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【街のスーパーが取り組む「子ども俳句」文学界（笑）】



　さて昨日の「こどもウォッチ」篇の続篇。
　あるスーパー〜宣伝になるので名は秘します（笑）〜に行くとときどきウットリと見てしまうコーナーがこちらの写真です。わたしは歩数をしっかり確保するために「歩いて」買い物をする機会も増えてきています。そういうなかですっかり「独自食品」を使った集客作戦の店舗に通わされている。
　格安カツ丼といえばだいたい察しはつくと思いますが、わたし的にはあのズッシリと重い「ぼた餅」に中毒化してしまって、一時期はヤバいことになっていた。いまは健康のために（泣く泣く）取りやめていますが、そのうち復活するかも知れません（笑）。
　で、そんな現金の要らない最新カートが走る店舗の片隅で、この「短冊」コーナーを発見し、いまや子どもたちの「文芸」を堪能させてもらうのが密かな贅沢になっている次第。「スーペイで スーッとペイペイ」う〜む。現代のキャッシュレスの波を、子どもたちは見事な五七五のリズムで乗りこなしている。昨日は赤くマーキングした秀作も発見した。「ぞくぞくと てんさい 現る 俳句かな」思わず、心の中で膝を打ってしまった。
　子どもたちにこういう機会を提供することはユニークな試み。子どもたちも良くしたもので、前述のような広告寸前の俳句なども散見される。また、店舗にとって不都合な俳句は削除されることもあるかも知れない。
　そういった制約条件は理解した上で、やはりこういう試行は興味深い。こどもたちの才能が磨かれていくきっかけになるかも知れない。すくなくとも一生懸命に文字で、自分の思ったことを表現する、そしてそれが多くの人の目に止まるという「コミュニケーション」の場というのはいいと思う。
　なんとか、自分で考えて「苦吟」してコトバを創造している様子を思うと、微笑ましい。
　わたしは、時間にゆとりがあって散歩での疲労を小休止させるタイミングで観察させてもらっている。
　やはり日本文化のなかで「俳句・短歌」というのはきわめてオリジナリティがある。短文でありながら、そのときの自分の心理を普遍的なコトバで表せる。長編文学とか物語ものに偏重するのが一般的だけれど、こういうこどもたちにも取り組める「文芸機会」というのはすばらしい。
　どうも「ぼた餅」以上に数寄にハマってしまっている（笑）。

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English version⬇

[“Kids’ Haiku” at a Local Supermarket—The Literary World (lol)]
Today, I’d like to talk about a unique communication strategy at a store that serves as a stopping point on my walks. “So that’s how they did it!” is my reaction…

　Now, here’s the sequel to yesterday’s “Kids Watch” post.
When I go to a certain supermarket—I’ll keep the name a secret so I don’t give them free publicity (lol)—there’s a section I sometimes find myself gazing at in awe, as shown in this photo. I’ve been “walking” to the store more often these days to make sure I get my daily step count. Because of that, I’ve completely gotten hooked on stores that use “unique food items” as a marketing strategy to draw in customers.
　You can probably guess what I’m talking about when I mention cheap katsu-don, but personally, I became addicted to those heavy, dense “botamochi,” and for a while, things got pretty out of hand. I’ve given them up (reluctantly) for the sake of my health, but I might make a comeback someday (lol).　Anyway, in a corner of one of these high-tech, ultra-cheap stores where the latest cashless shopping carts zip around, I discovered this “strip of paper” corner, and now, savoring the children’s “literary works” has become my secret luxury. Take a look. “With SuPay, pay with PayPay.” The kids are masterfully riding the wave of the modern cashless era with a splendid 5-7-5 rhythm. Yesterday, I finally discovered a masterpiece marked in red. “One after another, geniuses appear—is this a haiku?” I couldn’t help but applaud silently in my heart.
Providing children with opportunities like this is a unique endeavor. The kids are doing a great job, too; you can even spot haiku here and there that are practically advertisements for the store. It’s also possible that haiku deemed inconvenient for the store might get deleted.
Even with those constraints in mind, this kind of experiment is still fascinating. It might serve as a catalyst for honing the children’s talents. At the very least, I think it’s a wonderful form of “communication”—a space where they try their hardest to express their thoughts through writing, and where those words catch the eyes of many people.
It’s heartwarming to imagine them thinking for themselves, “struggling over every word,” and creating their own expressions.
I’ve been observing this whenever I have some free time and take a short break from my walk to rest my tired legs.
　Indeed, within Japanese culture, “haiku and tanka” possess a unique originality. Though they are short forms, they allow one to express one’s current state of mind using universal language. While there’s a general tendency to focus on long-form literature and narrative works, it’s wonderful to have “literary opportunities” like this that even children can engage with.
It seems I’ve become even more hooked on this “suki” than I am on “botamochi” (laughs).

