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【博多を離れ東京のホテルでとんこつ麺 満喫(笑)】


さてようやく福岡県をはなれ、カミさんは札幌に帰還しましたが、わたしは用事があって東京に宿泊していて本日帰還予定であります。さすがに1週間の旅程は長いので早く帰りたい。疲れもやはり溜まっているのでしょう、つい間食に手が出てしまう。マズイ。
 なんですが、コンビニで棚を見ていたら写真のような魅惑的な姿を発見、ヤバい(笑)。
 博多にいる間は昼の外食はうどんが多かった。ちなみに先日のうどん文化圏ブログはけっこうバズっていました(笑)。で、博多ラーメンは2回だけ。それも1軒はホテルへの帰還途中で、目の前で見つけた名前を知らない店舗。夜も遅めになっていたので、ここであったが百年目の心境で食べてみた。結果・・・。
 まぁ、通の人にはいいのかもしれませんが、わたしたちのような旅行者にはややこだわりが強すぎて無言の行に徹していた。なのでもう一軒は「長浜屋」という老舗店で。こちらは博多とんこつラーメンの正調という味。
 そういう体験でしたが、東京に移動してきて間食につい手が伸びてしまったのがこの写真。
 まぁ一種の博多の旅からの「ノリ」でしょうか。
 本来間食は厳禁なのですが、一人旅になるとどうしても食事時間が不規則になってしまう。気がついたら昼飯を食べていない、みたいな行動になってしまう。
 で、LOWSONによるOEMなんでしょうが、味は1軒目の博多の店舗よりはずっとよかった。どうもわたしはラーメンなど麺類は自分で作る一択で、札幌にいても外食でラーメンを食べるという食文化を持っていないのですね。専門店舗で食べるというのは、一種のギャンブルに近くて、10回で1-2回くらいしか「当たり」がないのですね。
 おれだったら、こうはつくらないという気分が強すぎるのでしょうか。そこにいくとこういうOEM食品の方が「無難」ということはある。
 たぶん多くの人がそういう風に感じているのではないだろうか。カミさんが一生懸命、旅行雑誌などを手に「ここがいいか、あそこがいいか」と悩んでいましたが、店舗の味を取捨選択するというのはちょっと無謀すぎるのではないか。まだ和食店とか、洋食店とかではいろいろな食材を選べるので逃げ道があるけれど、麺類専門店ではそうはいかない。先般の「うどん」チェーン店の繁盛ぶりというのはそういった「地元民の選挙結果」みたいな安心感がある。
 むしろ、無難に食べられるという意味合いではコンビニ食品のほうが、多くの「共通項」テストに合格した無難感があるのでしょうね。ということで、ハラ減った。本日は以上。

English version⬇

Tonkotsu (pork bone) noodle soup in a hotel in Tokyo, away from Hakata.
Choosing a noodle store is very difficult. It’s almost like a game of chance. The recent convenience stores have a huge selection of individual meals, and their research and development is amazing. A safe choice. I’m sure it’s a safe choice.

Now that we have finally left Fukuoka Prefecture, my wife has returned to Sapporo, but I am staying in Tokyo for some business and will be returning today. It’s been a long week, and I want to get home as soon as possible. I’m probably tired, so I’ve been snacking. It’s not good.
 But when I was browsing the shelves at a convenience store, I found a seductive figure like the one in the photo.
 While I was in Hakata, I ate out for lunch mostly with udon. By the way, the udon culture area blog the other day was quite a buzz (laughs). And I had Hakata ramen only twice. One of them was on the way back to the hotel, at a restaurant I didn’t know the name of, which I found right in front of me. It was getting late at night, so I tried it here, but with the heart of a centenarian. The result…
 Well, it may be good for connoisseurs, but for travelers like us, it was a little too particular, and we were in a silent line. So we went to another long-established restaurant called Nagahamaya. This one tasted like the authentic Hakata tonkotsu ramen.
 That was the kind of experience I had, but when I moved to Tokyo, I just couldn’t resist snacking on this picture.
 I guess it was a kind of “groove” from my trip to Hakata.
 Eating between meals is strictly forbidden, but when traveling alone, meal times tend to be irregular. I find myself acting like I haven’t eaten lunch.
 I was surprised to find that the taste was much better than at the first restaurant in Hakata, although it was probably OEM by LOWSON. I have never had the food culture to eat ramen at restaurants even in Sapporo, because I have only one choice to make ramen by myself. Eating at a specialty restaurant is a kind of gambling, and you only get a “hit” once or twice out of 10 times.
 I think people are too much in the mood that if it were me, I wouldn’t make this kind of food. When you get there, this kind of OEM food is sometimes “safer”.
 Perhaps many people feel that way. My wife was trying very hard to decide whether it is better to go there or not with a travel magazine in her hand, but I think it is a little too reckless to choose and discard the taste of a restaurant. There is still a way out with Japanese or Western restaurants because you can choose from a variety of ingredients, but that is not the case with noodle specialty restaurants. The recent prosperity of “udon” chain restaurants is a reassuring sign, like the result of an election by local residents.
 Rather, in terms of being safe to eat, convenience store food probably has a sense of safety that has passed many “common denominator” tests. So, hara less. That’s all for today.

【藤本壮介「太宰府天満宮仮殿」の御利益】


 大阪万博が迫ってきていますが、一向に「盛り上がり」が感じられません。北海道から見ているとメディアが一斉に反万博の動きに出ているように見え、ひたすらディスろうとしているように思われてならない。
 そうした、社会を盛り上げようというムードの退潮はどうも全世界的な現象とされていて、その根源にはこれまでの経済の基盤資源、石油など社会基盤へのコストアップ圧力があるという。その部分のコスト上昇が直接的に生活コストの上昇を招いて、世界全体で既存の政治体制に動揺をもたらしているという説。そのコアには脱炭素の急すぎる展開があって、日本でも電気料金の上昇などに結果している。生活苦。
 そういった生活苦がときの政権への反発を加速させた結果、アメリカでもフランスでも政権基盤の弱体化が進行している。日本でも同様であり「いまどき万博かよ」といったムードが支配的なのかもしれない。
 おっと、万博のシンボル的な建築家・藤本壮介氏のことに触れようとしたら、世界情勢分析に飛び火してしまった(笑)。太宰府天満宮の本殿の建て替えにあたって、「仮殿」の建築について藤本壮介氏がデザインしたのが写真。
 最近の都市デザインではよくこういった「緑化」技術が活用されている。一種のブームなのでしょうか。既成の建材への行き詰まり感があって、もてはやされている側面もあるのでしょうが、屋根緑化などの技術の向上がこのように反映していると思われる。

