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
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Available on Amazon.

Posted on 6月 4th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　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。

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[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.

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Available on Amazon.
　
　
　

Posted on 6月 2nd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　さて、先般のブログ記事で書いたとおり、今回の旅路はこれまでの人生であんまり訪問していない九州の「未踏破」県をじっくり回ってみたい、というのがホンネ。先日の佐賀県でカタチ的には達成なんですが、大分県も断片的にしか来ていないことから、最終地認識を持った次第。
　そして一昨日から大分市・別府市を中心に東九州自動車道に沿って行脚しておりました。そのなかでも「心残り」の最たるものだったのが「国宝・宇佐神宮」。
　日本史の中でこの神域は、武家の「八幡」信仰の祖神地として知られてきた。
　また、弓削道鏡が天皇家を乗っ取ろうとした刹那の瞬間に和気清麻呂が、道鏡の即位を食い止めた事件でも、この宇佐の神の「神意」が決定的な要因になったとされている。
　写真は、八幡神の故地とされる「八幡大神ご顕現の聖地 御霊水」の様子。宇佐神宮本殿の裏地で、奥の院的な場所ですが、訪れる人も少なめで、こころ穏やかに参拝できた。由緒書きは以下。
　〜亀山の麓、菱形池のほとり、三つの霊泉からなるこの御霊水は、上宮御本殿の真裏（北側）に位置し、往古来今、常に清水が湧き出で絶えることのない霊泉として知られる。
　欽明天皇三十二年（571年）辛卵、八幡大明神、筑紫に顕れたまふ。豊前国宇佐郡厩峯菱形池の間に鍛治の翁有り。首甚だ奇異なり。これに因って大神比義、穀を絶つこと三年、籠居精進して、即ち幣帛を捧げて祈って言く。「若し汝神ならば、我が前に顕るべし」と。即ち三歳の少児と顕れ、竹葉に立ちて宣く。「我は是れ日本の人皇第十六代誉田天皇なり。我が名は、護国霊験威力神通大自在王菩薩なり。国々所々に、跡を神道に垂れ初て顕るのみ。」と記され、八幡大神がこの御霊水の辺りに初めてご顕現になったと伝えている。
　霊泉が湧き出る八幡大神ご顕現のこの聖地は、長い歴史のなかで霊水、鍛冶場、下井の霊水と呼ばれてきた。尚、御霊水の最奥にある八角形の影商石には、八幡大神が神馬に召され天翔けられた時の馬蹄の跡が残されている。〜　以上、現地の解説案内板より。
　・・・日本史を彩ってきた神々の中で出雲や伊勢は何度か訪れているけれど、今回ようやく宇佐の大神に触れることができた気分。ちなみにこの社での参拝の仕方は，二礼四拍手一礼、という出雲の古社と同じ拝礼方法。この拝礼が日本社会の古格なのではとも思わせられる。
　ということで、八幡神はじまりの地がわたしの最後の訪問県になった次第。
　で、一件落着と思いきや、別行動で買い物に行っていたカミさんから火急の知らせ。おお、と右往左往の大立ち回りで振り回される。詳細は秘して語らず。終わりは次のはじまり（笑）。・・・

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[Having Traveled Every Prefecture in the Japanese Archipelago, I Conclude My Journey in Ōita with a Visit to the National Treasure, Usa Jingu]
Hachiman is the ancestor of the Japanese martial arts. Usa is the cradle of Japanese history. A pilgrimage to the sacred spring where it all began. And from there, the beginning of a whirlwind of change (lol)…

