「四百年間のいのちの履歴書」というテーマを決めて、家系の慶長年間以降の生き様をたどる「ライフワーク」に取り組んできていますが、次兄からバトンタッチされたこのお役について、やはり自分としては可能な限りのリアリティを求めて、その土地、その空間になるべく近づいて「息づかい」を感受したいと思っています。
　400年前当時に「紀州から」移転してきて住み着いた「故地」にはたぶんいろいろな機会を捉えて、もう７−８回レベルで探訪してきています。その地形の特徴から生業の実相、信じた生き方の痕跡、時代状況の中でどのような「桎梏」に遭遇し、どのようにわたしに繋がってくるいのちのリレーが生成してきたのか、という一連の空気感を追体験したいと念じているわけです。
　写真はいまのわたしの住環境のなかで，毎日10,000歩越えの散歩のひとつのルート景観。
　散歩は毎日同じルートを歩くのが好きな方もいるでしょうが、わたしは家の周りでいくつかの「基本ルート」を定め、この写真ルートは「自然に親しむ」系のもの。
　先祖の生き様を想像し続ける日々では、やはり「山の景色」は近景・遠景のコントラストを意識するのに欠かせない。そしてそこに「水」が流れているのは人間の基本のように思える。たぶん時空を超えて共有できる基本。
　こういう現代社会が実現した環境の美感のなかで、毎日を過ごせている「シアワセ」感が沸き起こって来る。そして血脈が自分のいまを導いてきてくれたことにも、シンプルに感謝したくなる。
　故地は広島県東部地域で複数箇所にわたっている。家系の人びとは厳しい蒸暑気候の夏を過ごしていただろうけれど、120年ほど前に祖父以降の一統はこのカラッとしたさわやかな夏の地に新天地を開いた。
　たしかに冬の寒さ・雪の困難は隔絶するが、現代では自分もその運動に関わった「住宅性能進化」が困難を克服した。さらに人間が暮らす街区としての「幸福感」はかなりのハイスペックに到達している。
　散歩で歩ける範囲にこういう自然環境もあり、同時に新千歳空港までも１時間以内で到達し、札幌市中心部にも地下鉄利用で10数分以内の利便性。さらに歩いて買い物出来る1km以内に生活を豊かにする大型スーパー・ドラッグストア類が10を超えて存在し、かつ公共図書館は家の目の前。
　長尺スパンで生き様を考えるとき、より天国に近づいている、という実感がある。

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English version⬇

[Living Environments: “Home Is Where the Heart Is” and Each Person’s Sense of Happiness]
From a sweltering climate to a place with dry, crisp air. One’s personal perception shifts toward the idea of “the place closest to heaven.” In old age, one traces the path their family has walked over the generations. …

　Having chosen the theme “A 400-Year History of Life,” I have been working on a “life’s work” that traces the lives of my family line from the Keichō era onward. Regarding this role, which my second older brother has passed on to me, I naturally seek as much realism as possible; I want to get as close as I can to that land and that space to sense its “breath.”
　I’ve probably visited my “ancestral home”—the place where my family settled after moving “from Kishu” 400 years ago—seven or eight times now, taking advantage of various opportunities. I’m eager to relive the overall atmosphere of that place: from the characteristics of its terrain to the realities of their livelihoods, the traces of the way of life they believed in, the “shackles” they encountered amid the circumstances of their time, and how the relay of life connecting them to me has unfolded.
　The photo shows a view along one of the routes I take on my daily walks—which exceed 10,000 steps—in my current living environment.
　While some people prefer to walk the same route every day, I’ve established several “basic routes” around my home, and the route in this photo is one designed to “connect with nature.”
　In my daily life, as I continue to imagine how my ancestors lived, “mountain scenery” is indispensable for appreciating the contrast between near and far views. And the fact that “water” flows there feels like a fundamental aspect of being human—perhaps a fundamental truth we can share across time and space.
Amid the beauty of this environment, made possible by modern society, a sense of “happiness” wells up within me as I spend each day here. It also makes me want to simply express my gratitude for the bloodline that has guided me to where I am today.
My ancestral homeland spans several locations in the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. While my ancestors likely endured harsh, sweltering summers, about 120 years ago, my grandfather and his descendants carved out a new life in this dry, refreshing summer climate.
　Admittedly, the harsh winter cold and the challenges of snow are a world apart, but in modern times, the “evolution of housing performance”—a movement in which I myself was involved—has overcome those difficulties. Furthermore, the “sense of happiness” as a residential community has reached a remarkably high standard.
　This natural environment is within walking distance, yet New Chitose Airport is less than an hour away, and downtown Sapporo is just over ten minutes away by subway. Furthermore, within a 1-kilometer walking radius—convenient for shopping—there are more than ten large supermarkets and drugstores that enrich daily life, and the public library is right in front of my house.
　When I consider my way of life over the long term, I truly feel that I am getting closer to paradise.

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

Posted on 8月 8th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　昨日、次兄から驚ろかされる知らせが届いた。
　今年５月下旬、九州を旅した折り、わたしは単独日帰りで福岡県宗像から広島県東広島市へと向かった。わが家系は400年前の当時この広島の「故地」に根付いていたことが『広島県史』の公的資料とわが家の伝承によって裏付けられ、当時の檀家寺と推認される安芸門徒の「順教寺」を訪問する目的。
　わが家系はその後、1718（享保3）年に当地で起きた百姓一揆による「打ち毀し」被災を経て、隣の福山藩領・松永塩田へと移動の大きな転進を遂げる。しかしその際この地に留まった家系、すなわち別れた本家筋の一統が存在したことが推認されていた。事実『広島県史』では、一揆から10年ほど後の藩の記録として、その当時の当主の名が当時の故地の経済報告に記載されている。当主の息子（わが家系の直接の祖）が藩境を越えて福山藩領へ移動したにもかかわらず、なのだ。
　そこで５月の訪問時、順教寺のご住職にそれ以降の本家筋の消息をお尋ねしたのだった。まさに「あたって砕けろ」の心理。その際、次兄が編纂したわが家系史の書物をご住職にお預けしていたのだが、今回、そこから大きな「反応」が寄せられることとなった。
　寺院側は５月末頃にさっそくそのお宅を訪問してくださっていたようなのだ。ご高齢ということもあり、その場での直接の対話は叶わなかったものの、次兄の記した家系史の書物はご当主のもとに渡り、じっくりと読み進めていただけたという。

　そしてなんと、その読後感を綴った一統からの便りが「速達」で筆者である次兄宛に届いたのだ。
　ご高齢ゆえ読書や返信にも相応の時間を要したこととお察しするが、届いた便りの行間からは「ついに巡り会えた血脈」としての魂の震えが響いてくるようだった。
　手紙には百姓一揆の顛末を巡って本家筋には全く異なる奇異な「伝承」が語り継がれてきたことが詳細に記されていた。一方で、公的資料に基づいて明かされた事件の実相と以降のわが家系の歩みに触れ、「初めてすべての背景がわかり、深く腑に落ちた」という率直な心境が告白されていた。
　308年の時を超えた、枝分かれした一統の「再会」・・・。
　歴史の暗雲の中に埋もれていた事実が、こうして再生認識されたことに、ひとりの情報人として、また末裔として未踏の喜びを感じずにはいられない。
　写真はわたしが「四百年間のいのちの履歴書」と名付けて編纂中の一書の表紙画像撮影場所の真夏の風景。この喜ばしい前進でさらに家系の歩みと向き合いたい。あたって砕けろ（笑）。

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English version⬇

[After 308 Years, a Message from an “Old Acquaintance”…]
A reply that came like a distant thunderclap from a branch of the family that split off following the “destruction” caused by a peasant uprising in the Hiroshima Prefecture region in 1718. As a researcher, this brings me an unprecedented joy. …

　Yesterday, I received some surprising news from my second-oldest brother.
　In late May of this year, while traveling through Kyushu, I took a solo day trip from Munakata in Fukuoka Prefecture to Higashi-Hiroshima City in Hiroshima Prefecture. Official records from the *History of Hiroshima Prefecture* and our family’s oral traditions confirm that our family lineage was rooted in this “ancestral homeland” in Hiroshima 400 years ago, so my purpose was to visit *Junkō-ji*, a temple of the Aki Monto sect believed to have been our family’s parish temple at that time.
　My family line subsequently underwent a major relocation to the Matsunaga Salt Fields in the neighboring Fukuyama Domain after suffering damage from the “destruction” caused by a peasant uprising that occurred in this area in 1718 (Kyōhō 3). However, it had been inferred that a branch of the main family—one that had split off—remained in this area at that time. In fact, according to the *History of Hiroshima Prefecture*, a domain record dating from about ten years after the uprising lists the name of the head of the household at that time in an economic report on the former territory. This was despite the fact that the head’s son—the direct ancestor of our family line—had moved across the domain border into the territory of the Fukuyama Domain.
　So, during my visit in May, I asked the head priest of Junkyo-ji Temple about the whereabouts of the main family line since then. It was truly a case of “go for it and see what happens.” At that time, I had left the book on our family history—compiled by my second-eldest brother—with the head priest, and this time, it elicited a significant “response.”
　It seems the temple staff promptly visited the family home around the end of May. Although a direct conversation on the spot was not possible due to the head of the household’s advanced age, the book on our family history written by my second-eldest brother was handed to him, and he reportedly read through it carefully.

　And lo and behold, a letter from the head of the household—expressing his thoughts after reading it—arrived by “express mail” addressed to my second eldest brother, the author.
While I can imagine that, given his advanced age, reading the book and composing a reply took a considerable amount of time, the lines of the letter seemed to resonate with the soul-stirring emotion of having “finally encountered his bloodline.”
　The letter detailed how a completely different and peculiar “legend” regarding the outcome of the peasant uprising had been passed down through the main branch of the family. At the same time, it touched upon the true nature of the incident—revealed through official records—and the subsequent history of our family line, confessing his candid feelings: “For the first time, I understand the full context, and it has finally clicked.”
　A “reunion” of a branched lineage spanning 308 years…
As a researcher and as a descendant, I cannot help but feel an unprecedented joy that these facts, long buried beneath the dark clouds of history, have been rediscovered and recognized in this way.
　The photo shows a midsummer scene at the location where I took the cover image for a book I’m currently compiling, which I’ve titled “A 400-Year Resume of Life.” With this joyful step forward, I want to delve even deeper into the history of my family line. I’ll just have to dive in headfirst (laughs).

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

Posted on 8月 6th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　わたしの家系は広島県がながく留まっていた地域。関ヶ原の合戦が終わって以降ですから400年前からほどがわかってきている。芸州浅野藩が広島入りした時期と同時期に現在の東広島市河内町入野に入植した一族。そこで短期間に地域経済活動の中心的な存在である「庄屋」に代々なっていた。その後、江戸時代中期、1730年頃に当時の新開地・松永塩田に移住した一統。一族としては「枝分かれ」した流れの末裔です。
　その松永の近く、山陽道の宿駅「今津」近辺から1905年に当主が北海道に移住してくるまでの間、175年間はこの周辺で過ごしていた一族。家系史をたどり続けてきて、そういう実相が浮かび上がって来ている。
　当然ながら、この地域の情報を求めていろいろな「つながり」を訪ね歩いてきています。次兄からのバトンタッチで徐々にわたしもそういうご縁に沿って動いてきています。
　そういうなかで「地域史」研究グループの存在を知って入会申込みし、毎回「会報」も受け取ってきています。会の名前は「備陽史探訪の会」という存在。2026年６月末段階で会員数は187名とのこと。
　また今津の「旧檀家寺」蓮華寺さんも住職さんがたいへん現代的な活動ぶりで、写真のように「蓮華寺通信」という郵送してきていただいております。わたしの家は父が北海道の同じ真言宗寺院でお世話になって檀家になっているので、旧縁ではあるのですが、歴史探索には欠かせないつながり。
　という次第ですが、やはり本州、広島県地方という歴史積層地域では「地方史」の研究活動が非常に活発。備陽史探訪の会では活動内容に沿った出版物も多数出されている。またほぼ月イチ程度で各種イベント活動まで行われているのですね。まぁ北海道でもこういう活動自体はあるのでしょうが、この備陽史探訪の会のようなレベルには遠いように思えます。またわたしは北海道人ですが、当然ながら「故地」は本州地域にあることは自明なので、地方史として興味を持つのはこういう地方になるのが自然ですね。移動交通などハンデキャップはありますが、やむを得ない。
　こういう志向性は柳田國男の民俗学や民藝運動などともつながる日本人らしさの重要なファクターなのでしょう。終の志向性と考え、捉えていきたいと思います。北海道人にもそういう気分はある、と。

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English version⬇

[Fukuyama’s “Biyō History Exploration Society” and Other Active Information Outreach Efforts]
A modern-day continuation of Kunio Yanagita’s folklore studies and the Mingei Movement. We in distant Hokkaido would like to join in response to their vibrant activities. …

　My family lineage traces back to an area in Hiroshima Prefecture where my ancestors resided for a long time. We now know that this dates back about 400 years, beginning after the Battle of Sekigahara. Our clan settled in Irino, Kawachi-cho, in what is now Higashi-Hiroshima City, around the same time that the Asano clan of Geishu entered Hiroshima. There, generation after generation, they served as “shoya”—the village headmen who played a central role in the local economy—for a short period. Later, during the mid-Edo period, around 1730, a branch of the family moved to the then-newly developed Matsunaga Salt Fields. I am a descendant of this “branch” of the family.
From the area near Matsunaga, close to the “Imazu” post station on the Sanyo Highway, until the head of the family moved to Hokkaido in 1905, the family lived in this vicinity for 175 years. As I have continued to trace our family history, this reality has gradually come to light.
Naturally, I have been visiting various “connections” in search of information about this region. Taking over the baton from my second-eldest brother, I, too, have gradually begun to follow these leads.
In the course of this, I learned of the “Regional History” research group, applied for membership, and have been receiving their “newsletter” every issue. The group is called the “Biyō History Exploration Society.” As of the end of June 2026, the membership stood at 187.
　Furthermore, at Renge-ji Temple in Imazu—my family’s former parish temple—the head priest is very active in modern initiatives, and, as shown in the photo, he sends us the “Renge-ji Newsletter” by mail. My father was a parishioner at a Shingon sect temple in Hokkaido, so we have a long-standing connection with the temple; this connection is indispensable for my historical research.
　That being said, research into “local history” is indeed very active in regions with a rich historical legacy, such as Honshu and the Hiroshima Prefecture area. The Biyō History Exploration Society has published numerous works related to its activities. They also hold various events roughly once a month. Well, I suppose such activities exist in Hokkaido as well, but they seem far from reaching the level of the Biyō History Exploration Society. Also, although I am from Hokkaido, it goes without saying that my “hometown” is on Honshu, so it’s only natural that I take an interest in the history of regions like this. There are some challenges, such as transportation, but that’s unavoidable.
This kind of inclination is likely an important factor in what makes us Japanese, one that connects to Kunio Yanagita’s folklore studies and the Mingei Movement. I intend to view this as my ultimate aspiration. I believe even people from Hokkaido share this sentiment.

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

Posted on 8月 4th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

　先日の従兄弟の家系史ヒアリングからの「解析」作業進行中。
　従兄弟の「先祖認識」は一族の渡道前の母系の故地に深い心底があることを驚きを持って知ることになった。なんともノスタルジックな気分が発出されていた。「え、そんなドップリ世界なの？」。
　わたしは戦後1952年生まれで、戦前期の「肌感覚」は当然持っていない。敗戦後ベビーブーム世代の後の世代。成長後「歴史」が数寄になった人間だが、小学校から高校まで、時代を追ってきたのに明治維新すらきちんと学ばされなかった。「学年末に近いから以降はパスな」「受験テストに出ないから」みたいに放置教育されてきた。（教科書にはその後も記載はあったけど）
　明治〜戦前期社会についての学習は、いまその時のリアルな政治とも関わりすぎる、という面は確かにあっただろう。センシティブな権力実態にも関わる。けれど、それ以上に教師たちの様子を見ていて「あ、触れたくないんだな」ということを子ども心として確信的に受け取った。良い子は受け入れ一択。
　歴史教育が結果としてその段階で終わってしまうので「戦前社会」への基本理解が放り出された。社会の基層支配構造についてイマイチ、リアリティがない。戦争に突き進んだ「軍部独裁」に至ったという慚愧だけが刷り込まれてきた。
　こういう教育を受けてきた人間にとって、北海道で生まれ育ちながら満州から帰還する地が、その母系の故地ということに想像を超えた落差を感じ、同時に戦前期の社会支配構造を垣間見た。
　それは当時『寄生地主』と呼ばれた大土地所有層の厳然たる存在。
　戦前期は江戸末期の混乱時期に大土地所有層として身分固定された階層に「だけ」衆議院議員資格が保証されていたような時代。徐々に戦争期に向かって実質解体されていったが名家意識は残り続けた。
　明治維新当時、急激な社会改革を進めるため安定税収確保が絶対条件で、形成されていた地主金融資本＝大規模土地所有層から税を得ることが合理的だったことに由来する。納税とバーターで身分保証が戦前期国家から容認されてきていた。多く発生した「小作争議」では基本的に地主側に立った治安策が執行された。
　持てる層に依拠した思潮も有力だった。特権層のドヤ意識と事実として経済構造を握る実相。
　わたしなどの戦後世代にしてみると、それならそうと教えてくれよですが（笑）・・・。

　＜写真は「ドヤ」顔表現系の書・ウツワ工芸品。名家の文化意識は、書や茶の湯、美術品の教養の世界に対しても表れる。＞

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English version⬇

[Exploring Family History: The Structural Revolution in Japanese Society Before and After the War]
From the late Edo period onward, financial capital pursued large-scale land acquisition, and the Meiji government condoned this, leading to the solidification of the prewar ruling class. Was the GHQ’s land reform a structural reform for Japan? …

　I’m currently working on “analyzing” the information I gathered the other day during an interview with my cousin about our family history.
　I was surprised to learn that my cousin’s “perception of his ancestors” is deeply rooted in the maternal ancestral homeland from before our clan migrated to Hokkaido. It evoked a truly nostalgic feeling. “Wait, is he that deeply immersed in that world?”
　I was born in 1952, after the war, so naturally I have no “firsthand experience” of the pre-war era. I belong to the generation that came after the post-war baby boom. Although I developed a passion for “history” as an adult, even though I followed the progression of eras from elementary school through high school, I wasn’t even properly taught about the Meiji Restoration. I was neglected in my education with excuses like, “We’re nearing the end of the school year, so we’ll skip this,” or “It won’t be on the entrance exams.” (Although the textbooks did cover it later on.)
　It’s certainly true that studying Meiji-era and pre-war society was seen as too closely tied to the political realities of the time. It also touched on sensitive aspects of the reality of power. But more than that, watching the teachers’ demeanor, I instinctively sensed as a child, “Ah, they don’t want to touch on this.” For a well-behaved child, acceptance was the only option.
　Since history education effectively ended at that stage, a basic understanding of “pre-war society” was left out. I lack a real sense of the underlying structures of social domination. The only thing that was instilled in me was a sense of shame over how the country had descended into a “military dictatorship” that drove the nation toward war.
　For someone who received this kind of education, the fact that—despite being born and raised in Hokkaido—the place I returned to from Manchuria was my mother’s ancestral homeland struck me as a disparity beyond my imagination; at the same time, it offered a glimpse into the social power structures of the pre-war era.
　That was the imposing presence of the large landowning class, known at the time as “parasitic landlords.”
　In the pre-war era, eligibility to serve as a member of the House of Representatives was guaranteed “exclusively” to those who had been fixed in their social status as large landowners during the chaotic period of the late Edo era. Although this system was gradually dismantled as the country moved toward the war years, the sense of being part of a distinguished family persisted.
　This stemmed from the fact that, at the time of the Meiji Restoration, securing stable tax revenue was an absolute prerequisite for advancing rapid social reform, and it was reasonable to collect taxes from the landowner-financial capitalists—that is, the large-scale landowners—who had been established. The state had tacitly accepted the guarantee of social status in exchange for tax payments during the pre-war period. In the numerous “tenant disputes” that arose, public order measures were generally enforced in favor of the landlords.
　Ideologies relying on the privileged class were also influential. The sense of superiority among the privileged class and the reality that they effectively controlled the economic structure.
　From the perspective of my postwar generation, I just wish they’d have told us that outright (laughs)….

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

Posted on 8月 2nd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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　高齢化を迎えビジネス生活からすこし距離を置き始めてきて、次兄から「業務命令」を受けてわが家の「家系史」を継続探究してきています。先日、従兄弟（父親同士が兄弟）から「別の見方」を受け止めたいと、じっくり懇談４時間半超の対話をしておりました。
　同じ一族の従兄弟でも、基本的なものごとの見方が大きく相違していることに、驚いていました。
　祖父の生き方についての考え方が、父親世代でも当然ながら相違するし、そこに母系の違いからの受け止め方の距離感も発生することを、痛感させられています。わたしの父親は基本的に祖父が選択した移住地北海道で「独立独歩」的な生き方を好んできた人生で、それはわたしにも強く伝わってきていると実感しています。が、父の兄にあたる一統では、祖父はやはり「故地に帰り錦を飾る人生を夢見ていた」という考え方が強いようでした。
　そんなことを含めて「生々しい血脈」を強く感じる、いまに直接繋がってくる家系史段階になってきた。
　地図は、従兄弟が強く意識している「岡山県・井原」のかれの母系の故地と、わが家系統が江戸後期からの「故地」と考えてきた広島県福山市今津の距離感を表現したもの。江戸期「西国街道（山陽道）」のルートとして１直線。山陽道の宿駅としては、今津宿からすぐ東隣の神辺宿を超えて「高屋宿」「七日市宿」のあった井原地域まで29km程度。
　間の「神辺宿」には菅茶山の「廉塾」があってわが家系の曾祖父が入塾していたようで、同時期に井原の縁者になる人物も塾にいたようなのです。そこで縁がつながってか、この井原の人物にわが家系の女子が嫁入りしている。
　私から数えれば４−５代前くらいに相当する「つながり」が克明に浮かび上がってくる。
　そして、先述した従兄弟は、この井原の家から嫁入りして来た伯母の子。
　この伯父は太平洋戦争期、満州国で官僚になっていてそこから艱難の末に日本に帰国したとき、伯母の実家の方に帰国している。実の父母のいる北海道空知郡の方ではなかった、という消息。
　このあたり「人生判断基準」に違いがあることに深く気付かされる思い。
　まぁ当然ですね。人類はそのように「枝分かれ」しながら、世の動きの中でそれぞれが生存戦略を持って生き続けてきた存在なのでしょう。　しかし、だんだんと「血肉」が迫ってくる・・・。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇

[Exploring Family History / In an Era Where We Can Feel the Vivid Pulse of Our Bloodline]
From the turmoil of the late Edo period through the Meiji era to the end of World War II, the true nature of that era seems to have emerged in a single, continuous thread. I find myself drawn in by its vivid, living quality…

　As I’ve entered my later years and begun to step back a bit from my business life, I’ve been continuing to research our family history following an “official order” from my second-eldest brother. The other day, I had a thorough conversation lasting over four and a half hours with a cousin (whose father and my father are brothers) who wanted to hear a “different perspective.”
　I was surprised to discover that even among cousins from the same family, our fundamental perspectives on things differed so greatly.
I’ve come to keenly realize that views on my grandfather’s way of life naturally differ even among my father’s generation, and that differences in maternal lineage also create a gap in how we perceive things. My father has essentially led a life of “independence and self-reliance” in Hokkaido—the place my grandfather chose to settle—and I truly feel that this spirit has been strongly passed down to me. However, among my father’s older brother’s branch of the family, there seems to be a strong belief that my grandfather had always “dreamed of returning to his ancestral homeland to live a life of glory.”
　Taking all this into account, I’ve reached a stage in my family history where I strongly feel the “vivid bloodline” that connects directly to the present.
　The map illustrates the distance between “Ibara, Okayama Prefecture”—the ancestral homeland on my cousin’s maternal side, which he is deeply conscious of—and Imazu in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, which our family line has considered our “ancestral homeland” since the late Edo period. It is a straight line along the route of the Edo-period “Saigoku Kaidō (Sanyō-dō).” As for the post stations along the Sanyō-dō, it is about 29 km from Imazu-juku, passing through the neighboring Kanbe-juku to the east, to the Ibaraki area where Takaya-juku and Nanokaichi-juku were located.
　At “Kannabe-juku,” located along this route, there was Suganoyama’s “Renjuku” academy, where my family’s great-grandfather apparently studied; it seems that a person who would later become a relative in Ibara was also attending the academy at the same time. Perhaps because of this connection, a woman from my family’s line married into this Ibara family.
　This “connection”—dating back about four or five generations from my own time—comes into sharp focus.
　Furthermore, the cousin I mentioned earlier is the child of my aunt, who married into this family in Ihara.
　During the Pacific War, this uncle served as a bureaucrat in Manchukuo; after enduring great hardships, he returned to Japan and settled at his wife’s family home. Reports indicate he did not return to Sorachi District in Hokkaido, where his biological parents lived.
　This really makes me keenly aware of the differences in “life values.”
Well, that’s only natural. Humanity has likely always existed in this way—branching out and continuing to survive with our own survival strategies amid the changing world. However, the reality of “blood ties” is gradually closing in on me…

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

Posted on 7月 31st, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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