 太宰府天満宮には5−6年前に行っていましたが、今回は非常に目新しい仮殿で驚かされていた。わたしが知る限りではこういった「拝殿」というのは初見。神さまの世界でも、革新の気風を感じさせてくれてすばらしい。単純に楽しませていただいていました。というか、この仮殿参観後、周辺の木々の様子に見入っていましたので、このデザインのインパクトは自然景観へのめざめのきっかけとしては大きかったかと。
 日本の神社信仰は宗教というよりも「慣習」に近いと言われますが、木造建築としてはその基盤的な「正統」デザインを歴世伝承させてくるには非常に大きな力になった。たぶん伝統木造技術が日本独自で延命し続けてきたのには、各神社の式年遷宮のような建て替えが継続してきたことが文化として大きい。
 北海道の建築工務店が木造技術伝統をしっかり継承しながら、同時に高断熱高気密の技術発展にもきわめて前向きに取り組んできた状況を先日紹介の「新建ハウジング」記事では書きましたが、伝統が発展していく様は、まことに喜ばしい。
 太宰府天満宮の姿勢も素晴らしいと思いました。

English version⬇

Sousuke Fujimoto’s “Temporary Hall of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
Shrine architecture showing both sides of tradition and innovation. The “Shikinen Sengu” at Ise seems to show both tradition and innovation in Japanese wooden construction techniques. The aim of this design is good. …

The Osaka Expo is coming up, but I don’t feel any “excitement” about it. From my vantage point in Hokkaido, it seems as if the media are all working together in an anti-Expo movement, and are trying to discredit the event.
 Such a retreat from the mood of social uplift is apparently a worldwide phenomenon, and the root of it is said to be the pressure to increase the cost of social infrastructure, such as oil, which has been the basic resource of the economy. The theory is that rising costs in these areas are directly leading to higher living costs and upsetting existing political systems throughout the world. At the core of this is the too rapid development of decarbonization, which has resulted in higher electricity prices in Japan, for example. Living pains.
 The same is true in Japan, where the “now is not the time for everything. The same is true in Japan, where the prevailing mood may be, “Expo ’70 nowadays?
 I was going to mention the symbolic architect of the Expo, Sousuke Fujimoto, but that turned into an analysis of world affairs (laugh). The photo shows Sousuke Fujimoto’s design for the construction of a “temporary shrine” for the reconstruction of the main shrine of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
 This kind of “greening” technology is often utilized in recent urban design. Is this a kind of boom? It may be that there is a sense of deadlock with existing building materials, and that this is partly a result of the popularity of this technology, but it is also likely to be a reflection of the improvement in roof greening and other technologies.

I had been to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine 5-6 years ago, but this time I was surprised by a very new temporary hall of worship. As far as I know, this is the first time I have seen such a “worship hall. It was wonderful to see the spirit of innovation even in the world of the gods. I was simply amused. After visiting the temporary shrine, I was looking at the surrounding trees, so I think the impact of this design was significant as a trigger for my interest in the natural landscape.
 Japanese shrine worship is said to be more akin to “custom” than religion, but as a wooden structure, it has been a very powerful force in the transmission of its foundational “orthodox” design to successive generations. Perhaps the most significant cultural factor in the continued longevity of traditional wooden construction techniques unique to Japan has been the continuous rebuilding of shrines, such as the shikinen-sengu (ceremonial relocation of shrines).
 I wrote in an article in Shinken Housing the other day about how a Hokkaido construction company has been working positively to develop highly insulated and airtight technology while at the same time continuing to carry on the tradition of wooden construction technology, and I am very pleased to see the tradition developing.
 I thought the attitude of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine was also wonderful.
 

【九州博多は「うどん文化」圏】


 わたしくらいの年代だと、博多はとんこつスープのラーメンが有名で、札幌の「味噌」ラーメンと対を張っているというイメージが多い。日本人は3食ともごはんを主食にするよりも1食程度は「麺類」を食べたくなるのが常態。そういった麺類として外食では札幌では圧倒的にラーメン店が多いし、対比的に博多はほぼとんこつが街を覆っているようなイメージを持っている。なのですが、今回博多の街を歩いていると、どうも勝手が違う。
 そうなんです、やたらめったら「うどん」の地元チェーン店が繁殖している。
 たしか「うどん」県を自称している香川県で地元の人から「実はね、博多もうどんが多いんですよ。いまや負けそう(笑)」という話は聞いていたけれど、目で見て舌で味わってみて、納得させられた。2店食べ歩いてみたけれど、こちらでは基本、太いうどんで写真のように牛肉の煮込み風のトッピングが主流。さっぽろラーメンでいえば「もやし」に相当するようなものが牛肉のようなのですね。
 郷に入らば郷に従って、ほぼ定番メニューに従っていると、写真のような表情の料理がやってくる。
 最近はあぶらっこい料理は避けているのですが、「これが一番の売れ筋」という言葉に従って、ちょっと冒険してみた次第。
 こういう風な食べ始めなのですが、けっこう食べてもなかなか「底が見えない」。
 そうしていると店員さんがヤカンを持ってきて、どうもつゆを継ぎ足すのがお約束のようです。食べても食べてもうどんが減らないのは、どうもつゆを麺が「吸い取っている」かのようなのですね。面白がって、地元の人の作法を真似して継ぎ足してみる。
 牛肉煮込みの甘みはすこし減ってきて、出汁の味が多くなってくるので、どうも1食で2食分というか、違ううどんメニューを2つ食べたような後味が残る。
 さっぽろラーメンで味噌ラーメンを食べると終始一貫、味噌味一択の味わいだけれど、どうも博多のうどんは微妙に変化して行く食べものと対しているかのようなのです。
 まぁこういう体験感はこちらの「牧のうどん」の様子で、もう1軒寄ってみた「資(すけ)さんうどん」ではもうちょっとシンプルな味わいだった。
 その他、たくさんの「こだわり系」うどん店が各所に猖獗を極めていて、博多人の胃袋を直撃している様子がよくわかる。こういった食べものの地域個性というのは旅人には楽しい。だんだん博多に染まっていく単純明快さ。単細胞に楽しんでおりました。うまかった。

English version⬇

Hakata, Kyushu is an “Udon culture” area.
Hakata’s “Udon” culture was alarmed by the people of Sanuki Kagawa. Enjoy the local texture comparable to that of tonkotsu ramen. …

Many people my age have the impression that Hakata is famous for its tonkotsu (pork bone) soup ramen, which is paired with Sapporo’s “miso” ramen. Japanese people usually want to eat “noodles” for at least one meal rather than having rice as their staple food for all three meals. In contrast, Hakata has the image of tonkotsu (pork bone broth) covering the city almost exclusively. However, when I walked around the streets of Hakata this time, I found something different.
 Yes, there are a lot of local udon noodle chain restaurants.
 I remember hearing from a local in Kagawa Prefecture, which calls itself an “udon” prefecture, “Actually, there are a lot of udon restaurants in Hakata, too. I tried two restaurants, but the basic type of udon here is thick udon noodles topped with stewed beef, as shown in the photo. In Sapporo ramen, the equivalent of “bean sprouts” is beef.
 If you follow the hometown, follow the hometown, and follow almost the standard menu, the dish with the look shown in the photo will come to you.
 Recently, I have been avoiding the more abusive dishes, but following the words “this is the best seller,” I decided to venture out a bit.
 I started eating like this, but I couldn’t “see the bottom” even after eating quite a bit.
 The waiter brought a kettle and added more broth to the udon. The reason why the udon noodles never seem to get smaller, no matter how much you eat, is that the noodles seem to be “soaking up” the sauce. Amused, I imitate the locals’ manners and try to add more.
 The sweetness of the stewed beef flavor is reduced and the broth taste increases, leaving an aftertaste as if I had two meals in one, or two different udon dishes.
 When you eat miso ramen at Sapporo Ramen, the miso flavor is the only one you can choose, but Hakata udon is like a food that changes slightly.
 Well, this kind of experience was the case at Maki’s Udon, while the other place I stopped by, Suke-san Udon, had a simpler taste.
 In addition, there are many other “stick-to-itiveness” type udon stores in various locations, and it is easy to see how they are hitting the stomachs of Hakata residents. This kind of regional individuality in food is fun for travelers. It is simple and clear that you are gradually becoming more and more familiar with Hakata. I was enjoying myself in a single-minded way. It was delicious.

 
 

【新建ハウジングdigital連載「その先の住宅道」vol5掲載】


Screenshot


 編集部に記事を送付してから他の案件や旅行に突入していたので、ご案内が1日遅れましたが、わたしの連載記事:新建ハウジングdigital連載「その先の住宅道」のvol5が掲載されました。
 https://www.s-housing.jp/archives/354151
 今月は北海道の「高断熱高気密」住宅革新運動の最初期からの中枢メンバーであり、同時に在来木造工法の技術伝統を「北の民家の会」などの活動を通じて訴求し続けている武部建設さんのポリシーを中心にした記事構成としています。
 「墨付け線の半分を残す」という大工技量の発展、その技術こそが次の時代を切り開いていくキーポイントになり、同時にそうした大工人材育成こそが最重要という視点で書いた次第。北海道の住宅建築は最初期から寒冷への対応、克服が最大のテーマであり続け、工法については日本社会の伝統であった軸組構造をどう革新していくか、だったのだけれど、そこからさらに離陸していくには、その原点へのさらなるこだわりが不可欠だと思えるのです。ぜひ記事をご覧いただければ幸いです。

・・・というところですが、いま現在はわたしは北部九州・福岡県を旅行中。福岡・博多と言えばやはり山笠であります。博多の町衆の心意気が爆発する、血湧き肉躍る祭事。きのうはその中核のような「櫛田神社」に早朝参詣。
 福岡は札幌よりも人口は少ないのですが、歴史的にも大陸・半島との交流の最大の「玄関口」として機能してきて、経済活動としては、日本全体の中でも最先端地域であり続けた。今日に残り続けている山笠は、そういう言ってみれば「民衆経済」の歴史を背負っていて、素晴らしい。北海道札幌は、明治以来の国家による官主導型の社会構造と、民の活もその枠内でのものに留まっている側面がある。
 開拓以来150年を超えてきて、民衆型の経済構造が獲得できていくのかどうかという局面。
 そういう意味では「住宅産業」は、ポテンシャルとしてはあり得るのかも知れない。高断熱高気密という日本の歴史の中でも最先端の技術領域を生み出してきた。今後の北海道人は、こういう博多の民衆の心意気を学んで行くべきではないか。
 そんなことどもも含めて、今回の北部九州の旅は面白い気付きにたくさん出会えている。

English version⬇

[Published in Shinken Housing Digital Serialization “The Housing Road Ahead” vol.5
Cold regions have reached a unique technological revolution from the innovation of traditional construction methods. Today, we should re-focus on the core power of carpentry technology. …

I have been traveling and working on other projects since I sent the article to the editorial office, so I am a day late, but vol. 5 of my series of articles in Shinken Housing Digital, “The Housing Road Ahead,” has been published.
 https://www.s-housing.jp/archives/354151
 This month’s article focuses on the policies of Takebe Kensetsu, a core member of Hokkaido’s “highly insulated and airtight” housing innovation movement since its inception, and a company that continues to promote the technical traditions of conventional wood construction through activities such as the “Kita no Minka no Kai.
 The article was written from the viewpoint that the development of carpentry skills, such as “leaving half of the marked lines,” is the key to paving the way for the next generation, and at the same time, the training of such carpenters is of utmost importance. From the beginning, the biggest theme of residential construction in Hokkaido has been to cope with and overcome the cold weather, and to innovate the traditional Japanese axial structure in terms of construction methods. We hope you will take a look at the article.

I am currently traveling in Fukuoka Prefecture in northern Kyushu. The most famous festival in Hakata, Fukuoka, is Yamakasa, or Yamakasa Festival. The spirit of the Hakata townspeople explodes in this bloodcurdling festival. Yesterday morning, I paid an early morning visit to Kushida Shrine, which is the core of the festival.
 Although Fukuoka has a smaller population than Sapporo, it has historically served as the largest “gateway” for exchange with the continent and peninsula, and has remained one of the most advanced regions in Japan as a whole in terms of economic activity. Yamakasa, which continues to remain today, bears the history of such “people’s economy,” so to speak, and it is wonderful. In Sapporo, Hokkaido, the social structure has been led by the government since the Meiji era, and the activities of the people have remained within the framework of this structure.
 After more than 150 years of pioneering, the question is whether or not a people-oriented economic structure will be achieved.
 In this sense, the “housing industry” may have potential. It has produced one of the most advanced technological fields in Japan’s history: high thermal insulation and airtightness. I believe that the people of Hokkaido should learn from the spirit of the people of Hakata.
 In this and other ways, my trip to northern Kyushu this time has brought me many interesting insights.
 

 

【魏志倭人伝「伊都国」と福岡市糸島】


 やっぱり九州は遠い。いろいろな知識を得ると言うこと自体は現代では容易に可能だけれど、実際に来て見てはじめて「気付く」ことには敵わない。
 今回の九州旅は、ほぼわたしは「ボーッと」しているわけですが、そういうなかでもふと道端の「地名」を見て、「あっ」と膝を打つ瞬間が巡ってくる。そうなのです、糸島に行こうということが前日夜のカミさんとの会議で決まって、実際にクルマを走らせて糸島の海岸線を走り始めて、そこで「伊都」という地名表示を見てしまった。「え、糸島って伊都国?」という怖ろしく鈍感極まりない気付き(笑)。これだから旅は面白い。
 〜糸島は、玄界灘を挟んで朝鮮半島、中国大陸と接するという地理的条件から大陸との接点として栄え日本文化発祥の地である。今から2000年以上も前から、稲作文化を始めとする新しい文化が続々と到来し、この地で花を咲かせたことが証明されている。邪馬台国論争では欠くことの出来ない『魏志倭人伝』にある伊都国は、まさにこの地である。伊都国は弥生時代中期を過ぎたころに誕生した。その『魏志倭人伝』をはじめ『古事記』『日本書紀』『万葉集』などの古典において、その存在を求めることが出来る。紀元前後約200年間伊都国は、前漢、後漢王朝の傘下にあって倭国の中枢として政治、外交の拠点となり、弥生時代の我が国の都であったと言っても過言ではない。あの有名な『漢委奴国王』の金印に遅れること50年、『107年倭国王・帥升(すいしょう)等が後漢へ生口160人を献じ、謁見を請うてきた。』と後漢書東夷伝に記されてあるが、この『倭国王帥升』は奴国の隣・伊都国の王で、倭国連合の王ではないだろうか?〜<「魏志の倭人伝の伊都国」 http://www.iokikai.or.jp/kodai.itokoku.htmlより引用>
きのうの神功皇后ゆかりの宮地嶽神社といい、まさに古代史の伝承がいまにも生き生きと根付いていることを実感させられる。これまで奈良県南部地域〜熊野一帯に完全に古代史の興味が集中していたことを深く気付かされ、この北部九州は汲めども尽きせぬ民族のルーツに深く関与していることに気付き、思い切りホッペを張られた(笑)。まことに痛快。
 同時にムクムクと古代史探訪の意欲が湧いてきてたまりません。写真は糸島地域の「櫻井神社」社殿。今回は粛々と体験・体感中心に受容させていただき、帰ってからは探究に没頭したいと思います。伊都国の先人の方々、よろしくお願いします。

English version⬇

Itoshima, Fukuoka City, and “Itokoku” in Wei Wei’s biography
I was slapped hard by a man who asked me, “Are you so absent-minded that you have forgotten the book of Wei-Shi-Wa-jin-den? I was painfully knocked down, but I am still in bed. I would like to learn from him. I would like to learn from him.

Kyushu is a long way away. It is easy to gain knowledge of various things nowadays, but nothing can compare to actually visiting a place and noticing it for the first time.
 I was mostly “absentminded” during this trip to Kyushu, but even in such a state of mind, I would see a “place name” on the side of the road and have an “ah-ha” moment. The night before, my wife and I had decided to go to Itoshima, and as we started driving along the coastline of Itoshima, I saw a sign that said “Ito” (伊都). Itoshima is Ito-kuni? I was so scared and insensitive to the fact that I was driving along the coastline of Itoshima. This is why traveling is so interesting.
 〜Itoshima is the birthplace of Japanese culture, and has flourished as a contact point with the continent because of its geographical location, bordering the Korean Peninsula and the Chinese mainland across the Genkai Sea. It has been proven that new cultures, including rice cultivation, arrived here more than 2,000 years ago and blossomed here one after another. Itsukoku, mentioned in “Wei-Shi-Wa-jin-Den,” which is indispensable in the debate on Yamataikoku, is the very place. Itsukoku came into existence after the middle of the Yayoi period. Its existence can be found in such classics as “Kojiki,” “Nihon shoki,” and “Manyoshu,” as well as in “Wei shi wajinden. It is no exaggeration to say that Itsukoku was the capital of Japan in the Yayoi period, and was the center of politics and diplomacy of Japan for about 200 years before and after AD under the Han Dynasty. In the year 107, the king of Japan, Suisho, and others presented 160 people to the Later Han Dynasty and requested an audience with them. The “King of Japan, Suisho” was the king of Itsukoku, a neighboring province of Nukoku, and was probably the king of the Japanese Confederation. ~ <"Itsukoku in the Biography of Wei Wei" http://www.iokikai.or.jp/kodai.itokoku.html>
The Miyajitake Shrine, associated with Empress Jingu, as seen yesterday, reminds us that the traditions of ancient history are still vividly alive and well in the present. I was deeply reminded that my interest in ancient history had been completely focused on the southern area of Nara Prefecture and the Kumano area, and I was made to realize that this northern Kyushu region is deeply involved in the unending roots of our people, which made me feel very proud (laugh). It was truly a painful experience.
 At the same time, I am very eager to explore the ancient history of Kyushu. The photo is of the shrine pavilion of Sakurai Shrine in the Itoshima area. This time, I will be solemnly accepting the experience and sensation, and after returning home, I would like to immerse myself in the exploration of the history. I would like to express my gratitude to the predecessors of Itokuni.

 

【梅雨最盛期 「濡れて福岡」探訪】


写真は福岡県福津の「宮地嶽神社」本殿であります。福津市の宮地嶽神社は日本最大級の大注連縄で知られ、正月三が日には例年およそ150万人が参拝に訪れる。大注連縄は長さ11メートル、太さは2メートルを超え、重さは3トン。
 わたしは昨日から故あって夫婦で福岡県に移動してきました。到着は午後2時くらいになってカミさんの調査に基づいて、わたしはレンタカーの運転手で「次どこ行くの?」状態。あっちこっち、と連行される容疑者のようでありますが、こういう容疑者状態というのは決してキライではない。たまに自分ではない主体の指示にすべてお任せして、従順に従うというのは、一種の思考の安息、「ボーッとした」無念無想の境地に至らしめられる。
 梅雨最盛期の九州ということで、覚悟の上ではありましたが、最後福岡市内のホテルへの道程でクルマの中で大雨に遭遇しましたが、なんとか歩行移動中にはそれほどの困難な局面には立ち至らなかった。ありがたい。
 で、連れ回された容疑者は、この神さまの前に引き出された次第であります。
 とうに観念はしているので淡々と神さまの前で無実をお祈りしたところ、どうやら神意に通じたようで、カミさんもニコニコとしてくれておりました。ありがたや。
 まったく予備知識なく、カミさんの命令に従ってあちこち移動する、彼女の「きっとここが好きに違いない」という判断は、自分でも非常に楽しいのであります。自分との対話という意味で、すこし客観的に分析できるメリットがある。
 出雲大社もかくやという大注連縄がシンボルマークなのですが、主祭神は神功皇后。社歴は1700年を超えるという古社。光の道という参道を通ってこの社殿に至るのですが、さすがに海外出兵を指揮された神功皇后の来歴に符合したたたずまいになっていました。
 この福津市周辺にはたくさんの「古墳地形」が観察される。古代の「ヤマト王権」にとって、非常に重要な地域であったことは、クルマで走りながらでも伝わってきます。玄界灘から海上を日本海ルートに乗っていけばたぶん出雲も「おとなり」みたいな感覚なのでしょう。
 古代社会での朝鮮半島地域との主要な窓口であった北九州地域は歴史の宝庫。乗ってきた飛行機もずっと雲の中でしたが最後の一瞬だけは、海に浮かぶ「宗像神」の社殿の赤い屋根瓦を空から見下ろすことができました。なかなかに神々しい瞬間。
 ということで旭川往復に続いて、北九州行脚。神さま探訪を畏れ多い女神・カミさんの指示命令に従順になって、神妙に旅したいと思います。ありがたや。

English version⬇

Wet Fukuoka” in the peak of the rainy season
The trip to Fukuoka, which was not of my own volition but of my wife’s, was an opportunity for me to see myself from a slightly objective point of view. I’m just grateful for that. I am very thankful.

The photo shows the main shrine of Miyajitake Shrine in Fukutsu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Miyajitake Shrine in Fukutsu City is known for one of the largest sacred straw ropes in Japan, which attracts approximately 1.5 million worshippers every year on the first three days of the New Year. The large shimenawa is 11 meters long, over 2 meters thick, and weighs 3 tons.
 For some reason, I traveled to Fukuoka Prefecture with my wife yesterday. We arrived at about 2:00 p.m. and based on Kami’s research, I was the driver of the rental car and asked, “Where are we going next?” I was the driver of the rental car. I feel like a suspect being taken from place to place, but I don’t mind being a suspect in such a situation. Sometimes I leave everything to the direction of an entity other than myself, and obediently follow its instructions, which brings me to a kind of restful state of thought, a state of “absentmindedness” or “absentmindedness.
 I was prepared for this in Kyushu during the height of the rainy season, and although I encountered heavy rain in the car on the way to the hotel in Fukuoka City at the end of the tour, I managed not to run into too many difficulties during the walking trip. Thank goodness.
 So, the suspect who was taken around was brought out before this God.
 I had already given up on the idea, so I prayed to the god in a calm manner for his innocence, and it seemed that the god’s will was understood and my wife was smiling at me. Thank God.
 I was very happy to see her “I must like it here” judgment as she moved from place to place following Kami’s order without any prior knowledge of the place. It has the advantage of allowing me to analyze things a little more objectively, in the sense of a dialogue with myself.
 The main deity is Empress Jingu, and the shrine has a history of more than 1,700 years. The main deity is Empress Jingu, and the history of this ancient shrine is over 1,700 years old. The approach to the shrine is via a path called “Hikari no Michi,” and the appearance of the shrine is in keeping with the history of Empress Jingu, who commanded overseas military operations.
 Many “kofun landforms” can be observed in the Fukutsu City area. The fact that this was a very important region for the ancient “Yamato Royalty” can be felt even while driving in a car. If you take the Sea of Japan route from the Genkai Sea to the sea, perhaps Izumo is like a “neighbor” to you.
 The Kitakyushu area, which was the main window to the Korean Peninsula in ancient times, is a treasure trove of history. The plane ride was in the clouds for a long time, but for the last moment we were able to look down from the sky at the red roof tiles of the shrine of the Munakata God floating on the sea. It was quite a divine moment.
 So, following the round trip to Asahikawa and back, I made a trip to Kitakyushu. I would like to travel in a mysterious way, obeying the instructions and orders of Kami, the Goddess of Awesome, in my exploration of God. Thank you.

【多様化する「家の選択」 人口減少ニッポン】


 さて昨日は北海道の建築指導課による「令和6年度住宅施策推進会議」の第1回会議。こういったいわゆる「諮問会議」は、ふつう事務局の用意した筋書に沿って進行するのが一般的ですが、実に多様な意見が表出してくるのが、北海道の住産業の底力だと思えるほど活発な論議。
 道の側でまとめる方向も踏まえ、たぶん9月末の概要発表まで内容については触れません。
 で、論議しながら、わたしなりに得られた気付きは多かったのですが、そのなかでも最大のものは、いま現在のユーザーの住宅選択の「核心的なことがら」というテーマです。
 「家をとにかく作る」という戦後社会の、一種の「住宅飢餓」からの脱出という主要テーマが現代の人口減少社会に於いては時代遅れになって来ているということ。
 大きな住宅政策として高度資本主義社会化によって人口の都市集中が進んで、戦後すぐの段階から2倍増ほどの人口規模と都市への人口集中が進んだものが永く続いた住宅政策の常識的判断基盤。この段階では主に「良質な住宅ストック」形成、新築住宅の量と質の向上が最大のテーマだった。ユーザーの側でも「生き方」という選択はメジャーな選択は企業戦士という一択に近かった。
 いまニッポン社会は1億2千万人口がほぼ定着して、出生数は減少するけれど、同時に高齢化も進行してトータルの人口がなだらかな減少という局面になる。そして空き家が900万戸というレベルにまで達してくると、これまでの新築の振興一択という住政策も見直しを迫られる。
 ユーザーとしても、場合によっては複数ある住居のなかで「どれを選択するか」そして「それをどう改良すべきか」ということが大きなテーマ領域として浮かんでくる。
 整理すれば以下のようになるのだろうか。
1 従来型の戸建て住宅を「どう建てるか」という新築志向の30-40代世代のテーマ
2 30-40代世代だけれど、既存住宅取得からそれのリフォームというテーマ
3 すでに新築住宅を所有しているけれど、それを長寿命化リフォームしたいというテーマ
4 自分の親の家、自分の建てた家など複数の住宅をどう管理するかというテーマ
 現代の住政策としては、こういった多様性の中で考えていく必要があるのではないか。随時この問題テーマの抽出、整理整頓に努めていきたい。
 わたしの場合で言えば、自分が建てた家がありそのメンテナンス・維持管理というテーマがあり、同時に親の建てた家について、それをどう活かして使うかというテーマがある。
 どちらもリフォームに関わるけれど、本人としてはその目指すべき、あるいは解決すべきテーマ性はそれぞれの住宅でまったく違うように思っている。それは自分以後の子孫の世代に「どう残すか」ということかも知れない。ただし居住環境性能については共通性が高いとは言える。
 いずれにせよ、人と住宅に求められる「生き方」に多様性が生じてきていて、それぞれに豊富な選択判断基準を考えて行くことが必要だと思われる。

Eglish version⬇

Diversifying “Home Choices” Population Declining Nippon
Hokkaido Housing Policy Conference. The lively exchange of opinions expressed vitality. The postwar high growth and corporate warriors’ “way of life” values are diversifying. And how to respond to it. …

Yesterday was the first meeting of the “2024 Housing Policy Promotion Conference” held by the Hokkaido Building Guidance Division. Normally, these so-called “advisory councils” proceed according to a script prepared by the secretariat, but the variety of opinions expressed at the meeting was so lively that one can see the underlying strength of Hokkaido’s housing industry.
 I will not discuss the contents of the report until the end of September, when a summary will probably be announced, based on the direction that the Hokkaido government will take.
 The biggest of all was the theme of the “core issues” in the current housing choices of users.
 The main theme of postwar society, which was to escape from a kind of “housing hunger” by “building houses anyway,” has become outdated in today’s declining population society.
 The major housing policy is the common sense basis for the long-lasting housing policy, which was based on the urban concentration of population due to the high capitalist society and the population size and concentration in cities, which doubled from the immediate postwar stage. At this stage, the main theme was the formation of “high-quality housing stock” and the improvement of the quantity and quality of new housing. On the user side, too, the major choice of “way of life” was close to the single choice of being a corporate warrior.
 Now that the population of 120 million is almost firmly established in Japanese society, the number of births is declining, but at the same time the population is aging, and the total population is in a gradual decline. And when the number of vacant houses reaches the level of 9 million, the conventional housing policy of promoting new construction alone will have to be revised.
 For users, the big questions are “Which one to choose” and “How to improve it” among the multiple housing options.
 The following is a summary of the issues.
1. The theme of the 30-40s generation, which is oriented toward new construction, is “how to build” a conventional detached house.
2 The theme for people in their 30s and 40s who are acquiring an existing house and then remodeling it
3 Theme for those who already own a newly built house but wish to renovate it to extend its service life.
4. The theme of how to manage multiple houses, including one owned by one’s parents and one built by one’s own parents.
 It is necessary to consider the diversity of housing policies today. I would like to make efforts to extract and organize the themes of this issue from time to time.
 In my case, there is the theme of maintenance and upkeep of the house I built, and at the same time, there is the theme of how to make use of the house my parents built.
 Both of these themes are related to remodeling, but I feel that the themes that I should aim for or solve are completely different for each house. It may be “how to bequeath the house” to the generations of descendants after oneself. However, it can be said that there is a high degree of commonality in terms of living environment performance.
 In any case, diversity is emerging in the “way of life” demanded of people and housing, and it is necessary to consider a wide variety of criteria for selection and decision-making.

 
 

【鎌田紀彦講演ほか、旭川日帰り弾丸出張】



 環境の変化、立場の変化などがあり、体調の不安定化もあったのでしばらくはそれほど行動的には過ごしていませんでしたが、新住協・鎌田紀彦氏が昨年11月頃から精力的に行っている講演会活動について、残念ながら一度も受講していなかったので、ちょうど日程のスキマが出来たこともあって、急遽出張決定。
 わが家からの札幌ー旭川は往復で280km超ですが、それならと別件で2件、旭川と和寒の探訪もこなしたのでこれも往復80kmほどということでトータル360kmほどの弾丸日程。
 ちょっとどうかなとかすかな不安もあったのですが、慣れた高速道往復でもあり、道中はほぼなにも考えないで運転に集中して、アタマのなかではぼ〜っと妄想に浸るという「芸」で無事クリア。帰ってからもひと仕事片付けられるほどの元気さでした。鎌田講演の会場では旧知の人たちから「元気だねぇ」とか言われてニコニコしておりました。
 あ、鎌田先生にはちょっとお願いの案件もあって、フックを掛けておくことも出来た次第。
 なんと鎌田先生からはその案件について、非常に強い興味分野だったということも判明。今後、進展があったらご協力いただけそうであります。案件進展のための貴重なアドバイスまでいただけた。
 もう一枚の写真は講演時間までの間に行った和寒(石狩国と天塩国の中間地点)の様子。こちらは現在取り組み中の企画の取材の一環。この時期の北海道は、まことに天国に一番近い空気感で目と肌に心地よい。


 で、鎌田紀彦講演の今次のテーマはこちら。全国で18箇所開催ということで、トータルでは参加者が1,000人を超えそうということ。講演スタート時間ギリギリに会場に着いたら、案内されたのは先生のすぐ目の前の逃げも隠れも出来ない座席。案の定、先生からは最近のわたしの不勉強ぶりを指摘される一発。
 「三木さん、札幌会場には来なかったのに、ここでかい(笑)」
 実は1月の札幌講演のときにはわたしは反対に東北仙台に行っていて、先生が仙台に飛行機で帰ってくる時間に事務所にお伺いして面談させていただいた経緯がありました。たしか先生の飛行機も遅れて大急ぎで帰ってこられていた。それなのに、そのときの札幌会場への不参加を指摘されてしまった次第。しかも追い打ち的に会場スタッフの方からは「函館にも参加されませんか?7月の」との声も。う〜む。イジリか。
 まぁしかし、なんとか今回、この講演ツアーの内容はしっかり聴講させていただけた。また先生からはちょうどタイムリーに「リフォームの対策」についても提起があったので、本日わたしは北海道の住宅会議に参加するのにいい参考意見をいただけた。
 ちょっと案件が山積しているので、この講演の内容についてはすこしづつ「テーマ毎に」このブログで「解題」をこころみて行きたいと思っています。どうぞよろしく。

English version⬇

Lecture by Norihiko Kamata and other one-day trip to Asahikawa.
Face-to-face lectures as social restoration from the Corona disaster. Vigorous nationwide lecture tour. I finally attended the lecture in its entirety this time. I will gradually try to “solve” the problem on this blog. I will try to “solve” it gradually on this blog.

