昨日は昼頃から移動開始して午後３時前に仙台着。本日からの「東日本大震災」関連イベント参加の前乗りでありましたが、ついつい「あそこもここも」と歩きまわってしまった（泣）。写真は仙台を中心に活動していた時期に、参観していて「今度じっくり見たいな」と思っていた「地底の森ミュージアム」。
　約2万年前、石器時代の頃にこの仙台市南部のこの場所に３人の石器時代人が獲物を追ってやってきて、キャンプをしていた痕跡が発見され、それが一般に公開されている施設。ちょっとマニアックすぎないかと不安に駆られるほどの「歴史遺物」ミュージアムなのですね。
　人間の行動履歴痕跡としてはキャンプをしていただけなのですが、その痕跡が２万年の時空を超越して発見されてしまった、という奇跡。わたしも日本中をあちこち歩いているけれど、そしてこういう博物館記念館の類いは数寄なのですが、さすがに石器時代痕跡というのは他に知らない。いわゆる「歴史」というスパンを超える人類痕跡ですが、非常に刺激的。ついつい閉館時間までじっくり参観。しかしそれでも「２万年前の森の復元ぶり」までは時間がなくて見られなかった。また再チャレンジ要・・・。
　空港鉄道線と地下鉄線を乗り継いで移動していましたが、昨日は朝はふつうに札幌の自宅周辺で「朝散歩」6,000歩超は歩いていて、なるべく公共交通機関利用で移動していたのでドンドン歩数が増える。

　そこからさらに仙台中心部・仙台駅に来て駅そばのホテルに投宿後、さらにあちこち駅周辺で行脚してしまっていた。さすがに疲れを感じて恐る恐る歩数を確認したら、ごらんの数値。ヤバい。
　最後はさっさとホテルで身体を休める一択。
　やはり「歳相応」と言うことを考える必要がありますね。
　本日からの視察がメインなので頑張りたいと思います。
　わたしは、東日本大震災に際しては「東北の住まい再生」という雑誌を県の公共情報誌としてそのルートで被災者のみなさんに「住宅再建」のための情報をお届けする活動を３年間、行っていました。
　知人から今回誘いを受けて、その「ボランティア」的活動のひとつのケジメ機会とも思えた次第です。15年の時間を超えて、被災地域の状況をしっかり目に焼き付けたいと思います。

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[Back in Sendai after a long time. Walked all over the place—over 20,000 steps (lol)]
Fifteen years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake. It was the ultimate manifestation of “impermanence” I’ve ever encountered in my life. An opportunity to reconnect with my feelings from that time, transcending time and space…

　I set out around noon yesterday and arrived in Sendai just before 3:00 p.m. I was there early to attend the “Great East Japan Earthquake” related events starting today, but I couldn’t help wandering all over the place, thinking, “I want to see this and that” (sigh). The photo shows the “Underground Forest Museum,” which I visited during the time I was active in the Sendai area and thought, “I’d like to take a closer look at this next time.”
It’s a facility open to the public where traces were discovered of three Stone Age people who came to this location in southern Sendai about 20,000 years ago—during the Stone Age—to hunt and camp. It’s a “historical relic” museum that makes me worry it might be a bit too niche for the average person.
　As traces of human activity, it’s just a campsite, but the fact that these traces were discovered after transcending 20,000 years of time and space is a miracle. I’ve walked all over Japan, and while I’m quite the enthusiast for museums and memorial halls like this, I honestly don’t know of any other Stone Age traces. These are traces of humanity that go beyond the span of what we call “history,” and it’s incredibly stimulating. I ended up spending the entire day there until closing time. Even so, I didn’t have enough time to see the “reconstruction of the forest from 20,000 years ago.” I’ll have to come back for another try…
I was getting around by transferring between the airport railway line and the subway, but yesterday morning I took my usual “morning walk” around my home in Sapporo, walking over 6,000 steps. Since I was trying to use public transportation as much as possible, my step count kept rising.

　From there, I made my way to central Sendai and Sendai Station, checked into a hotel near the station, and ended up wandering all over the area around the station. By then, I was definitely feeling tired, so I cautiously checked my step count—and there it was. Oh no.
In the end, my only option was to head straight back to the hotel and rest.
I guess I really need to start thinking about acting my age.
The main focus of my trip is the inspection starting today, so I’m going to do my best.
　In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, I spent three years working on a magazine called “Tohoku Housing Reconstruction,” published as a prefectural public information journal, to deliver information on “housing reconstruction” to disaster victims through that channel.
When I received this invitation from an acquaintance, I felt it was an opportunity to bring closure to that “volunteer” work. Fifteen years later, I want to take in the current situation in the disaster-affected areas with my own eyes.

