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【阿倍比羅夫と対話した縄文の末裔の人びと】


日本書紀の記述、斉明天皇の条での阿倍比羅夫の北征。古代世界で突然のように北辺の世界の記述が出てくることから、多くの研究が日本各地で行われてきている。北海道に暮らすものとして、何度もこのナゾに問いかけてきている。今回も現地周辺を行脚しながら想像力を巡らせてきていた。わたしとしては流域面積で北海道での6番目の「大河」である尻別川流路から、羊蹄山をつねに目標としながら上っていく山麓地域のどこかが比定されるのではないかと考えている。事実として「比羅夫」という地名も残されている。地名にはタイムマシンのように伝承などの故実が表現されていると考えるのが自然だと思うのです。
この日本書紀記述を巡っては倶知安町や余市町などで、後方羊蹄(しりべし)の政庁「郡領」はわが町存在したに違いないと論争が繰り返されてきた。いまのところ郷土の歴史の一断面として今後の調査に期待するところ。
一方で阿倍比羅夫が接触した人びとについて、いろいろな解析が進んできている。7世紀頃の北海道ではアイヌ文化はまだ成立せず、それ以前の「擦文」の人びとが文化圏を築いていた。以下の図表は、JT生命史研究館「縄文人の核ゲノムから歴史を読み解く〜国立科学博物館・神澤秀明」からの参照。https://www.brh.co.jp/publication/journal/087/research/1


この解析から想起できることは本土の人びとはより現在のDNAに近く、北海道島の人びとはより縄文人に近しい存在だったと。この分析からは、この時期に阿倍比羅夫と遭遇し「郡領」設置を進言したという人びとは、より縄文人の血が強い人びとだったことが想像できる。
北海道で活躍する考古学の瀬川拓郎氏の説によれば、この時期、アムール川河口周辺発祥の北方アジア系の「オホーツク文化人」の人びとが大型海獣の狩猟を中心としたライフスタイルで北海道のオホーツク沿岸地域に進出しており、かれらは交易を通じて日本社会との接点拡大を目指して日本海側にも進出していた。
そのことからこの後方羊蹄地域の縄文由来の擦文の人びとと緊張状態に陥り、そした背景から交易相手であるヤマト王権社会に「援軍」を請うた結果が阿倍比羅夫の遠征だったのではないかとされている。
奥尻島と想定される戦場で、実際に戦闘が行われ、阿倍比羅夫に従軍した副官クラスが奥尻島で戦死したとされている。
こういった北海道島の日本史との接触記録が、しかしその後、鎌倉期くらいまで眠ったようになる。遠征した阿倍比羅夫の血統は奥州安倍氏に連なるという説もある。その経済基盤としての対北方世界「交易」の実態は奥州藤原氏の奇跡的な栄華としても明らか。
日本の北方史は多くの魅力的なミッシングリンクに満ちている。

English version⬇

[People of the Jomon descendants who conversed with Abepirāu.
From Abephirao’s expedition onward, until the Kamakura period, there was a missing link in the world of the rise and fall of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, which is poorly documented. However, there were historical facts in Hokkaido. …

The description of the Nihonshoki, the northern conquest of Abenohirau in the article of Emperor Saimei. Because of the sudden appearance of descriptions of the northern world in the ancient world, a great deal of research has been conducted in various parts of Japan. As a resident of Hokkaido, I have repeatedly asked this riddle. This time, too, I have been exploring my imagination as I traveled around the area. I believe that the Shiribetsu River, the sixth largest river in Hokkaido in terms of watershed area, is located somewhere in the foothills of the mountain range, always with Mt. In fact, the place name “Hirao” has been preserved. I think it is natural to think that place names are like a time machine, expressing folklore and other historical facts.
There have been repeated disputes in Kutchan Town, Yoichi Town, and other towns over this Nihon Shoki description, arguing that there must have been a “county seat” of government in Shiribeshi in the backward direction in our town. At present, this is just one aspect of our local history, and we look forward to further research in the future.
On the other hand, various analyses of the people with whom Abenohirau came into contact are underway: the Ainu culture had not yet been established in Hokkaido around the 7th century, and the “Scrubun” people had established a cultural sphere before that time. The following figures and tables are from “Reading History from the Nuclear Genome of the Jomon People: Hideaki Kanzawa, National Museum of Nature and Science,” JT Biohistory Research Hall.

This analysis suggests that the people of the mainland were closer to the present DNA, while the people of Hokkaido Island were closer to the Jomon people. From this analysis, we can imagine that the people who encountered Abenohirau and advised him to establish a “county fiefdom” during this period were people with stronger Jomon blood.
According to the theory of Segawa Takuro, an archaeologist active in Hokkaido, during this period, “Okhotsk Culture people” of northern Asian descent who originated around the mouth of the Amur River expanded into the Okhotsk coastal region of Hokkaido with a lifestyle centered on hunting large marine animals, and they also expanded into the Sea of Japan side, aiming to expand their contacts with Japanese society through trade. They also expanded to the Sea of Japan side in order to expand their contacts with Japanese society through trade.
This may have led to tensions with the Jomon-derived Abrahamic people of the Yotei region, and the Abenohirau expedition may have been the result of their request for “reinforcements” from their trading partners in the Yamato Royal Society.
It is said that a battle actually took place on the supposed Okushiri Island battlefield, and that the second-in-command who served with Abepirāyu was killed on Okushiri Island.
These records of contact with Japanese history on the island of Hokkaido, however, then seem to have fallen asleep until about the Kamakura period. Some believe that the lineage of the Abenohirou expedition is linked to the Oshu Abe clan. The reality of “trade” with the northern world as its economic base is also evident in the miraculous prosperity of the Oshu Fujiwara clan.
Japan’s northern history is filled with many fascinating missing links.

