を続けた。そうしたら案の定クレジットカードの会社名を騙ってこちらの口座番号を問いただしてくる。
 これは・・・間違いなく「詐欺電話」と確信するに至った。
 そこで「オマエの会社の住所を教えろ。間違いなく詐欺だと思うので警察に通報してやるから情報開示しろ」と命令して対応した。「郵便番号から言え」という当方に対して、あきらかに急遽調べはじめたような音声が聞こえて、最初はまったく違う郵便番号を答えてきた。そしてその後「あ、先ほどの番号は実は違いました。ただしくは・・・」と郵便番号を修正までしてきた。さらに「オマエの会社の正式名は?」という質問に対してあるクレジット会社の社名を名乗ったが「まえ(株)か、あと(株)どっちだ?」に対しても最初は言い間違えて、その直後に修正してきた。「自分の会社の正式名を間違えるオマエは、間違いなく詐欺師だな?わかった、すぐに警察に通報するから部署名も教えろ」「はい」と答えてからしばし考えてから「不正<検知>システム課です」という答え。思わずホンネかもなぁ。
 ということで、警察に通報するからと再度キッパリ言って電話を切った。
 そこからすぐに警察庁のHPの詐欺対策ページ「通報先」を確認し、その電話番号などを通報させていただきました。詐欺師の電話番号は「+1」から始まる海外発信のもの。まぁ転々と変えているだろうから追跡は困難でしょうが。
 電話番号は会社として公開している以上、こういう接触自体は完全には避けられない。今回はつい詐欺師との問答を続けてしまったけれど(笑)、警察庁によれば、+から始まる知らない国際電話には出ないのが第一。出てしまっても個人情報は一切伝えず、即座に切る。どうやらそれが、いちばん確実な「撃退法」のようです。

<画像は警察庁のHPより>

●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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https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇

[I Got a Scam Call! Reported It to the Police Immediately]
I received a scam call right after a lively meeting. I responded by saying, “I’ll report this to the police right away.” The number started with “+1.” When I looked it up, I found that the National Police Agency had also issued a strong warning about phone scams. …

 Yesterday, continuing from the day before, I had a planning meeting with my family and siblings about our “ancestor search.”
 We engaged in a passionate, ongoing discussion about how to visualize the “bonds of life” and pass them on to future generations amid the coming population decline—specifically, aligning our methodology with the reality of the situation. I met with my second-oldest brother for a full three hours or so, and my brain felt like it was on fire. It was a time spent weaving together various threads of our search.
 My cell phone rang. Since we were in the middle of actively communicating with each other, I immediately answered the call. Then,
 the call began with an alert stating something like, “Your credit card may have been used fraudulently, so we have temporarily suspended its use.” It happened so suddenly that I kept the call going. Sure enough, the caller impersonated the credit card company and demanded my account number.
 At that point, I was absolutely certain this was a “scam call.”
So I responded by demanding, “Give me your company’s address. I’m convinced this is a scam, so I’m going to report it to the police—disclose your information.” When I told them, “Start with the ZIP code,” I could hear them clearly scrambling to look it up on the spot, and at first, they gave me a completely different ZIP code. Then they said, “Oh, that number I gave you earlier was actually wrong. The correct one is…” and even went so far as to correct the ZIP code. Furthermore, when I asked, “What’s the official name of your company?” they gave the name of a certain credit card company, but when I pressed, “Is it ‘Mae Co., Ltd.’ or ‘Ato Co., Ltd.’?” they initially got it wrong and corrected themselves immediately afterward. “You, who can’t even get your own company’s official name right, are definitely a scammer, aren’t you? All right, I’m going to report this to the police right away, so tell me your department name.” After answering “Yes,” they paused for a moment and replied, “Fraud Systems Division.” I couldn’t help but think, “Maybe they’re actually telling the truth.”
So, I firmly told them once again that I was going to report this to the police and hung up.
 Right after that, I checked the “Where to Report” section on the National Police Agency’s anti-fraud webpage and reported the phone number and other details. The scammer’s number was an international call starting with “+1.” Well, since they’re probably changing numbers constantly, it’ll be difficult to track them down.
Since the company’s phone number is publicly listed, this kind of contact is impossible to avoid entirely. This time, I ended up continuing the back-and-forth with the scammer (laughs), but according to the National Police Agency, the first rule is to never answer unknown international calls starting with “+.” Even if you do answer, do not disclose any personal information and hang up immediately. Apparently, that’s the most reliable way to fend them off.