● Announcement
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Available on Amazon.

Posted on 6月 10th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　さて今回の旅路の大きな目的地・広島県の故地への早朝４時からの日帰り弾丸往復について触れてきました。追ってまた、訪れることになると思いますが、今回は九州の旅路が主眼。カミさんはこの日は別行動だったのですが、旅路日程の中間的な「拠点」として宗像を選んでくれて宿泊地とした。
　２年前の頃にも宗像大社は訪れていたのですが、今回は本州・広島地区との往復の拠点として利用させていただけた次第。なんですが、やはり日本史の中でも神々しい「神宿る」地域として世界遺産にも登録されている神聖なるお社。謹んでご挨拶させていただいていました。いちばん上の写真は参詣させていただいた宗像大社の「高宮祭場」。沖ノ島と並び宗像大社境内で最も神聖な場所の一つ。神社に社殿が構築される以前の祭祀形態である神籬〜ひもろぎの場。岩や木々など万物に神々が宿るという神道の根源である自然崇拝を今に伝える、全国でも稀な古代祭場。
　北海道人にはあんまり身近ではない世界遺産ですので、要旨を以下に。
　〜世界遺産「神宿る島」宗像・沖ノ島と関連遺産群　玄界灘に浮かぶ沖ノ島と、それを崇拝してきた宗像三女神（宗像大社）および古代豪族の墳墓群からなる世界文化遺産。古代の貴重な祭祀遺物が手つかずで残る信仰の地。主な構成要素は １沖津宮：沖ノ島全域が対象。4世紀から9世紀にかけて古代祭祀が行われていた神聖な島。一木一草たりとも島から持ち出せさず上陸前の禊など現代でも厳しい禁忌が守られる。大社の神職が約十日間ごとの交代でたった一人で神に奉仕している。 ２宗像大社 沖津宮遙拝所　福岡県福津市にあり沖ノ島を本土から遙拝する場所。３中津宮：大島に鎮座し市杵島姫神を祀る。 ３辺津宮：宗像市本土側にあり三女神を祀る中心的神社。 ４新原・奴山古墳群：沖ノ島での祭祀を執り行った古代豪族「宗像氏」の墳墓群。〜
　・・・という日本開闢以来と思える伝承がいまも保持されている神域。ありがたくも、その風景の端で４日間の休息時間を得ていたワケです。広島からの帰還後、感謝の念を込めてこの「高宮斎場」に詣らせていただいていた。わたしは左翼少年だったので学生運動のひとつの拠点であった國學院大学に学んだのですが、國學院は神職養成が基幹だったので、こういう「ひもろぎ」の場には不思議な親和感もある。変わった人生模様を生きたなぁと深呼吸（笑）・・・

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[A 4-Day Stay in Munakata, a World Heritage Site Where the Gods Dwell]
Although my trip was primarily focused on Kyushu, I stayed in Munakata as a base for a quick round trip to my hometown in Hiroshima. I offered my gratitude here at this sacred site…

　So far, I’ve talked about my whirlwind round-trip to my hometown in Hiroshima Prefecture—the main destination of this journey—which began at 4:00 a.m. I expect I’ll visit again in the future, but the focus of this trip is Kyushu. My wife had other plans for the day, but she chose Munakata as a “base” midway through our itinerary and stayed there.
　I had visited Munakata Taisha about two years ago, but this time I was able to use it as a base for my round trip to the Hiroshima area on Honshu. That said, it is, after all, a sacred shrine registered as a World Heritage Site, revered throughout Japanese history as a “divine dwelling place.” I paid my respects with the utmost reverence. The top photo shows the “Takamiya Festival Grounds” at Munakata Taisha, which I visited. Along with Okinoshima, it is one of the most sacred places within the grounds of Munakata Taisha. It is a site for “Himorogi”—a form of ritual practiced before shrine buildings were constructed. It is a rare ancient ritual site in Japan that preserves the natural worship at the root of Shinto, the belief that deities dwell in all things, including rocks and trees.
Since this World Heritage Site is not very familiar to people from Hokkaido, here is a summary:
　~ World Heritage Site “Island Where the Gods Dwell”: Munakata, Okino-shima, and Associated Heritage Sites. A World Cultural Heritage site comprising Okino-shima, floating in the Genkai Sea, the Munakata Three Goddesses (Munakata Taisha) who have worshipped it, and a cluster of ancient noble tombs. A sacred site where precious ancient ritual artifacts remain untouched. The main components are: 1. Okitsumiya: The entire area of Okino-shima. A sacred island where ancient rituals were performed from the 4th to the 9th centuries. Strict taboos are still observed today, such as the prohibition against removing even a single tree or blade of grass from the island and the requirement for purification rites before landing. A priest from the Grand Shrine serves the gods alone, rotating every ten days or so. 2. Munakata Taisha Okitsumiya Remote Worship Site: Located in Fukutsu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, this is a place for remote worship of Okino-shima from the mainland. 3. Nakatsu-gu: Located on Oshima Island, it enshrines the deity Ichikishimahime. 3. Hetsu-gu: Located on the mainland side of Munakata City, it is the central shrine enshrining the Three Goddesses. 4. Niihara-Nuyama Kofun Group: A cluster of burial mounds belonging to the ancient powerful clan, the “Munakata clan,” who conducted rituals on Okinoshima. ~
　…a sacred precinct where traditions seemingly dating back to the dawn of Japan are still preserved today. I was fortunate enough to spend four days resting on the edge of that landscape. After returning from Hiroshima, I visited this “Takamiya Funeral Hall” with a heart full of gratitude. I was a left-wing youth, so I studied at Kokugakuin University, which was a hub of the student movement. However, since Kokugakuin’s core mission was training Shinto priests, I feel a strange affinity for places of “himorogi” like this. I take a deep breath, thinking, “I’ve certainly lived an unusual life” (laughs)…

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Posted on 6月 8th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　北海道でいのちを得て、山の中を歩く機会は開かれた山道だけの自然経験しかない人間。なんですが日頃から「１日１万歩」を心がけている身としては、開かれ尽くした温暖地のちょっとした小山など・・・という気軽な気持ちで歩き始めていた。
　あ、これは昨日のブログ記事からの「続篇」。昨日記載のとおり、広島県東広島市の故地・入野の順教寺で教えられた「前山」に踏み入り、縁のある一統の墓域を探してみたのです。
　この日は数日間小雨が降り続けた梅雨の前哨戦のような気候の束の間の晴れ間。そして装備も、ごくふつうの布製の軽装シューズ。一方前山は写真のような「竹林」ぶり。本州地域をあちこち行くとはいえ、それは都市環境であってたまに竹林を見ると言っても「へ〜、こんなにきれいに竹が植わっているんだ」くらいに風景としてしか見ていなかった。まさかその竹林の山中に入っていくなどは、考えたこともなかったのですね。しかし無知は「当たって砕けろ」精神の源泉。僥倖を期待しての果敢な挑戦心。
　・・・しかし、行けども行けども竹林は地面を食い破って繁茂している。たしかにここは道のハズなのですが、ど真ん中にニョキニョキと生命力旺盛な繁茂ぶり。見た目ではほんの丘のような小山ですが、道も曲がりくねっていて迷宮・涅槃のような世界が展開している。
　たしかに道ではあるけれど、やはり勝手のわからない土地。ときどきは視界が広がるポイントに戻って迷子にならないよう気をつける必要もある。
　という難航ぶりでしたが、決定的だったのは雨水を含んだ枯れ葉積層の「ぬかるみ」道。靴が完全にずぶ濡れになってしまった。履いていた靴下も満水状態で早々に脱いだけれど、素足に濡れた運動靴では、歩行困難になってしまった。・・・
　寒冷地人間、温暖地の竹林道にノックアウトされるの一幕。
　やはりしっかりした事前調査と、装備のチェックが不可欠であることを痛感させられた。やむなく安全圏に退避することにして撤収。今回は降参せざるを得ませんでした。
　まずは札幌に帰ってから情報のチェックをしっかり進めなければ，という次第。しかしGoogleのマップでもあるレベルまでの道しか明示されていない。
　しかし、諦めるわけではありません。いつの日か、捲土重来。・・・

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[A Journey in Search of Ancestors: Wandering Through a Bamboo Forest Maze in a Warm Climate During the Rainy Season]
A search for a nearly forgotten family burial ground in a place of ancestral connection. A longing to find traces of the characters on those gravestones. The bamboo forest serves as a labyrinth, guiding the way through the world…

　I was born in Hokkaido, and my only experience of nature in the mountains has been on well-maintained trails. However, as someone who makes a point of walking “10,000 steps a day,” I set out with a casual mindset, thinking I’d just tackle a small hill in a warm climate where the trails are fully developed.
Oh, this is a “sequel” to yesterday’s blog post. As I mentioned yesterday, I ventured into “Maeyama,” a place I was told about at Junkyo-ji Temple in my hometown of Irino, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, to look for the graves of a particular lineage with which I have a connection.
That day was a brief break in the weather—a sort of prelude to the rainy season, with light rain having fallen continuously for several days. My gear consisted of nothing more than ordinary, lightweight canvas shoes. Meanwhile, Maeyama looked just like the “bamboo grove” in the photo. Even though I travel all over Honshu, I’m usually in urban environments, and even when I occasionally see a bamboo grove, I’d just think, “Wow, the bamboo is planted so neatly,” and view it merely as scenery. I never even considered venturing into the heart of such a bamboo grove. But ignorance is the source of a “go for it” spirit—a bold sense of adventure fueled by the hope of a stroke of luck.
　…But no matter how far I went, the bamboo grove kept bursting through the ground and thriving. This was definitely supposed to be a path, but right in the middle, the bamboo was sprouting vigorously with boundless vitality. Visually, it looked like just a small hill, but the path was winding, unfolding into a world like a labyrinth or nirvana.
　It is indeed a path, but it’s still unfamiliar territory. I had to be careful to return to vantage points where the view opened up from time to time so as not to get lost.
It was a difficult journey, but the decisive factor was the “muddy” path—a layer of dead leaves saturated with rainwater. My shoes got completely soaked. The socks I was wearing were also completely saturated, so I took them off early on, but walking barefoot in wet sneakers became impossible. …
　A scene where a cold-weather dweller gets knocked out by a bamboo grove path in a warm climate.
It really drove home to me that thorough advance research and equipment checks are absolutely essential. I had no choice but to retreat to a safe area and call it a day. This time, I had to admit defeat.
　First, I need to thoroughly check the information once I get back to Sapporo. However, even Google Maps only shows the path up to a certain point.
But I’m not giving up. Someday, I’ll make a comeback. …

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

Posted on 6月 6th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　さて、ようやくわが家の「庵」に帰還して今回の長期にわたる「現地取材」についての分析作業に着手しはじめております。取材は、縁づいた福岡県久留米市を中心に九州全域と、家系史の故地である広島県東広島市河内町入野地域など多岐にわたります。それぞれ興味ありすぎ（笑）。
　純粋に事実の掘り起こしや、歴史探訪の部分が基本ですが故地に関わる文化的な興味もワクワク。
　で、入野地域の全国的な有名人伝承として「小野篁」がいてその「産湯の池」という浪漫のネタが存在しているのですね。面白すぎて、時間をやり繰りして探訪しておりました。
この人物は、wikiでは以下の要旨。〜小野篁（おののたかむら 802〜853年）は平安時代初期の公卿、文人。参議・小野岑守の長男。官位は従三位参議。異名は野相公。その反骨精神から野狂とも称された。小倉百人一首では参議篁。なかなかに波瀾万丈の人生の平安期の著名人。『令義解』の編纂にも深く関与するなど明法道に明るく政務能力に優れていた。一方で、昼間は朝廷で官吏、夜は冥府で閻魔大王のもとで裁判補佐をしていたという伝説が平安時代末期から鎌倉時代にかけての説話集に紹介される。そのような伝承が伝えられるほどに「人間としての魅力」を持っていたかと想像できる。〜
　この人物が家系の故地出身の伝承を持っているので、その「産湯の地」を探訪してみた次第。
　さらにあの日本三大美女とされる小野小町はかれの孫、いや子どもとも言われているのですね。以下、現地での案内文よりキャプチャー。〜篁と小野小町　小野小町は誰もが知る絶世の美女であり、又六歌仙の一人に選ばれた日本史上最高の教養ある女性。通説では小町は出羽（秋田県）の生れで郡司・小野良実の娘で参議・小野篁の孫にあたると。しかし京都随心院に伝わる資料等によると年代・年齢等から父は小野篁であるとされ篁の娘「小野吉子」の別名（小町とは宮中に仕える役職名）ではないか、と。〜