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

Posted on 9月 8th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【孫が生まれ、まちの「こどもたち」が違って見えてきた】


　人間もながく生きてくると、その局面局面で「ものの見方」に大きな異変を感じるようになる。
　ついこの間まで、ごく当たり前になにも感じなかった光景が、深い印象を伴ってくる。
　わが家の周辺は中学校の校庭が目の前に広がり、またすぐ近くには保育園もあって、その子どもたちが「散歩」に連れられて目の前を通って行く。さらに、300-400mの近隣には小学校もあって、とにかくいろいろな年齢差の「こどもたち」の姿には日常的に接している。
　なので、いちいち「思いを持つ」ことはごく少なかったし、なにより日常的なビジネスに忙殺されていて、そういったゆとり心理は、セーブせざるを得なかったのかも知れない。
　そういうわたしでしたが、孫という存在が出現して以来、こどもたちの姿を見る度に「今度、あなたたちの仲間に入れて上げてね」という声なき声が身体の中から湧き上がってきて仕方ない（笑）。
　とくに孫を前向きに抱っこしていたりすると、孫と同じ目線が強く意識されるのか、ついついこどもたちに声を掛けたりまでしてしまう。まぁ、声掛けされた中学生・小学生のこどもたちも、ジジバカだなぁという認識を持ってくれて、ほとんどが微笑み返してきてくれる。率直にうれしい。
　そんなコミュニケーションを意識するようになると、孫を抱いていなくても、こどもたちの遊ぶ姿に強い親和感が湧いてきて、その心理を思い浮かべていたりする。「おお、オモシロそうな遊びをしているなぁ」。
　写真は近隣の小さな公園のブランコなどの遊具で５−６人の子どもたちが遊んでいた光景。
　これまではごく自然なまちの景色としか思わなかったものが、こどもたち社会のやり取りの様子までが、「響いてくる」ようで、遠景ながら立ち止まったりしてしまう。
　まぁ単純に真正な「ジジバカ」が出現した、ということなのでしょう（笑）。
　しかし、こういう心理変容はなつかしく、うれしい。目の前で遊んでいるこどもたちを、わたしが「未来」として見ているからだろうか。
　そうなってくると、やはり人間社会の未来の幸多かれ、よき世界をと願う心理が強くなってくる。他責的にひとを責めたり攻撃したり、という思いには違和感を感じさせられてくるもの。
　考えて見れば高校生の頃、他責的「活動家」だった過去があるのに（笑）。家系史探究といういま現在のワークとも関連する心理なのかなぁ。・・・

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English version⬇

[With the Birth of My Grandchild, the “Children” in My Town Have Begun to Look Different to Me]
The desire to view the world in a more positive light and think with an eye toward the future. Could this be a byproduct of the quest to follow in the footsteps of our predecessors? …

　As people live longer, they begin to sense significant shifts in their “perspective” at each stage of life.
　Scenes that, until just the other day, seemed perfectly ordinary and left me feeling nothing at all now leave a deep impression.
　Right in front of my house lies a junior high school playground, and there’s a daycare center very close by as well, so children from there are often taken on “walks” that take them right past my house. Furthermore, there’s an elementary school within 300–400 meters, so I’m constantly encountering “children” of all different ages in my daily life.
　So, I rarely gave them a second thought, and above all, I was swamped with my daily business—perhaps I simply had no choice but to put that kind of emotional leeway on hold.
That was me, but ever since my grandchild came into my life, every time I see children, I can’t help but feel a silent voice welling up from within me, saying, “Next time, please let them join your group” (laughs).
　Especially when I’m holding my grandchild with a smile, perhaps because I’m so strongly aware of being at the same eye level as them, I find myself instinctively calling out to other children. Well, the middle and elementary school students I call out to probably think I’m just a doting grandpa, but most of them smile back at me. Frankly, it makes me happy.
Once I started paying attention to that kind of interaction, even when I’m not holding my grandchild, I feel a strong sense of connection when I see children playing, and I find myself pondering their thoughts. “Oh, they’re playing something that looks really fun.”
　The photo shows five or six children playing on the swings and other playground equipment at a small park in my neighborhood.
　What I used to see as just a natural part of the townscape now seems to “resonate” with me—even the interactions within the children’s little world—and I find myself stopping to watch, even from a distance.
　Well, I suppose it simply means a genuine “silly grandpa” has emerged (laughs).
　However, this kind of psychological shift is nostalgic and heartwarming. Perhaps it’s because I see the children playing right before my eyes as the “future.”
　When that happens, my desire for a future filled with happiness and a better world for human society naturally grows stronger. I find myself increasingly uncomfortable with the mindset of blaming or attacking others.
　Come to think of it, I used to be a blame-oriented “activist” back in high school (laughs). I wonder if this mindset is related to my current work exploring family history…

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

Posted on 9月 7th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【除籍謄本申請「あたって砕けろ」精神での家系史探究】


　昨日も書きましたが、祖母の出生当時の曾祖母を中心にした「直系尊属」についての除籍謄本申請を行っている様子をみて、わが家の親族・次兄から「あのご先祖も、幕末〜明治の活動期なので、ギリギリ、公的な戸籍制度記述に記録が残っているのでは？」という提起。
　話し合いの結果、日本戸籍制度の最初期のわが家系の状況を再度深掘り探査することにしました。
　ダメであればまぁ仕方ないけれど、せっかく方法論は出来上がってきて、またノウハウもできてきている中で、チャレンジすることは意義があると思い、その準備活動を本日朝、クリアしました。
　５月には故地の寺院を訪ねて江戸期の過去帳の記載内容について「問合せ」を行ったことで、300年以上前の「一統」と思える方からの感動のコンタクトが実現したりした。そういった「響き」はまことに高齢期の人間の心情を激しく刺激する。実際に認知機能の活性化をもたらすようにも思える。個人的にわたしは、一時期健康面で危機がありましたが、その後、回復期に次兄から家系史探究「業務引継」命令を受けたことで、健康面により一層前向きに努められるようになってきて、気分が高揚しているとも思える。
　歴史好きな日本人の多くにとって従来の「信長だ、秀吉だ、家康だ」というステージ意識環境は相対的に比重が低下してきて、こういう戸籍制度の充実を活用するニューステージが大きく開かれてきているように思えています。「脳活」にも非常に好適な領域だと思う次第。
　・・・一方、そういう脳味噌のヒートアップを静めるには写真のような自然風景が癒やしてくれる。
　こちらは、ときどきお邪魔する北海道中部の「美唄」の日帰り温泉施設の周辺の環境。夏の終わりから秋のイマドキですが、普段の散歩歩数と比べて少ないと考えての散歩道中。
　無事にきのうも12,000歩ほどの歩数確保できましたが、道すがらセミの合唱が盛大に聞こえておりました。また飛び交うトンボたちは、みなほぼ「オスメスつがい」で群舞していた。
　いかにも「いのちの絶叫」感があって、家系史探究とも響き合っていると感じられた。
　いまできることをやる、という単純なことが人間の変わらぬさだめ、なのでしょうね。

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拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
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English version⬇

[Exploring Family History with a “Just Go for It” Attitude When Applying for a Certified Copy of a Discharged Family Register]
As I sit face-to-face with the entries in the family register, lost in deep thought, there are moments when I suddenly have an epiphany. Is this the “echo of life”? Even cicadas and dragonflies teach me profound lessons. …

　As I mentioned yesterday, after seeing me apply for a copy of the family register extract focusing on my great-grandmother—who was alive when my grandmother was born—a relative from my family, my second older brother, suggested, “Since that ancestor was active during the late Edo to Meiji periods, might there be records of her in the official family register system, just barely?”
After discussing it, we decided to delve deeper into the circumstances of our family line during the very early days of Japan’s family registration system.
　If it doesn’t work out, well, that’s just how it goes—but since we’ve already developed a methodology and gained the necessary know-how, I felt it was worthwhile to take on the challenge, and I completed the preparatory work this morning.
　In May, I visited a temple in my ancestral hometown to inquire about entries in the Edo-period death registers, which led to a deeply moving connection with someone who appears to be a direct descendant from over 300 years ago. Such “resonance” truly stirs the emotions of an elderly person. It actually seems to help stimulate cognitive function. Personally, I went through a health crisis for a while, but afterward, during my recovery, my second older brother ordered me to “take over” the family history research project. This has allowed me to approach my health with an even more positive attitude, and I feel my spirits have been lifted.
　For many history-loving Japanese people, the traditional focus on figures like “Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu” has become relatively less significant, and it seems a new stage—one that makes full use of the improved family registry system—is opening up. I believe this is an area particularly well-suited for “brain stimulation.”
　…On the other hand, natural scenery like the one in the photo soothes and calms that mental excitement.
　This is the scenery around a day-trip hot spring facility in “Bibai,” in central Hokkaido, which I visit from time to time. It’s currently late summer turning into early fall, and I was taking a walk, though I kept the distance shorter than my usual daily step count.
　I managed to reach about 12,000 steps again yesterday, and along the way, I could hear the cicadas singing in full force. Also, the dragonflies flitting about were almost all dancing in groups of “male-female pairs.”
　It felt very much like a “cry of life,” and I sensed a resonance with my exploration of family history.
　Doing what we can right now—that simple act is, I suppose, humanity’s unchanging destiny.

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

Posted on 9月 6th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【日本戸籍システム最初期探査で不明なコスト・・・】


　さて、先般の広島県神石高原町への祖母からさらに曾祖母へと、不明の先祖の生き様探訪。その延長線上でさらにその戸籍から、より詳密な「手掛かり」を探査することにチャレンジすることにしました。
　曾祖母と婚姻関係だった「義理の曾祖父」の実像を知りたい、という願望。
　で、戸籍法としては全国どこでも探索可能だと言われたのですが、その旨を札幌市の西区役所に出向いて申し上げました。いまから172年前出生の曾祖母の戸籍謄本のコピーも示して申し込んだのですが、十数分後「こういう戸籍の保持期限は80年とされているので」という無念な反応が返ってきてしまった。現に広島県神石高原町で渡された172年前の戸籍謄本を示しているのに、であります。
　まったくラチが開かない。早々に「お手数お掛けしました」ということで辞して、やはり神石高原町役場に直接、申請書を郵送して、さらなる詳密な調査をお願いすることにいたしました。まぁ、これも「あたって砕けろ」の心境での問合せ。優秀な日本の戸籍システムのほぼ「限界点」と思える極限点での申請。
　そういう一連の流れで、こういう調査での費用については「定額小為替」での支払をという案内。ふだん一般人が利用する機会は少ない支払い方法なので、郵便局の窓口で教えてもらいながら行いました。
　写真は、その「振出請求書」であります。こういう戸籍謄本申請では１通につき750円が基本。それに加えて付帯情報200円も「あり得る」ことから、余分に200円。それが２人分ということで、まるめて2,000円を支払うことにしました。で、この定額小為替システムではご覧のような「単価設定」になっています。
　ここで思わぬ「手数料」概念が出てきて、１枚につき200円の支払いが求められることになった。この料金表からすると、50円金額に対しても別に手数料が200円掛かるという説明。郵便局員の方も「なんかなぁ・・・」という表情。わたしもまったく不可解。「え、１枚につきとにかく200円払え、ですか？」
　「そうなります。」と口ごもりながらの説明。そういうことになっているのなら、振込コスパとしては、1000円一択でそれを２枚となる。切手を買うのに別にコストが掛かりますということはないはず。まぁ仕方なく2400円也を支払いましたが、あんまり納得はできない。
　公共の窓口で「この方法で支払ってください」という定額小為替とはこういう不可解な別途費用が掛かるものを事実上、強制するシステムですね。まぁ、さまざまな歴史的「経緯」の結果のシステムなのでしょうが、「う〜む」と唸らされ続けておりました。まぁ泣く子となんとか、でありますね。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
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English version⬇

[Unclear Costs in the Earliest Exploration of Japan’s Family Register System…]
The system’s configuration for “public fees” is hard for both the counter staff and the payer to accept. Could this be a loophole in the otherwise trustworthy government system? …

　Now, following my recent trip to Jinseki Kogen Town in Hiroshima Prefecture to trace the lives of my unknown ancestors—from my grandmother all the way back to my great-grandmother—I decided to take it a step further and try to uncover more detailed “clues” from their family registers.
I wanted to learn the true story of my “great-grandfather-in-law,” who was married to my great-grandmother.
　I was told that, under the Family Register Act, I could search anywhere in the country, so I went to the Nishi Ward Office in Sapporo to make my request. I even presented a copy of my great-grandmother’s family register—she was born 172 years ago—but after about ten minutes, I received the disappointing response: “The retention period for family registers like this is 80 years.” And this was despite the fact that I had presented a certified copy of the family register from 172 years ago, which I had received from Jinseki Kogen Town in Hiroshima Prefecture.
I simply couldn’t make any headway. I quickly took my leave, apologizing for the trouble, and decided to mail the application form directly to the Jinseki Kogen Town Office to request a more detailed investigation. Well, this inquiry was made with a “nothing ventured, nothing gained” mindset—an application pushed to what seems to be the very “limit” of Japan’s excellent family register system.
　As part of this process, I was instructed to pay the fees for this investigation using a “fixed-amount postal money order.” Since this is a payment method that ordinary people rarely use, I had to ask for guidance at the post office counter.
　The photo shows the “request form” for issuing the money order. For applications for family register copies like this, the basic fee is 750 yen per copy. Since an additional 200 yen for supplementary information is “possible,” I added an extra 200 yen. Since this was for two people, I decided to round it up and pay 2,000 yen. Now, as you can see, this fixed-amount postal money order system has a “unit price” structure like the one shown here.
　Here, an unexpected “handling fee” concept came up, and I was asked to pay 200 yen per copy. According to this fee schedule, they explained that a separate 200-yen handling fee applies even to amounts as low as 50 yen. The post office clerk also had a look on their face that seemed to say, “Hmm…” I found it completely baffling as well. “Wait, are you saying I just have to pay 200 yen per copy, no matter what?”
　“That’s correct,” they explained, hesitating slightly. If that’s how it works, then in terms of cost-effectiveness for the transfer, the only choice is 1,000 yen—and I’d need two of those. There shouldn’t be any separate cost just for buying stamps. Well, I reluctantly paid the 2,400 yen, but I’m still not entirely convinced.
At a public service counter, the fixed-amount postal money order system—which tells you, “Please pay this way”—is effectively a system that forces you to pay these kinds of puzzling additional fees. Well, I suppose it’s a system that’s the result of various historical “circumstances,” but it kept making me go, “Hmm…” Well, I guess you just have to make the best of a bad situation.

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

Posted on 9月 5th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

【ナナカマド色づく北国とまだ暑い故地への思い】


　昨日は「四百年間のいのちの履歴書」探究の「親族会議」。
　北海道に居て一族の故地、広島県東部地域での消息を跡づけてきています。基本的な「視点」としてこうした「故地」をどう考えるかというポイントがある。
　そもそも北海道に根付いて以降の、ひたすら未来志向の考え方もある。それは日々毎日の日常生活に正面から取り組んでいれば、むしろ自然な考え方。自分のルーツがどこから来たかという視点は普段はスルーする考え方。わたし自身、次兄から言われて家系史の探究をバトンタッチされるまでは、ひたすらこういう考えだった。
　一方で「家」ということを血の流れ、生き抜いた人物たちの叫び声として受け止める考え方もある。いわば「伝統的家族意識」とでも言える考え方。
　このふたつの思念の間で揺れ動いているのでしょう。わたしなどは「家」というとらえ方自体、住宅雑誌を創業した人間として、物理的空間性としての認識を最重要な領域として生きてきた。そういう現実から少し離れてきて、徐々に「伝統的家族意識」の領域について向かい合いはじめている。
　昨日の親族会議でも、このふたつの考え方のうち、伝統的家族意識の志向性探究に向かい合い続けていた。ただ、わたしは北海道土着的な考えが基本だけれど、そうでない人もいる。会話していてときどき「へ〜え、そういう考え方するんだぁ」と内心驚いたりもしていた。どうも話していて、人生選択のはじめの段階で故地の方に「根がらみ」の宿縁を感じていて、ごく自然にそちらに惹かれて行っている様子がわかった。むしろそれを超えて北海道で暮らしたのにはわたしの父の影響があったというのだ。それにも驚かされていた。
　わが家系は広島県のそれも東部地域に深く縁がある家系。
　こういった「相違」が徐々に深く理解してきたことで、むしろより「透明性」が高まっていくと思える。わたし自身は北海道ネイティブでそのままの志向で生きてきて、むしろ汎日本的なこの地域の風土性こそが好き。そこから家系の先人の生き様から透明なエキスを紡ぎ出したい、ということ。
　こういったふたつの志向性を踏まえながら、未来志向の方向で取り組みたいと思わされた。
　＜写真は日々の散歩道のナナカマド。好きな色合い・・・＞

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English version⬇

[Thoughts on the Northern Lands Turning the Color of Mountain Ash and My Still-Hot Hometown]
Hokkaido is a mini “melting pot” of people who have moved there from other regions. Two distinct mindsets emerge from their lives there. …

　Yesterday was a “family meeting” as part of our exploration of “A 400-Year History of Life.”
　Living in Hokkaido, I’ve been tracing the history of my clan’s ancestral homeland in eastern Hiroshima Prefecture. A key “perspective” involves how we view this “ancestral homeland.”
　On the one hand, there’s a mindset that’s been purely forward-looking ever since we put down roots in Hokkaido. That’s actually a natural way of thinking if you’re fully engaged in your day-to-day life. The perspective of where one’s roots lie is something we usually overlook. I myself held this view exclusively until my second older brother told me to take over the baton of researching our family history.
　On the other hand, there is also a way of thinking that perceives the “family” as the flow of blood and the cries of those who have lived through the generations. It is, so to speak, a “traditional sense of family.”
　I suppose I am wavering between these two ways of thinking. As for me, having founded a home design magazine, I’ve always viewed “family” primarily through the lens of physical space—that’s been the most important aspect of my life. Now, stepping back a bit from that reality, I’m gradually beginning to engage with the realm of “traditional family consciousness.”
At yesterday’s family meeting, too, I continued to explore the orientation toward traditional family consciousness—one of these two perspectives. However, while my own outlook is rooted in Hokkaido’s local traditions, others hold different views. While talking, I sometimes found myself thinking, “Huh, so that’s how they think,” and was secretly surprised. As we spoke, it became clear that from the very beginning of their life choices, they had felt a deep, fated connection to their ancestral homeland and had been drawn there quite naturally. In fact, they said it was my father’s influence that led them to go beyond that and live in Hokkaido. That surprised me as well.
　My family has deep ties to the eastern region of Hiroshima Prefecture.
　As I’ve gradually come to understand these “differences” more deeply, I feel that my “transparency” has actually increased. I myself am a native of Hokkaido and have lived my life true to that inclination; in fact, I love the pan-Japanese character of this region’s culture. From there, I want to distill a pure essence from the way of life of my family’s ancestors.
　Taking these two perspectives into account, I felt compelled to move forward with a forward-looking approach.
　

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

Posted on 9月 4th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【久しぶりに「寿司」握り 80カン超でヘトヘト即爆睡（笑）】



　ブログで茶懐石での料理のことを書いているウチに、寿司を久しぶりに握りたくなった（笑）。単純。
　ちょうど１週間ぶりに孫も顔を見せてくれるところだったので、子育て中の息子夫婦慰労の意味合い。なんですが、まぁ単純に寿司の調理作業のカンが鈍らないようにと思い立った次第。で、ちょっと不足品を買い出ししていたら、２枚目の写真のような鯛が札幌中央市場の場外店で売られていた。
　ウロコと内臓は処理済みということですが、全長は45cmのサイズ。まぁ手頃なところ。
　しかしまぁ骨の硬いこと硬いこと・・・。やっとの思いで３枚に下ろせたのですが、10数カン程度では使い切れずに残りは冷凍庫行き。捌いた後の「アラ汁」も楽しめそう。
　その他の魚種は、サケ・マグロ・カツオ・タコ・イカその他貝類数種。
　ネタの捌きがおおむね終わったあと、シャリの炊き込み。これが水加減がすっかり忘却していて、つい「コメ５合ラインよりもちょっと少なめ」程度で炊飯してしまったら、やわらかすぎ。う〜む、残念。
　やっぱり素人料理では、ディテールの記憶の「詰め」が甘い。酢飯の加減もイマイチ。反省。
　ここのところ、アタマのなかはある進行中案件で飽和状態なので、どうしても「認知」はボーッとしてしまっている。料理には、やはり段取りとか詰めとかの心構えが大切ですね。利休さんの懐石料理を学んでも、やはり料理は気合いがもっとも大切だと思える。食材一品一品への念の入れようが肝心なのでしょう。
　こうした寿司握り料理にはトータルで、買い物も含めて半日程度かかっていました。やや「上の空」気味とはいえ、カラダには疲労が蓄積し、そこに孫がやってきての絶叫大会（笑）。
　ということで料理後、寿司も食べずに夕方から爆睡、爆睡。
　本日早朝、ようやく目覚めたところであります。「用意と集中」が料理には絶対条件だと思い知らされました。
　でも、こんなに楽しいので、めげずに握り寿司への挑戦は続けていきたい。

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[Made sushi for the first time in a while—over 80 pieces left me completely exhausted, so I passed out instantly (lol)]
When it comes to cooking, thorough preparation is key, and once you start, “focus” is essential. This time, I have some things to reflect on regarding the vinegared rice. I won’t let it get me down—I’ll keep at it! …