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

 

【家系の縁が群れをなして迫ってくる「気配」(笑)】


 友人関係の「人生の相棒」たちとの年に一度の結集の機会が終わった。
 ということで、少し疲れを感じていたので日帰り温泉でどっぷりと脳味噌まで浸かっていたいと思って、クルマを走らせて出発したら、ものの数分でケータイが鳴ってしまった。
 やむなく安全地帯に駐車してケータイに出たら、三兄からの電話。で、そこから約1時間、先日の法要の時に渡していた祖母の「戸籍謄本」についての疑問をぶつけられていた。
 現代日本人にとって、明治以降に制度整備された「戸籍制度」はまことに信頼に足る民族の記録資産。非常に誠意に満ちた制度設計で、日本人のマジメさが極限的に生きている制度だと思います。そういう信頼に足る記録にあった、祖母とその母親という直系尊属について、表記された事実関係に多くの「?」があふれている。
 信頼できる事実記録の「背景事情」については、輻輳する社会状況を冷静に汲み取っていきながら、流れとしての「整合性」を組み立てていかなければならない。断片的な記録内容は正確だという前提に立つと、想像力を最大化させないと「腑に落ちてこない」ことがあり得る。
 そういう類いの疑問点を、わたしにぶつけられてくるのです。
 わたし自身もまだ、腑に落ちているワケではないので、ひとつの「壁打ち」機会と思い、いっしょに考えた。
 それはそれで「筋道の確立」には大いに役立つ機会ではあるので、説明しつつ、戸籍記録についての整合的解釈を、一生懸命に共同作業していた。・・・
 で、ようやく話にある「頓悟」感が出て電話を切ったら、即座に長兄からの電話着信。たぶん長電話中に何回か電話されていたのかもと思いつつ、午後にわが家に来るという展開になった。
 という流れで、やむなく「脳味噌ドップリ」チャンスは霧のようにあわく消えていった。
 長兄との会話でも、写真にあるようなご先祖様の「行動履歴」証拠物などから見えてくる「実相」について、これも「壁打ち」的な会話に終始。
 次兄から渡されたたくさんの資料類に加えて、長兄の家からも先祖からの「伝承品」一切がわたしのところに集積してきているので、自然とひとつずつ丹念に「腑に落とす」作業を迫られている次第。
 「オイオイ、これも幕末期かよ〜。え、房吉?恭平?」であります。
 しかし、格好の「脳活」機会ではある。・・・どこまで続くのかこの道は?

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English version⬇

[The “presence” of family ties swarming toward me (lol)]
When researching your family history, once you suddenly realize a certain pattern, new questions start popping up one after another like clouds in the sky. I’ll face them calmly and patiently! …

 My annual get-together with my “life partners”—my close friends—has come to an end.
 Since I was feeling a bit tired, I decided to head to a day-trip hot spring to soak thoroughly—right down to my brain—so I got in the car and set off, only to have my cell phone ring just a few minutes later.
I had no choice but to pull over to a safe spot and answer the call—it was my third older brother. From there, for about an hour, he bombarded me with questions about the “certified copy of the family register” for our grandmother that I’d handed over at the memorial service the other day.
 For modern Japanese people, the “family register system”—established and refined since the Meiji era—is a truly reliable national record. I believe it is a system designed with great sincerity, one that embodies the Japanese sense of diligence to the utmost. Yet, in these trustworthy records, the facts listed regarding my grandmother and her mother—my direct lineal ancestors—are riddled with “?” marks.
 When it comes to the “background circumstances” of these reliable factual records, we must calmly take into account the complex social context of the time and piece together the “coherence” of the narrative as a whole. If we assume that the fragmentary records are accurate, there may be instances where things simply “don’t make sense” unless we exercise our imagination to the fullest.
 It is precisely these kinds of questions that people bring to me.
Since I myself haven’t fully come to terms with it yet either, I treated it as an opportunity to “bounce ideas off someone” and we thought it through together.
Since this is, in its own way, a very helpful opportunity for “establishing a logical framework,” I worked hard with him to collaboratively develop a coherent interpretation of the family register records while explaining my reasoning. …
Then, just as I finally felt that sense of “epiphany” we’d been talking about and hung up the phone, I immediately received a call from my eldest brother. I suspected he might have called several times while I was on that long phone call, and it turned out he was coming over to my house that afternoon.
As a result, my much-anticipated chance to “dive headfirst into deep thought” vanished like mist.
 Even in my conversation with my eldest brother, we ended up having yet another back-and-forth discussion about the “true nature” revealed by evidence of our ancestors’ “activity histories,” as seen in the photos.
 In addition to the many documents handed over by my second-eldest brother, all the “heirlooms” passed down from our ancestors at my eldest brother’s house have also been accumulating at my place, so I’m naturally being forced to painstakingly “make sense of” each one, one by one.
 “Whoa, wait—is this from the Bakumatsu period too? Huh, Fusakichi? Kyōhei?” is my reaction.
 Still, it’s a perfect opportunity to “exercise my brain.” …Just how far will this path lead?

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

【高校「同期」の仲間〜人生の相棒たちとの時間】


 個人的に一昨日・昨日と「家族」「友人関係」の濃密時間でした。
 こういう時間はもうちょっと時間差があった方がラクなのですが、まぁしょうがない。高校同期の仲間内では仕事生活からの「流れ」もあって、Facebook上での交流についての「管理者・記録者」の役を賜っているので、会場の様子などの写真撮影者の役目も果たしておりました。大量に取得した写真類を整理整頓して、これからアップロードする必要もあります。
 一昨日のゴルフ大会については家族の法事と重なったのでやむなく参加を取りやめ。ずいぶんとあれこれ「引きずりだし」の動きを受け止めてもいました(笑)。しかしまぁ亡父の法事はわたし的には最優先事項。友人たちの気持ちには感謝しつつ、受け流していました。その代わり、昨日は事前の麻雀大会から参加。20人参加中、第5位と実力のほんの一端を披露することができました(ドヤ)。


 札幌人ですが、やはり市内中心部に公共交通機関を利用して移動するのは、滅多にない。
 どうせ日中からお酒が入り続けることから地下鉄を利用しての行動。普段の散歩はすこし抑えめにしていましたが、昨日2次会を終わって帰ってきての総歩数は1.7万歩超え。さすがに若干の「疲労感」。
 この同期会(わたしは1年休学しているので、ホントの卒業同期ではないけれど)は、ながく人生時間の句読点として機能してきている。まことに「人生の相棒」感が積層してくる。
 現代人は仕事関係の付き合いとまったく違う人間関係が、このようなカタチで存続してきているのでしょうね。昔人はこのような人間同士としての「交流・つきあい」をどのように工夫してきたのか。たぶんそうしたものが、地域の寺社などでの祭事などに見出しうるのかも知れないし、また「茶会」などの機会もそうであったかも知れない。日本社会の中でのこういう「同窓会文化」というものも、そろそろその機能性・果たしている役割についての「解析」もする必要があるでしょうね。
 血縁ともある程度通じるような「人縁」なのだろうと思えます。結局昨日は、10時間以上「飲み続け」という禁酒生活の普段からは考えられないほどの飲酒量。しかし、不思議なほどの爽快感で目覚めておりました。人生の相棒たちとの伴走感に感謝であります。

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English version⬇
 
[High School “Classmates”—Time Spent with My Life Partners]
From a mahjong tournament to a lively drinking party. My mind naturally fills with positivity and a sense of harmony. This might be a form of “lifestyle culture” that the modern era has brought about—one worth analyzing. …

 Personally, the day before yesterday and yesterday were filled with meaningful time spent with “family” and “friends.”
 It would be easier if these kinds of events were spaced out a bit more, but oh well—it can’t be helped. Among my high school classmates, partly due to the “flow” of our work lives, I’ve been entrusted with the role of “administrator and chronicler” for our Facebook interactions, so I also served as the photographer, capturing the atmosphere at the venue. I still need to organize the massive number of photos I took and upload them.
 As for the golf tournament the day before yesterday, it overlapped with a family memorial service, so I had no choice but to cancel my participation. I did have to deal with quite a bit of pressure from people trying to “drag me out” (laughs). But for me, my late father’s memorial service was the top priority. While I appreciated my friends’ feelings, I just let it slide. Instead, yesterday I joined the mahjong tournament right from the start. Out of 20 participants, I came in 5th place and was able to show just a glimpse of my skills (smug).

 I’m from Sapporo, but I still rarely use public transportation to get around the city center.
Since I’d been drinking steadily since the afternoon anyway, I ended up taking the subway. I’d been keeping my usual walks a bit shorter, but after coming home from the after-party yesterday, my total step count exceeded 17,000. Naturally, I’m feeling a bit “tired.”
 This class reunion (though I took a year off, so I’m not actually part of the same graduating class) has long served as a punctuation mark in the timeline of my life. The sense of them being my “life partners” has really deepened over time.
 I suppose this is how modern people maintain relationships that are completely different from work-related ones—in this kind of way. I wonder how people in the past managed to foster this kind of “interaction and companionship” between individuals. Perhaps we can find examples of this in local festivals held at temples and shrines, or in occasions like “tea ceremonies.” It’s probably time to “analyze” the functionality and role that this “class reunion culture” plays within Japanese society.
 I think it’s a kind of “human bond” that shares some similarities with blood ties. In the end, yesterday I “kept drinking” for over 10 hours—an amount of alcohol that would be unthinkable in my usual life of abstinence. Yet, I woke up feeling strangely refreshed. I am grateful for the sense of companionship I share with my lifelong partners.

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

【家制度、墓制システムはどうなっていくのか?】


 個人ごとながら、昨日は46年目になった亡父の回忌で檀家寺から住職も来てくれての法要。
 父は大正元年に産まれ祖父の末っ子として育ち、兄たちが相次いで家を離れた結果、家の経済的成り立ちを支え続けた人生。「小作」としての農地を祖父から受け継いだけれど、盛んに商品性の高い作物農業に邁進して、地域では「農業試験場」とまで言われ、それらの多くを成功させて基盤を固め、戦後の「農地解放」によって即座に地域のトップ自作農家になっていった。その後、より広い経済マーケットで自分を試したくなって札幌に徒手空拳で進出して、食品製造業で地歩を固めて行った。
 ・・・というような来歴なのですが、その父が亡くなってからすでに半世紀近く。
 そういう父なので、わたしたち子ども世代は篤く弔う気持ちを持ち続けてきた。毎年必ず命日の法要を行い続けてきています。親への感謝は人間の基本。
 わたしたち兄弟くらいの世代ではこういう「家意識」は基底的で「もっとも優先すべき規範」というものなのですが、さて、こういう認識は今後の日本社会で「安定的」か、という大テーマであります。
 次兄から「家系史探索」のバトンタッチを受けてから、こうした「家」制度を尊重してきたのが日本社会の歴史的実相であることをまざまざと「深掘り探訪」してきていますが、しかし現代社会は必ずしもこういう先祖・家系意識に積極的・肯定的とは言えないと思う。
 むしろ「個人主義」が基調の社会であって、家制度、さらには寺院などに表出する「先祖意識」というもの、さらに墓制そのものも大きく揺らぎはじめている。わが家は札幌市の里塚霊園に墓域を持っていますが、周辺のお墓がどんどんとというか今や急激に「墓仕舞い」の趨勢になってきている。僧侶と話していても、ひしひしとそういう趨勢は感じさせられるという証言。
 この問題には少子化社会の進行と、そのなかでの先祖供養の負担感が逼迫してきていることを表しているのだろうと思います。家族意識というものも大きく変容してきている。しかし、日本社会はこれまでも多くの「ルネサンス」を何度も経験してきている。
 この問題がどういう未来になっていくのか、注視していく必要がありますね。

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English version⬇

[What Will Happen to the Family System and the Burial System?]
The “family system” has long been the highest value in Japanese society. It is now being severely shaken by the declining birthrate and the rise of individualism. So, what will tomorrow bring? …

 On a personal note, yesterday marked the 46th anniversary of my late father’s passing, and the head priest from our family temple came to conduct a memorial service.
 My father was born in the first year of the Taisho era and grew up as my grandfather’s youngest son. As his older brothers left home one after another, he spent his life sustaining the family’s financial stability. Although he inherited farmland from my grandfather as a “tenant farmer,” he threw himself wholeheartedly into growing high-value commercial crops. He became so renowned in the region that people even called his farm an “agricultural experiment station.” By successfully cultivating many of these crops, he solidified his foundation and, following the postwar “agricultural land reform,” immediately rose to become the region’s leading independent farmer. Later, wanting to test himself in a broader economic market, he ventured to Sapporo with nothing but the clothes on his back and gradually established a foothold in the food manufacturing industry.
 …That is the story of his life, and it has already been nearly half a century since my father passed away.
Given who he was, we, his children, have continued to hold a deep sense of reverence for him. We have continued to hold a memorial service on the anniversary of his death every single year. Gratitude toward one’s parents is a fundamental human value.
 For our generation—my siblings and I—this sense of “family” is fundamental and represents the “highest priority norm.” However, whether this mindset will remain “stable” in future Japanese society is a major question.
 Since taking over the baton of “family history research” from my second-eldest brother, I have been conducting in-depth investigations that have vividly revealed how respecting this “family” system has been a historical reality of Japanese society. However, I do not believe modern society is necessarily positive or supportive of this sense of ancestry and family lineage.
 Rather, it is a society rooted in “individualism,” and the “family system,” the “awareness of ancestors” manifested in temples and other institutions, and even the grave system itself are beginning to waver significantly. My family owns a plot at Satotsuka Cemetery in Sapporo, but the graves around us are increasingly—or rather, rapidly—being abandoned. Even when speaking with Buddhist priests, they attest to a palpable sense of this trend.
 I believe this issue reflects the progression of a low-birthrate society and the growing burden of honoring ancestors within that context. The concept of family is also undergoing significant transformation. However, Japanese society has experienced many “renaissances” throughout its history.
We need to keep a close eye on how this issue will unfold in the future.

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

【令和のコメ騒動の現在状況】


 どうも生活密着的な話題が続いておりますが、本日もその極地。
 昨年勃発した令和のコメ騒動で、大幅に値上がりしたコメ価格。今年になって大きく状況が変化してきた。写真は一昨日のあるスーパー店頭・コメ売り場のコーナー。先日までは首都圏発の情報で「5kg/2,000円を切る」という報道がありましたが、その価格が北海道の札幌でも目に見えてきた様子。
 報道ではことし令和8年産のコメは価格低下の趨勢とのこと。ヘタをすると古米よりも新米の方が価格が安くなるという曲面もあり得るという。もしそういった趨勢に流れていくとすれば、急激な価格上昇で一説では250%の上昇と言われ市中在庫が極端に減少していたものが、大変化することになる。
 主食であるコメですが、昨年来の価格上昇から一般人は右往左往せずに、パンや麺類などに食生活を多様化させて「市場混乱」への耐性を涵養してきていることが浮かび上がって来ている。
 一転して価格が急低下したとしても、だから争って購入するという心理ではないように思う。
 やはり主食の「多様化」で柔軟に対応してきた日本人一般大衆は、耐性を獲得したということでしょう。
 さて、でありますね。
 やはり流通曲面での価格吊り上げ作用が強烈で、そのことにユーザー側から「天罰」を下そうとする状況のように思えている。さまざまな理由からの「物価高」の曲面で「コメだけはどうして上がらないのか」という業界構造全体の焦りにも似た心理が、この令和のコメ騒動の実相だったようにも思える。
 国民一般からの「天罰」はまだまだ継続するのではないか。パンや麺類へのシフトは、それほどの違和感ではなく、そうなってみればそれほどいごこちは悪くない。
 流通側からの反応ではさっそくに「農家が意欲を無くす」のでかわいそう、みたいなキャンペーンの流れを感じるけれど、ユーザー側からすると「はは〜ん、案の定、その作戦かい」という心理がまだ強く存在する。
 わが家は、知人の農家からの直接購入。もうすぐの新米購入にあたっては、あくまでも個人としての信頼関係を最重視して案分を調整していきたいなと考えています。人間最優先。

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English version⬇

[The Current State of the Reiwa Rice Crisis]
The rice crisis, which saw prices surge by as much as 250% at one point, has taken a sharp turn, with prices now falling below 2,000 yen per 5 kg—a new low. Where will the public’s quiet anger over speculation on this staple food lead? …

 It seems I’ve been covering topics closely tied to daily life lately, and today’s post takes that to the extreme.
 Rice prices skyrocketed during the “Reiwa Rice Crisis” that erupted last year. However, the situation has changed significantly this year. The photo shows the rice section at a supermarket the day before yesterday. Until recently, reports from the Tokyo metropolitan area indicated that prices had fallen “below 2,000 yen per 5 kg,” and it appears those prices are now becoming visible even in Sapporo, Hokkaido.
 According to reports, prices for this year’s Reiwa 8 rice crop are trending downward. There’s even a possibility that new rice could end up cheaper than old rice. If this trend continues, it will mark a major shift from the situation earlier this year, when prices skyrocketed—some estimates put the increase at 250%—and market inventories dwindled drastically.
 Rice is a staple food, but it has become apparent that, in response to the price hikes since last year, the general public has not panicked but has instead diversified their diets to include bread and noodles, thereby building resilience against “market turmoil.”
 Even if prices were to plummet suddenly, I don’t think there would be a rush to buy.
 It seems the general Japanese public, having adapted flexibly through the “diversification” of their staple foods, has indeed developed this resilience.
 Well, that’s the situation, isn’t it?
It seems the price-gouging effects within the distribution chain were intense, and consumers are now seeking to mete out “divine retribution” for this. Amid the “high prices” driven by various factors, the underlying reality of this Reiwa-era rice uproar appears to have been a sense of anxiety—almost akin to panic—across the entire industry, stemming from the question, “Why is rice the only thing that isn’t going up?”
 I suspect this “divine retribution” from the general public will continue for some time. Shifting to bread and noodles doesn’t feel all that strange, and once you get used to it, it’s actually not so bad.
 I sense a campaign emerging from the distribution side, quickly claiming, “It’s a pity because farmers will lose their motivation,” but from the consumer’s perspective, the mindset of “Aha, just as I thought—so that’s the strategy” remains strong.
 My family buys directly from a farmer we know. As we prepare to purchase the new rice harvest soon, I intend to adjust our order based strictly on our personal relationship of trust. People come first.

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

【街のスーパーが取り組む「子ども俳句」文学界(笑)】



 さて昨日の「こどもウォッチ」篇の続篇。
 あるスーパー〜宣伝になるので名は秘します(笑)〜に行くとときどきウットリと見てしまうコーナーがこちらの写真です。わたしは歩数をしっかり確保するために「歩いて」買い物をする機会も増えてきています。そういうなかですっかり「独自食品」を使った集客作戦の店舗に通わされている。
 格安カツ丼といえばだいたい察しはつくと思いますが、わたし的にはあのズッシリと重い「ぼた餅」に中毒化してしまって、一時期はヤバいことになっていた。いまは健康のために(泣く泣く)取りやめていますが、そのうち復活するかも知れません(笑)。
 で、そんな現金の要らない最新カートが走る店舗の片隅で、この「短冊」コーナーを発見し、いまや子どもたちの「文芸」を堪能させてもらうのが密かな贅沢になっている次第。「スーペイで スーッとペイペイ」う〜む。現代のキャッシュレスの波を、子どもたちは見事な五七五のリズムで乗りこなしている。昨日は赤くマーキングした秀作も発見した。「ぞくぞくと てんさい 現る 俳句かな」思わず、心の中で膝を打ってしまった。
 子どもたちにこういう機会を提供することはユニークな試み。子どもたちも良くしたもので、前述のような広告寸前の俳句なども散見される。また、店舗にとって不都合な俳句は削除されることもあるかも知れない。
 そういった制約条件は理解した上で、やはりこういう試行は興味深い。こどもたちの才能が磨かれていくきっかけになるかも知れない。すくなくとも一生懸命に文字で、自分の思ったことを表現する、そしてそれが多くの人の目に止まるという「コミュニケーション」の場というのはいいと思う。
 なんとか、自分で考えて「苦吟」してコトバを創造している様子を思うと、微笑ましい。
 わたしは、時間にゆとりがあって散歩での疲労を小休止させるタイミングで観察させてもらっている。
 やはり日本文化のなかで「俳句・短歌」というのはきわめてオリジナリティがある。短文でありながら、そのときの自分の心理を普遍的なコトバで表せる。長編文学とか物語ものに偏重するのが一般的だけれど、こういうこどもたちにも取り組める「文芸機会」というのはすばらしい。
 どうも「ぼた餅」以上に数寄にハマってしまっている(笑)。

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English version⬇

[“Kids’ Haiku” at a Local Supermarket—The Literary World (lol)]
Today, I’d like to talk about a unique communication strategy at a store that serves as a stopping point on my walks. “So that’s how they did it!” is my reaction…

 Now, here’s the sequel to yesterday’s “Kids Watch” post.
When I go to a certain supermarket—I’ll keep the name a secret so I don’t give them free publicity (lol)—there’s a section I sometimes find myself gazing at in awe, as shown in this photo. I’ve been “walking” to the store more often these days to make sure I get my daily step count. Because of that, I’ve completely gotten hooked on stores that use “unique food items” as a marketing strategy to draw in customers.
 You can probably guess what I’m talking about when I mention cheap katsu-don, but personally, I became addicted to those heavy, dense “botamochi,” and for a while, things got pretty out of hand. I’ve given them up (reluctantly) for the sake of my health, but I might make a comeback someday (lol). Anyway, in a corner of one of these high-tech, ultra-cheap stores where the latest cashless shopping carts zip around, I discovered this “strip of paper” corner, and now, savoring the children’s “literary works” has become my secret luxury. Take a look. “With SuPay, pay with PayPay.” The kids are masterfully riding the wave of the modern cashless era with a splendid 5-7-5 rhythm. Yesterday, I finally discovered a masterpiece marked in red. “One after another, geniuses appear—is this a haiku?” I couldn’t help but applaud silently in my heart.
Providing children with opportunities like this is a unique endeavor. The kids are doing a great job, too; you can even spot haiku here and there that are practically advertisements for the store. It’s also possible that haiku deemed inconvenient for the store might get deleted.
Even with those constraints in mind, this kind of experiment is still fascinating. It might serve as a catalyst for honing the children’s talents. At the very least, I think it’s a wonderful form of “communication”—a space where they try their hardest to express their thoughts through writing, and where those words catch the eyes of many people.
It’s heartwarming to imagine them thinking for themselves, “struggling over every word,” and creating their own expressions.
I’ve been observing this whenever I have some free time and take a short break from my walk to rest my tired legs.
 Indeed, within Japanese culture, “haiku and tanka” possess a unique originality. Though they are short forms, they allow one to express one’s current state of mind using universal language. While there’s a general tendency to focus on long-form literature and narrative works, it’s wonderful to have “literary opportunities” like this that even children can engage with.
It seems I’ve become even more hooked on this “suki” than I am on “botamochi” (laughs).

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

【孫が生まれ、まちの「こどもたち」が違って見えてきた】


 人間もながく生きてくると、その局面局面で「ものの見方」に大きな異変を感じるようになる。
 ついこの間まで、ごく当たり前になにも感じなかった光景が、深い印象を伴ってくる。
 わが家の周辺は中学校の校庭が目の前に広がり、またすぐ近くには保育園もあって、その子どもたちが「散歩」に連れられて目の前を通って行く。さらに、300-400mの近隣には小学校もあって、とにかくいろいろな年齢差の「こどもたち」の姿には日常的に接している。
 なので、いちいち「思いを持つ」ことはごく少なかったし、なにより日常的なビジネスに忙殺されていて、そういったゆとり心理は、セーブせざるを得なかったのかも知れない。
 そういうわたしでしたが、孫という存在が出現して以来、こどもたちの姿を見る度に「今度、あなたたちの仲間に入れて上げてね」という声なき声が身体の中から湧き上がってきて仕方ない(笑)。
 とくに孫を前向きに抱っこしていたりすると、孫と同じ目線が強く意識されるのか、ついついこどもたちに声を掛けたりまでしてしまう。まぁ、声掛けされた中学生・小学生のこどもたちも、ジジバカだなぁという認識を持ってくれて、ほとんどが微笑み返してきてくれる。率直にうれしい。
 そんなコミュニケーションを意識するようになると、孫を抱いていなくても、こどもたちの遊ぶ姿に強い親和感が湧いてきて、その心理を思い浮かべていたりする。「おお、オモシロそうな遊びをしているなぁ」。
 写真は近隣の小さな公園のブランコなどの遊具で5−6人の子どもたちが遊んでいた光景。
 これまではごく自然なまちの景色としか思わなかったものが、こどもたち社会のやり取りの様子までが、「響いてくる」ようで、遠景ながら立ち止まったりしてしまう。
 まぁ単純に真正な「ジジバカ」が出現した、ということなのでしょう(笑)。
 しかし、こういう心理変容はなつかしく、うれしい。目の前で遊んでいるこどもたちを、わたしが「未来」として見ているからだろうか。
 そうなってくると、やはり人間社会の未来の幸多かれ、よき世界をと願う心理が強くなってくる。他責的にひとを責めたり攻撃したり、という思いには違和感を感じさせられてくるもの。
 考えて見れば高校生の頃、他責的「活動家」だった過去があるのに(笑)。家系史探究といういま現在のワークとも関連する心理なのかなぁ。・・・

●お知らせ
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English version⬇

[With the Birth of My Grandchild, the “Children” in My Town Have Begun to Look Different to Me]
The desire to view the world in a more positive light and think with an eye toward the future. Could this be a byproduct of the quest to follow in the footsteps of our predecessors? …

 As people live longer, they begin to sense significant shifts in their “perspective” at each stage of life.
 Scenes that, until just the other day, seemed perfectly ordinary and left me feeling nothing at all now leave a deep impression.
 Right in front of my house lies a junior high school playground, and there’s a daycare center very close by as well, so children from there are often taken on “walks” that take them right past my house. Furthermore, there’s an elementary school within 300–400 meters, so I’m constantly encountering “children” of all different ages in my daily life.
 So, I rarely gave them a second thought, and above all, I was swamped with my daily business—perhaps I simply had no choice but to put that kind of emotional leeway on hold.
That was me, but ever since my grandchild came into my life, every time I see children, I can’t help but feel a silent voice welling up from within me, saying, “Next time, please let them join your group” (laughs).
 Especially when I’m holding my grandchild with a smile, perhaps because I’m so strongly aware of being at the same eye level as them, I find myself instinctively calling out to other children. Well, the middle and elementary school students I call out to probably think I’m just a doting grandpa, but most of them smile back at me. Frankly, it makes me happy.
Once I started paying attention to that kind of interaction, even when I’m not holding my grandchild, I feel a strong sense of connection when I see children playing, and I find myself pondering their thoughts. “Oh, they’re playing something that looks really fun.”
 The photo shows five or six children playing on the swings and other playground equipment at a small park in my neighborhood.
 What I used to see as just a natural part of the townscape now seems to “resonate” with me—even the interactions within the children’s little world—and I find myself stopping to watch, even from a distance.
 Well, I suppose it simply means a genuine “silly grandpa” has emerged (laughs).
 However, this kind of psychological shift is nostalgic and heartwarming. Perhaps it’s because I see the children playing right before my eyes as the “future.”
 When that happens, my desire for a future filled with happiness and a better world for human society naturally grows stronger. I find myself increasingly uncomfortable with the mindset of blaming or attacking others.
 Come to think of it, I used to be a blame-oriented “activist” back in high school (laughs). I wonder if this mindset is related to my current work exploring family history…

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