　ということで、かれの「産湯の池」には社が建てられ、石碑もあった。その石碑の「施主」としてこの「當（当）村」＝入野の「原 庄右(?)衛門」の刻印が確認された。年代は不明ながらそういう文脈かと。原氏はわが家系で出自とされている・・・。
　北海道とはまったく違う歴史と人間の積層ぶりがまざまざと迫ってきて、刺激的。
　平安期のことすら、このように土地の共通伝承化して廃れていないことに、驚かされていた。

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[The Birthplace of Ono no Takamura—Ono no Komachi’s Father?—in His Family’s Hometown]
The fact that people in Hokkaido—a region with a relatively short history—are so deeply moved by the way this figure from the Heian period, who lived 1,200 years ago, is treated as a source of local pride and that his legacy is still passed down today…

　Well, I’ve finally returned to my “hermitage” and have begun analyzing the findings from this extended “field research” trip. My research spanned a wide range of areas, centered on Kurume City in Fukuoka Prefecture—where I’ve developed a connection—as well as the entire Kyushu region, and the Irino area of Kawachi Town in Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, the ancestral home of my family. I’m just so fascinated by all of it (lol).
　While the core of the work involves purely unearthing facts and exploring history, I’m also thrilled by the cultural aspects related to these ancestral lands.
So, regarding the Irino area, there’s a nationally famous figure named “Ono no Takamura,” and there’s this romantic tale that it’s the “place where he was bathed as a newborn.” It was just too fascinating, so I made time to go and explore it.
Here’s a summary of this figure from Wikipedia: ~Ono no Takamura (802–853) was a court noble and scholar of the early Heian period. He was the eldest son of Sangi Ono no Minamoto no Morimori. His official rank was Ju-sanmi Sangi. He was also known as “Noso-ko.” Due to his rebellious spirit, he was also called “Nokyo.” In the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, he is known as Sangi Takamura. He was a prominent figure of the Heian period who led a truly eventful life. He was well-versed in Buddhist law and excelled in political affairs, having been deeply involved in the compilation of the *Reigi-kai*. On the other hand, legends appearing in story collections from the late Heian to the Kamakura periods describe him as a court official by day and an assistant judge under King Yama in the underworld by night. One can imagine that he possessed such “human charm” that such folklore was passed down. ~
Since this figure is associated with folklore from his ancestral homeland, I decided to visit the “place where he was bathed as an infant.”
　Furthermore, it is said that Ono no Komachi—considered one of Japan’s three great beauties—was his granddaughter, or perhaps even his daughter. The following is a screenshot from the on-site guide. ~ Takamichi and Ono no Komachi: Ono no Komachi was a peerless beauty known to all, and the most cultured woman in Japanese history, selected as one of the Six Poets of the Imperial Court. According to conventional wisdom, Komachi was born in Dewa (Akita Prefecture), the daughter of the district magistrate Ono no Yoshimi and the granddaughter of the Councilor Ono no Takamura. However, based on documents preserved at Zuishin-in Temple in Kyoto, as well as chronological and age-related evidence, it is believed that her father was actually Ono no Takamura, and that “Komachi” may have been an alias for Takamura’s daughter, “Ono no Yoshiko” (Komachi being the title of a court position). ~


　So, a shrine was built at the site of his “birth bath,” and there was also a stone monument. The inscription on that monument identified “Hara Shōemon” of this ‘Tōmura’ (Iri no) as the “patron.” Although the exact date is unknown, that seems to be the context. The Hara clan is said to be the origin of my family line…
　The layers of history and people here, so completely different from Hokkaido, come vividly to life, making it truly stimulating.
Even events from the Heian period are preserved in this land in such a way…

　Consequently, a shrine was built at the site of his “birth bath,” and there was also a stone monument. Engraved on that monument as the “patron” was the name “Hara Shōemon (?)” from this “Tōmura” (Iri no). Although the exact date is unknown, that seems to be the context. The Hara clan is said to be the origin of my family line…
　The layers of history and human life here, so completely different from those of Hokkaido, come vividly to life, making for a truly stimulating experience.
I was amazed to find that even events from the Heian period have been preserved in this way as local folklore and have not faded into obscurity.