　Well, as I mentioned in my previous blog post, the real reason for this trip is that I wanted to take my time exploring the “unexplored” prefectures of Kyushu—places I haven’t visited much in my life so far. While I technically achieved that goal in Saga Prefecture the other day, I’ve only been to Oita Prefecture in bits and pieces, so I decided to make it my final destination.
　So, starting the day before yesterday, I’ve been traveling along the East Kyushu Expressway, focusing on Oita City and Beppu City. Among the places I visited, the one I most regretted missing was the “National Treasure: Usa Jingu.”
　In Japanese history, this sacred precinct has long been known as the ancestral site of the samurai class’s “Hachiman” faith.
Furthermore, it is said that the “divine will” of the deity of Usa played a decisive role in the incident where Waki no Kiyomaro thwarted Yuge no Dōkyō’s attempt to seize the Imperial throne at the very moment of his coup.
　The photo shows the “Sacred Water of the Manifestation of the Great Hachiman Deity,” a site believed to be the ancestral home of the Hachiman deity. Located behind the main hall of Usa Jingu, it is a secluded, inner sanctuary-like place; with few visitors, I was able to pay my respects in peace. The description of its history is as follows.
　~Located at the foot of Mount Kameyama, on the banks of Hishigata Pond, this sacred water consists of three springs. Situated directly behind (to the north of) the Main Hall of the Upper Shrine, it has been known since ancient times as a sacred spring from which clear water constantly flows without ceasing.
In the 32nd year of Emperor Kinmei’s reign (571), in the year of the Rooster, the Great Hachiman Deity manifested in Tsukushi. In the area between Umine and Hishigata Pond in Usa District, Buzen Province, there lived an old blacksmith. His head was most peculiar. Because of this, the great priest Hiyoshi abstained from grain for three years, secluded himself in ascetic practice, and then offered sacred offerings and prayed, saying, “If you are a god, you must manifest yourself before me.” Immediately, he appeared as a three-year-old child, standing on a bamboo leaf, and proclaimed: “I am Emperor Hondan, the sixteenth Emperor of Japan. My name is Gokoku Reigen Iryoku Shintsu Daijizai-ō Bosatsu. I have only now first manifested myself, leaving traces of the Shinto way in various places throughout the land.” It is recorded that Hachiman Ōkami first manifested himself near this sacred spring.
　This sacred site, where the Hachiman Great Deity manifested and the sacred spring gushes forth, has been known throughout its long history as the Sacred Water, the Blacksmith’s Forge, and the Sacred Water of Shimoi. Furthermore, on the octagonal Kage-shō-ishi stone at the very back of the sacred spring, the hoofprints remain from when the Hachiman Great Deity was summoned by a divine horse and soared into the heavens. ~ From the on-site explanatory signboard.
　…Among the deities that have colored Japanese history, I’ve visited Izumo and Ise several times, but this time I finally feel as though I’ve been able to connect with the Great Deity of Usa. Incidentally, the way to worship at this shrine is “two bows, four claps, one bow”—the same ritual used at the ancient shrines of Izumo. It makes me wonder if this form of worship isn’t the ancient standard of Japanese society.
And so, the birthplace of the Hachiman deity became the last prefecture I visited.
　Just when I thought everything was settled, I received an urgent message from my wife, who had gone shopping separately. “Oh no!” I found myself running around in a frantic scramble. I won’t go into details here. The end is the beginning of the next chapter (lol). …

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Available on Amazon.　
　

Posted on 5月 31st, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　九州あちこち探訪の旅路、本日は南の端・鹿児島県です。以前、熊本の地震災害の折りにその被害状況と復興の状況視察のツアーがあり、日本建築学会の第56代会長の吉野博（東北大学名誉教授）先生たちと同行し参加していました。
　その帰路、一行とは別れ北海道人としてはまったくの未踏の地である薩摩国を訪れていた。
　そこで見学していたのが、薩摩藩独自の制度：領内を113の区画に分割する「外城（とじょう）制度」の遺構として全人口の約4分の1を占めるという非常に高い武士割合を活かした「麓（ふもと）」と呼ぶ、武士を地方集落に分散配置させ農民として自活させながら、有事には直ちに軍団を形成する地域防衛体制を確立していた。北海道の開拓期の「屯田兵」制度のルーツを見学していた。
　そうか、そういう制度が基礎だったのか、ということ。先日の佐賀・鍋島藩の薩摩への反感は、こういった薩摩の独裁的な北海道支配構造への反発だったのでしょう。
　北海道人としては直視すべき制度のルーツ。
　で、今回はカミさんの周到な事前調査から、薩摩・島津家の「別邸」仙巌園にて、しっかり地域の歴史の推移を学ばせていただいた次第。
　上の図は、海の始まる地・薩摩と題された説明。〜
　島津氏が支配した南九州の地理的な重要性は、海外の玄関口としての役割に由来。薩摩の語源は「西（サ）の端（ツマ）」。南九州は政治的中心、奈良・京都からは陸の終わり（辺境）であるとともに「海のはじまり」。鹿児島から大陸までの距離は奈良・京都までの距離とそれほど変わらず、むしろ海を通じて大陸・東南アジアに近い地理的関係とわかる。

　古代から存在する複数海外ルートの中で北島（博多から対馬・朝鮮半島ルート）は、朝鮮半島との外交関係に影響されやすかったため次第に南方ルート（南路・南島路）の重要性が高まった。これは奄美・琉球を経て中国・東南アジアへ至る海路で、南九州の港はその起点として重要となった。
　
　・・・そうか、と素直に腑に落ちる解説。導いてくれたカミさんに完全に脱帽であります（笑）。
　こういうグランドデザインから見ていけば、鍋島藩の反発はそれとして、たしかに薩摩の重要性は理解できる。こうした「事始め」から１日、たっぷりと学ばせていただいた次第。ふむふむ。

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[Learning About the Origins of Satsuma Province at Sengan-en]
In Saga, we were all on the same page that “Satsuma is treacherous,” but once I got to know the true nature of Satsuma, I started to feel like we had “differing perspectives” (lol). Satsuma, the “gateway to the sea” of the Japanese archipelago…

　On my journey exploring various parts of Kyushu, today I’m in Kagoshima Prefecture, at the southern tip of the region. Some time ago, following the earthquake disaster in Kumamoto, I participated in a tour to inspect the damage and reconstruction efforts, accompanying Professor Hiroshi Yoshino (Professor Emeritus at Tohoku University), the 56th President of the Architectural Institute of Japan, and others.
On the return trip, I parted ways with the group and visited Satsuma Province—a region that, as a native of Hokkaido, was completely uncharted territory for me.
　There, I observed the remnants of the Satsuma Domain’s unique system: the “Tojō System,” which divided the domain into 113 districts. Leveraging the domain’s exceptionally high proportion of samurai—said to account for about a quarter of the total population—this system established a regional defense structure known as “Fumoto.” Under this system, samurai were dispersed to local villages and made to support themselves as farmers, yet could immediately form military units in times of emergency. I was observing the roots of the “Tondenhei” system from Hokkaido’s pioneering era.
Ah, so that system was the foundation. The resentment the Nabeshima clan of Saga felt toward Satsuma the other day was likely a reaction against this kind of authoritarian Hokkaido governance structure.
　As a Hokkaido native, these are the roots of the system I must confront head-on.
So, thanks to my wife’s thorough advance research, I was able to gain a solid understanding of the region’s historical evolution at Sengan-en, the “country estate” of the Satsuma Shimazu clan.
The image above is an explanation titled “Satsuma: Where the Sea Begins.” ~
　The geographical importance of southern Kyushu, ruled by the Shimazu clan, stems from its role as a gateway to the outside world. The word “Satsuma” derives from “Sa” (west) and “tsuma” (edge). Southern Kyushu was a political center; from Nara and Kyoto, it was both the “end of the land” (the frontier) and the “beginning of the sea.” The distance from Kagoshima to the mainland is not much different from the distance to Nara and Kyoto; in fact, it reveals a geographical relationship that is closer to the mainland and Southeast Asia via the sea.

　Among the multiple overseas routes that have existed since ancient times, the Northern Route (from Hakata to Tsushima and the Korean Peninsula) was easily influenced by diplomatic relations with the Korean Peninsula, so the importance of the Southern Route (Nanro and Nanjiro) gradually increased. This was a sea route passing through Amami and the Ryukyu Islands to reach China and Southeast Asia, and the ports of southern Kyushu became important as its starting point.
　
　…Ah, I see—an explanation that makes perfect sense. I take my hat off to my wife, who guided me here (lol).
Looking at it from this broader perspective, setting aside the Nabeshima clan’s resistance, I can certainly understand Satsuma’s importance. It’s been a day since we started this “introduction,” and I’ve learned a great deal. Hmm, hmm.

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Posted on 5月 29th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　「明治帝の北海道開拓の詔勅を背負ってもたらした藩士・島義勇はいかがでござったか？」
　「それはそれはみごとでしたよ。毎日北海道神宮社殿前に置かれた像に拝礼していますよ」
　「・・・でござるか。みごととはかたじけない」
　・・・という会話妄想に浸っていましたが、どうも写真は照れくさくての破顔一笑ぶり。失礼。はじめて訪れた佐賀県の県庁所在都市、佐賀市の中心にある佐賀城内にて、であります。写真が残されているということで明治期の最先端藩・肥前鍋島藩のお殿様・10代藩主の鍋島直正（なべしま なおまさ）公の写真とのツーショットをご案内の方に撮影していただいた。
　梅雨まっ盛りの九州の旅路と言うことで、ぐしょ濡れを覚悟していたのですが、案に相違して晴天ぶりですっかり日焼けしたにやけ顔で、申し訳ありません。ブログ記述人であります。北海道人は本来色白系なので日焼けするとご覧のような「真っ赤っか」ぶりであります（泣）。
　案内者の地元の方とは「いや、薩摩の連中は奸佞にて・・・」と悪口放言大会（笑）。「おかげで島義勇は明治帝の詔勅を背負って渡道し道都・札幌開拓の礎となったにもかかわらず、最後は政府への反乱者として征伐されてしまった経緯。
　そういう歴史の無念への思いを鎮魂するような訪問意図。そんな話題を案内の方と話していたら、さすがに地元人としてのプライドを刺激されてしまったようで、すっかり上機嫌に対応していただいて、最後にはこういう写真撮影の申し出を受けてしまった次第です。
　まことにお恥ずかしい写真でありますがお許し願いたい。
　さて、梅雨時なのに晴れ続きだったのですが、本日はさすがにこの時期本来の雨空。連日の野外露天行脚を少しはペースダウンしたいと思います。さすがに日焼け過ぎ。
　というところに実は、先般の広島県電撃往復からの家系調査に大きな進展の知らせ反応を受けた。まことにありがたい情報に感謝しておりました。ということで本日は早めにホテルに着陣して、想を練って参りたいと思います。一転して「雨あめ降れ降れ」。関係各所にこの情報を共有したい。
　あ、そういえばこのあと薩摩鹿児島にも行く予定だった・・・。さてさて。

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English version⬇
　
[Having a private chat (or rather, a casual chat) with the Lord of the Nabeshima Domain inside Saga Castle (lol)]
The Hizen Nabeshima Domain played a major role in the Meiji Restoration and the development of Hokkaido. Grateful for their kindness, I innocently snapped a photo with the Lord. I can’t help but smile—it’s a bit embarrassing…

　“What did you think of Shimazu Yoshiyuki, the samurai who carried the Meiji Emperor’s imperial edict on the development of Hokkaido?”
“He was truly magnificent. I pay my respects every day to the statue placed in front of the Hokkaido Jingu Shrine.”
“…Is that so? I am humbled by your praise.”
…I was lost in this imaginary conversation, but looking at the photo, I realize I was just grinning shyly. My apologies. This was taken inside Saga Castle, located in the center of Saga City—the prefectural capital of Saga Prefecture, which I was visiting for the first time. I was told that a photograph of Lord Naomasa Nabeshima, the 10th lord of the Hizen Nabeshima Domain—one of the most progressive domains of the Meiji era—still existed, so the person who guided me took this photo of me posing alongside it.
　Since this was a trip to Kyushu in the middle of the rainy season, I was prepared to get soaked, but contrary to expectations, the weather was sunny, and I ended up with a sunburned, grinning face—my apologies. I’m the blogger here. People from Hokkaido tend to have fair skin, so when we get sunburned, we turn “bright red” like you see here (sob).
　My local guide and I had a good old time trading insults, saying things like, “Man, those Satsuma folks were such schemers…” (laughs). We talked about how, despite Shima Yoshiyuki crossing to Hokkaido bearing the Meiji Emperor’s imperial edict and laying the foundation for the development of Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, he was ultimately crushed as a rebel against the government.
The purpose of my visit was to pay my respects and soothe the lingering regret of that historical injustice. As I was discussing this topic with my guide, it seems my remarks really struck a nerve—or perhaps I touched on a point of local pride—because he became quite cheerful and accommodating, and in the end, he even agreed to this photo op.
It’s a truly embarrassing photo, but I hope you’ll forgive me.
Now, even though it’s the rainy season, we’ve had nothing but sunny days, but today, as expected, we have the typical rainy skies of this time of year. I think I’ll slow down the pace of my daily outdoor excursions a bit. I’ve definitely gotten too much sun.
　Just as I was thinking that, I actually received news of a major breakthrough in the family history research I’d been conducting following my recent whirlwind round trip to Hiroshima. I was truly grateful for this valuable information. So, I plan to check into the hotel early today and reflect on my thoughts. Suddenly, I’m thinking, “Rain, rain, please fall.” I want to share this information with all relevant parties.
Well then…

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

Posted on 5月 27th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »