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【外壁・内観、質感フェッチ全開 鎌倉歴史文化交流館-2】




紹介している建物は歴史文化交流館という使用途の建築ですが、外見的な印象としては大きな石材平面が複数、並列しているような建物と見える。自然石ブロックの外壁。下の写真はGoogleMapでの上空からの画像と庭・崖面上部からの視界。上空からの目線では塀の連続。これが建物とは思いにくいかもしれない。でも、逆に人間レベルの目線ではこの壁が建築の印象として深く「刺さって」くる。
石壁の外皮からは自然石素材の質感が伝わってきて、強く人類普遍的な感覚を抱いた。これらの素材、サッシ・床材・外壁・内装材などはすべてドイツ等ヨーロッパから輸入する強いこだわり。とくにこの外壁材に強いインパクトを受けたが詳細な建築データを参照できないので不明。ただ、光沢感や質感から推理すれば大理石なのかとは思う。厚みも視覚的には20-30cm程度と思える。素材へのこだわりぶりを考えれば、石材は無垢材なのだろう。しかし自然な質感でハードコアというよりやさしい雰囲気。

また、サッシは「ブロンズ」製なのだという。銅に錫などを掛け合わせた合金ですが、素材としてサッシに使うというのはあまり聞いたことがない。気密・水密加工が必須条件であるサッシには似つかわしくない。北欧でも一般住宅では木製サッシが普遍的。そういえば開口部は大きな開口が中心で小さな窓はお目に掛からなかった。超高級住宅ということもあるけれど、ブロンズ素材という事から考えると気密性とかの要件重視とは思われない。要するに主建築素材としての石材同様、素材としての価値感、経年で変化して行く素材の質感を楽しむということが優勢な判断基準なのでしょう。

しかし基本的には建築家ノーマン・フォスター氏の目線「西洋人から見た日本人」という主張性の部分、内部空間は、魅力的な外部風景を取り込みながら「暗」から「明」へのグラデーションなど本質的な部分での日本的感覚が感じられる。いわば「わび・さび」を西洋人的に咀嚼しているのだろうか。開口部は大きめだけれど、全体としては紙の障子に象徴される日本的な空間明度への繊細さを踏まえているように感じる。
鎌倉の歴史をふまえながら、日本人の価値観に合わせた環境との共生に意を注いでいるのでしょう。壁に光ファイバーが組み込まれた人造大理石や、廃テレビ管を利用したガラスブロックなど、特殊な資材も随所に使用されている。
わが家はコンクリートブロック構造本体と煉瓦外壁や角波鉄板という「平民的」外皮素材選択だったので、素材選択として親近感はあるのですが、しかし素材の質感フェッチの超絶典型を見る思いでした。

English version⬇

Exterior walls, interior, and material texture fetch in full bloom Kamakura History and Culture Exchange Center-2
The marble block masonry construction of the exterior walls and bronze sashes create a contrast with the Japanese shaded space. Japanese from a Westerner’s point of view. …

The building being introduced is a historical and cultural exchange building, but the external impression appears to be that of multiple, large stone planes in parallel. The exterior walls of natural stone blocks. The photo below is a GoogleMap image from the sky and a view from the garden and the top of the cliff face. From the view from above, it is a series of walls. It may be hard to believe that this is a building. But on the contrary, from a human-level perspective, this wall “sticks” deeply as an architectural impression.
The outer skin of the stone wall conveys the texture of natural stone materials, which strongly evokes a universal human feeling. All of these materials, sashes, flooring, exterior walls, and interior materials are imported from Germany and other European countries. I was particularly impressed by the exterior wall material, but I cannot refer to detailed architectural data, so I do not know what it is. However, I think it might be marble, judging from its luster and texture. Visually, the thickness seems to be about 20 to 30 cm. Considering the attention paid to the material, the stone is probably solid wood. However, the natural texture of the stone gives it a gentle atmosphere rather than a hard-core one.

He also said that the sashes are made of “bronze”. This alloy is made by multiplying copper with tin and other metals, but it is not common to hear of its use as a material for sashes. It is not suitable for sashes, for which airtight and watertight processing is a prerequisite. Even in Scandinavia, wooden sashes are universal in ordinary houses. Come to think of it, the openings are mainly large openings, and I have never seen small windows. Although this is a super high-end house, the bronze material does not seem to emphasize airtightness or other requirements. In short, as with stone as the main building material, the predominant criterion for judgment is the sense of value as a material and the enjoyment of the texture of the material as it changes over time.

The interior space, however, is basically Japanese in essence, with a gradation from “dark” to “light” while incorporating an attractive exterior landscape. The interior space is a westernized interpretation of “wabi and sabi,” so to speak. Although the apertures are large, I feel that the overall design is based on the Japanese delicacy of spatial lightness symbolized by the paper shoji screens.
While taking into account the history of Kamakura, the designers must have been trying to live in harmony with the environment in accordance with Japanese values. Special materials are also used throughout, such as synthetic marble with optical fibers built into the walls and glass blocks made from waste TV tubes.
Since our house had a “commoner” choice of exterior skin materials: concrete block structure body and brick exterior walls and corrugated iron sheets, I felt a sense of familiarity with them as material choices, but I also felt that I was seeing a superb example of material texture fetching.

【ノーマン・フォスター設計の「鎌倉歴史文化交流館」探訪-1】




Apple社新社屋を設計し、爵位を持つ貴族で大企業経営もするというイギリスを代表する建築家、ノーマン・フォスター氏が設計した住宅建築が鎌倉にあり用途を変えて博物館的な施設になっている。以前から一度、参観機会があればと思っていましたが、最近ようやく探訪することができた。それがこの建物「鎌倉歴史文化交流館」です。
個人住宅として資産家の方がかれに設計を依頼し、その後いろいろな経緯があって鎌倉市がこのような用途で利用しているのですね。昨日の記事で紹介した「畠山重忠」のレプリカ甲冑はこちらの施設にて展示されていました。歴史好きのわたしにとってはまことに一石二鳥の探訪であります。
きのうも書いたのですがNHK大河で昨年好評だった鎌倉幕府創設期の人間ドラマに魅せられていたので、この「鎌倉歴史文化交流館」でも関連のイベントが行われていたこともあって、これはいい機会だと思っていたのですが、残念ながらすれ違いで参観できなかった、今回はようやく果たせたリベンジ機会。
そういうことなので、最近のルポの流れ、安藤忠雄、堀部安嗣、隈研吾に続いてこの建築と鎌倉の歴史について、新シリーズとして紹介します。
建築というのは周辺環境との対話という側面が強くあって、異邦人が他国の文化領域に関与するにはある緊張感があるだろうと思います。そういう意味では施主さんとノーマン・フォスター氏の関係性も考慮しなければならないかと思いますが、超高級住宅とはいえ個人住宅であり、手放されたあとなのでプライバシーのこともあって、余人にはあまり立ち入ることができない。日本を代表する文化人とだけ記載します。
鎌倉の一等地、裏山のような庭地をあわせて敷地は4500坪。本棟の建物延べ床面積は1137.77㎡(340坪)別棟は267.56㎡(81坪)。

鎌倉という街は関東の中にあっても特別な場所という感覚がある。そもそも歴史的には源氏が関東に根を下ろす拠点になった地域であり、南面する海浜以外の3方向が堅固に山に囲まれた城塞のような地形。ただその分、土地は究極的に狭い。明治以降は日本の文化人たちが争うように土地を求めてブランド性を高めたこともあって高級住宅地域化していった。
鎌倉に家を持つということは、明治以降の日本人にとって究極の夢と見なされて来続けた。この建物は鶴岡八幡宮からも数百メートル、市役所からも近く、クルマで訪問したわたしは市役所駐車場を利用させていただいた。(同館には身障者用以外の駐車場はない)そうした立地環境でしかも背景の山地に向かって徐々にせり上がっていく高台に位置しているので海への眺望も抜群。
立地からしてもまことに超高級住宅という環境にある。北海道人としてはその歴史的経緯など、到底思慮の及ばない世界が展開している(笑)。興味津々・・・。

English version⬇

Explore the Norman Foster-designed “Kamakura History and Culture Exchange Center”-1
Located on a hill overlooking the sea in Kamakura, a few hundred meters from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. The building was designed by a British architect with a knighthood, who changed the use of a high-class residence of a certain personage. The building was designed by a British architect with a title of nobility.

The residential building designed by Norman Foster, a leading British architect who designed the new Apple building and is also a knighted aristocrat and large business owner, is located in Kamakura and has been converted to a museum-like facility with different uses. I had hoped to have a chance to visit the building once before, and recently I was finally able to explore it. It is this building, the Kamakura History and Culture Exchange Center.
I understand that a wealthy family commissioned him to design it as a private residence, and afterwards, due to various circumstances, Kamakura City has been using it for this purpose. Yesterday, I visited the replica exhibition of the armor of “Shigetada Hatakeyama,” and as a history buff, it was a great opportunity for me to kill two birds with one stone.
As I mentioned yesterday, I was fascinated by the human drama of the founding period of the Kamakura Shogunate that was popular on NHK’s historical TV program last year, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to visit the Kamakura History and Culture Exchange Center, where there was also a related event. This was my chance for revenge.
As such, I would like to introduce a new series of reports on the history of architecture and Kamakura, following the recent reports by Tadao Ando, Yasutsugu Horibe, and Kengo Kuma.
Architecture is a strong aspect of dialogue with the surrounding environment, and I think there must be a certain tension for a foreigner to get involved in another country’s cultural realm. In this sense, the relationship between the client and Mr. Norman Foster must be taken into consideration. Even though it is a very high-class residence, it is a private residence, and since it has since been given away, it is not accessible to strangers due to privacy concerns. I will only mention that he is a representative cultural figure in Japan.
The site, including the prime location in Kamakura and the back garden land, is 4,500 tsubo. The total floor area of the main building is 1137.77 m2 (340 tsubo) and the annex building is 267.56 m2 (81 tsubo).

There is a sense that Kamakura is a special place even within the Kanto region. Historically, the area was the base for the Minamoto clan to put down roots in the Kanto region, and the terrain is like a fortress, surrounded by mountains on three sides except for the beach on the southern side. However, because of this, the land is ultimately small. Since the Meiji era (1868-1912), the area has become a high-class residential area, partly because Japanese cultural figures competed for the land and enhanced their brand image.
Owning a house in Kamakura has been regarded as the ultimate dream of the Japanese since the Meiji period. The building is located a few hundred meters from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and close to City Hall, so I visited by car and used the City Hall parking lot. (The building is located on a hill that rises gradually toward the mountains in the background, offering an excellent view of the sea.
The location of the house makes it a truly high-class residential environment. As a Hokkaido native, the historical background of the area is beyond my comprehension (laughs). I am very interested in it.

【戦場での合理性・ファッション性〜鎌倉武士の心性】




どっぷりと四国・梼原の隈研吾建築に浸っておりましたが、一段落。ただ、全国で公共建築の木造化が進んでいて、その旗手的な位置に隈研吾設計があるようです。今後、多くのその結果作品群が発表されていくことになるのでしょう。住宅建築のすぐとなりの領域での動きなので、目は離せないでしょう。
ブログテーマは四国での探訪記の深掘りに集中していたので、ちょっと小休止したいところ。ということで本日は歴史ネタ、それも鎌倉のころにタイムスリップ。ことしのNHK大河は家康がテーマですが、どうも個人的には期待した割に展開が荒唐無稽すぎてやや、疲れ気味(笑)であります。それに比較すると去年の鎌倉時代草創期のドラマ模様はなかなか面白く没入させていただいた。
義経や弁慶とか、あるいは頼朝といった人物にスポットが当たっていたこれまでの一般的な歴史認識に対して、鎌倉武士団の果てしない内部抗争にスポットを当てたことは新鮮だった。そんなことで鎌倉や伊豆などを探訪していましたが、写真は当時の武士団でもその個性が際だっていた畠山重忠さんの甲冑の復元だそうです。
ドラマでは武家の内部抗争の犠牲者で、美しく散った鎌倉武士の誇りに生きた、みたいな描かれ方をしていた。そのかれの愛用した「赤糸威大鎧」。鎌倉市の「鎌倉歴史文化交流館」展示であります。
添付されていた解題では以下の記述。
〜畠山重忠所用の大鎧(武蔵御嶽神社所蔵)を基に、石井岳堂(早乙女義隆)が制作。選りすぐりの素材と伝統の技法が惜しみなく注ぎ込まれている。鎌倉武士の勇姿を彷彿とさせる力作である。〜
石井岳堂(早乙女義隆)さんというのは現代の工芸作家で「鎌倉時代の甲冑を現代に受け継ぐ第一人者」なのだそうです。
鎧というのは戦場での戦闘具なので、まずは機能性として防衛力が最優先でしょう。鎌倉期なので刀・弓矢に対しての防御力を追究する。その上で体動作をスムーズにする使い勝手が求められた。
武士の世が始まるということはそういう必要性に対して経済発展が盛り上がっていくということであり、その優勝劣敗によって多くの競争が展開したに違いない。鎌倉期の日本の「ものづくり」製造業の清華というようにも受け取れる。どんな創意工夫がそこに盛り込まれていたのか、ビジネス的に解析したくもなっていました。

さて、感染症による社会停滞を超えて、世界は大きく動き始めていると思います。国の動きでは今年度予算が国会での予算審議でほぼ政府案の原案通り執行されていくことになった。政治は比較的安定した状況が見通せてきているのではないでしょうか。経済の方では、AIの発展がさまざまな変化を生み出そうとしてきている。現代世界ではやはりこの流れが今後を決めていくのでしょうね。

English version⬇

Rationality and Fashion on the Battlefield – The Spirit of the Kamakura Samurai
The Seika of Monozukuri Japan. Desperate ingenuity is put into it. How modern AI development will progress will be tested. ・・・・.

I have been immersed in Kengo Kuma’s architecture in Yusuhara, Shikoku, but I have reached the end of my immersion. However, it seems that Kengo Kuma’s designs are at the forefront of the trend toward wood construction in public buildings throughout Japan. I am sure that many of the resulting works will be presented in the future. Since the movement is taking place in the immediate area of residential architecture, we will have to keep an eye on it.
Since my blog theme has been focused on digging deeper into my explorations in Shikoku, I need to take a short break. So today’s topic is history, going back in time to the Kamakura period. This year’s NHK Taiga is about Ieyasu, but I personally find the storyline a bit too ridiculous for my expectations, and I am a bit tired of it (laugh). In comparison, last year’s drama about the early days of the Kamakura period was quite interesting and immersive.
In contrast to the conventional historical understanding that focuses on figures such as Yoshitsune, Benkei, or Yoritomo, it was refreshing to see the focus on the endless internal conflicts of the Kamakura (1185-1333) warrior clans. That is why they explored Kamakura, Izu, etc. The photo is a reconstruction of the armor of Shigetada Hatakeyama, whose individuality was outstanding even among the warrior clans of the time.
In the drama, he was portrayed as a victim of the internal strife of the samurai clan, who lived proudly as a beautifully scattered Kamakura samurai. This is his favorite piece of armor, the “Great Armor with Red Thread Vestige”. It is on display at the “Kamakura History and Culture Museum” in Kamakura City.
The attached description is as follows
〜This armor was made by Ishii Gakudo (Saotome Yoshitaka) based on a large suit of armor owned by Hatakeyama Shigetada (owned by Musashi Ontake Shrine). The finest materials and traditional techniques are lavishly used in this work. It is a powerful work that reminds us of the courage of the Kamakura warriors. 〜From
Mr. Ishii Gakudo (Saotome Yoshitaka) is a modern craftsman and “the leading inheritor of Kamakura period armor in the modern age.
Armor is a fighting tool on the battlefield, so the first priority would be defense as functionality. Since it was made in the Kamakura period, we pursue defense against swords, bows, and arrows. On top of that, ease of use was required to facilitate body movements.
The beginning of the samurai era means that economic development was booming in response to such needs, and there must have been a lot of competition among the winners and losers of such competition. The Kamakura period can be seen as a time of “monozukuri” (manufacturing) in Japan. I also wanted to analyze it from a business perspective to see what kind of ingenuity and ingenuity was incorporated into it.

Now, beyond the social stagnation caused by infectious diseases, I believe that the world is beginning to move in a big way. In terms of national developments, the budget for this fiscal year will be executed almost as originally proposed by the government in the budget debate in the Diet. I think we are beginning to see a relatively stable situation in politics. On the economic front, the development of AI has been trying to create various changes. In the modern world, this trend will still determine the future.

【1月の南国「高地」ホテル宿泊体験 四国・梼原と隈研吾-10】




隈研吾の梼原町での建築の最初は「雲の上のホテル」だったそうですが、現在まだ建て替え工事中。やむなく写真の町営ホテル「まちの駅ゆすはら」に宿泊させていただいた。ただ、温泉設備はないのでいったん外出して、記事掲載した「雲の上のギャラリー」に隣接する温泉に入浴してから帰ってきた。
さすがに当日高知市から各所を回っての宿泊なのでかなり肉体疲労。温泉施設までの距離は往復20分程度なのですが、自然豊かな梼原なので市街地エリアはほんのちょっとで信号待ちも1回程度。あまり距離感は感じなかった。また温泉施設での露天風呂も、いかにも雲の上の温泉っぽくて抜群の眺望でついついウットリした気分に。就寝をここちよく誘ってくれたので、ホテル帰還後、寝心地もよくバタンキュー。
ということだったのでホテルの施設についてチェックは不十分だった。ワークデスク周りの電源コンセント位置や、照明とベッド配置について疑問を感じる部分もあって勝手が違ったりもした次第。また水回り・バスルームの床面が仕切りが明確でなかったので、ちょっと足下に不都合を感じた。まぁご愛敬。
1月時期、南国とはいえ、雲の上という高地なので一部には積雪も見られていたのですが、エアコン暖房でそこそこは寝心地よく休めた。


で、朝方めざめて窓カーテンを開けてみたら、アルミサッシ窓はごらんのような状況。建築データなどのディテールまで確認していませんが、いかにも蒸暑地的な開口部材選択だったようです。ガラスは単板で網入り。網入りと言うことは市街地としての仕様条件・選択だったと思われます。
ちなみに梼原町の年平均気温グラフは上図の通り、1月だと最低気温はマイナス1度。温暖地域では防寒仕様の樹脂サッシなどの流通は少なく、価格面でも都度取り寄せ的流通実態を反映して高額にならざるを得ないのが現実だとは思います。
以前、九州北部、博多近郊のリゾートホテルに正月の家族旅行で宿泊して、いかにも開放的な窓一面に結氷が発生していた宿泊経験があります。冬に温暖地域を旅する北国人はこういう現実にも出会う。冬の温暖地域旅行では、ある意味、覚悟しておく必要がある。
北海道十勝でLIXILさんの敷地内で「メーム」という誌的なネーミングのモデル建築・アイヌ語由来の「水の畔の家」を建てた隈研吾設計として期待していたのですが、・・・。まぁ町発注の公共建築であり、いろいろな仕様条件などの制約の中での選択なのだろうかと思います。

English version⬇

Hotel stay in Yusuhara and Kengo Kuma, Shikoku, in January.
The lowest temperature was -1°C. Even in Tosa-Kochi Prefecture, the highlands in the mountains have cold conditions with snowfall. What are the actual specifications for insulation and openings? ・・・・・.

Kengo Kuma’s first building in Yusuhara was the “Hotel on Clouds,” but it is still under reconstruction. We were forced to stay at the town hotel in the photo, “Machi-no-Eki Yusuhara. However, there are no hot spring facilities, so I went out and took a bath in the hot spring adjacent to the “Gallery Above the Clouds,” which was featured in the article, before returning home.
As one might expect, we were physically exhausted after traveling from Kochi City to various places on the day of our stay. The distance to the hot spring facility is about a 20-minute round trip, but because Yusuhara is rich in nature, the city area is only a short distance away, so I did not feel much distance. The open-air baths at the Yusuhara hot spring facilities were like a hot spring above the clouds, with an outstanding view that made me feel like I was in a good mood and invited me to go to bed, so I was able to sleep comfortably after my hotel stay.
I was so comfortable that I went to bed and fell asleep in a slumber after my hotel stay. I had some doubts about the location of power outlets around the work desk, and about the lighting and bed placement, which made me feel out of place. Also, the floor of the bathroom was not clearly partitioned, so I felt a little uncomfortable under my feet. Well, I’ll leave it at that.
In January, even though it was in a tropical area, there was snow in some parts because of the high altitude above the clouds, but I was able to rest comfortably sleeping there with the air conditioner heating.

When I woke up in the morning and opened the window curtains, I found that the aluminum sash windows were in the same condition as you can see. I did not check the details of the building data, but it seems that the choice of the opening material was very typical for a hot and humid climate. The glass is single-pane and screened. The glass is single pane and screened. The fact that it is screened suggests that it was selected for urban conditions and specifications.
Incidentally, the annual average temperature graph for Yusuhara is as shown above, with the lowest temperature in January being minus 1 degree Celsius. In warmer regions, there are few cold-resistant plastic sashes in circulation, and I think the reality is that the price must be high, reflecting the fact that the sashes are ordered on a case-by-case basis.
I once stayed at a resort hotel near Hakata in northern Kyushu for a New Year’s family vacation, and found ice forming all over the open windows. This is the kind of reality that northerners who travel to warm regions in winter encounter. In a sense, you need to be prepared for this when traveling to warm regions in winter.
I had high expectations for this project as designed by Kengo Kuma, who built a model building, “House by the Water” of Ainu origin, with the magazine-like name “Meme” on the site of LIXIL in Tokachi, Hokkaido, but ……. Well, it is a public building ordered by the town, and I guess it was chosen under the restrictions of various specifications and conditions.

【茅外壁の「まちの駅ゆすはら」 四国・梼原と隈研吾-9】



隈研吾建築がまちのトレードマークにもなっている高知県・梼原町。正月休暇での夫婦旅で訪問させていただいた様子のブログ記事報告第9回。梼原での隈研吾建築の最初は「雲の上のホテル」とされた宿泊施設なのですが、行った時期には建て替え工事中でしたので、かわりに宿泊したのがこちらの、まちの駅ゆすはら。
「あれ、なんかヘンな外壁模様だなぁ」と近寄っていくと、なんと古民家で屋根に葺かれている茅が、外壁材として使われているではありませんか。
古民家でも外壁材に木板が使われるようになるのは中世くらいからで、それ以前には外壁もワラ状の素材が使われるのが一般的だった。住居の始原としては屋根を架構するのが最重要で、屋根がそのまま葺き下ろされて地面に接地する竪穴形式が原初的。壁が意識されるのは高床式住居からであった。
ワラ状素材の原初としての茅ですが、現代の市街地での建築素材として妥当性があるかどうかは不明。外壁材に求められる「防火・難燃姓」という要件についてどうなのか、市街区中心に位置するこの建物の建築条件許可がどう担保されたのか、よくわかりません。
ただ、デザイン的には強く目を引くことは間違いない。建物のカタチは非常に現代的合理的なボックス形状であるのに、シュールな素材感が伝わってきて、ここちよい「違和感」に襲われる。


梼原町のHPにこの建物についての記述が以下のように見られます。
〜梼原町の特産物販売と、ホテルが融合したまちの駅「ゆすはら」は、梼原町の顔として、多くの旅人をお出迎えしております。
施設東側に用いられている茅(かや)は、隈氏が、町内の伝統的な茅葺屋根に学ばれ設計されました。茅のファサードは特徴的な景観を生み出すだけでなく、通気性・断熱性に優れるため、自然の力によって快適な室内環境を創っております。 また、まちの中の「森」というコンセプトを映すように、施設内には杉丸太の柱を林立させ、森の中を巡るような内部空間を作り出しています。一方で客室は、時間を忘れゆったりと過ごすことができるように細部まで計算された瀟洒な設えになっています。〜
また隈研吾事務所のHPには以下のような記述。
〜かつて梼原の人々は茅葺きの「茶堂」で峠を越える旅人をもてなしてきた。このもてなしの伝統に触発され、このマルシェの外壁にも茅が用いられている。ブロック化した茅は、軸に沿って回転し、換気可能なディテールとしている。〜
内観写真の茅側面にはブロック化した茅は確認できない。たぶん内側の壁面は複層的に付加造作されているのでしょう。さて、いごこちはどうだったか?は明日につづく。

English version⬇

Yusuhara, Yusuhara, Shikoku, and Kengo Kuma – 9
Thatch, a primitive roofing material used in residential architecture since pit dwellings, adorns the exterior walls of this modern structure. A pleasant sense of discomfort (laugh). Kuma Kengo

Kengo Kuma’s architecture has become a trademark of the town of Yusuhara in Kochi Prefecture. This is the ninth blog entry about our visit during our New Year’s vacation. The first Kengo Kuma building in Yusuhara was a lodging facility known as the “Hotel on Clouds,” but it was under reconstruction when we visited.
As I approached the building, I was surprised to see that the thatch used for the roofs of old private houses was being used as the exterior wall material.
It was not until the Middle Ages that wooden boards began to be used as exterior wall material, even in old minka houses, and before that, straw-like material was commonly used for exterior walls. The most important element in the origin of dwellings was the roof structure, and the pit-type dwelling, in which the roof was pitched down to the ground, was the most primitive type. Walls were not considered until the stilt house.
Thatch as a primitive straw-like material, but it is unclear whether it is appropriate as a building material in modern urban areas. I am not sure about the requirement of “fireproof and flame retardant surname” required for exterior wall material, or how the building condition permit was secured for this building located in the center of the city district.
However, there is no doubt that the building is strongly eye-catching in terms of design. Although the shape of the building is a very modern and rational box, it conveys a surrealistic sense of materiality, and one is struck by a pleasant sense of “discomfort.

The following description of the building can be found on the Yusuhara website.
〜Yusuhara Town Station, which is a fusion of Yusuhara’s specialty products and a hotel, welcomes many travelers as the face of Yusuhara.
The thatched roof on the east side of the building was designed by Mr. Kuma, who was inspired by the traditional thatched roofs in the town. The thatched facade not only creates a distinctive landscape, but also creates a comfortable indoor environment through the power of nature, as it has excellent ventilation and heat insulation properties. To reflect the concept of a “forest” within the town, the facility is lined with cedar log pillars, creating an interior space that resembles a tour through a forest. The guest rooms, on the other hand, are elegantly furnished with every detail calculated so that guests can relax and lose track of time. 〜The rooms are designed in an elegant manner, with every detail calculated to allow you to forget about time and relax.
The Kengo Kuma Office’s website also states the following
〜In the past, the people of Yusuhara entertained travelers crossing the mountain passes in thatched “chado,” or tea houses. Inspired by this tradition of hospitality, the exterior walls of this marche are also made of thatch. The blocked thatch rotates along its axis, creating a ventilated detail. ~.
The blocked thatch is not visible on the side of the thatch in the interior photo. Perhaps the interior wall surface is a multi-layered addition. How was the comfort? Continue to tomorrow.

【神楽音楽が流れる梼原町総合庁舎 四国・梼原と隈研吾-8】




梼原と隈研吾建築の探究。本日は公共建築そのもの、梼原町総合庁舎。訪問出来たのは正月の休みだったので非公開時期。なので以下に建築データの掲載と「公共建築賞」という賞で「優秀賞・四国地区」を受賞した講評PDFが発見できたのでそれをもとに記載します。
・敷地面積:6,020.94㎡ 建築面積:1,628.25㎡ 延床面積:2,970.79㎡
・構造・階数:W造一部RC造 地上2階 塔屋1階地下1階
・設計者:慶應義塾大学理工学部システムデザイン工学科+隈研吾建築都市設計事務所
・施工者:飛島・ミタニ建設工事JV 竣工:平成18年10月 総工事費:1,222百万円
●講評:平成18年に完工した「梼原町総合庁舎」は「森林文化社会」を基盤にした「環境モデル都市梼原」のランドマークに相応しい優れた木造公共建築物であり美しい。梼原には、僅か10㎡ 程度の「茶堂」と呼ばれる旅人をもてなす歴史的施設が、今日でも多く現存している。
この総合庁舎は高知県最奥、県境にあるこの地を訪れる人々の心のランドマークであり、且つ町民のコミュニケーションスペースとしての機能を併せ持った現代の茶堂である。1階のガラス大扉は開放が可能で、時に庁舎ロビーと庁舎前の広場が一体となった祝祭空間が出現する。
庁舎は役所ではなく日常のコミュニティスペースであり、かつ桃源郷のように設えられ周辺一連の木造建築物群の臍となっている。しかも庁舎の構造体や内装は、最大限地場の木材を活用した設計となっている。
構造体には、自然空調を前提とした木造ダブルラティス構造による外部環境と呼吸できる仕組みや,太陽光発電、氷蓄熱、木製受水槽、木材断熱機密(原文ママ)サッシュやブラインドが組み込まれ、CASBEE評価Sランクを得ることに成功している。ともあれ収縮する一方の地域や地方の、深めるという新たな豊かさを確立する方向が力強く空間表現されたこの建築物は、深刻でネガティブになりやすいこうした地方に、新風をもたらす契機となろう。 (涌井史郎委員)



・・・という解説。「木造ダブルラティス構造による外部環境と呼吸できる仕組み」氷蓄熱や「木材断熱機密(原文ママ)サッシュ」というような部分に興味も持つので、今後機会があれば詳細を確認したい。
さらに以下に地元のひとの感想が寄せられていたので、要旨を抜粋。
〜正面壁はその多くがガラス張り。中に入ると広い吹き抜け。外光を取り入れる工夫がされ開放感を満喫できる。アトリウム中央には茶室。おもてなしの心で来訪者を迎える梼原町ならではの趣向。アトリウムには柱時計がかけられ定時に津野山神楽の音楽が流れる。津野山神楽は国重要無形民俗文化財指定。1100年の歴史を舞い継がれてきたもので町民のこころの拠り所。〜
再訪機会があれば、わたしも津野山神楽の音楽を体験してみたいと思った。

English version⬇

Yusuhara General Office Building with Kagura music Yusuhara, Shikoku and Kengo Kuma-8
The architecture that could not be visited inside. The publicly announced critique of the “Public Architecture Award, Excellence Prize” is introduced. I would like to hear the music of Tsunoyama Kagura that is played at regular intervals. Architecture and music. Architecture and Music.

Exploration of Yusuhara and Kengo Kuma’s architecture. Today, we will be visiting the public building itself, the Yusuhara Town Hall. I was able to visit during the New Year’s vacation, so it is not open to the public. The following is a list of architectural data and a PDF file of the critique of the building that won the “Public Architecture Award” in the Shikoku region.
Site area: 6,020.94 m2 Building area: 1,628.25 m2 Gross floor area: 2,970.79 m2
Structure/No. of floors: W, partly RC, 2 floors above ground, 1 basement floor and 1 tower floor
Architect: Department of System Design Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University + Kengo Kuma Architectural & Urban Design Office
Contractor: Tobishima-Mitani Construction JV Completion: October 2006 Total construction cost: 1,222 million yen
The Yusuhara Town Hall, completed in 2006, is a beautiful wooden public building that is a landmark of the “Environmental Model City Yusuhara” based on a “forest culture society. In Yusuhara, there are still many historic facilities that provide hospitality to travelers, called “chado,” which are only about 10 square meters in size.
The large glass doors on the first floor can be opened to create a festive space that combines the lobby of the town hall with the plaza in front of the building.
The government building is not a government office, but an everyday community space, and is set up like a paradise, becoming the umbilical cord of a series of wooden buildings in the surrounding area. Moreover, the structure and interior of the government building are designed to make maximum use of local timber.
The structure incorporates a wooden double lattice structure that allows the building to breathe with the outside environment and is naturally air-conditioned, as well as photovoltaic power generation, ice thermal storage, a wooden water tank, and wood-insulated, heat-tight sashes and blinds, and has successfully received a CASBEE S-rank rating. This building is a powerful spatial expression of the direction of establishing a new affluence of deepening in a shrinking region or region, and may be an opportunity to bring new life to these regions, which tend to be serious and negative. (Mr. Shiro Wakui, Committee Member)

I would be interested in such parts as ice thermal storage and “wood-insulated, confidential (original text) sash”. I am also interested in the “wooden double lattice structure that breathes with the external environment,” the ice thermal storage, and the “wood insulated confidential sash,” so I would like to check the details if I have a chance in the future.
I would like to check the details at a future opportunity.
〜The front wall is mostly made of glass. The front walls are mostly made of glass, and when you enter the building, you will see a wide atrium. The atrium is designed to let in outside light, allowing visitors to enjoy a sense of openness. In the center of the atrium is a tea ceremony room. This is a unique feature of Yusuhara, a town that welcomes visitors with hospitality. A pillar clock hangs in the atrium, and music from Tsunoyama Kagura is played at regular intervals. Tsunoyama Kagura, designated as a nationally important intangible folk cultural asset, has been performed for 1,100 years and is a spiritual center for the people of Yusuhara. 〜I hope to return to Tsunoyama Kagura when I have a chance.
If I have a chance to visit again, I would like to experience the inside.

【本と建築「司馬遼太郎記念館」との対比 四国・梼原と隈研吾-7】




建築家にとって「図書館建築」というのはその主張性が表れると思う。わたしの個人的な思いかも知れないけれど、本というのは膨大な過去・現在を生きた人びとが「どう感じて、どう生きたか」を生々しく伝えてくれるものだと思います。その人間がこの世界とめぐり会って生きた痕跡が、言葉によって綴られたもの。
図書館というのは、そういう無数の人間の痕跡が集積したものだと思える。そうするとそれを入れる建築「図書館」には、建築人の個性が表れる。この梼原町立図書館では隈研吾という個人の本との向き合い方が示されているのだと思えるのですね。この空間では隈研吾は「裸足」での入場を設定している。日本人的には靴を脱いで過ごす時間というのは、こころを解放するというような意味合いが込められる。
そしてこの図書館では写真のように「寝転んで」読書することも可能になっている。ちょうど子どもさんが転がって本と向き合っていた。かえって読みにくいんじゃないかと気になるけれど(笑)体勢はそれぞれの気分や体調などで千変万化するものだから、いっときこういう体勢で読書することもいいかもと思える。
また、床面は圧密された地域産の杉板が敷き込まれている。天井高は高いけれど、紹介したようにまるで森の中で大きな木から枝が下りてくるような建築デザインに包み込まれている。
さらに床面は敷地の原形に即して、起伏があって自然な地形が反映されている。そこにたくさんの本があって来館者を迎えてくれている。椅子にもなる階段状の空間も印象的。
RC建築に限界を感じた隈研吾氏は、梼原の巨大な森林をここに再現して、人間を包み込んで過去現在の往来を現実化させているように感じられた。
こういう「本と人間」という建築としてわたしは司馬遼太郎記念館を訪問したことがある。



建築家は安藤忠雄氏。大阪の住宅地に建っている記念館は、司馬遼太郎さんの書斎も再現されていて個人的に強くリスペクト。深く心象に沈殿していくような感覚を味わっていた。記念館は「図書館」という機能性を完全に持った建築ではないけれど、いかにも本と人間を強くイメージさせた。内部の本棚写真はHPからだけれど、とても手が届くように考えられてはいないことがあきらか。安藤さんらしくオブジェとして本が「見せられて」いた(笑)。まぁそれはそれ、というように感受された。
この梼原の図書館と対比的に司馬遼太郎記念館のことが想起されたのは、わたし的には強い整合性が感じられたのです。どちらの空間にも強く引き寄せられる魅力がある。建築を超えて迫ってくる魅力、人間への親近感というようなものだろうか。

English version⬇

Contrast between Yusuhara and the Ryotaro Shiba Memorial Museum of Book Architecture Yusuhara, Shikoku and Kengo Kuma-7
Books are a “dialogue between people” of the past and present. The contrast between Kengo Kuma and Tadao Ando’s architecture makes us feel this strongly.

For architects, “library architecture” is an expression of their assertiveness. It may be my personal opinion, but I believe that books vividly convey “how people felt and lived” in the vast past and present. The traces of their encounters with the world and their lives are written down in words.
A library is an accumulation of such countless human traces. The building that houses the library is then a reflection of the individuality of the architect. So it seems to me that this Yusuhara library shows Kuma Kengo’s personal approach to books. In this space, Kuma Kengo has set up a “barefoot” entry. For Japanese people, spending time without shoes implies a kind of liberation of the mind.
In this library, it is also possible to “lie down” to read books, as shown in the photo. A child was lying on the floor facing a book. Although I was concerned that it might be difficult to read the book (laugh), I thought it might be a good idea to read in this position for a while, since the position of the body can be changed in a multitude of ways depending on one’s mood and physical condition.
The floor is covered with compacted cedar boards from the region. The ceiling height is high, but as mentioned above, it is wrapped in an architectural design that resembles branches descending from a large tree in a forest.
In addition, the floor surface reflects the natural topography of the site with its undulations, in line with the original shape of the site. Many books are there to welcome visitors. The stair-like space that can be used as a chair is also impressive.
Kengo Kuma, who felt the limitations of RC architecture, recreated the huge forest of Yusuhara here, and it seemed to me that he was making the traffic of the past and present a reality by enveloping human beings.
I have visited the Ryotaro Shiba Memorial Museum as such an architecture of “books and people”.

The architect is Tadao Ando. The memorial museum, built in a residential area in Osaka, is also a reproduction of Ryotaro Shiba’s study, which I personally strongly respect. I had a feeling of being precipitated deeply into his mental image. Although the memorial hall is not an architecture with the full functionality of a “library,” it strongly evokes the image of books and human beings. The photos of the bookshelves inside were taken from the website, but it was clear that they were not designed to be accessible. The books were “shown” as objects, just like Mr. Ando (laugh). That’s just the way it is.
I was reminded of the Ryotaro Shiba Memorial Museum in contrast to the library in Yusuhara, and I felt a strong sense of consistency. Both spaces have a strong appeal that draws you in. I wonder if it is a kind of fascination that goes beyond architecture and a sense of closeness to human beings.

【木造耐震構造「四叉菱格子」 四国・梼原と隈研吾-6】




ブログでの全国の建築体験ルポ。あんまり事前知識を入れることなく、実際に触れるた感触を起点にして記事をまとめていくのは、ユーザー視点を最優先する手法でもある。
住宅雑誌人としては公共大型建築とかは守備範囲とは言い難いのですが、類縁性はきわめて高い領域として強い興味を持っている。それと公開性があるので、住宅のように慎重な取材プロセスの必要がない。肩の力を抜いて探訪できるありがたい存在。
「M2」(東京の環八に沿って建つ自動車メーカーのデザイン・ラボ)というポストモダニズムRC建築を発表して、当時の建築批評で散々に叩かれ意気消沈していた隈研吾氏は、この梼原で木造世界からの救済の福音を感じた。森林面積が91%にもなる檮原町では過疎の町として木の魅力、木造のルネッサンスを強く訴求したかった。この両者の願いが「木を感じさせる」コンセプトとして建築作品群に結実したのでしょう。
この「梼原町立図書館」は屋根からたくさんの樹林が下りてくるちょっと不思議な体験感が迫ってくる。WEB上でChatGTPでもまだ記述はそれほど確認できないけれど(笑)、わかってきたのは以下のようなポイント。
これは四叉菱格子(よんさひしごうし)と呼ばれる工法で、その一本一本に荷重を分散させることで、高い耐震性を備えている。幹と枝のような無数の木組み。これは単なる飾りではなく、四方に延びる枝の一本一本が重さを分散し、耐震性に優れた構造体だということ。
で、この梼原での隈研吾建築群について学術論文があり、木組みについての研究も発見できた。「独立行政法人 国立高等専門学校機構高知工業専門学校学術紀要 第65号」。研究者名は三橋修氏・金山将氏。このなかに以下のような記述。
「<地獄組部分詳細図>は、水平、垂直ではない木を組むための職人に伝わる手法である。地獄組という呼称からわかるように一度組んだら二度と外れない謂れ(いわれ)のある木組である。図書館の内部空間に一本の柱である木から枝分かれしたように枝が天井を覆い、森の中にいるイメージ効果を与える。」
わたしは太宰府で木組みが店舗の全空間を覆いつくす隈研吾建築「スターバックスコーヒー太宰府天満宮表参道店」を体験したことがあるけれど、今回のブログシリーズでこれらの空間体験に1本の筋道が見えてきた。いま現在隈研吾事務所はたいへんな仕事集中ぶりだそうですが、地域資源として木材活用を願っている全国自治体の思惑というのもどうも完全符合してくると思える次第。
さて公共的建築での空間体験として、ユーザー目線ではどういう見方が出来るだろうか。

English version⬇

Yusuhara, Shikoku and Kengo Kuma – 6
Did the architect, who had realized the limitations of RC construction, hear the cries of the trees in Yusuhara and strongly feel the beginnings of a wooden renaissance? Yusuhara and Kengo Kuma

A reportage of architectural experiences in Japan on a blog. The articles are compiled without much prior knowledge, starting from the feeling of actually touching the building, a method that prioritizes the user’s viewpoint.
As a housing magazine writer, it is difficult to say that large public buildings are my area of expertise, but I have a strong interest in this field, which is highly analogous to the field of architecture. And because of its openness, it does not require the same careful interview process as housing. I am grateful to be able to explore the area with a relaxed mind.
Kengo Kuma, who had been disheartened by the criticism of the time for his postmodernist RC building, “M2” (a design lab for an automobile manufacturer along Tokyo’s Kanpachi beltway), felt the gospel of salvation from the wooden world in Yusuhara. As a depopulated town, Yusuhara, which is 91% forested, wanted to strongly promote the appeal of wood and the renaissance of wood construction. Both of these wishes must have resulted in the concept of “feeling the wood” in the architectural works.
This ‘Yusuhara Library’ has a slightly mysterious experience of many trees descending from the roof, and although the description cannot yet be confirmed so much on ChatGTP on the web (laughs), what I have come to understand are the following points.
This is a construction method called Yonsa Hishigoshi (四叉菱格子), which has high earthquake resistance by distributing the load to each of its individual pieces. Numerous wooden structures like trunks and branches. This is not mere decoration; each branch extending in all four directions distributes the weight, making the structure highly earthquake resistant.
I found an academic paper on Kengo Kuma’s architectural group in Yusuhara, and I was able to discover his research on timber framing. The article is titled “Academic Bulletin of Kochi National College of Technology, No. 65. The researchers’ names are Osamu Mitsuhashi and Masaru Kanayama. The following description is found in the book.
The “Jigokumi-Part Detail Drawing” is a technique handed down by craftsmen for building wood that is not horizontal or vertical. As you can see from the name “jigokumiai,” it is a woodworking technique that, once assembled, can never be removed. In the interior space of the library, branches cover the ceiling as if they have branched off from a single post of wood, giving the effect of being in a forest.
I have experienced Kengo Kuma’s “Starbucks Coffee Dazaifu Tenmangu Omotesando” in Dazaifu, where the wooden structure covers the entire space of the store, and this blog series has helped me to see the path to these spatial experiences. I hear that Kengo Kuma’s office is currently very busy with work, which seems to be perfectly in line with the desire of local governments throughout Japan to utilize wood as a local resource.
What is the user’s perspective on the spatial experience of public architecture?

【豊かな想像力空間「雲の上の図書館」 四国・梼原と隈研吾-5】




今回の隈研吾建築in梼原でのコア体験かと思われた施設が、この梼原町立図書館「雲の上の図書館」。エントランスを通り抜けて内部に入っていくと、木橋ミュージアムをも超えるような「木構造」感が圧倒的に視界に迫ってくる。
ビッグスパンの室内空間いっぱいに屋根から「樹林」のような木組みが出迎えてくれている。「こんなの見たことない」という迫力。ただ、そうであるのに、威圧的ではなくむしろ親和的という空気感が伝わってくる。ちょっと不思議な異次元感覚とでも言えるでしょうか。以下に隈研吾事務所HPの紹介文。
〜高知と愛媛の県境の「雲の上の町」梼原に、図書館/福祉施設の複合体を梼原の杉を使って建てた。体育館・こども園が芝生広場をはさんで向かい合い、多世代の交流するコミュニティのコアが生まれた。森の中の町梼原にふさわしい、森のような空間、木漏れ日のふりそそぐ室内を、鉄と杉の混構造で実現した。フラットな床ではなく、起伏のある大地を作り、盛り上がった大地はステージともなって、トークやコンサートなどの様々なイベントに利用できる。図書館の中では皆裸足になり、杉を圧密して作った木の床のぬくもりを感じることができ、各々の気に入った場所に寝転んで、本を読むこともできる。〜
なお追記が以下のようにある。〜図書館と向かい合う福祉施設では、梼原の和紙職人、ロギール・アウテンボーガルトによる梼原の木の皮を漉き込んだ和紙が多用され、あたたかく、「家のような」福祉施設が実現した。〜
しかしこちらの施設は参観することができなかった。

上の写真の手前側が図書館で、同じ外観仕様の奥の建物が福祉施設。施設の性格上、一般公開されるようなことはないのだそうです。
建物概要 雲の上の図書館 設計:隈研吾建築都市設計事務所 施工:戸田建設、四万川JV 竣工:2018年4月 構造:鉄骨造、一部木造 高さ:12.65m 階数:地上2階、地下1階 延床面積:1938.31㎡ 建築面積:1170.50㎡ 敷地面積:3087.85㎡
構造は鉄骨造・一部木造とあるので、天井からの木組みは木橋ミュージアムのような組物「構造」であるのかどうか、公開されている情報すべてを参照はしていないのでいまのところは不明。第37回日本図書館協会建築賞なのだそうです。この建築体験から数ヶ月経過して、この天井からの木組みについて、まだ不思議と整理がついていない。まぁトラスの一種のような働きをするのでしょうが。まるでスフィンクスか(笑)。
しかしなんとなく好ましく感じていることは事実。そのあたりの感想をあした以降、整理整頓してみたい。

English version⬇

Library Above the Clouds, a Rich Imaginative Space Yusuhara, Shikoku and Kengo Kuma-5
The building is a steel-frame and partly wooden structure. Users have a strong impression of the wooden trusses “standing in a forest” from the ceiling. It looks like the Sphinx. …

The facility that seemed to be the core experience of this year’s Kengo Kuma Architecture in Yusuhara is this Yusuhara library, the Library Above the Clouds. As you pass through the entrance and enter the building, you are overwhelmed by a sense of “wood structure” that exceeds even that of the Kibashi Museum.
A “forest-like” wooden structure welcomes you from the roof, filling the big-span interior space. It is so powerful that one would say, “I have never seen anything like this before. However, even so, it is not intimidating, but rather, it conveys an air of affinity. I guess you could call it a strange sense of another dimension. The following is an introduction from the Kengo Kuma Office website.
〜Yusuhara, a town above the clouds on the border of Kochi and Ehime prefectures, is home to a library/welfare complex built using Yusuhara cedar. A gymnasium and children’s school face each other across a lawn, creating a community core for multi-generational interaction. A mixed steel and cedar structure was used to create a forest-like space with sunlight streaming through the trees, which is appropriate for Yusuhara, a town in the middle of a forest. Instead of a flat floor, an undulating terrain was created, and the raised terrain can be used as a stage for various events such as talks and concerts. Inside the library, visitors can go barefoot, feel the warmth of the wooden floor made of compacted cedar, and lie down on their favorite spot to read a book. 〜The following is a brief description of the library.
The following is a postscript. 〜The library is located in the opposite side of Yusuhara and is made of Japanese paper made from the bark of Yusuhara trees by Yusuhara washi craftsman Rogier Outenbogardt, creating a warm, “home-like” welfare facility. ~.
However, we were not able to visit this facility.

The library is in the foreground in the photo above, and the building in the back with the same exterior specifications is a welfare facility. Due to the nature of the facility, it is not open to the public.
Building Outline Library on the Cloud Design: Kengo Kuma & Associates Construction: Toda Corporation, Shima River JV Completion: April 2018 Structure: Steel frame, partly wooden Height: 12.65 m Floors: 2 above ground, 1 below Gross floor area: 1938.31 m2 Building area: 1170.50 m2 Site area: 3087.85 m2
The structure is described as steel frame and partly wooden, so it is unclear at this time whether the wooden structure from the ceiling is a braided “structure” like the wooden bridge museum, since it does not refer to all of the publicly available information. I am told that it is the 37th Annual Japanese Library Association Architecture Award. A few months have passed since this architectural experience, and I am still strangely unsettled about this wooden structure from the ceiling. Well, I guess it works like a kind of truss. As if it were a sphinx (laughs).
But it is true that I feel somewhat favorable about it. I will try to sort out my impressions of it from tomorrow onward.

【世界から日本のサクラ花見集合】




ブログの四国・梼原の隈研吾建築シリーズは本日は小休止。
ちょうど用件がいくつか重なっていたので東京出張していました。昨日帰還。3/23に東京に来てからちょうどサクラのシーズンだと言うことを思い出された。上の2枚の写真は上野で、下1枚は目黒川in中目黒。とくに上野では公園を歩いていて回りから日本語がほとんど聞かれない状態。感覚的にはほぼ半数が外国からの方ではないかと思われた。
以前のようにやたら中国語ばかり、ということではなく欧米人や幅広くアジアなど世界中の民族と思えるひとたちの喧噪が響いておりました。ここのところ円安から日本ツアー費用が下がってきているのか、それともサクラ時期に東京に来るのが随分遠ざかっていたわたしが知らなかっただけで、いまや日本の花見文化は世界に知られているということなのか。
花見文化、サクラ文化は日本史で連綿と繋がってきている。江戸・東京では河川の洪水対策で土盛りして築堤するに当たってその上にサクラを植樹した。それが春になって開花するとたくさんの花見客が土手に集まって、酒に酔って踊ったりすることで地面を踏み固め堤の地盤強化された、という説がある。DNAに染みついている日本人の花見文化を利用して都市計画した、というのですね。
まぁそれくらい根がらみな日本のサクラ文化が、世界の人にどんなふうに受け入れられているのか非常に興味深い。これほどにたくさんの海外観光客が押し寄せていることから、文化資産として活用出来ることは確実ですね。
資源によって産業は勃興するけれど、観光資源というのはちょっと考え方が違う。やはりその国、国民の文化風土が最大の財産であり、花を愛でるこころが最大のポイントなのでしょう。さらには日本人の花見でのマナーというのも稀有なのだと言われます。
国名は伏せますが、一時期爆買いなどと言われた人たち。わたしも数回目にしたくらいですから多発していたのでしょうが、カメラポーズの一種としてか、サクラの枝を鷲づかみして揺すってサクラを落花させてその「桜吹雪」ぶりを写真に収めようと考える不埒な光景を目にしていた。ひどい場合にはサクラを折って振り回したりしていた。
目にしたときにはさすがにわたしは「やめろ!」と声を上げてしまっていました。数人の男と撮影対象の若い女性という多人数。一瞬、仕掛けてくるかとは思ったけれど、こういう場合にはストリートファイトもやむを得ないと思っていました。(幸い、かれらも自制してくれた)
こういうマナーは日本人は保守している。良きマナーはぜひ輸出したいと思います。

English version⬇

Japanese cherry blossom viewing gatherings from around the world
Hanami, the extreme point of Japanese culture with its distinct four seasons. The manner of appreciating flowers is also excellent. We would like to make the most of this cultural asset for Japan’s economy. Japan

The blog series on Kengo Kuma’s architecture in Yusuhara, Shikoku, takes a short break today.
I was on a business trip to Tokyo just as I had some overlapping matters to attend to. Returning yesterday, I was reminded that it is just the season for sakura (cherry blossoms) since I arrived in Tokyo on March 23. The top two photos are in Ueno and the bottom one is Meguro River in Nakameguro. Especially in Ueno, I could hardly hear Japanese around me when I was walking in the park. My sense was that almost half of the visitors were from other countries.
The noise was not the same as in the past, where Chinese was the language of choice, but rather the bustle of people from all over the world, including Europeans, Americans, and a wide range of other Asian ethnic groups. Is it because the cost of touring Japan has been going down recently due to the weak yen, or is it because I have been away from coming to Tokyo during the cherry blossom season for so long that I was unaware that the Japanese hanami culture is now well known throughout the world?
Hanami culture and sakura culture have been linked to each other throughout Japanese history. In Edo and Tokyo, when rivers were flooded and embankments were built, cherry trees were planted on top of them. It is said that when cherry blossoms bloomed in spring, many cherry blossom-viewing visitors gathered on the banks and danced and drank to strengthen the ground on which the embankments were built.
It is very interesting to see how the Japanese sakura culture, which is so deeply rooted in the Japanese culture, is accepted by people around the world. With so many foreign tourists flocking to the area, it is certain that it can be utilized as a cultural asset.
Industries rise from resources, but tourism resources are a bit different in concept. The cultural climate of the country and its people is the most important asset, and the spirit of flower-loving is probably the most important point. Furthermore, it is said that the manner in which Japanese people view cherry blossoms is also a rarity.
I won’t mention the name of the country, but at one time people were said to be buying cherry blossoms in Japan. I have seen this behavior several times myself, so it must have happened frequently. I have seen people grab cherry blossom branches by the eagle and shake them to make them drop their blossoms and capture the “sakura blizzard” in their photos. In the worst case, they would break the sakura and swing them around.
When I saw them, I shouted, “Stop! I shouted out. There was a large number of people: several men and a young woman who was the target of the photo shoot. For a moment, I thought they were going to attack me, but I knew that in such a case, I had no choice but to fight them. (Fortunately, they restrained themselves.)
These manners are maintained by the Japanese. I would like to export good manners by all means.