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

Posted on 6月 4th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　昨日九州から帰還。借り上げていたレンタカーも全12日間ということ。福岡の空港の支点で借りていたのですが途中、カーナビが故障してしまってまったく別の支点、大分の駅前の支点でクルマを交換していただき、その別のクルマで帰着という波瀾万丈ぶり。カーナビの故障って、はじめて遭遇しましたが、突然画面がフリーズしてしまう特殊なもの。はじめて訪問するところばかりのレンタカー移動にとっては、致命的に困ってしまう。「ここはどこ？　わたしは誰？」状態。
　そういうことでクルマが変わったので距離メーターは記憶ですが、途中では福岡県宗像から広島県への電撃訪問往復700kmもあり、おおむね3,000kmを突破していた。高齢期の自動車運転の個人的な記録領域（笑）。
　そういうことで九州の２県、佐賀・大分の２つの未踏破地域も無事に完走。
　写真は、6/1に最後の早朝散歩で歩いていた久留米市の「高野産八幡神社」境内地に鎮座されていた狛犬さんですが、先日ご紹介した狛犬とはまた一変して丸々としてかわいらしい風情。どうもこの久留米の狛犬には愛嬌があって楽しい（笑）。個人的には「おお、あんたか。どうだ、ここは気に入っただろ？　ぜひまた来いや」と話しかけてくれるようでした。
　九州北部のど真ん中・久留米を縦貫する「筑後川」には、夕景でも朝焼けぶりでも堪能させられていたのですが、その筑後川を鎮護しているような風情は、なかなかに情感的。
　高齢期の人間の九州行脚なので、下の写真のように各地の神社をたずねて神札を求めていましたが、それぞれの神さまもたいへんあたたかくお迎えいただいた。どうも加齢とともにこういった「思い」に弱くなってきているのでしょうか（笑）。
　札幌に帰着して家族のための整理整頓も行って、本日以降、ゲットしてきた情報もアタマのなかで整理統合させて個人的な探究心の栄養素にさせていただきたいと思います。まずは無事を感謝。

●お知らせ
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English version⬇

[The deep, rumbling voice of the Kyushu gods saying, “Come back again!” (lol)]
I find solace in the “divine will” resonating from the komainu. Traveling abroad is nice, but I find the layers of Japanese history and culture infinitely more endearing. …

　I returned from Kyushu yesterday. My rental car was booked for a total of 12 days. I picked it up at the Fukuoka Airport branch, but halfway through the trip, the car’s navigation system broke down. So, I had to swap cars at a completely different branch—the one in front of the station in Oita—and made my way home in that replacement vehicle. It was quite an eventful journey. This was the first time I’d ever encountered a navigation system failure; it was a peculiar one where the screen suddenly froze. For a road trip where I was visiting places I’d never been to before, this was a major problem. I was in a total “Where am I? Who am I?” state.
Since I had to switch cars, I’m relying on memory for the mileage, but I did make a whirlwind round trip from Munakata in Fukuoka Prefecture to Hiroshima Prefecture—a 700 km journey—and I think I ended up driving over 3,000 km in total. That’s definitely a personal record for driving in my golden years (lol).
　And so, I successfully completed my journey through the two uncharted prefectures of Kyushu: Saga and Oita.
The photo shows a pair of komainu (guardian dogs) enshrined on the grounds of Takano-san Hachiman Shrine in Kurume City, which I visited during my final early morning walk on June 1. Unlike the komainu I introduced the other day, these have a plump, adorable charm. There’s just something charming and delightful about these Kurume komainu (lol). Personally, it felt as though they were saying to me, “Oh, it’s you. How’s it going? You like it here, don’t you? Be sure to come back again.”
The Chikugo River, which runs right through the heart of northern Kyushu in Kurume, treated me to stunning views whether at sunset or sunrise, and the atmosphere of the river—as if it were being protected by the deities—was quite moving.
　Since this was a pilgrimage through Kyushu by an elderly man, I visited shrines in various places, as shown in the photo below, to collect amulets, and each deity welcomed me very warmly. Perhaps I’m becoming more susceptible to these kinds of “feelings” as I get older (lol).
Now that I’ve returned to Sapporo and tidied things up for my family, starting today, I’d like to organize and integrate the information I gathered in my mind and let it simmer as nourishment for my personal curiosity. First and foremost, I’m grateful for my safe return.

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

Posted on 6月 2nd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »