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【いま考える日本資本主義の草創 旧岩崎邸探訪-1】


本日から東京上野にある「旧岩崎邸」探訪記をシリーズで始めたいと思います。弊社では関東地域での「関東の工務店と建てる」別冊企画を無事出版しましたが、それをきっかけとして、住宅の最大消費地・関東について俯瞰的な視点で地域性のようなものを捉えてみたいという願望からであります。
あまりにテーマが大きすぎてとても敵わないだろうとは承知していますが、利根川東遷、東国三社というように関東地域探究を重ねてみて、巨視的な掘り下げに挑戦はしてみたいと思ったのです。住宅の地域的文化性、時代的文化性など多様な視点があるので、地獄の釜を覗くような心境であります（笑）。でもまぁ、別に誰に迷惑にもならないだろうから、個人的に深掘りしたいのであります。
また一方、現在の状況は世界史的に非常にセンシティブな状況でもあると思います。隣国・中国の状況は非常に難局に至っていると考えられる。そういう状況を見るに付け、日本では資本主義、民間資本というものが経済の主人公であり、隣国では現在に至るもそうではないことがいちばん大きなテーマと思われるのです。
しかし、日本もつい150年前当時はそういった経済社会の揺籃期であった。それまでの武家による「専制」政治経済体制がさまざまな矛盾の爆発によって危機に至り、欧米の開かれた資本主義による開国要求と調和するように体制転換していった。そういう歴史経緯を経験してきている。
その時期に、いわば「政治と経済」の主体の独自発展・分化が進展した。経済は民間が主導し政治は制度の設計に専念するような近代国家志向が形成されていった。
住宅文化遺産としてはこの旧岩崎邸というのは、こういったテーマにとって象徴的な存在と思えるのですね。そんなテーマ意識ではじめて訪問させていただいた次第。


旧岩崎邸は、東京上野公園・不忍池にほど近い場所に立地している。こちらの敷地に隣接して「国立近代建築資料館」という施設があり、そちらで建築家住宅展が開催されていて、道に迷った結果、研究員の方から、この旧岩崎邸に直接ご案内いただいた、というのが訪問のきっかけでした（笑）。
研究員の方から伺ったのですが、旧岩崎邸敷地は徐々に国の施設が浸食してきているとのこと。都心に残る広大な土地ということでそのような経過状況なのでしょうね。ご案内いただいてようやくいちばん上の外観ポイントに立つことができました。

でもこの正面からいったん受付のある坂下までおりていく必要があった（笑）。裏口入園みたいな入り方だったので、入園料をお支払いするのに窓口に行き、そして戻って来たのであります（汗）。
ということで明日から、日本の資本主義が明治開国から創始していった様子を岩崎弥太郎（三菱の創業者）の邸宅をモデルに内観・外観などの写真と共に探訪したいと思います。

English version⬇

The Pioneering of Japanese Capitalism: Exploring the Former Iwasaki Residence-1
Ryoma Sakamoto and other samurai were keenly aware of the “separation of politics and economics” during the Meiji Restoration. This report includes the historical background of the residence of Mitsubishi founder Yataro Iwasaki, a native of Tosa. …

Today, we would like to start a series of articles on the “Former Iwasaki Residence” in Ueno, Tokyo. We have successfully published a separate volume of the “Building with Kanto’s Construction Companies” project in the Kanto region, and this is the beginning of our desire to take a bird’s eye view of the Kanto region, the largest consumer of housing in Japan, to see what the regional characteristics are.
Although I am aware that the theme is too large to be competitive, I would like to try to explore the Kanto region from the perspective of the Tone River eastward transition and the three shrines in the eastern part of the country, and to try to delve into the region from a macroscopic viewpoint. I have a diverse range of perspectives on the regional and historical culture of housing, so I feel as if I were peering into a cauldron of hell (laughs). But, well, I would like to dig deeper personally, because I am sure it will not bother anyone.
On the other hand, I think the current situation is very sensitive from a global historical perspective. The situation in China, our neighbor, is considered to have reached a very difficult point. The most important theme of this situation is that in Japan, capitalism and private capital are the protagonists of the economy, while this is not the case in the neighboring countries to this day.
However, Japan was in the infancy of such an economic society just 150 years ago. The previous “tyrannical” political and economic system of the samurai class had reached a crisis point due to an explosion of various contradictions, and the system was transformed to harmonize with the open capitalist demands of Europe and the United States. This is the historical background of the past.
It was during this period that the independent development and differentiation of the “political and economic” actors progressed. The economy was led by the private sector, and politics was devoted to the design of the system.
As a residential cultural heritage site, the former Iwasaki Residence seems to be symbolic of these themes. It was with this thematic awareness that I visited the house for the first time.

The former Iwasaki Residence is located near Shinobazu Pond in Tokyo’s Ueno Park. Adjacent to this site is a facility called the National Museum of Modern Architecture, where an exhibition of architects’ houses was being held, and as a result of getting lost, I was guided directly to this former Iwasaki residence by a researcher, which was the reason for my visit (laugh).
The researcher told us that the former Iwasaki residence site is gradually being encroached upon by government facilities. I guess such a situation is inevitable for such a large area of land remaining in the heart of the city. We were finally able to stand at the top of the exterior of the building.

But we had to go down to the bottom of the hill where the reception desk was located once from this front entrance (laugh). (Laughs). It was like entering the park through the back entrance, so I had to go to the counter to pay the entrance fee, and then came back (sweat).
So, starting tomorrow, I would like to explore how Japanese capitalism was founded from the opening of the country to the Meiji era, using the residence of Yataro Iwasaki (founder of Mitsubishi) as a model, along with photos of the interior and exterior of the house.

Posted on 9月 3rd, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 住宅取材＆ウラ話 | No Comments »

【寿司パーティ、ひたすら握り続けても終わらない（泣）】



さて昨日は既報の通りの社内スタッフへの慰労・握り寿司パーティ。社長食堂シリーズでした。
いったい何カン分のネタ食材か、まったく推定把握していなくて、まずは下処理してネタ化させておいて、あとは握りながら、シャリを炊き込みながら様子を見ながら、と考えていた。
家族内での握り寿司は続けていたけれど、スタッフ（きのう参集は15人）向けはしばらくぶりと言うこともあったので、どうも人数による作業量の勘が全然機能しないのです。
一応、朝の６時過ぎくらいから握り始めて80カンほど握った段階で「ピンポーン」。時間を間違えたスタッフが出社してきてしまった。ちょうどカミさんも手が外せなかったので半ズボン、Tシャツで応対し、社内案内などをやらざるを得ず、想定時間に30分以上のロス発生。
気を取り直して握り始めたけれど、朝礼時間が迫ってきたので一応の身だしなみを整えて対応。これで前後１時間ほどの時間ロス。
結局、それが終わって再度寿司を握り始めようとしたら、今度は想定外の来客があって、通常の対応をせざるを得ず、ここでも時間ロス１時間。
という結果、６時スタートとは言え時間期限の昼食時12時過ぎまででその他の必要時間も合わせると、確保できた握り作業時間合計は、たぶん２時間半を切っていたようです。
で、その昼食時間にそろえられた総数は写真のような個数。おおむね230カンでした。
わたしの握り寿司の作業効率は、１時間で大体100カンというように計算できる。
昼食のスタート時にはふたたび挨拶などを行って提供開始いたしました。参集したスタッフ総数は15名だったので、ひとりあたり10カン超にはなっていたので、とりあえずはまぁいいかと。
しかしせっかくのネタ食材はまだ半分程度残りと目分量されたので、追加握り作業に12:30ころから再度没入。握った先からカミさんがどんどん給仕していくので、カン数はまったくカウントできない。
「変わりネタのウナギ蒲焼き、大好評だわ（笑）」というカミさんの声までは覚えているけれど（笑）、とにかく目先のネタを握ることに精神集中。ひたすら三昧であります。
考えて見ると、わたしはこの「三昧」感がきっと数寄なんだろうと思います。
で、この間で炊き上げたシャリ、お米は総量で２升以上になっていました。シャリの焚き上げ、寿司飯化にも一定の作業時間は掛かる。それも必要時間に入ってきますね。その作業も５合炊き炊飯器なので合計４回やっていたことになる。
そういうことで最後、シャリ炊き込みを打ち止め、残ったネタは漬けにしてまた後日、家族でたのしく丼にして楽しむことにして、握り作業が終わったのがおおむね14:00。さすがに疲労感MAX状態。
途中でカン数把握ができなくなってしまったのですが、推定ではたぶん350カン超だっただろうと思います。終わったあと、スタッフからはうれしそうな表情で声かけしてもらったので、まぁそこそこ満足はしてもらえたのかなぁと。
本日、爆睡あけで体力もやや回復して、反省も含め備忘的に記しておきます。

English version⬇

Sushi party, just keep nigirizushi and it will never end (cry)
Today, I would like to write a memorandum of yesterday’s sushi making process. Personally, I feel that this kind of immersion and samadhi state is my “zan-mai”. …….

Well, yesterday was the consolation and nigirizushi party for the in-house staff as previously reported. It was the President’s Cafeteria series.
I had no idea how many pieces of ingredients I would need to prepare for the party, so I thought I would start by prepping the ingredients, and then watch how they turned out as I made the nigirizushi and cooked the rice.
I had been making nigirizushi for my family, but it had been a while since I had made nigirizushi for my staff (15 people gathered yesterday), so my intuition about the amount of work to be done by the number of people did not seem to be functioning at all.
I started making sushi around 6:00 a.m., and when I had made about 80 pieces, I got a “ping-pong” call. The staff came to work at the wrong time. My wife was also unable to remove her hand, so she had to answer the call in short pants and a T-shirt and give a tour of the company, losing more than 30 minutes in the expected time.
I got myself together and started to work, but the time for the morning meeting was approaching, so I had to put on my best appearance and responded to the call. This cost me about an hour before and after the meeting.
When I was about to start making sushi again, I had to deal with an unexpected visitor, which also cost me an hour.
As a result, even though we started at 6:00 a.m., we had to wait until after 12:00 p.m. for lunch, which was the time limit, and when other necessary time was included, the total time we could secure for nigiri work was probably less than 2.5 hours.
The total number of pieces we were able to prepare in that lunch hour was as shown in the photo. The total number of pieces we were able to make during that lunch hour was about 230 pieces.
My efficiency in nigirizushi work can be calculated to be about 100 pieces per hour.
At the start of lunch, we greeted the guests again and started serving. Since there were 15 staff members in attendance, each person was able to serve more than 10 pieces of sushi, which was okay for the time being.
However, we were told that there was still about half of the ingredients left, so we started nigiri work again around 12:30. I was not able to count the number of pieces because Kami was serving more and more pieces from where I was nigiriing.
I even remember Kami’s voice saying, “The new item, broiled eel, is very popular. I was just concentrating on the task at hand at hand.
When I think about it, this “samadhi” feeling is probably what makes me “zan-mai”.
The total amount of rice and rice cooked during this time was more than 2 sho. It takes a certain amount of time to fire up the rice and turn it into sushi rice. That also comes into the required time. That work was also done four times in total, since the rice cooker was a 5-cup cooker.
I decided to stop cooking the rice and marinate the remaining ingredients and enjoy them as a bowl of rice with my family at a later date.
I lost track of the number of pieces during the process, but I estimate that it was probably over 350 pieces. After the work was over, the staff looked very happy to see me, so I guess they were satisfied with my work.
Today, after a good night’s sleep, my strength has recovered somewhat, and I would like to write this as a reminder, including some reflections.

Posted on 9月 2nd, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: おとこの料理＆食 | No Comments »

【出版作業一段落〜本日打ち上げ「寿司食堂」開催】


さて拙ブログ記事でも長期連載シリーズが一段落ですが、雑誌出版制作でも昨日、フラッグシップの「Replan北海道」の次号の原稿入稿ということでひと区切り。年末に向けてたくさんの案件は同時進行していますが、本日は久しぶりに手づくり寿司食堂開店（笑）。
感染症の対応以降、わが社ではテレワークとオフィスワークとの割合がほぼ50%ほどで推移してきています。社内での仕事進行打合せZoom会議などでほどよいレベルで生産性を発揮してきています。弊社の場合は、情報生産、製造業の側面があるので、それに関わるメンバー間の意思疎通が非常に重要。とくに顧客先と各部署メンバーとのZoom会議には非常にコミュニケーションパワーがある。多品種の職能がワンテーマで一気に集って衆知を集めるのは高い生産性につながる。
また一方で情報産業の場合、各スタッフの静止的作業、具体的には企画や構想といった思考作業、それを表現していく作業には、自宅での静謐なテレワークというのは整合性もあるのですね。
そういう状況ではありますが、しかしスタッフ間のハイタッチな理解・融合も欠かせない。
そんなことで、ときどき開催要望のある「社長食堂」の出番であります。今回は久しぶりの本格開催。スタッフは本日の昼時にはテレワーク組も含めて参集の予定。
で、しばらくぶりなので食材は仕込んでいた海産、お魚類を使っての握り寿司食堂。
本日、たぶん300カン以上握ることになると思いますが、昨日夕方、ネタについては写真のように捌いておりました。
新鮮なサケ、ブリの小型版・イナダ、カツオ、ツブ貝、ホタテ、シメサバ、カレイ、イカ、タコ、さらにはウナギ蒲焼きも飛び入り参加、など多様なお魚・貝類たちと下処理格闘数時間。たくさんなのでこれ全部で寿司何貫分なのか、まったく不明（笑）。でもまぁ人数分は大丈夫でしょう。
このブログ執筆は早朝起き抜けの作業としてルーティン化させていますが、アップさせた後、いよいよ、握り作業に没入したいと思います。
なんですが、ホントのことを言うと、握り寿司はそのネタ段取りの方が最重要ポイントでネタをどう選択してどう捌くかということの方がはるかに作業量が多い。

そういうことですがわたしの場合、包丁仕事では右手人差し指の掌側に「タコ」が発生する。どうしてもこの部位に荷重がかかるのでしょう。「こんなところにタコができるようじゃ（笑）」とプロのみなさんからはきっとバカにされるのでしょうが、わたしとしてはこのタコに愛着も感じる。
さてもうひとふんばり、この右手でお米1,5升分くらいひたすら握り、頑張ります。やるぞ！

English version⬇

The publication work has been completed.
Fresh salmon, inada, bonito, tsubu, scallops, shime saba, flounder, squid, octopus, and even broiled eel joined the party. Now, let’s get to work! The restaurant will be open for dinner.

As I have already finished the long-running series of articles on my blog, the work on the next issue of the flagship magazine “Replan Hokkaido” also came to a close yesterday with the final color page of the first edition. Many projects are in progress simultaneously toward the end of the year, but today, for the first time in a long time, we opened a sushi diner (laughs).
Since the response to the infectious disease, the ratio of telework and office work at our company has remained at about 50%. In-house meetings to discuss work progress have been highly productive with Zoom and other tools. In the case of our company, we are in the information production and manufacturing industry, so communication among the members involved is extremely important. In particular, Zoom meetings between client companies and members of each department are very powerful for communication.
On the other hand, in the case of the information industry, teleworking is also consistent with the static work of each staff member, specifically, thinking work such as planning and conceptualization, and the expression of such work.
In such a situation, however, high-touch understanding and integration among staff members is also essential.
This is where the “President’s Cafeteria,” which is sometimes requested to be held, comes in. This time, for the first time in a while, it will be held in earnest. The staff is scheduled to gather at noon today, including the teleworkers.
And since it has been a while since the last time, we will be serving nigirizushi using ingredients from the sea and fish that we had prepared.
We will probably make more than 300 pieces of sushi today, and yesterday evening, we processed the ingredients as shown in the photo.
We spent several hours preparing a variety of fish and shellfish, including fresh salmon, small yellowtail and inada, bonito, whelk, scallops, shime saba, flounder, squid, octopus, and even broiled eel. I don’t know how many pieces of sushi this was in total, but it was a lot!
I’ve made writing this blog a routine early-morning wake-up task, and after uploading it, I’d like to finally immerse myself in the nigiri process.
I have to tell you the truth, however, the most important point of nigirizushi is the arrangement of the sushi, and how to select and handle the ingredients is much more work than how to make the sushi.

That is why knife work causes “calluses” on the palm side of my right index finger in my case. This is probably due to the load that is inevitably applied to this part of the hand. I am sure that professionals would make fun of me for having a callus on this part of my right hand, but for me, I feel attached to this callus.
Now, I’m going to work hard for about 1.5 sho of rice with this right hand. I’m going to do it!

Posted on 9月 1st, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: おとこの料理＆食 | No Comments »

【涼やかな空気感、佇まいを求めて】



写真は、東京国立博物館中庭の茶室と、源平合戦図の水軍船の様子。
水軍船が水上を水面と交叉しながら櫂が水と会話している。主に「水の描写」をテーマとした絵図というように感じさせられる。戦争の一場面描写だけれど、瀬戸内の水に癒される。
例年ならば北海道はお盆を過ぎると一気に秋風が立って、やや肌寒い雰囲気が漂うところですが、ことしは「ありがたくも」本州以南地域のみなさんと季節感を共有させていただいています（笑）。
家は夏を旨とすべし、というのは兼行法師の有名な言葉ですが、北海道人には体感的にはやや理解しにくい部分があったのですが、日中、外を歩いていると無意識に木陰を求めることが続いていると、その心境がよくわかるようになって来ます。
写真上の茶室には豊かな植栽演出が施され、なお、庇の長い軒の出で日射遮蔽が作られ、その屋根の交叉ぶりが見た印象からは音楽的なシンフォニーを感じさせられる。人間の体感記憶とそのシンフォニーが同調して、建築的な「すずやかさ」が意図されていることが体感でもわかる。
建築デザインとしても、やはり「夏を旨とした」感覚への訴求が目指されていることが伝わってくるのですね。日本人の屋根のデザイン感覚にはそういった心理が基底に刷り込まれている。

わが家はコンクリートブロック外断熱が基本構造なので、夏は涼しい室内気候で過ごせますが、それでも屋外に出る場合は、やはり厳しい体力消耗を避けられない。そういった気候が８月にはほぼ継続しておりました。
で、茶室景観とはかなりの距離感がある。屋根はフラットが基本で第一、外壁に煉瓦を使ったりしているので、涼やかさを意図するということはない。
しかし「暑苦しげ」とは言えないのではないか。たぶん建築で「暑苦しい」と感じる外観デザインというのはあんまり共通認識がない。断熱材そのものと思える「茅葺き屋根」でも、暑苦しいというようには感じないのが一般的通念でしょう。むしろ過酷な日射から重厚に室内を守っている印象の方が強い。
あえて言えば北方型住宅の外観は「ニュートラル」と言うことなのでしょう。
ただ、通風性への配慮は外観デザインからは感じられないでしょう。一方の茶室建築の屋根のシンフォニーには日射と陰が作り出す「温度差」をできるだけ工夫して、感覚的にでも風を通したいという潜在欲求表現と感じさせられる。一方の煉瓦外壁からは通風性よりも密閉性は感じるでしょう。
ただ、一歩室内に入ると「おお」とクールダウン感に満たされる。なにもしないでも汗が一気にひいていく感覚が訪れてくれる。
さて長くシリーズ化した「東国三社」の神社訪問から、あした以降また違った建築探訪へ。
札幌では朝晩は涼感も出てきて、また虫の声も聞こえてきています。本州以南のみなさんへ、残暑お見舞い申し上げます。

English version⬇

[Seeking a cool atmosphere and appearance
The coolness of seeing a Tokyo teahouse in the heat of the summer heat. A roof symphony that is cool to the eyes. On the other hand, the northern-style house has a neutral design, and once you step inside, you are instantly cooled down. ・・・・.

The photo shows a teahouse in the courtyard of the Tokyo National Museum and a naval boat in the painting of the Genpei wars.
The oars are conversing with the water as the naval vessels cross the surface of the water. The theme of this painting is “depiction of water. Although it is a depiction of a scene from the war, the water of the Seto Inland Sea soothes me.
Usually, after the Bon Festival in Hokkaido, the autumn winds blow in and the air is a bit chilly.
The famous words of Kanegyo Hōshi, “A house should be built for the summer,” have been somewhat difficult for Hokkaido people to understand from a physical point of view, but as I continue to unconsciously seek shade when I walk outside during the day, I can better understand his sentiments.
The tea house in the photo above has a rich planting direction, and yet the long eaves of the eaves create a sunshade, and from the impression of seeing its crossed roofs, one can feel the musical symphony of the roofs. The intersecting roofs create a musical symphony. The symphony is in tune with the human experience and memory, and the architectural “coolness” of the building is evident in the sensory experience.
You can tell that the architectural design also aims to appeal to the “summery” senses. Such a mentality is imprinted in the Japanese sense of roof design.

Our house is basically constructed with concrete block exterior insulation, so we can enjoy a cool indoor climate in the summer, but we still cannot avoid severe physical exertion when we go outdoors. Such climate was almost continuous in August.
So, there is quite a distance from the tea house landscape. The roof is basically flat, first and foremost, and bricks are used for the exterior walls, so it is not intended to be cool.
However, it cannot be said that it is “hot and humid”. Perhaps there is no common perception of “hot and unsatisfactory” exterior design in architecture. Even a “thatched roof,” which seems to be an insulator itself, is not perceived as “hot and unsafe. Rather, the impression that the interior is heavily protected from the harsh solar radiation is stronger.
I would venture to say that the appearance of a northern-style house is “neutral.
However, consideration for ventilation would not be felt from the exterior design. On the one hand, the symphony of the roof of the tea house architecture makes us feel that it is an expression of the latent desire to let the wind pass through, even if only sensitively, by devising as much as possible the “temperature difference” created by the sunlight and shade. From the brick exterior wall on the other hand, you will feel more airtightness than ventilation.
However, once you step inside, you will be filled with a cool-down feeling. Even if you don’t do anything, you will feel your sweat disappear at once.
After the long series of visits to the “Three Shrines of Eastern Japan,” we will move on to a different kind of architectural exploration in the coming days.
In Sapporo, the mornings and evenings are getting cooler and we can hear the sound of insects. To those of you in Honshu and southward, my best wishes for the lingering summer heat.

Posted on 8月 31st, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 住宅マーケティング, 住宅性能・設備 | No Comments »

【人格化されなかった神の社殿・息栖神社⑤ 東国三社探訪-25】




息栖神社の境内には「本殿」「拝殿」というような建築はない。代わりに「社殿」が中心的な建築物として建てられている。いわゆる祭神の明示がない。由緒書きには以下の記述。
〜息栖神社が最初に置かれたのは現在の日川地区と伝えられており、大同2年(807)に現在地に遷されました。 岐神(くなどのかみ、路の神・井戸の神)、天鳥船神(交通守護の神)に加え、住吉三神(海上守護の神)が祀られています。 息栖神社は鹿島神宮の摂社という位置づけです。〜鹿島神宮の摂社ということで祭神の鎮座する「本殿」は存在しないということ。さらに、
〜御祭神の御神格からして神代時代に鹿島・香取の御祭神に従って東国に至り、鹿島・香取両神宮は其々台地に鎮座するものの、久那斗神（岐神）と天乃鳥船神は海辺の日川（現在の神栖市日川）に姿を留め、やがて応神天皇の御代に神社として祀られたと思われます。〜という記述。
〜かつて鹿島地方の丘陵地南端は今の鹿嶋市国末辺りまでで、やがて沖洲が陸続きとなり幾つかの集落が出来ました。このような中州に鎮座された祠を、大同二（807）年、平城天皇の勅命を受けた藤原内麻呂により現在地の息栖に遷座した。国史書『三代実録』にある「於岐都説神社」が現在の息栖神社です。仁和元年（1120年）の記には「授常陸国 正六位上 於岐都説神従五位下」とあり、於岐都説（おきつせ）は於岐都州（おきつす）であり、沖洲➡息栖になったものであると考えられます。〜
神格自体が特定の人格神ではなく、路の神・井戸の神・交通守護の神というそういった「営為」の守護であるということなのでしょう。常識的な神社信仰とは異質な神格だと言える。
さらに「くなど」という神格をググると「岐の神とは、古より牛馬守護の神、豊穣の神としてはもとより、禊、魔除け、厄除け、道中安全の神として信仰されている。日本の民間信仰において、疫病・災害などをもたらす悪神・悪霊が聚落に入るのを防ぐとされる神である。また、久那土はくなぐ、即ち交合・婚姻を意味するものという説もある。」

息栖神社のいろいろなナゾがようやくにして全貌を見せてくれているように思える。
東国三社として鹿島・香取と同列に位置づけられていながら、モヤがかかったような不鮮明さがぬぐえなかったものが、古代地形としての内海の風景の中で水上交通の最大要衝地であって、その場所自体が「神宿る」とされたけれど、具体的な人格神特定には至らなかったということ。
海外には「マーメイド」という女神が存在する。人魚は女性の頭と上半身、魚の尾を持つ水生生物であり、ヨーロッパ、アジア、アフリカを含む世界中の多くの文化の民間伝承に登場する。
本来であれば、日本の神社信仰でもこういう人格に仮託されるべきだったのかも知れない。

English vrsion⬇

The Shrine of the Unpersonalized God, Ikisu Shrine (5): Exploration of Three Shrines in Eastern Japan – 25
I have been writing and polishing my research on the mysterious shrine. Finally, I came up with a hypothesis. Is it a shrine belief version of the Mermaid legend? The Mermaid Legend.

There is no “main hall” or “hall of worship” within the precincts of the shrine. Instead, a “shrine pavilion” is built as the central structure. There is no indication of the so-called “deities of worship. The history of the shrine includes the following description
〜It is said that the shrine was first located in the present-day Nikkawa area, and was moved to its present location in the 2nd year of the Daido Era (807). The shrine enshrines three deities, Sumiyoshi (guardian of the sea), in addition to Ki (god of paths and wells) and Amatori-Fune (guardian of traffic). The shrine is positioned as a regency shrine of the Kashima Jingu Shrine. 〜The fact that it is a regent shrine of Kashima Jingu Shrine means that there is no “main shrine” where the deities are enshrined. In addition, the shrine does not have a “main hall” where the deities of the shrine reside,
〜The deity of the deity of Kashima and Katori followed the deities of Kashima and Katori to the East during the Kami period, and although both Kashima and Katori shrines were located on the plateau, the deity of Kunato and the deity of Amano-torifune remained at the seashore at Hikawa (present Hikawa, Kamisu City) and were eventually enshrined as a shrine in the reign of the Emperor Ojin. 〜The description of the shrine is “a shrine of the gods of the sea”.
〜In the past, the southern edge of the hills in the Kashima area extended as far as Kunisue, Kashima City, and eventually a sandbar connected to the land and several settlements were established. In 807, Fujiwara no Uchimaro, under the command of Emperor Heijo, relocated the shrine to its present location in the middle of the island. The “Oki-tosetsu Shrine” mentioned in the national history book “Sandai Jitsuroku” is the present-day Ikisu Shrine. In a chronicle of the first year of Ninna (1120), it is written, “授常陸国 正六位上 於岐都説神従五位下,” and it is thought that Okitsuse is 於岐都説, which became Okisu ➡息栖. ~.
The deity itself is not a specific personal deity, but rather a guardian of such “activities” as the god of roads, the god of wells, and the god of traffic protection. It is a deity that is alien to common sense shrine worship.
Furthermore, when I googled the deity “Kudo”, I found that “Ki no Kami has been believed in since ancient times not only as a god of cow and horse protection and fertility, but also as a god of misogi, protection from evil spirits, protection from mischief, and safety on the road. In Japanese folk beliefs, he is said to prevent evil gods and spirits that bring plagues and disasters from entering the village. Some people also believe that kunado means “kunagu,” which means mating or marriage.”

It seems that the various riddles of the Ikisu Shrine have finally been revealed in their entirety.
Although the shrine was ranked with Kashima and Katori as one of the three shrines in the eastern part of the country, it was a strategic point for water traffic in the ancient topography of the inland sea, and although the place itself was considered to be “home to a god,” it was not identified as a specific personal deity.
The goddess “mermaid” exists in other countries. Mermaids are aquatic creatures with a woman’s head, upper body, and fish tail, and appear in the folklore of many cultures around the world, including Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Perhaps they should have been hypothesized as such personalities in Japanese shrine beliefs.

Posted on 8月 30th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究, 歴史探訪 | No Comments »

【海上交通の社、陸の景色・息栖神社④ 東国三社探訪-24】




息栖という神社名の由来についてもう少し考えて見たい。
「栖」という文字は鳥の巣、ねぐらというような意味合いの文字なのだという。そうだとするとこれは漢字的な「意味」からの命名だろうと確定して考えることができるのではないか。
そして一般的に２文字の名詞で「表意」と「表音」が混在することは考えにくい。地名はわかりすさが優先して、やがて人口に膾炙して普遍化していくものなので多くの人が共有できることが優先されていくだろうと思う。そうであれば「息」も表意と考えられる。
そうすると「息」という漢字文字にはどんな意味があるか？
やはり、イキモノとしての生存のねぐら、安心の拠点という意味合いだろう。海水を割って湧き出る清水の存在が象徴化・神聖化された命名、と言う理解に整合性があるように思える。
一方で「おきす」についても表意では、沖＋栖ということになるので港・津という概念に近い。
どうも水にまつわる概念なので「土地・地名」としての強い執着を感じさせる概念とはやや様相の違う言語感の世界なのではないか。もっとも核心的な存在意義が水にかかわっていて、しかも移動交通の拠点という「移ろう」ことの軸点なので、地名としては「あわい」表現になったのではないか。
鹿島にせよ、香取にせよ、いかにも強い語感、印象を与える地名であるのに対して、息栖にはどうも陸上的存在感を強く感じさせる地名語感インパクトは意図されていないように思う。
それよりも語感からの印象では、海の交通でのオアシス的な「やすらぎ」感がもっとも伝わりやすい命名根拠であり、そういう機能性への衆知理解が優先されたのではないか。
そんなことから陸上の神社施設よりも、一の鳥居周辺の飲料水目印の鳥居施設などの方が、この神社の意味合いを色濃く見せてくれているのかも知れない。
後の世で平家が建設した厳島神社のような、いかにも「海の神」に対しての自然崇拝的な存在だったのではないだろうか。むしろ、厳島のはるかなさきがけのような存在だったと思える。
厳島では神の御霊を海中の神門が迎えて、本殿建築は満潮のときの喫水線に合わせて、水上に浮かび上がるような建築デザインが実施されている。日本民族、その海民性格は以降の歴史過程であのような表現に至ったけれど、はるかに先行する息栖神社では、そういった建築デザインにまでは構想が到達していなかったと考えられる。まぁ平家権力には強制力・経済力ともはるかに及ばなかった。
この東国三社地域のにぎわい創設・振興を考える立場になったら、この息栖神社の海神としての性格をどのようにアピールしていくべきか、が最優先されるのではないか。ただし、古代のように「香取の海」が眼前には見られないなかでは、説得力にも乏しい。
人新世による関東の地形変動が、この息栖神社にとってはマイナスに作用した・・・。

English version⬇

Shrine of Maritime Traffic, Land Scenery, and Breathing Shrine (4): Exploring the Three Shrines of Eastern Japan – 24
Is it a far precedent of Itsukushima Shrine? Is it a far precedent of the Itsukushima Shrine? …

I would like to consider the origin of the name of the shrine, “Breathing Place.
It is said that the character “栖” means “nest” or “roost” for birds. If this is so, we can conclude that the name is derived from the meaning of the Chinese character.
In general, it is difficult to mix “ideogram” and “phonogram” in a two-character noun. I think that the priority for place names will be comprehensibility, and since place names will eventually become universalized, the priority will be that they can be shared by many people. If this is the case, “breath” can be thought of as an ideogram.
If so, what meaning does the Chinese character for “breath” have?
It is probably the meaning of a roost for survival and a base of security as an inanimate object. It seems to be consistent with the idea that the existence of the fresh water that gushes out of the seawater is symbolized and sanctified in the naming of the place.
On the other hand, “okisu” is also close to the concept of “port” or “harbor” in the sense of “offing” and “dwelling place.
Since “okisu” is a concept related to water, it may be a different linguistic world from that of “land/place names” that evoke a strong sense of attachment. The most important meaning of the name is related to water, and it is an axis point of “shifting” as a mobile transportation hub, so it may have been expressed as a place name in a “wai” form.
While Kashima and Katori are both place names that give a strong sense and impression, breath seems not to have been intended to give a strong sense of land presence.
Rather, the impression from the sense of the word is that the most easily conveyed basis for naming is a sense of “relaxation” as an oasis for sea traffic, and it is likely that popular understanding of such functionality was prioritized.
For this reason, the drinking water marker torii facilities around the Ichino-torii (first torii) may have shown the meaning of this shrine more strongly than the shrine facilities on land.
It may have been a nature worship presence for a “sea god,” much like the Itsukushima Shrine constructed by the Heike clan in later generations. Rather, it seems to have been a far forerunner of Itsukushima.
At Itsukushima, the spirit of the god is greeted by an underwater shrine gate, and the main shrine building is designed to float above the water according to the draft line at high tide. Although the Japanese people and their seafaring character have come to that kind of expression in the course of history since then, it is thought that the much earlier Ikisu Shrine had not reached such an architectural design. The Heike power did not have the coercive or economical power to do so.
If we were in a position to consider the creation and promotion of liveliness in the three shrines in the eastern part of Japan, the first priority would be how to promote the character of the shrine as a sea god. However, the “Katori Sea” is not as compelling as it was in ancient times, when it was not visible.
The topographical changes in the Kanto region during the Anthropocene period had a negative effect on the shrine.

Posted on 8月 29th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究, 歴史探訪 | No Comments »

【おきす⇒いきす＆国内海運史・息栖神社③ 東国三社探訪-23】



現地の息栖神社では不覚にもこの「碇」の存在に気付かず、説明板のついでに周辺を撮影した写真から今回いちばん上の写真を拡大・編集してみた。よく文章を読んでみたらこの目立たない「碇」が重要な役回りで港（津）であったこの息栖の地の素性を表していたことにあとで気付かされた。
どうも「息栖」という漢字表記の地名は一般的な日本語感覚からは想像しにくい。息という字はまさか地名とは思わず、つい「鳥」と無意識に見間違えて「とりす、かなぁ。ウイスキーみたいだ」というような無用な妄想誤解がアタマのなかに浮かんで収拾がつかない（笑）。
こういうのはわたしだけではなく多くの人がそう思うようです。
一方で「おきすの津」と古代に呼ばれていた地名はよくわかる。ストンと腑に落ちてくる表現。ではどうして「おきす」が「息栖」になったのか、調べてみても情報に巡り会えない。
そういう不条理感から、どうも地名に「海民」的な、原初的日本人言語感が投影されているのではないかと妄想が飛躍したりする。古日本語的な言語感覚があるようにも思えるのですね。この感覚は飛鳥地方とか、徳島県の山岳地域などにも通じるようなもの。その後の日本語は活発な「漢字文化」の導入によってその「音読み」「意味づけ」が主流になっていったのに対して、オリジナルな日本語の感受性を伝えてくれていると思えるのです。
さらに、一説ではこの東国三社とは、ヤマト王権以前に関東〜東北に存在したとされる「日高見〜ひだかみ〜国」の根拠地に相当するのではないかとも言われる。
北海道にいるとアイヌ語由来の地名が非常に多いけれど、そういう言語感覚にも通底しそうな表現の仕方が投影されているとも思えてくる。

いずれにせよ、古関東の内海の港（津）であった息栖に関連して日本列島の国内各地間の太平洋側海上ルートを探ってみるけれど、なかなか明示的研究に突き当たらない。この息栖神社の解説説明板には以下の記述。
「徳川期になると幕府の拠点江戸と東北との交流が盛んになりその水上輸送路は、江戸川・利根川・水郷地帯・銚子河口から北上しての鹿島灘といった航路が選ばれていた。こうした長距離輸送には当然大型船舶が用いられ、往復途上で息栖神社は航海の安全祈願をしたとされる。」（要旨抜粋）
上の図は江戸期に消費都市江戸に20万石ほどの米を提供したといわれる仙台藩の安定的輸送ルートを諮問された先端的事業家・河村瑞賢が開拓した「東回り航路」図。＜こちらは宮城県の公式資料「河村 瑞賢 -東廻り航路を拓く」より引用＞
「これまでの海運では船が難破することが多い。仙台藩から江戸に到着するのに１年かかることすらある。」と相談されたかれが開発した。
しかし、奥州藤原氏の時代には愛知県常滑の磁器が威信材として、遠く北海道・厚真でも発掘されている。たしかに日本海側が国内物流の基本ではあったでしょうが、熊野水軍など太平洋側の物流輸送活動実態もある。海路の日本史、非常に奥行きのある世界だと思います。

English version⬇

Okisu ⇒ Ikisu & Domestic Shipping History, Ikisu Shrine (3): Exploration of Three Shrines in Eastern Japan – 23
Japanese History of Language Sense Transition. Is it a residue of the ancient Yamato language?　What about the development process of domestic sea routes on the Pacific Ocean side from ancient times? The history of domestic maritime transport in Japan

I was unintentionally unaware of the existence of this “anchor” at the local shrine, so I enlarged and edited the top photo from the photos I took of the surrounding area while reading the explanatory board. After reading the text carefully, I realized later that this inconspicuous “anchor” played an important role in the identity of this place, which used to be a port (Tsu).
It is difficult to imagine a place name written in kanji characters as “breath” in the common Japanese sense. I did not think that the character for “breath” was a place name, and I unconsciously mistook it for “bird” and said, “Torisu, I wonder. It sounds like whiskey.
(Laughs.) This is not only me, but many people seem to think so.
On the other hand, I understand the name of the place called “Okisu-no-tsu” in ancient times. It is an expression that falls into place. But when I tried to find out why “Okisu” became “Ikisu,” I could not come across any information.
This sense of absurdity leads me to wonder if the place name might reflect a primitive Japanese linguistic sense like that of the “Kaimin” people. It seems to me that there is an old Japanese linguistic sense. This sense is something like that of the Asuka region or the mountainous areas of Tokushima Prefecture. It seems to me that it conveys an original Japanese sensibility, whereas the Japanese language since then has been dominated by its “sound reading” and “meaning making” with the introduction of an active “kanji culture.
Furthermore, one theory suggests that these three shrines in the eastern part of the country may correspond to the border line with the “Hidakami – Hidakami – Province,” which is said to have existed in the Kanto – Tohoku region before the Yamato Kingship.
In Hokkaido, there are many place names derived from the Ainu language, and I cannot help but think that such a way of expression that seems to be common to such linguistic sensibilities is also projected here.

In any case, I have been searching for maritime routes between the Japanese archipelago and other parts of Japan in relation to the ancient Kanto inland sea port (Tsu) of Suisu, but have been unable to come across any explicit research on the subject. The explanatory board at the shrine reads as follows.
The Edo River, the Tone River, the Suigo area, and the Kashima Sea route northward from the mouth of the Choshi River to the Kashima Sea were chosen for the water transportation routes. Naturally, large vessels were used for such long-distance transportation, and it is said that the shrine prayed for safe voyages on the way there and back. (Abstract excerpt)
The above chart shows the “eastbound route” pioneered by Kawamura Zuiken, a leading entrepreneur who was consulted on a stable transportation route by the Sendai clan, which is said to have supplied the consuming city of Edo with some 200,000 koku of rice during the Edo period. In the past, ships were often shipwrecked in shipping. It sometimes takes a year for a ship to reach Edo from Sendai. Takara, who was consulted by the Oshu Fujiwara clan, developed the map.
However, during the reign of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, porcelain from Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, was excavated as prestige material, as well as in Atsuma, Hokkaido in the distant past. It is true that the Sea of Japan side was the basis of domestic distribution, but there were also activities on the Pacific side, such as the Kumano Suigun (navy). The history of Japan by sea is a world of great depth.

Posted on 8月 28th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究, 歴史探訪 | No Comments »

【列島海民のはるかな交流・息栖神社② 東国三社探訪-22】




鹿島や香取は海との関係はそれなりには感じるけれど、この息栖に至ってなぜ、東国三社というように言われ続けてきたのかのワケが腑に落ちてきています。
そもそもこの日本列島に現生人類が到達したのには海を渡って来たのでしょう。わたしたち日本人のルーツにはそういうDNAが深く宿っているのだと思う。「大工」という人間の仕事の最初期とは家や建築物を作ることではなく、船をつくることが本然の仕事、スタートだったとされる。船大工というのが始原に近く、家大工はそこから派生してきた存在なのだと言われる。
そして石器時代の昔からこうした船大工を束ねて日本列島地域に現生人類のいろいろな系統が多数、波状的に移住してきたというのが実態なのでしょう。この列島地域で世界有数の豊富な漁業資源とめぐり会って、海辺で定住した。
魚という、陸上動物とはまったく違う行動原理を持った狩猟対象と本格的に出会い、縄文集落という定住生活が始まった。日本の神社文化には、こうした悠久の記憶遺産が反映している部分が強い。
こうした民族意識の底流の海民的伝統、それへの素朴な帰依のこころがこの息栖神社のたたずまいからは立ち上っていると思える。写真は「一の鳥居」周辺、そこに湧き出る清水を祀る「男瓶」「女瓶」の小さな鳥居たち。まことに「海民」のための神宿る地なのでしょう。
一方でアマテラス系のヤマト王権は「葦原の中つ国」という米作適地でのコメ生産を主導する文化体系をこの列島に持ち込んで、殖産興業と人口増加を実現させてきたように思っている。
そういう東アジア的農耕文化と、先述した海民文化とが、排他的ではなく「和の国」として平和共存を目指して日本社会は建国されてきた流れが強いのではと感じています。

こうした古代からの海民伝統の聖地として東国三社は尊崇されてきたのではないか。
上の写真は息栖神社境内に置かれた説明板。
「大船の香取の海に碇おろし、いかなる人か物思わざらむ＜柿本人麻呂＞」
「今よりはぬさとりまつる船人の、香取の沖に風向かうなり＜藤原家隆＞」という２句。
〜広大な内海であったために香取の海と言われた古代の水郷のなかで、「おきすの社」と呼ばれた水の神、息栖神社のある息栖の地は「おきすの津（港）」と呼ばれていた。＜中略＞〜
600-700年代の歌人の歌は、当時の古代地形とそのなかでの息栖神社のたたずまいを浪漫的に伝えてくれる。はるかな船旅の末にこの地に来訪した柿本人麻呂さんは、たぶん船主が風を読んでいる様子をみながら、その場の空気感を描写してくれている。また、ぬさ〜幣帛。ごへい〜をかざして船旅の安全を祈願している様子は、古代の交通をあきらかにしてくれる。ため息が出るようだ。・・・

＜この歌は息栖神社境内に説明があり、当然この息栖神社前の「香取の海」を歌ったものとリードされましたが、飛鳥の柿本人麻呂たちが謳ったのは近江の「香取海」という説もあることを注記します。＞

English version⬇

Far-flung exchanges between the archipelago’s sea people and the breath shrine (2) Exploration of the three shrines in the eastern part of Japan – 22
Asuka poets convey the atmosphere of breath to the present day. The simple nature worship of the sea people, who prayed for the safety of ancient traffic. The shrine is a place of

While Kashima and Katori have a certain relationship with the sea, the reason why they have been referred to as the “Three Shrines of the East” is becoming clear to me now.
It is likely that the present-day humans arrived in the Japanese archipelago by crossing the sea. I believe that the roots of the Japanese people are deeply imbued with this kind of DNA. It is said that the earliest work of a “carpenter” was not to build houses or buildings, but to build ships. It is said that ship carpentry was close to the origin of carpentry, and house carpentry was derived from it.
The reality of the situation is that many different lineages of present-day humans migrated to the Japanese archipelago region in waves, uniting these ship carpenters since the Stone Age. In this archipelago region, they encountered one of the world’s richest fishery resources and settled down by the sea.
They encountered in earnest fish, a hunting target with behavioral principles completely different from those of land animals, and began a settled lifestyle known as the Jomon settlement. The culture of Japanese shrines reflects the legacy of this long-standing memory.
The simple devotion to the traditions of the seafaring people, which are at the bottom of our national consciousness, can be seen in the appearance of the shrine. The photo shows the area around the Ichino-torii (first torii), and the small torii (male and female) that enshrine the fresh water that gushes out of the torii. It is truly a place where the gods dwell for the “sea people.
Of course, I believe that the Yamato kingdom of Amaterasu lineage brought to this archipelago a cultural system that led rice production in the “reed field of Nakatsukuni,” a land suitable for rice cultivation, and realized reproduction, development, and population growth.
I feel that there is a strong trend toward a peaceful coexistence of such East Asian agricultural culture and the aforementioned seafaring culture as a “country of harmony” rather than exclusivity.

I believe that the three shrines in East Asia have been revered as sacred sites of such ancient maritime people’s traditions.
The photo above is an explanatory board placed in the precincts of the shrine.
The above photo is a signboard placed in the precincts of the shrine.
The two phrases are: “The boatman who now more than ever will be at the Nusatori Festival is heading into the wind off the coast of Katori.
〜The ancient water village of Katori was called “Katori no Umi” (Katori Sea) because of its vast inland sea, and the place where the god of water, the breath shrine, is located was called “Okisu no Tsu (port). <Omission.
Poems by poets of the 600s and 700s romantically convey the ancient topography of the time and the appearance of the Ikisu Shrine in the midst of it. Kakinomotojinmaro, who came to this place after a far journey by boat, probably saw the boat owner reading the wind and described the atmosphere of the place. Also, nusa ~ hibaku. The scene of the boatman praying for the safety of the boat’s journey by holding up the nusa – gohei – reveals the ancient traffic. It makes me sigh. The shrine is a place of

Posted on 8月 27th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究, 歴史探訪 | No Comments »

【古代地形とナゾの海神・息栖神社① 東国三社探訪-21】



さて東国三社と呼ばれる鹿島神宮、香取神宮、そして若干スピンアウトして蘇我氏の関係する龍角寺とみてきましたが、このシリーズ最後はナゾに包まれた息栖神社であります。
事前にわかる資料もほとんどなく、歴史好きの興味で「東国三社といわれているし・・・」程度のノリで探訪させていただいたのですが、実際に現地を訪問してその実感を踏まえて再度探索をはじめて見ると、「おお、あの事実はこういった背景から生成したことなのか」と驚かされることばかり。関東との縁がふたたび濃厚になって、この日本最大の平野地帯の地形変容ということについての理解、正確な把握が迫られてきていることに気付かされる次第。
必ずしも大和平野、京都大阪での日本史だけが悠久なのではないということか。
上の図は、いまの息栖神社のマップと縄文期の海進のなかでの古代地形推計。眼前には香取の海、霞ヶ浦、古鬼怒湾といった内海が広がっていた古代風景が見えてくる。息栖神社というのは古代地形からみれば海上交通の要衝地であったことが推測できてくる。とくに太平洋を介して東北地域とヤマト政権支配地域との物流・移動を考えれば、最前線的な位置であると知れてくる。


そういう気付きに踏まえて現地での探訪体験を重ね合わせると、なにげに見ていた「忍潮井(おしおい)」と呼ばれる2つの井戸の記憶が湧き上がってきた。こういった縄文海進の痕跡と重ね合わせれば、古代の海上交通での最大の生命線・必需品、飲料水のことが雷鳴のごとくに納得感として襲ってくる。
この湧き水は伊勢の明星井(忍塩井）、山城(京都・伏見)の直井とともに日本三霊水の一つとされる。神社のHPを見ると以下の記述（要旨）。
〜常陸利根川沿いにある一の鳥居の両脇に小さな鳥居の建てられた二つの四角い井戸「忍潮井（おしおい）」があります。男瓶（おがめ）と女瓶（めがめ）と呼んでいます。忍潮井は194年に造られ2000年近く清水を湧き出し続けてきました。辺り一面が海水におおわれており、真水（淡水）の水脈を発見し噴出させたところ、辺りの海水を押しのけて真水が湧出したことから、忍潮井の名がつけられました。水と人類との関わりの中で最も古いかたちの井戸です。女瓶の水を男性が、男瓶の水を女性が飲むと二人は結ばれるという言い伝えがあり、縁結びのご利益もあるとされます。〜
日本海の航海と違って荒波で知られる太平洋航路でようやく波穏やかな内海に入ってほどなくのこの息栖の地で、この清水にめぐり会った人びとは、大いにこの地のありがたさに感動させられ、この地には「神宿る」とその神性を感受したことだろう。
この列島に生きてきた人間として、そういう自然への原初的帰依は激しく理解できる。

English version⬇

Ancient Landforms and the Riddle of the Sea God, the Ikisu Shrine (1): Exploring the Three Shrines of Eastern Japan – 21
A node of maritime traffic and logistics in an archipelagic society. A strategic point between the Yamato regime-controlled area and Northeastern Japan. A place where fresh water, where the god resides, springs from. The shrine is a place where the gods dwell.

We have already visited the three shrines in the eastern part of Japan, Kashima Jingu Shrine, Katori Jingu Shrine, and, slightly spinning out, Ryukakuji Temple, which is related to the Soga clan.
I visited the shrine with little information beforehand, and with only a casual “it is said to be one of the three shrines in the eastern part of Japan…” out of historical curiosity, but when I actually visited the shrine and began my search again based on that experience, I was surprised to find that “Oh, so this is the background that led to that fact. I was surprised at the fact that it was generated from such a background. As my connection with the Kanto region has grown stronger, I have come to realize that I must now understand and accurately grasp the topographical transformation of Japan’s largest plain area.
It may be that the history of Japan is not necessarily limited to the Yamato Plain and Kyoto-Osaka area.
The above figure shows a map of the present-day Ikosu Shrine and an ancient topographic map of the Jomon period in the midst of the sea advance. In front of our eyes, we can see the ancient landscape of inland seas such as the Katori Sea, Kasumigaura, and Ko-Kinu Bay. The ancient topography of the shrine suggests that it was a strategic point for maritime traffic. In particular, it was a frontline location for the distribution and movement of goods between the Tohoku region and the Yamato regime-controlled areas via the Pacific Ocean.

When I took this realization into account and superimposed it on my exploration experience at the site, memories of two wells called “Oshioi,” which I had casually observed, began to well up. When superimposed on these traces of the Jomon sea advance, the idea of drinking water, the greatest lifeline and necessity of ancient maritime traffic, hit me like a thunderclap of conviction.
This spring water is considered one of the three sacred waters of Japan, along with Meisei well (Oshioi well) in Ise and Naoi well in Yamashiro (Fushimi, Kyoto). The shrine’s website gives the following description (summary).
〜˜There are two square wells called Oshioi (Oshioi) with small torii gates built on either side of the first torii gate along the Hitachi-Tone River. They are called Ogame (male bottle) and Megame (female bottle). Oshioi was built in 194 and has been producing fresh water for nearly 2,000 years. The entire area was covered with seawater, and when a vein of fresh water (freshwater) was discovered and gushed out, the fresh water gushed out, pushing aside the seawater in the area, hence the name Oshioi Well. This is the oldest well in the relationship between water and humankind. According to legend, if a man drinks the water from the woman’s bottle and a woman drinks the water from the man’s bottle, the two will be united, and the well is said to bring good luck in marriage. 〜The water in the male bottle is said to be good for marriage.
Unlike voyages on the Sea of Japan, those who encountered this fresh water in the Pacific Ocean, known for its rough seas, must have been greatly moved by the gratitude of this place, and must have felt the divinity of this place, as if a god resided here.
As a person who has lived on this archipelago, I can understand this primordial devotion to nature.

Posted on 8月 26th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
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【素朴な神性「奥宮」・香取神宮⑥ 東国三社探訪-20】



香取神宮の「奥宮」は荒魂というように言われる。荒魂は神の荒々しい側面、荒ぶる魂である。経津主大神の勇猛果断、義侠強忍等に関する妙用とされる。先日触れた拝殿そして本殿の江戸文化最盛期の爛熟デザインに対して、こちらは古格な神さまの素性を正直に表しているようで、ぐっと心を奪われる。
現在の社殿は、昭和四十八年伊勢神宮御遷宮の折の古材に依るものとされている。式年遷宮による建て替えでの古材がこのように生まれ変わるのは、いかにも古来からの伝承性、魂の継続性を感じさせてくれる。

神々のデザインには好みのようなものがあるのでしょうが、一定の自然豊かな神域を定めて、公園のような環境を作りそこを身分の上下なく自由に参観させる、そしてその背筋を「きよらかにさせる」という民族文化を継続してきていることは、日本の特質なのだと思わせる。
わたし的にはこういう神性に対して、本来の日本人のこころを感じさせられる次第。
周辺環境との調和、全体としての空間デザインマインドというものの日本的コア部分なのではないか。こういうデザイン論が基本的な感受性を支配していると思う。
「荒ぶる魂は邪気を払い霊妙な神気のもと、破邪顕正の働きも活発に開運、厄除け、心願成就のご加護」云々という説明が添えられていて微笑ましい。


香取神宮にも鹿島神宮同様に「要石」が配置されている。上の写真は「要石を背負うナマズ」の絵図で、この武神が鹿島の神と連携して関東の大地震を押さえつけているのだという（笑）。歴世に渡って関東地域一帯は地震被害が続発していたことを表している。
そうであるからこそ、鹿島も香取も武神が守るという日本的信仰心が育っていったのだとも思える。日本民族にとって関東の地域は大きな開発フロンティアであり、地震多発地帯という困難も抱える中で、利根川東遷などの人為的努力が継続的に投入されてきた。
そのような歴史時間での「民族体験」がこの東国三社のうちの主要２社には込められている。そこからさらにわたしの暮らす北海道の開拓という歴史体験に日本社会は向かっていくことになる。東北地域は「征夷」という対象に挙げられた不幸な歴史を背負って来たけれど、しかし北海道ではそのような経緯はなかった。ただひたすらに寒冷であるという条件に対して、生存環境的進化、住宅性能の向上が不可欠とされた。
ナマズの地震多発地帯という関東フロンティア体験はこうした戯画を生んだけれど、さて北海道の高断熱高気密住宅創造体験からは、どんな戯画化が生成していくだろうか。
いまのところ、北海道神宮にはそのような民族体験の形象化は見られないけれど（笑）。

English version⬇

Katori Jingu Shrine (6): Exploring the Three Shrines of Eastern Japan – 20
The space is an architecturally designed representation of the fierce spirit of the god of worship, Kyotsu-no-okami. The construction materials are recycled from the old materials used for the ceremonial relocation of the Ise Jingu Shrine. It is a very “Arakotama” (spirit). The building is designed by the architect, Mr. K. Kikuchi, who is also the director of the building.

The “Okumiya” of Katori Jingu Shrine is said to be called Arakotama. Arakotama is the wild side of God, or the soul that rages. It is said that it is a strange symbol of the god Kyotsu-no-okami’s valor, chivalry, and perseverance. In contrast to the mature design of the hall of worship and the main hall of the shrine, which I mentioned the other day, this shrine seems to honestly express the nature of the ancient god, and is captivating.
The present shrine pavilions are said to have been built using old materials from the Ise Jingu Goshengu in 1973. The fact that the old timbers were used for the reconstruction of the shrine during the ceremonial relocation of the Ise Jingu shrine gives one a sense of the continuity of the ancient tradition and spirit of the shrine.

Although there may be some preferences in the design of deities, the fact that Japan has continued to maintain a national culture of designating certain nature-rich sacred areas and creating park-like environments where people of all ranks are allowed to freely visit, and where people’s backs are made to stand upright, makes me think that this is a characteristic of the Japanese people.
In my opinion, this kind of divinity makes me feel the true spirit of the Japanese people.
I believe that this is the core of the Japanese mindset of spatial design as a whole, in harmony with the surrounding environment. I believe that this kind of design theory dominates the basic sensitivity.
The explanation that “the souls of the wild spirits are under the influence of a mystical spirit that dispels evil spirits, and the work of breaking evil and manifesting righteousness is also active to bring good luck, ward off bad luck, and fulfill one’s desires” is very funny.

Like the Kashima Jingu Shrine, the Katori Jingu Shrine also has a “keystone” in place. The photo above is a drawing of a “catfish carrying a keystone,” and it is said that this warrior god is holding back a major earthquake in the Kanto region in cooperation with the god of Kashima (laugh). It represents the fact that the Kanto area and its vicinity had suffered a series of earthquake damage over the past generation.
It seems to me that this is why the Japanese belief that the god of war protects both Kashima and Katori grew up. For the Japanese people, the Kanto region was a great development frontier, and human efforts, such as the eastward shift of the Tone River, were continuously invested in the region, despite the difficulties of being an earthquake-prone area.
The “ethnic experience” of such a historical period is contained in these two major shrines of the Three Eastern Provinces. From there, Japanese society will further move toward the historical experience of the development of Hokkaido, where I live. While the Tohoku region has had the unfortunate history of being singled out as the target of “barbarian conquests,” this was not the case in Hokkaido. The cold conditions of the region made it essential for the evolution of the survival environment and the improvement of housing performance.
The Kanto frontier experience of earthquake-prone catfish has given rise to such caricatures, but what kind of caricatures will be generated by the experience of creating highly insulated and airtight housing in Hokkaido?
At the present time, we do not see such a caricature of ethnic experience in the Hokkaido shrine (laugh).
The explanation that “the souls of the wild spirits are under the influence of a mystical spirit that dispels evil spirits, and the work of breaking evil and manifesting righteousness is also active to bring good luck, ward off bad luck, and fulfill one’s desires” is very funny.

Posted on 8月 25th, 2023 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 日本社会・文化研究 | No Comments »

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