【阿倍比羅夫の北方遠征と「後方羊蹄」尻別川】




わたしは旅先とか、出張などで訪れる地域の「地史」への興味が非常に盛り上がるタイプなのか。歴史書は好きですがもちろん網羅的に読破しているわけではない。実際に訪問するとその周辺記憶領域が強く反応して「おい、おまえ、この辺のこと放置しているべや」とうごめき、ささやき返してくる。
今回ニセコ地域を遊動してみて、あらためて日本史との関係性に強く思いが至ってしまった。やはりこの地域と日本史の関係では阿倍比羅夫の北方遠征が強烈な古代史のインパクト。地名にまで比羅夫がある。
阿倍比羅夫は高志(越)国・越後の国司の地位にあって大化の改新時期の有力人物。この北方制圧の政治軍事行動からその後、翌年には古代日本の大敗戦である白村江へも出征している。当時の日本国家の「海軍力」は環日本海が主戦場。そこに特化して活動したことから、事実上の国家軍事部門統括だと推認可能。舟の大きさも不明だけれど180-200艘の軍団規模「大河のほとり」に進出したとされる。地元の族長たちはその勢威に圧倒されて恭順を申し出てきたのだという。この「大河」がさてどこであるのか、ということからして北海道地域史では確定的な論を持っていない。
阿倍比羅夫が置いたとされる「郡領」の位置を巡って多数の研究者たちが多年にわたって発掘などの調査活動を行ってきているとされている。国書に記載があるとは言え、そもそも事実としてそういった「建築的施設」があったのかどうかも不明なのだから、労多い作業だとは思う。
一介の歴史好きとしては研究者のみなさんの活動に期待しつつ、後方羊蹄という残された地域名と、大河という表記、そして大軍船団という歴史事実から推定して、写真のような光景が古代人にも同様に映じていたと考えられると思っている。
いまの河川名で言えば「尻別川」が擬定されるにふさわしい。阿倍比羅夫の遠征は、その後の白村江出征も国家的な海軍力の示威であり、実際の戦争行為でもあったことから、この北方遠征もそういったコンテキストと同様でしょう。この地域で族長層からは日本古代王権に対しての服従対応があったということ。
阿倍比羅夫は帰朝後、ヒグマの毛皮多数と,生きたヒグマ2頭を朝廷にもたらしたといわれる。この後方羊蹄地域の族長たちと「戦わずして外交的に勝利した」ということが真実なのだろう。郡領を設置したらと申し出たのは現地族長層からだったとされている。
さてそこで実際に阿倍比羅夫は羊蹄山の周辺地域まで「郡領」を設置しに向かったかどうか。現地族長たちにしてみると、たしかに大河の畔でその軍威にひれ伏したけれど、実際に自分たちのテリトリーまで軍の首領を導き入れるかどうかは疑問も残る。阿倍比羅夫としてもそこまで身の安全確保に自信を持てただろうか。興味津々の地域史探偵団であります(笑)。

English version⬇

Abenohirao’s Northern Expedition and the “Backward Yotei” Shiribetsu River
Yotei from the Shiribetsu River mouth area, and was offered submission by the local tribal leaders. Diplomatically, the expedition was a success. Whether or not they actually established “county fiefdom” building facilities? ・・・

Am I the type of person whose interest in the “local history” of an area I visit when traveling or on a business trip is very excited? I like history books, but of course I have not read them exhaustively. When I actually visit an area, my peripheral memory reacts strongly and whispers back to me, “Hey, you, you left this area out.
This time, as I traveled around the Niseko area, I was reminded of the strong relationship between the area and Japanese history. As one would expect, the relationship between this area and Japanese history is strongly influenced by the northern expedition of Abepirābu, which had a strong impact on the ancient history of Japan. Even the name of the place has Hirao in it.
Abenohirau was a powerful figure during the Taika Reform Period in his position as provincial governor of Koshi-no-Kuni and Echigo. From this politico-military action to control the northern part of the country, he later went to the Hakumura River, the great defeat of ancient Japan, in the following year. The main battlefield for the “naval power” of the Japanese nation at that time was the Japan Sea Rim. Since he specialized his activities there, it can be inferred that he was in charge of the de facto national military department. Although the size of their ships is unknown, it is said that they advanced to the “banks of the great river” with an army of 180 to 200 ships. The local chiefs were overwhelmed by the force of the army and offered their respect. The history of Hokkaido does not have a definite theory as to where this “great river” was located.
Many researchers have been excavating and investigating the location of the “county fiefdom” where Abenohirau is said to have placed it for many years. Although it is mentioned in the National Records of Japan, it is still unclear whether or not such an “architectural facility” existed in the first place, so it is a laborious task.
As a history buff, I look forward to the activities of researchers, but based on the name of the area, which remains as Yotei in the back, the description of the river, and the historical fact of a large military fleet, I believe that the ancient people would have seen the same scene as in the photo.
In today’s river names, the Shiribetsu River is an appropriate name for the area. The Abenohirao expedition would be similar to such a context, as the subsequent expedition to the Hakumura River was also a demonstration of national naval power and an actual act of war. It means that there was a submissive response to the ancient Japanese kingship from the chiefs in this region.
Abenohirau is said to have brought a large number of brown bear pelts and two live brown bears to the imperial court after his return. It is probably true that he “won a diplomatic victory without a fight” with the chiefs of this backward yotei region. It is said that it was the local chiefs who offered to establish a county fiefdom.
Now, whether or not Abepirābu actually went to the area around Yotei to establish a “county fiefdom” is not clear. The local chieftains were indeed prostrated by his military might on the banks of the great river, but it is doubtful that they would actually lead a military leader into their own territory. Would Abenohirau have been so confident of his own safety? The Local History Detective Corps is very curious (laughs).

【神々が坐す 素朴な自然崇拝の「後方羊蹄」地域】



きのうのニセコでの環状列石探訪での古代縄文人の痕跡に気付かされ、知らず知らずわたし自身も陥っていた北海道地域観、大自然がそのまま残っている未踏の開拓地的な史観がゆらぎを見せ始めています。人跡・文化性への極度の軽視から目を見開かされたような思いがある。
たしかに人跡の歴史には連続性は乏しいけれど、それなりに点景としては存在していることに改めて思いが至っていました。
日本史との接点ではこの羊蹄山周辺地域・ニセコは「後方羊蹄〜シリベシ」という地名地域として、阿倍比羅夫の遠征期に名を記している。この漢字の文字記述とよみがなとの乖離感はたぶん日本語の中でも特異な例でしょう。
さらに現代地名表現としての後志と書いてシリベシと読むのも、この表記・音読との関係性が出発点なのでしょう。他地域のみなさんは漢字表現とよみに強い違和感を覚えるだろうと思います。
阿倍比羅夫の北方遠征については以下の「『福井県史』通史編1原始・古代」記述がある。「比羅夫は水軍180~200艘を率いて北征したがそのための造船はもとより、兵員や食糧の調達は莫大だった。その負担に堪えたのはおそらく能登・加賀を含む広義の越前が主だったであろう。比羅夫の遠征軍は、斉明天皇四年(659年前後)に齶田・渟代(秋田・能代)を平定。渡嶋の「蝦夷」をも綏撫して帰還。この年にまた比羅夫は粛慎を討って帰還した。同五年には飽田・渟代二郡の「蝦夷」のほか、津軽郡・膽振「蝦夷」を饗応し進んで肉入篭に至り、後方羊蹄に郡領を置いて帰った。同六年にも、渡嶋の「蝦夷」を味方として幣賂辨島の粛慎と戦った。」
ここに記述された「後方羊蹄」という地域は常識的に考えれば写真のような現代の羊蹄山周辺地域。ここに「郡領を置いた」という記述からは、一定の人口社会地域であることが推定される。きのう見たような約3,000年前当時の縄文期の遺跡から、この1,364年前当時まで、少なくとも1,700年程度は一定の集落社会が形成され続けていたと考えることが自然なのではないか。こういう推論に基づいて丹念に考え続けることが必要なのかも知れません。
現代の北海道地理観でも、積丹半島の先端部・神威岬は猛烈な強風で知られ、そこを超えた石狩平野地域は江戸期くらいまで女人禁制とまでされていた通行困難地域。いまでも札幌から移動するには山岳地域を抜ける必要がある。いわゆる蝦夷ヶ島の交通可能エリアとしては、ニセコ地域は日本社会との接触可能圏だったと考えられる。そういう背景があって「郡領を置いた」のだろう。現代ではこの地域は海外との接触が非常に高まってもいる地域。歴史探偵団的にたいへん面白みがある。

English version⬇

A simple nature-worshipping “backward yotei” area where the gods sit.
The area where Abenohirau “established a county fief” during his northern expedition 1,364 years ago. 3,000 years ago, during the Jomon period, we can predict the continuous existence of a populated society. The area was “the county seat” during Abenohirau’s northern expedition 1,364 years ago.

Yesterday’s visit to Niseko and the traces of the ancient Jomon people were a reminder to me that my own view of Hokkaido as an unexplored frontier with its natural wonders intact is beginning to waver. I feel as if my eyes have been opened from the extreme disregard for human remains and culture.
It is true that there is little continuity in the history of human sites, but I have come to realize once again that they exist in their own way as a point of view.
In terms of contact with Japanese history, the area around Mt. Yotei, Niseko, was named “Yotei Shiribeshi” during Abenohirou’s expedition. This divergence between the Kanji character description and the yomigana is probably a unique example in the Japanese language.
Furthermore, the modern use of “Goshi” as a place name expression, reading “Shiribeshi,” is also probably based on this relationship between the written and phonetic readings. I believe that people from other regions may feel a strong sense of discomfort with the Chinese characters and pronunciation.
The following is a description of Abeno Hirao’s expedition to the north in the “History of Fukui Prefecture,” General History, Part 1, Primitive and Ancient Times. The burden of building ships and procuring men and food for the expedition was enormous. It is likely that the burden was borne mainly by Echizen in the broad sense of the word, including Noto and Kaga. Hirao’s expeditionary force pacified Jinden and Nugushiro (Akita and Noshiro) in the 4th year of the Emperor Saimei (around 659). He also returned after having pacified the “Emishi” of Watarajima. In the same year, Hirao also returned after defeating Sukune. In the same year, he served “Ezo” in Ajita, Nuyo, Tsugaru-gun, and Ezo in Echigo-Tsumari, and returned to Yotei with his county territory in the rear. In the same year, he fought against Sukune of Beshima with the “Emishi” of Watarajima as his allies.
The area described here as “back Yotei” is, to the casual observer, the area around modern Mt. The description of a “county fiefdom” here suggests that it was an area with a certain population. It is natural to assume that a certain settlement society had continued to be formed for at least 1,700 years from the Jomon period ruins we saw yesterday, about 3,000 years ago, to this time, 1,364 years ago. It may be necessary to continue to think painstakingly based on this kind of reasoning.
Even in the modern geographical view of Hokkaido, Cape Kamui, at the tip of the Shakotan Peninsula, is known for its ferociously strong winds, and the Ishikari Plain area beyond Cape Kamui was a difficult area where women were even forbidden to travel until around the Edo period. Even today, travelers from Sapporo must pass through mountainous areas. The Niseko area is thought to have been the only area in the so-called “Ezo-gashima” area that was accessible to Japanese society. It is against this background that the “county territory” was established. In the present day, this area is also a region where contact with the rest of the world has increased greatly. It is very interesting from the perspective of the Historical Detective Corps.

【古代天文科学・羊蹄山頂同緯度の縄文「曽我北栄環状列石」】



連休初日なので遠出しております。最近出掛けることが多いニセコ方面。カミさんが食事改善に伴って新鮮野菜探究にまっしぐらで、アスパラガスの旬の食感に強いこだわりを求め始めていまして、ニセコビュープラザ道の駅に出店される地元農家の朝市をたのしみに出掛けている次第。という動機について詳しく知ったのは実はきのうでして(笑)、わたしとしては「そんなんなら、地元の人にいつころから出荷するか,聞けばいいっしょ」ということなのですが、なにせコミュニケーション不足(笑)。
で、きのう確認したところこちらでの出荷の旬は今月中旬〜下旬とのことでまだシーズン前ということであります。でもまぁ、それは動機のひとつに過ぎない。遠出ドライブはキライではない。
ということで、その近隣であちこち巡っていたら、こちらの「曽我北栄環状列石」に遭遇。考古好きのわたしとしても強く惹かれた次第。情報では「羊蹄山山頂火口縁の北側と同緯度(北緯42度49分35秒)」なのだということなのです。先日の日本古代王権ゆかりの淡路伊弉諾神宮でも触れたのですが、その所在地の真東に大和藤原京や、伊勢神宮内宮が位置するという古代での「天文科学」の存在痕跡。
そのような天文科学に基づいた遺構が、北海道の羊蹄山周辺の高地平野部に存在するという事実を初めて知ったのであります。写真上はその遺構から真東方向に羊蹄山を見たところ。その下のGoogleMapは、正確な東西南北通りのマッピングなので、たしかに羊蹄山頂とこの遺構が、地球物理の解析結果の現代科学知識とレベルを共にして、同緯度に存在することが目視確認される。
昭和26年、東京大学教授・駒井和愛氏による発掘調査。第1号から第4号の4基の環状列石が残されており、発掘調査で人骨と思われる骨片、石錐、翡翠製の臼玉、深鉢型縄文後期式土器が発見され、研究者は祭祀的なものというより、環状列石墓であると主張されている。3000年ほど前、縄文人が居住地と墓を分離したときの墓であると。
ニセコ町では縄文時代の遺跡は発見されているが、中世(鎌倉、室町)から江戸後期に至るまでの記録(アイヌ時代)の遺跡が発見されておらず謎となっている。幕末の探検家・松浦武四郎は羊蹄山を『日本書紀』に記された後方羊蹄(しりべし)と推測している。
考古数寄としては、まことに好きな展開(笑)。たまたまカミさんの情報調査がきっかけで訪問出来たのですが、非常に刺激を受けています。灯台もと暗し、古代浪漫、淡路島と同レベルの事実が地元北海道でも、であります。ワクワク。

English version⬇

Ancient Astronomical Science, Jomon “Soga-Hokuei Ring Stones” at the same latitude as the summit of Mt.
Is this an ancient scientific example similar to the case of Awaji Izanagi Shrine and the Inner Shrine of Ise Jingu at the same latitude? An encounter with a fact that makes my archeological blood boil. …

It is the first day of a consecutive holiday, so we are going away. Recently, we have been going out to Niseko. My wife has been on a quest for fresh vegetables as she has been improving her diet, and she has started to pay close attention to the texture of asparagus in season. I learned more about their motivation yesterday (laugh), and I thought to myself, “If that’s the case, why don’t I just ask the locals when they start shipping their produce?
(Laughs) So, I checked yesterday, and the shipping season here is from the middle to the end of this month, which means it is still before the season. But, well, that is only one of the reasons. I am not averse to a long drive.
So, as I was cruising around the neighborhood, I came across the “Soga Hokuei Loop Stones” here. As an archeologist, I was strongly attracted to it. According to the information, it is located at the same latitude (42 degrees, 49 minutes and 35 seconds north latitude) as the northern side of the crater rim of the summit of Mt. As mentioned in the recent article on Awaji Izanagi Shrine, which is associated with ancient Japanese royalty, the Yamato Fujiwara Capital and the Inner Palace of Ise Jingu are located directly east of the site, which is a trace of the existence of “astronomical science” in ancient times.
This was the first time I learned of the existence of such astronomical remains in the highland plains around Mt. The upper photo is a view of Mt. Yotei looking directly east from the remains. The GoogleMap below is an accurate mapping of the north-south-east-west street, which confirms that the summit of Mt. Yotei and these remains are indeed at the same latitude and level of modern scientific knowledge of the geophysical analysis.
Excavation by Professor Kazuai Komai of the University of Tokyo in 1951. The excavation revealed bone fragments, a stone cone, a jade mortar ball, and a deep bowl-shaped Late Jomon-style earthenware, which researchers claim are annular tombs rather than ritual tombs, dating back about 3,000 years, when the Jomon people separated their graves from their settlements.
Although Jomon-era sites have been discovered in Niseko Town, the remains of records from the Middle Ages (Kamakura and Muromachi) to the late Edo period (the Ainu period) have not been found and remain a mystery. Takeshiro Matsuura, an explorer at the end of the Edo period, speculated that Mt. Yotei was the backward Yotei (Shiribeshi) mentioned in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan).
As an archaeologist, I really like this development (laughs). I happened to be able to visit the site because of Kami’s information research, and I am very much inspired. It is a fact that the same level of darkness under the lighthouse, ancient romance, and Awaji Island can be found in my hometown, Hokkaido. I am excited.

【連休は自然回帰型でこころのリフレッシュ】



写真は毎日の早朝散歩コース、北海道神宮〜円山公園の池に棲息しているオシドリの雌雄。北海道では雪が融けて花々の一斉開花が一段落してくると、動物たちの繁殖シーズンが始まる。
ちいさなオシドリコミュニティのなかでやがて「オシドリ夫婦」としてつがいが形成されていくのですが、そういう予感があるのかないのか、という時期であります。毎年、もう少しすると雌雄のつがいたちは群を出発してランデブーデートに勤しむようになる。この池から遠く500mくらい離れた円山の山裾などでよくデートの様子を見かけるようになる。仲良きことはすばらしい、と若さに応援したくなる(笑)。
雌雄の様子を見ていると、のびのびとした体動作を感じるのが2枚目のメスの方で、1枚目のオスの方はわたしの構えるiPhoneに対して注意して、首を立てて警戒感を持っている様子がわかる。万が一、わたしが悪意を持った所業に及べば、即座に逃げ出すような緊張感をただよわせている。メスの方は、そういう過剰反応は見せることなく、淡々と現実世界に対して肯定的な生き方を生きているように思える。
やっぱり女の力はすごい。オスは目立つ毛色で着飾ってメスの注意をひくのがかれらの世界の掟。かれらの世界でのペアリングでは雌雄どちらがより強い「選択行動」に及ぶのかはわからないけれど、わたしども人間の男として見ていても、メスの方がどっしりと落ち着きがあって好ましい(笑)。はじめのうちはわたしもオスたちの派手な羽毛の色彩に驚いていたけれど、見る毎にメスの「しなやかさ」の方に惹かれていく。

きのうまでの超多忙がなんとか一段落して、あとは直近の目標については連休明け2日間程度に作業が残るだけ。ただ、カミさんは月末経理作業もあって仕事が立て込んでいた。
ことしは北海道、雪融けもサクラ開花も早くて、もうサクラは札幌では散っている。そして百花繚乱のようにさまざまな花々が一気に妍を競うシーズンになりました。きょうからの連休はなるべくノンビリと自然の様子にふれあって過ごしたいと思います。きょうは寒暖の差が激しく最低気温2°で最高気温24°にもなるそうです。体調管理には留意して、自然と同期するように過ごしたいと思います。

English version⬇

Refresh your mind by returning to nature during the consecutive holidays.
The mandarin ducks, in their natural habitat, heal me. I want to change from a slammed brain and hippocampus full of blood to the rhythm of nature. The rest of the day is a time of restoration and relaxation.

The photo shows a male and female mandarin duck living in a pond in Maruyama Park, a daily early morning walking course between Hokkaido Shrine and Maruyama Park. In Hokkaido, when the snow melts and all the flowers are in bloom at once, the breeding season for animals begins.
In the tiny mandarin duck community, mating pairs will eventually form as “mandarin duck couples,” and this is the time of year when we wonder whether we have such a premonition or not. Every year, a little later, the male and female mates leave the flock to work on their rendezvous date. I often see them dating at the foot of Mt. I was tempted to cheer them on in their youthfulness, saying, “It’s wonderful that they get along so well with each other.
When I look at the male and female, the female in the second photo is more spontaneous in her body movements, while the male in the first photo is more alert, holding his head up to my iPhone. The male in the first photo is standing at attention to my iPhone, and seems to be on the lookout for me. The female does not show such an overreaction, but seems to be living a positive life in the real world without hesitation.
The female’s power is amazing. It is a law in their world that males should attract females’ attention by dressing up in conspicuous fur colors. I don’t know which of the sexes is more selective in their pairing behavior, but as a human male, I prefer the female to the male because she seems to be more relaxed and calm (laughs). At first, I was surprised at the colorful feathers of the males, but the more I looked at them, the more I was attracted to the “suppleness” of the females.

The extremely busy schedule up until yesterday has somehow come to an end, and I only have about two days of work left to do before the end of the holidays to achieve my latest goals. However, Kami had a lot of work to do, including accounting work at the end of the month.
The snow melted and the cherry blossoms bloomed early this year in Hokkaido, and the cherry blossoms have already fallen in Sapporo. And it is now the season for various flowers to come into bloom at once, as if a hundred flowers are blooming at once. I would like to spend the consecutive holidays starting today as leisurely as possible in contact with nature. Today’s temperatures are said to range from a low of 2°C to a high of 24°C. I will take care of my physical condition and try to spend my time in sync with nature.

【連休の谷間なのにストレス性疲労大襲来(泣)】


さて連休に突入していますが、最近すっかり増えてきたストレス性労働の数々・・・。人間の脳味噌では「海馬」と呼ばれる領域が、いわゆる論理的思考の場所だそうですが、この部分がフル動員されるのが公的申請などの対お役所業務。
もちろん言語を使ってやり取りをするわけですが、わたしのように情緒や雰囲気のような住宅空間をテーマにしてきた人間は、どちらかというとあいまい性の部分をどう表現するかと考える感受性言語志向。そういった志向とは、ほぼ正反対の脳の部分を動員することになる。
「えーっと、この文章はどういう事象を特定しているのか?」という基本的な部分が、法律などの文言、きわめて限定性の高い言葉で埋め尽くされている。主語と述語、修飾語の間に寸分も拡散性のない文章が羅列されている。凡人的海馬をフル動員しても、なかなか整理整頓できない。
チコちゃんに叱られるように「ボーッと」生きてきたことがいまさらのように悔やまれる(泣)。

ということで、ここのところ継続している食習慣改善努力にはマイナス。たぶん人間は論理限定性の高い領域を長時間活動させ続けると、本能的に「無性に食欲が高まる」。
ほかにもイライラ要因が高まる事柄があり、ストレスMAX状態がやってきて、いまの食生活改善行動に強烈な破壊的圧力が加わってくる(笑)。「もういい、好きにしろ」みたいな爆発性欲求がこころの内部に芽生えてくる。たぶん、図のような海馬周辺に異常な血流増加があって過熱ヒートアップし、我慢するとか、抑制するという脳の働きが攻撃されるのではないか。
上の写真は食事改善中に唯一食べたにぎり寿司。最近わたしのにぎり寿司はシャリ少なめが基本でなるべく小さく、女性に合わせるように(カミさんの好み)握っているのですが、この外食寿司ではシャリがどんと大きく、ネタも肉厚たっぷり感で迫ってきていた。
これでもか、と過食を唆すような姿カタチ。メニューではホントはこのほかにそばもセットされていた(笑)。ただ、このときは前後の食事はごく控えめだっし、また休日と言うこともあり、全体としては抑制が効いていた。
過熱する海馬領域と必死で自己抑制の戦いを繰り広げておりますが、食事改善の戦い、始めてから20日あまり。そろそろ本格的な関ヶ原が見えてきたようであります。
ストレスと食欲の抑制、なんとか頑張りたい。さて、自分は信じられるか。

English version⬇

[It’s the trough of a holiday weekend, but stress fatigue has struck hard (tears).
The Sekigahara decisive battle of the battle for better diet is approaching. The summit battle between appetite and inhibitions that are about to erupt. …

Now that the holidays are upon us, the number of stressful labors that have been completely increasing lately…. In the human brain, the area called “hippocampus” is said to be the place for logical thinking, and this area is fully mobilized in official applications and other bureaucratic work.
Of course, we communicate using language, but people like me, who have focused on the theme of residential space, such as emotion and atmosphere, are more susceptible to language, thinking about how to express ambiguity. This is almost the opposite of that kind of orientation, and it mobilizes the part of the brain that is the opposite of that.
The basic part of the brain that says, “Well, what event does this sentence identify?” The basic part of the brain that says, “Well, what is this sentence specifying?” is filled with extremely restrictive language, language such as laws. The sentences are listed without the slightest diffusion between subject, predicate, and modifier. Even if you mobilize your mediocre hippocampus to the fullest, it is difficult to keep things in order.
I regret that I have been living “in a daze,” as Chico would scold me (tears).

So, this is a negative for the efforts to improve eating habits that have been ongoing for some time now. Perhaps humans instinctively have an “irresistible appetite” when they keep a highly logical and limited area active for a long period of time.
There are other matters that increase the frustration factor, and the stress maximal state comes in and adds intense destructive pressure to the current dietary habit improvement behavior (laughs). (Laughs.) Explosive desires like, “Enough, do as you please,” sprout inside the mind. Perhaps there is an abnormal increase in blood flow around the hippocampus as shown in the figure, which causes overheating and attacks the brain’s functions of endurance and inhibition.
The photo above is the only nigiri-zushi I ate during my diet improvement. Recently, I have been making nigiri-zushi with a smaller rice ball to suit women (my wife’s preference), but at this sushi restaurant, the rice ball was huge, and the ingredients were thick and filling.
The sushi at this sushi restaurant had a large rice and the ingredients were thick and filling, as if to suggest overeating. The menu actually included soba noodles as well (laugh). However, the meal before and after was very moderate, and it was also a holiday, so the overall effect was restrained.
I have been fighting a desperate battle of self-control against the overheated hippocampus area, and it has been more than 20 days since I started this battle to improve my diet. It has been more than 20 days since I started the battle to improve my diet, and it seems that I am about to see the real battlefield.
I want to do my best to control stress and appetite. Now, can I believe in myself?

【鳴門うずしお・伊弉諾神宮太陽の道 おのころ島神社探訪-3】




年末年始時期には雪で閉ざされる北海道を離れ、本州以南地域を旅することが習慣化。その旅先も四国などが中心になって最寄りの利便のいい空港は神戸空港。そこから気ままな旅程を組めるレンタカーでの移動が通常ルートになった。そうすると淡路島・瀬戸内海地域行脚が定番化する。
淡路島は環瀬戸内圏の移動交通の要衝。札幌函館間往復600kmが一般的移動範囲である北海道人としては、淡路島というのはそれこそ指呼の距離感覚。旅するうちに、淡路には国生みにまつわる伝承や神社などの存在が多いことに気付かされるようになる。こうした流れで今回は深掘り型におのころ神社参詣。
どうも天沼矛(あめのぬほこ)神話について中央構造線の存在と、鳴門のうずしおのことが強く想像力を刺激される。〜イザナギイザナミの二神は神聖な沼矛(ぬぼこ)で国造り。天の浮橋に立ち授かった矛で混沌とした世界をかき回した。潮をゴロゴロと鳴らし引き上げた矛の先から落ちた雫が固まって島となった。〜
この「かき回し」伝承と鳴門のうずしお、そしておのころ島の擬定地・沼島の上立神岩などの符合に、古代の先人たちの列島自然地形観察の「科学的」解析結果を見るように思える。
そしてさらに淡路の伊弉諾神宮で見ていた「太陽の運行図」が思い起こされる。この神宮の真東には飛鳥藤原京や伊勢神宮などが位置しているという宮司さん作成になる説明石版図。この図を見ていたときにはこじつけ的な牽強付会説ではないかと疑念を抱いていたのですが、考えて見ると、古代の稲作農業の支配者たる王権にとっては、季節運行の民衆への明晰な説得力のある指示が不可欠だった。いつタネを植え、田にはいつ苗を植えるべきか、それへの合理的判断と指示が決定的に重要だと考えられる。そこには天文観察から自然地形観察、そして太陽の季節運行など多様な解析作業があっただろう。それらは当時の「科学根拠」そのものだっただろう。
国生み神話にあってなぜ淡路が特別な地位を受けていたのか。やはりヤマト王権にとって非常に重要な出自地域だったことを表している可能性が高いと思う。真東に初期王権地の飛鳥・藤原京があり、そこをめざして「東征」した神武の東征行動の方向性が腑に落ちるように思われる。古代には神話であると同時に合理的な根拠行動だったと思われる。神武は橿原に宮を建てたとされるけれど、その子孫・崇神は祭政分離を目指して、伊勢に祭祀中心を移動させ定めていくようになる。
このような王権としての行動意思決定に太陽の道行きが深く考慮されたことは自然だろう。天文観察での北斗星を中心にして方位観測を重ねたに違いない。ただ、たくさんの先人の列島自然観察という経験知はあったにせよ、太陽の道の詳細な特定方法はどうであったのか、現代人としては大きな疑問に突き当たらざるを得ない。

English version⬇

Naruto Uzushio, Izanagi Shrine, and the Path of the Sun: Exploration of Naruto Uzushio and Izanagi Shrine – 3
Asuka, Fujiwara-kyo and Ise Jingu are located directly east of Izanagi Shrine. The Yamato kingdom “conquered” the east to that place. Is there any scientific basis for the ancient principle of action? ……

During the year-end and New Year’s holidays, it has become a habit to leave snowy Hokkaido and travel south of Honshu. The destinations of these trips are now mainly in Shikoku and the nearest convenient airport is Kobe Airport. The nearest convenient airport is Kobe Airport, from which the usual route is to rent a car for a flexible itinerary. In this way, trips to Awaji Island and the Seto Inland Sea region became the standard route.
Awaji Island is a key location for transportation in the Seto Inland Sea area. For Hokkaido residents, who generally travel 600 km round trip between Sapporo and Hakodate, Awaji Island is just a short distance away. As I traveled, I came to realize that Awaji is home to many shrines and folklore related to the birth of the nation. In line with this trend, this time I paid an in-depth visit to Onokoro Shrine.
The existence of the Median Tectonic Line and Naruto’s Uzushio strongly stimulated my imagination about the myth of Amanuma no Mako (Amanuma no Nuhoko). 〜The two gods Izanagi and Izanami created the country with the sacred Nuboko. Standing on the floating bridge of heaven, they stirred up the chaotic world with the sacred spear. The drops that fell from the tip of the spear, which rumbled with the tide, hardened and became an island. 〜The island was an island.
The coincidence of this “stirring” tradition with the Uzushio of Naruto, the pseudo-figure of Onokoro Island, and the Kamitatekami rocks of Numajima, etc., seems to indicate the results of “scientific” analysis of ancient predecessors’ observation of the natural topography of the islands of the archipelago.
This reminds me of the “sun map” I saw at Izanagi Jingu Shrine in Awaji. The map was a lithograph made by a shrine priest explaining that the Asuka Fujiwara-kyo Palace and the Ise Jingu Shrine are located directly east of this shrine. When I was looking at this chart, I had my doubts that it might be a contrived check-and-balance theory, but when I thought about it, it was essential for the royal authority, the ruler of rice farming in ancient times, to give clear and persuasive instructions to the people on the seasonal movements of the seasons. Rational judgment and instructions on when to plant seeds and when to plant seedlings in the rice paddies were considered critically important. This would have involved a variety of analytical work, including astronomical observations, observation of natural terrain, and the seasonal movement of the sun. These would have been the “scientific basis” of the time itself.
Why did Awaji receive a special status in the myth of the birth of the nation? I think it is highly likely that this indicates that Awaji was an extremely important region for the Yamato kingdom. Asuka and Fujiwara-kyo were located directly east of Awaji, the site of the early Yamato kingdom, and it seems to make sense in the direction in which Jinmu’s expedition to the east took place. In ancient times, this was both a myth and a rational basis for action. Although Jinmu is said to have built a palace in Kashihara, his descendant, Choshin, moved the center of rituals to Ise, aiming for a separation of rituals and government.
It is natural that the path of the sun was deeply considered in the decision-making process as a royal authority. They must have made a series of directional observations centering on the North Star in their astronomical observations. However, even though many of our predecessors had the empirical knowledge of observing the nature of the archipelago, we must face a big question as modern people: How did they identify the path of the sun in detail?

【天沼矛神話の「沼島」上立神岩 おのころ島神社探訪-2】




さて、このおのころ島神社は兵庫県南あわじ市榎列下幡多の丘陵上に位置しています。由緒書きには「当神社は古代の御原入江のなかにあってイザナギイザナミの国生みの聖地と伝えられる丘」にあるとされて現在地に存在するのだそうです。しかし
〜古事記・日本書紀の神代巻、いわゆる“記紀神話”によると天つ神がイザナギの命、イザナミの命の二神に神聖な沼矛(ぬぼこ)を授け、国造りを命じた。二神はまず天の浮橋に立ち、授かった矛で混沌とした世界をかき回した。潮をゴロゴロと鳴らし引き上げた矛の先から落ちた雫が固まって島となりました。これがオノコロ島。この島にイザナギ・イザナミの二神が降り立って、夫婦の契りを結び、御柱と宮殿を建て国土造成をされた。その舞台であるオノコロ島が「沼島」とされています。イザナギ・イザナミの二神が、周囲をまわり夫婦の契りを結んだ天の御柱が上立神岩だといわれる。〜
という他の説があって、そのほかにも比定地が淡路ではいくつか存在するといわれる。NHKブラタモリではタモリさんは、この沼島説に強い印象を抱いたと感想を語っていた。さらに
〜沼島は淡路島本島から4kmしか離れていませんが、日本中央構造線の大きな断層上にあり、本島とは全く異なる結晶片岩でできています。紀伊水道、大阪湾に面する沼島周辺は奇岩や岩礁があふれ豊かな自然景観を望むことができます。島の南西半分は黒色千枚岩層、北東半分は緑色片岩層、北部は緑泥片岩が分布しています。上立神岩は沼島の地質をよく表わしている奇岩で、30mの高さを誇り、島のシンボルとして人々に「立神さん」と呼ばれ親しまれています。<以上引用:奇岩百景プラス>〜
ことがらが天上界とこの世との境界部分の説話・神話なので凡人には確定のしようがない(笑)。しかし多くの列島の先人たちはこの列島の風土を探索・観察するうちにこの国土にはいくつかの「決定的な筋目」のような節理が存在することは見抜いていたことだろうと思います。中央構造線とか、太陽の日の出、日の入りに沿った国土の地理感覚が当時の「科学知識」の基礎になっていたことは自然に考えられる。
そういう科学的知識をわかりやすく人びとに衆知させるのに神話伝承というカタチを用いたというようにも解釈することが可能。そういった知恵が国生み神話には仮託されているように思える。先人たちの「大きな知恵」と淡々と語り合うことが素直な態度と言えるのではないだろうか。

English version⬇

Onokoro-jima Shrine Exploration-2: “Nushima” of Amanuma-phoko Mythology
The legend of “Numashima,” where the drops of water that fell after being stirred up by the sacred Nuboko (bog spear) hardened. The depth of the wisdom of our ancestors that shows the symbolic point of the reason of the nature of the land. ・・・・・.

The Onokoroshima Shrine is located on a hill in Shimohata, Enokorozu, Minami-Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture. According to the history of the shrine, it is located on “a hill said to be the sacred land of Izanagi-Izanami-no-Mikoto in the ancient Mihara Inlet. However
〜According to the mythology of the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, the so-called “Chronicle of the Chronicles of Japan,” the gods of heaven gave the sacred Nuboko to Izanagi and Izanami and commanded them to create a new country. The two deities first stood on the floating bridge of heaven and stirred up the chaotic world with the spear they had been given. The drops that fell from the tip of the spear, which rumbled and pulled up the tide, hardened and became an island. This is the island of Onokoro. On this island, the two deities Izanagi and Izanami descended and, in conjugal union, built the sacred pillars and palaces and created the land. Onokoro Island, the setting of the ceremony, is said to be “Nushima. It is said that the heavenly pillar around which the two Izanagi-Izanami-Izanami deities made their conjugal bond was the Kamitachi-kami Rock. 〜The rock is said to be a pillar of heaven where the two gods Izanagi and Izanami made a circle around it and made a conjugal vow.
On NHK’s Bratamori, Tamori expressed his impression that he was strongly impressed by this Nushima theory. Furthermore
〜˜Numa Island is only 4 km away from the main island of Awaji Island, but it is on a major fault line of the Japan Central Tectonic Line and is made of crystalline schist that is completely different from the main island. The area surrounding Nushima, which faces the Kii Channel and Osaka Bay, is full of oddly shaped rocks and reefs and offers a rich natural landscape. The southwestern half of the island is covered with black senbaite, the northeastern half with green schist, and the northern part with green mud schist. Kami Tachigami Iwa is an oddly shaped rock that well represents the geological features of Nushima. 30 meters high, it is affectionately called “Tachigami-san” by the people as the symbol of the island. <The above quote is from Kiiwa Hyakkei Plus: https://www.web-gis.jp/GS_Kigan100/K100-093/Kigan100_093pc.html
Since this is a myth and a legend about the boundary between the heavenly world and this world, it is impossible for ordinary people to be certain (laugh). However, I am sure that many of the archipelago’s predecessors, through their exploration and observation of the archipelago’s climate, would have seen that there were some “definite striations” in this land. It is natural to assume that the geographical sense of the land along the Median Tectonic Line and the sunrise and sunset of the sun was the basis of the “scientific knowledge” of the time.
It is possible to interpret this scientific knowledge in the form of myths and traditions as a way of making it easily understood by the people. Such wisdom seems to have been entrusted in the myth of the birth of the nation. It seems to me that it would be an honest attitude to talk with the “great wisdom” of our ancestors in an unaffected manner.

【国産み神話の「おのころ島」神社探訪-1】




住宅のことをライフワークにしたことで、自然に「この国に住む」という当たり前の現実に突き当たるようになる。住むということは必然的に「定住」することであり、その場所・空間について考えることが必然。当然気候風土のような自然条件を探究し、それへの対応の最適解を考えることになる。至極当然。
そうなると人為のことも当然、自然条件と並んで文化的側面として考えることになる。「これこれこういう自然条件に対応した住宅空間を考える人間は、さてどういう生活信条を持っているのか?」というポイント。
住宅を取材すれば「神棚」はかなりの割合でみなさん、配置されている。日本列島に暮らす人間として素朴な信条として神社信仰は深く根付いている。先般、その神社信仰のひとつのルーツとも思える兵庫県南あわじ市にある「おのころ神社」を探訪。以前放映された「ブラタモリ」での情報なども重ね合わせながら体験しておりました。
おのころ、あるいはおのごろと言われる地は、イザナギ・イザナミの夫婦神による「国産み」神話では一番最初に生み出された島として名前が出てくる。そこから淡路島が最初にできて、やがて大八洲列島が形成されていったという伝承。ちょうど夫婦旅のこの正月最後の訪問地としてふさわしい。
神社境内には「鶺鴒〜セキレイ石」が置かれている。2神はこの岩の上で羽を休めていた夫婦のセキレイが契りを交わしているのを見て国産みをされたという伝承。このセキレイの姿が、神前結婚式での三三九度の仕草の原型なのだという解説が書かれている・・・。まったく知らなかった(笑)。
で、紅白の綱が鶺鴒石に懸けられていて、男女ペアが、あるいは出会いを求める単身者が作法に則って、願いをかける。なかなか納得感のある信仰装置だと思わされる。
日本の神話は世界でも非常に独特な神話であり、またロマンチックでもあると思いますが、こういう人生の決定場面でもこんなマンガチックな行為規範がひもとかれる。たしかにセキレイたちの仕草として首の上下動は特徴的。そういう自然への観察がルーツの説話の中に仕掛けられている想像力はすばらしい。神であるイザナギ・イザナミも自然の摂理に対して素直であり従順であるということが日本的心性のなにかと繋がっているように思える。
東アジア世界の中で独立国家社会として外交を開始していくときに、こういう自国文化について深く検証も進んでいったのだろうと思われる。その後も西洋文明とも出会っていくけれど、原初に於いてこういう自然との調和概念があることで、受容することに大きなこだわりがなかったのだろう。セキレイに学ぶ心性は素晴らしい。

English version⬇

Onokoro-jima” Shrine of the Myth of the Birth of the Nation -1
The myth of the birth of the nation in the Japanese archipelago describes a Sekirei, and the two deities Izanagi and Izanami followed its example. This is said to be the original form of the 339th degree. Oh. …

Having made housing his life’s work, he naturally comes up against the obvious reality of “living in this country. To live in this country inevitably means to “settle down,” and it is inevitable to think about the place and space in which one lives. Naturally, we must explore natural conditions such as climate and climate change, and consider the best solution to cope with them. It is quite natural.
This naturally leads to the consideration of human activities as a cultural aspect as well as natural conditions. The question is, “What kind of life philosophy does a person who thinks of a residential space that responds to such and such natural conditions have? This is the point.
If you visit a house, you will find that a large percentage of them have a “kamidana” (Shinto altar) in the house. As people living in the Japanese archipelago, the belief in shrines is deeply rooted in our simple beliefs. Recently, I visited Onokoro Shrine in Minami-Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture, which seems to be one of the roots of this shrine belief. I had experienced the shrine while overlaying information from a previously broadcast “Bratamori” on my visit.
The place called Onokoro or Onogoro is named as the first island created in the myth of “Kuninosumi” by Izanagi and Izanami, a couple of gods. The tradition says that Awaji Island was first created from there, and eventually the Oyasu Islands were formed. It is a fitting place for the last stop on this New Year’s Day trip for a married couple.
The legend explains that the wagtails’ appearance is the prototype of the sansan-kudo gesture used in Shinto weddings. I had no idea (laughs).
A red and white rope is hung on the Minoekagari stone, and a male-female pair, or a single person seeking to meet someone, makes a wish according to the ritual. It is quite a convincing religious device.
Japanese mythology is one of the most unique and romantic myths in the world, but even in this kind of life-determining situation, such a cartoonish code of conduct can be found. It is true that the up-and-down movement of the neck is a characteristic gesture of wagtails. It is wonderful that such observation of nature is imaginatively incorporated into the mythology of the roots of the story. The fact that the gods Izanagi and Izanami are also obedient and obedient to the laws of nature seems to be connected to something in the Japanese psyche.
As Japan began its diplomatic activities as an independent nation-state in East Asia, it is likely that it began to examine its own culture in depth. Although they encountered Western civilization later on, they were not so particular about accepting it because they had this concept of harmony with nature in their primitive age. It is wonderful to learn from the Sekirei.

【そばの「うまさ」に雰囲気は欠かせない】




食事の改善に取り組んでいるのですが、それでも自宅でばかりは食事できません。旅に出たりすればどうしても外食の機会が増えることになる。そういう傾向となると対策はそば食になる。
写真は函館からの帰り道、黒松内町で入ったそば店。カミさんのWEB検索で引っかかってきた「穴場」系のお店。黒松内は道の駅がおいしいパンで評判になっていましたが、その100mほど並びに札幌から移住した店主が開店した「そば屋この花」というお店。
お昼時に行ったら待ち時間30分と言われましたが、道の駅で時間をつぶしていれば、ということで待つことにした次第。そうしたら道の駅でばったりと「雪だるまの家」の藤城社長と遭遇。すっかり話し込んでしまっておりました。・・・ということでさほどの苦もなく入店した。
で、「豚しゃぶそば」というメニューに夫婦とも一択。この豚しゃぶ、なかに大量の「もやし」が入っていました。カミさんには「ちょっと・・・」ということでもやしが多すぎたようですが、食事改善中のわたしには、食物繊維豊富なもやしは、炭水化物食とバランスが良いというイメージがあって、大変嬉しく食させていただいた。あ、ゆっくり、20分程度時間を掛けた(笑)。
で、空腹だったではじめはそれほど気付かなかったのですが、面白い店舗の雰囲気に徐々に気が回っていった。人間、現金なもので、腹が満たされて初めて周辺に気が向くようになる。
なんでも移住に当たって中古住宅を購入してそれを改造したお店なのだそうです。たいへん印象的な床柱がすっくと立っている。たぶん塗装も加えたのか、加齢による姿の変形がそのまま独特の味わいを見せている。あやかりたい。お昼時の最終の客だったようでたっぷり濃いめの「そば湯」でしたが、その容器も、まるで自然木のような姿カタチ。

この写真はまったく無関係な関東地域の古民家の内観ですが、わたしが古民家に惹かれるのは、こういうそば食数寄ともなんとなく通底する部分がある。
っていうか、そば食を提供するような人間は、住空間インテリアについても強い感受性を持っているように思われるのです。そば食にとってインテリアは、すでに味の重要な部分になっているのではないでしょうか。きっとそば本来の味わいには、繊細な味への感受性があって、そういう感受性の人物には脳の似通った領域として空間認識もあるのではないでしょうか。
山形の田舎町でお昼時間になって地元の方にご案内いただいた「田舎の農家」などでは、それこそ看板すら掛けていない古民家農家で、その囲炉裏端で食事時間を味わった。味と空間が渾然一体となって客をもてなしていたように思うのですね。住空間創造にとっても、興味深い部分ですね。

English version⬇

Atmosphere is essential to the “umami” of soba.
In the human brain, the region that perceives taste and the region that perceives space are very close to each other, or perhaps they are the same region. Soba and private houses are similar in sensory perception. Soba and minka, the Japanese traditional Japanese house.

I am working on improving my diet, but I still cannot eat only at home. If we travel, we will inevitably have more opportunities to eat out. With such a tendency, the countermeasure is to eat buckwheat.
The photo shows a soba restaurant we entered in Kuromatsunai Town on our way back from Hakodate. It was a “hole-in-the-wall” type restaurant that my wife’s web search turned up. The roadside station in Kuromatsunai was well known for its delicious bread, and about 100 meters away from the station was a restaurant called “Soba Restaurant Konohana,” which was opened by the owner who moved from Sapporo.
When I went there at lunchtime, I was told that the wait would be 30 minutes, but I decided to wait as long as I could kill some time at the roadside station. Then I bumped into Mr. Fujishiro, the president of “Snowman’s House” at the roadside station. We had a nice chat with him. So we entered the restaurant without much trouble.
Both of us chose the “Pork Shabu Soba” as our entrée. This pork shabu-soba had a lot of “bean sprouts” in it. My wife thought it was a little too much, but I was very happy to eat it, because I have an image that sprouts, which are rich in dietary fiber, are well-balanced with carbohydrate meals. I took my time, about 20 minutes (laugh).
And I was hungry, so I didn’t notice much at first, but the interesting atmosphere of the restaurant gradually got my attention. People are cash animals, and it is only when their stomachs are full that they start to pay attention to their surroundings.
The restaurant is a remodeling of a used house that the owner bought when he immigrated to Japan. A very impressive floor pillar stands there. The deformation caused by aging, perhaps with the addition of paint, gives it a unique flavor. I would like to be thanked for this. We were the last customers at lunchtime, so the soba-yu (buckwheat noodle soup) was thick and rich, but the container was also shaped like natural wood.

This photo is an interior view of an old private house in the Kanto region, which is completely unrelated to this project, but my attraction to old private houses has something in common with this kind of soba-mokuzoku.
In fact, it seems to me that the people who serve soba food also have a strong sensitivity to the interior design of their living space. I believe that interior design is already an important part of the taste of soba food. I am sure that the original taste of soba has a sensitivity to delicate flavors, and that such a sensitive person may also have spatial perception as a similar area of the brain.
In a rural town in Yamagata, I was guided to a “country farmhouse” by a local at lunchtime, an old farmhouse without even a signboard, where I savored my meal by the hearth. It seems to me that the taste and the space were a whole new combination in the hospitality of the guests. This is an interesting part of the creation of living space.