However, I had not attended any of the lectures that Mr. Norihiko Kamata of Shinjyukyo has been giving since November of last year. I had not attended any of his lectures since November of last year.
 The round trip from Sapporo to Asahikawa from my home is over 280 km, but I also had to visit two other places, Asahikawa and Wassamu, so the total distance was about 80 km round trip, making it a total of about 360 km.
 I was a bit nervous about the trip, but I was used to driving on the expressway, so I did my best to concentrate on the driving and not think about anything else, and I was able to complete the trip without any problems. I was so energetic that I was able to get some work done after returning home. At the venue of the Kamata Lecture, I was smiling when old acquaintances said to me, “You are so energetic, aren’t you?
 Oh, I also had a little favor to ask Dr. Kamata, and I was able to hook him up.
 It turned out that Dr. Kamata was very interested in the project. I am sure that he will cooperate with us in the future if there is any progress. He even gave us valuable advice on how to advance the project.
 The other photo is of Wassamu (halfway between Ishikari and Teshio), which we visited before the lecture. This is part of a project I am currently working on. Hokkaido at this time of year is truly the closest thing to heaven, and the air is pleasant to the eyes and skin.

So, here is the next theme of Norihiko Kamata’s lecture. It was to be held in 18 locations throughout Japan, which means that the total number of participants was likely to exceed 1,000. When I arrived at the venue just in time for the lecture to start, I was shown to a seat right in front of the lecturer, where I could neither run nor hide. As expected, he took a shot at me, pointing out my recent lack of study.
 Mr. Miki, you didn’t come to the Sapporo venue, but here you are!
 I was actually in Sendai, Tohoku, at the time of the Sapporo lecture in January, and I had visited him at his office to meet with him when he was flying back to Sendai. As I recall, his flight was delayed and he was in a great hurry to get back. He was in a great hurry to get back to Sapporo, and he pointed out to us that he had not attended the Sapporo meeting at that time. And then, the staff at the venue asked me if I would like to participate in the Hakodate meeting in July. Hmmm.
 Well, I was able to attend the lecture tour this time. The professor also made a timely presentation on “remodeling measures,” which was a good reference for my participation in the Hokkaido Housing Conference today.
 I have a lot of work to do, so I will try to “solve” the contents of this lecture in this blog, “theme by theme” little by little. Thank you for your kind attention.

【すぐ近くの琴似神社の境内社改修工事】



 歴史好きというのがわたしの趣味生活の基本ですが、長年それを続けてくると、自然と神社信仰への探究心というのが大きくなって来ます。
 神社仏閣と言われますが、仏閣についてはかなり明確な「世界宗教」であるので明示的。宗派別でそれぞれの宗旨が伝わってきて、わかりやすい世界観が見えてくるものですね。一方で、神社の方は宗教というよりも民族的「慣習」に近くて「祭神」という人物像に対しても崇拝対象というよりもその事跡に対してのリスペクト表現というに近い。
 であるけれど、その空間領域は日本的な「公」の空間であり、その公園のなかに地域に所縁のある人物の祈念碑がある、というのに近いのでしょう。そういう結果、日本の各地を訪問するのにその地域性を知るにはきな「手掛かり」と言えるのでしょう。
 わが家はいちばん近くに「琴似神社」というのがありますが、わたし自身はいつもはちょっと距離があるけれど北海道神宮に参詣することの方が多い。ただ、毎朝の散歩でコースに変化を付けようとすると、その場合こちらの琴似神社がちょうど行き帰りの句読点になってもくれる。
 ということで、すこし体調が優れなかったのでしばらくぶりでこちらに参詣。
 江戸時代後期から明治時代初期に流行した藩祖を祀った神社のひとつ。とされて、琴似に屯田兵が入植したとき同時に祀られた神社。一部の兵士の出身地であった仙台藩亘理伊達氏の祖・伊達成実を「武早智雄神」として祭神とした。祀られている祭神は、天照大御神・豊受大神・大国主命と並んでこの
・武早智雄神・土津霊神(会津藩の初代藩主・保科正之公のことといわれる)の東北に関連する2神が祀られている。やはり仙台や会津などからの「屯田兵」にちなんでの祭神のようです。
 そのあたりイマドキには少し距離感があって北海道神宮の方に足が向きやすいのかも知れない。
 境内社として別の「報徳神社」があり、こちらは琴似神社の祭神が武家であるので「武神神社」としての性格をあらわすもののようです。確認できる情報は少なく、以上。
 で、こちらの社殿を修復する知人の工務店さんの案内シートが工事足場に掛けられていた。ここでその名前が出現するかとちょっと驚いたけれど、考えて見るとこちらの会社は神社仏閣建築について北海道内でも著名なので、その技量が評価されてのことだろうと思います。
 社長さんの顔が浮かんできて「やぁ久しぶりでした(笑)」みたいな突然の再会。
 せっかくなので、工事の進捗など、仕事ぶりも拝見させていただける好機(笑)。ちょっと楽しみにさせていただいている次第。

English version⬇

Renovation of a shrine in the precincts of the nearby Kotoni Shrine
I found a scaffolding sheet of a company I know at the shrine where I always pay my respects. I felt like I was being called out, “Hey” (laugh). I am going to observe the professional construction work. I will be there to see the professional construction work.

My love of history is the basis of my hobby life, and as I have continued it over the years, I have naturally developed an inquisitive interest in shrine beliefs.
 It is said that Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are explicit, as Buddhist temples are quite clearly “world religions. Each sect conveys its own religious beliefs, and you can see a worldview that is easy to understand. On the other hand, shrines are more like ethnic “customs” than religions, and the “deities” are more like expressions of respect for the event than objects of worship.
 On the other hand, the shrine is more like a national “custom” than a religion, and the image of the personage called “Shojin” is more like an expression of respect for the event than an object of worship. As a result, it is a good “clue” to understanding the local character when visiting other parts of Japan.
 My house is closest to the Kotoni Shrine, but I usually go to the Hokkaido Shrine, which is a bit farther away from my house. However, when I try to vary the course of my morning walks, Kotoni Shrine serves as a punctuation mark on my way to and from the shrine.
 So, since I was feeling a little under the weather, I paid a visit to this shrine for the first time in a while.
 This is one of the shrines enshrining the ancestors of the feudal lords that were popular from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period (1868-1912). It is said to be one of the shrines enshrining the founder of the clan, which was popular from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period (1868-1912). Date Narumi, the founder of the Watari Date clan of the Sendai domain from which some of the soldiers came, was enshrined as “Takehaya Chiojin”. The deities enshrined at the shrine are Amaterasu Omikami, Toyoke Omikami, and Okuninushi no Mikoto, as well as this deity, Takehayachio no Kami, and Tsuchinushi no Kami.
The two deities enshrined at the shrine are the deity Amaterasu, the deity Toyoke, and the deity Okuninushi no Mikoto, as well as two deities related to the Tohoku region, the deity Takemusachio and the deity Doitsurei (said to be the first lord of the Aizu domain, Masayuki Hoshina). It seems that the deities are associated with “Tondenhei” from Sendai and Aizu, after all.
 The shrine is also dedicated to the “Tondenhei” from Sendai, Aizu, and other areas.
 There is another “Houtoku Shrine” on the grounds of the shrine, which seems to be a “warrior shrine” since the deities of Kotoni Shrine are warrior warriors. This is all for now.
 So, an information sheet of an acquaintance’s construction company that is restoring this shrine building was hung on the construction scaffolding. I was a little surprised to see the name of the company appearing here, but when I think about it, this company is well-known in Hokkaido for shrine and temple construction, and I think it must be because of their reputation for their skills.
 The president’s face came to mind, and we suddenly met again, as if to say, “Hey, it’s been a long time (laugh).
 Since we were there, it was a good opportunity for me to see the progress of the construction and other aspects of his work (laugh). I’m looking forward to seeing the progress of the construction.

【空き家問題とニッポン的「家系伝承」心理】


 きのう空き家問題について講演受講を踏まえて書きましたが、この「空き家問題」というのはニッポン人のいまと未来を象徴する問題であり「家」制度の根幹にも関わっていると思っています。
 わたしは長年、住宅雑誌に関わって生きてきましたが、それ自体は建築としての住宅というテーマが主体だったと思います。一方で、日本民族にとっての「家」とは、柳田國男が解明した「民俗」要素のなかでも根幹をなす、家系の伝承という「心意」領域の問題。
 家というのは日本人にとってその基底的な精神性である「家の継承・家系の長期存続」を具体的に実現する生存文化的領域。だから「生き方」と深く関連性を持っていて、そこから「格式空間」のようなものも生まれてきた。
 そのような家の「価値感」が底流にあって、ひとは家を建てたいという欲求を満たしてきた。
 現代では住宅建築の「住みごこち」という感受性領域も技術解明されてきて、ややもするとそれ自身が「目的」でもあるかのように受け取る考え方まで出てくる。まぁ一種の「原理主義」の出現ではあるのでしょうが、多数派の冷静な心意としては、まったく違う位相で捉えているでしょう。
 そういった考えで「空き家」問題を見てみると、それは家系の伝承という文化的位相と、核家族化という社会変化がもたらした位相での「家族制度の構造変化」が底流にあると思われる。
 端的に言えば「親の家」とは別に自分が建てた家があって、家系伝承的考え方では整合しないような状況が生まれてきているということ。一方で「相続財産」という社会システムは厳然としてあって、問題が起こってきていると言えるのでしょう。
 生きている間、家系伝承とは違う価値観で過ごしてきて、資産としてあるいは家系の「負債」として住宅建築が浮かび上がってきて、あらたな整合性を問うているともいえる。
 考えて見ると明治という新時代以降、日本の人口規模は3−4倍に達した。戦後のスタート時点からも人口規模はほぼ2倍増している。この間に生起した最大の現象は「都市への人口集中」の結果としての住宅数の加速度的な増加というものがあるのだろう。
 そして人口規模が、今後どうなっていくのか、血統としての日本民族は減少して行く趨勢は変わらないだろう。一方で地球的な規模での移民などの人口流動も考えられ、将来性は見通しにくい。住宅についても、どういった「流れ」かを判断して、その方向で戦略的に動くという選択も考えられる。
 非常に興味深い領域に、日本の家は差し掛かってきているのかも知れない。

<写真は樹齢200年くらいと思われる北海道神宮参道にあるカシワの木>

English version⬇

The Vacant House Issue and the Nipponistic “Family Lineage Tradition” Psychology
 The shift to the nuclear family and the difference in button position of the traditional “family lineage survival” mentality. The survival of the physical house, the liquidation of assets and liabilities, and other interesting aspects of the Japanese house. …

Yesterday I wrote about the vacant house problem based on a lecture I attended. I believe that this “vacant house problem” is a problem that symbolizes the present and future of the Japanese people and is related to the foundation of the “house” system.
 I have been involved with housing magazines for many years, but I think the main theme of my work has been housing as architecture. On the other hand, the “house” for the Japanese people is a matter of the “spirit” of passing on the family lineage, which is a fundamental element of “folklore” as elucidated by Kunio Yanagida.
 A house is a cultural realm of existence that concretely realizes “family succession and long-term survival of the family lineage,” which is the fundamental spirituality of the Japanese people. Therefore, it is deeply related to “a way of life,” and a “prestigious space” has been created from it.
 Such a “sense of value” of a house has been at the bottom of people’s desire to build a house.
 Today, the “livability” of residential construction has been technologically elucidated, and some people even take it as if it were its own “purpose. Well, it may be the emergence of a kind of “fundamentalism,” but the calm mindset of the majority probably sees it in a completely different light.
 Looking at the “vacant house” issue from such a perspective, it seems that at the bottom lies a “structural change in the family system” in the cultural phase of family lineage transmission and in the phase brought about by social changes such as the shift to the nuclear family.
 To put it simply, there is a situation in which a person has a house that he or she built separately from the “parent’s house,” which is not consistent with the idea of family lineage inheritance. On the other hand, the social system of “inherited property” is still strictly in place, and it can be said that problems are arising.
 It can be said that people have spent their lives with a different sense of value from that of family lore, and housing construction has emerged as an asset or a “liability” of the family line, and a new question of consistency is being asked.
 The population of Japan has tripled and quadrupled since the Meiji Era. Since the start of the postwar period, the population has almost doubled in size. The greatest phenomenon that has occurred during this period is probably the accelerated increase in the number of housing units as a result of the “concentration of population in cities.
 The trend of the Japanese people as a bloodline will continue to decline. On the other hand, it is difficult to foresee the future because of the possibility of global immigration and other population movements. In terms of housing, there is the possibility of determining what the “trend” will be and choosing to move strategically in that direction.
 Japanese houses may be approaching a very interesting area.

<The photo shows an oak tree on the approach to the Hokkaido Shrine that is believed to be about 200 years old.