　While I was writing a blog post about the dishes at a tea kaiseki meal, I suddenly felt like making sushi for the first time in a while (lol). Simple as that.
　My grandchild was just about to come visit for the first time in a week, so I figured this would be a nice way to show my appreciation to my son and his wife, who are raising their child. But honestly, I just wanted to keep my sushi-making skills sharp. So, while I was out buying a few missing ingredients, I found a sea bream like the one in the second photo being sold at a stall outside the Sapporo Central Market.
　It was already scaled and gutted, and measured 45 cm in total length. A pretty decent size.
　But man, those bones were so, so hard… It took a lot of effort to fillet it into three pieces, but I couldn’t use it all—I only made about ten pieces of sushi—so the rest went into the freezer. I’m looking forward to enjoying the “arajiru” (fish bone soup) I’ll make with the trimmings.
　Other fish species included salmon, tuna, bonito, octopus, squid, and several types of shellfish.
　After I’d mostly finished preparing the fish, I moved on to cooking the rice. I’d completely forgotten the correct water-to-rice ratio, so I ended up cooking it with “just a little less than the 5-go mark”—and it turned out way too soft. Hmm, what a shame.
　As expected with an amateur cook, my attention to detail isn’t quite there. The seasoning of the vinegared rice was also a bit off. I need to reflect on this.
　Lately, my mind has been saturated with an ongoing project, so my focus has inevitably been a bit unfocused. When it comes to cooking, a mindset focused on planning and attention to detail is truly essential. Even after studying Rikyu’s kaiseki cuisine, I still believe that passion is the most important thing in cooking. I suppose the key lies in the care and attention you pour into each and every ingredient.
　Overall, preparing this sushi took about half a day, including shopping. Even though I was a bit “spaced out,” fatigue had built up in my body, and then my grandchild showed up for a screaming contest (lol).
　So, after cooking, I didn’t even eat the sushi and just slept like a log from the evening on.
　I finally woke up early this morning. I’ve been reminded that “preparation and concentration” are absolute prerequisites for cooking.
　But since it’s so much fun, I want to keep taking on the challenge of making nigiri sushi without getting discouraged.

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

Posted on 9月 3rd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【利休69歳時「茶会」料理の再現、ゴクリ・・・】



　さて、昨日の続篇。茶会というような高邁な会合については凡百としてはまったく不明を恥じるしかありませんが、一方、そこで供された料理については、超興味津々・・・。
　〜天正18年（1590）利休69歳の茶会では「串アワビ」「鮒（ふな）のなます」「ミソヤキ汁」「飯」という1汁2菜に、「麩の焼」と「シイタケ」が菓子として出されています。＜え？シイタケが菓子？＞
　1603年にイエズス会によって刊行された『日匍（にっぽ）辞書』に、ミソヤキ汁は「豆腐と細かく切った大根とが入っている汁の料理」、麩の焼は「小麦のふすまで作った一種の小餅」とあります。
　利休の茶会料理や菓子を再現する上では、それらの記述を参考にしました。〜との解説。
　「小麦のふすま」の解説は以下。〜「ふすま」とは小麦粒の表皮部分のこと。小麦一粒の中で15％程しかない希少な部位を製粉したもの。小麦は「表皮」「胚乳」「胚芽」の3つで構成しており、普段目にする小麦粉は「胚乳」部分のみを使用しています。胚乳は糖質・タンパク質が多く含まれているため、パンに使うと膨らみやすく、中身が白く仕上がります。小麦の風味や味がよく出やすいのが胚乳ですが、高カロリー。
　一方、ふすまは糖質が胚乳の半分以下で食物繊維やビタミンが豊富に含まれており、パンの中身まで茶色く仕上がるのが特徴。低糖質な上、ごぼうの5倍に相当する食物繊維が含まれているため、ダイエットだけでなく健康志向の方にもおすすめ。〜　う〜む、魅力的。こんなのあるんだぁ、であります。
　1汁2菜のメインの方ですが、串アワビは港・堺としては地場の特産なのか。また「鮒のなます」とは、中国から伝わった当時は、生肉や生魚を細かく切った料理ということで、淡水魚の鮒を多少，酢で味付けしたような食感だったと思える。ミソヤキ汁というヤツの食感にもそそられる。豆腐はまんまとして、大根を細かく切って、というあたりにオモシロさを感じる。目視としては上に大根が芸術的に載っかっているけれど、案外さらに味噌椀の下の方に沈殿するように隠れていて箸で探り当てたとき、その調理の仕方にさらにめぐり会う「快感」があるのでは、と妄想が刺激されます（笑）。
「お、こっちでは案外細かく切ってあるな」とか「お、千切りかよ、その手か？」など・・・。
　昨日のブログでも、書を見ながらの内語対話的「仕掛け」と思いましたが、こういう料理でも「仕掛け」はたしかに可能だろうなと思われた。利休さんは、当然そういう部分でも創意を凝らしたのでしょうね。う〜む、茶はわからないけれど、料理は味わってみたいなぁ・・・調理と「食」の深遠な道楽。

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English version⬇

[Recreating the Food Served at Rikyu’s “Tea Ceremony” When He Was 69—Mmm…]
I don’t really understand the profound world of the tea ceremony, but I react strongly to the details of the meal (lol). There’s something deeply profound about this miso soup made with tofu and finely chopped daikon radish. …

　Now, continuing from yesterday. As an ordinary person, I must admit I know next to nothing about such lofty gatherings as tea ceremonies, but on the other hand, I’m incredibly curious about the dishes served there…
　~At a tea ceremony held in Tenshō 18 (1590), when Rikyū was 69 years old, the menu consisted of “skewered abalone,” “marinated crucian carp,” “miso-yaki soup,” and “rice”—one soup and two side dishes—with “grilled fu” and “shiitake mushrooms” served as sweets.
　The *Nippo Jisho* (Japanese Dictionary), published by the Jesuits in 1603, describes miso-yaki soup as “a soup dish containing tofu and finely chopped daikon radish,” and fu-no-yaki as “a type of small rice cake made from wheat bran.”
　We referred to these descriptions when recreating the dishes and sweets served at Rikyu’s tea ceremonies. —Explanation.
The explanation for “wheat bran” is as follows: “Bran” refers to the outer layer of the wheat kernel. It is made by milling this rare part, which accounts for only about 15% of a single wheat kernel. Wheat consists of three parts: the “bran,” “endosperm,” and “germ.” The wheat flour we commonly see is made using only the “endosperm.” Since the endosperm is rich in carbohydrates and protein, it causes bread to rise easily and results in a white interior. While the endosperm brings out the wheat’s flavor and aroma well, it is high in calories.
　On the other hand, bran contains less than half the carbohydrates of the endosperm and is rich in dietary fiber and vitamins; it’s characterized by giving the bread a brown color all the way through. Not only is it low in carbohydrates, but it also contains five times as much dietary fiber as burdock root, making it recommended not only for those on a diet but also for health-conscious individuals. ~ Hmm, that sounds appealing. I didn’t know something like this existed.
　As for the main dish in the “one soup, two side dishes” set, I wonder if the abalone skewers are a local specialty here in Sakai, a port city. Also, “funa no namasu” (pickled crucian carp)—when this dish was first introduced from China, it referred to dishes made with finely chopped raw meat or fish, so I imagine it had a texture similar to freshwater crucian carp lightly seasoned with vinegar. The texture of the “miso-yaki soup” also sounds intriguing. I find it interesting that the tofu is left whole, while the daikon radish is finely chopped. Visually, the daikon is artfully arranged on top, but I can’t help but imagine that it’s actually hidden, settled at the bottom of the miso bowl—and that there’s a “thrill” in discovering it with your chopsticks and encountering that cooking technique all over again (laughs).
“Oh, they’ve cut it surprisingly finely here,” or “Oh, julienned? Is that the trick?” and so on…
In yesterday’s blog post, I thought of this as a kind of “gimmick” involving an internal monologue while reading the text, but it struck me that such “gimmicks” are certainly possible with dishes like this as well. I imagine Rikyu must have poured his creativity into those details as well. Hmm… I don’t know much about tea, but I’d love to try the food… The profound pleasures of cooking and “eating.”

● Announcement
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Available on Amazon.
　

Posted on 9月 2nd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【利休さん69歳時の「茶会」の掛け軸墨跡】



　関西〜故地・備後山地から札幌に帰ってきてからあれこれと連絡業務やアポなどのやり取りもあって、なかなか大量に取得してきたデータ類の処理が追いつかない。そう度々は訪れる機会がないだろう地域、そして不確かだった祖母の事前情報などから、徹底的に関連情報類を収集しまくったのです。
　いま必要なのは「解析作業」。これはジミジミと「成すべきこと」と考えて取り組んでいくしかない。孫子の世代のため、必要とされるかどうかも不明（笑）だけれど、わたしの世代の責務と考えて取り組んでいます。ただ、時間はなかなか掛かる・・・。
　そんなことで、毎日更新のブログはしばし一般的な話題に方針を据えていきたい。
　きょうも昨日と同様、利休のふるさと・堺なので、敬意を表して続篇。
　茶の湯、茶会という文化にはまったく無縁で生きてきた。それでも、歴史の動乱期に堺の豪商たちが武家政権と交わしてきた関係への興味は持ってきています。とくに利休は、立ち入りすぎた秀吉との関係から「死を賜る」という結末に至るドラマが、日本人の心理に焼き付いている。
　「利晶の杜」で利休の死の直前の茶会で掛けられていた書を見ることができた。
　やはりドラマが描くように、利休さんは淡々とこの死を受け入れていったのだろうと思えます。死の直前期に催したこの茶会。
　〜天正18年（1590年）の茶会では「古渓和尚」の墨跡が掛けられています。利休参禅の師として知られる大徳寺117世・古渓宗陳（1532〜1597年）は、利休の父の50回忌に際して導師をつとめるなど利休と親密な関係にあった人物。
　中国高僧の墨跡や唐絵が尊ばれていた時代にあって、存命中の人物の書跡を用いることは珍しいことでした。心に触れるものを自身の茶会で積極的に用いた様子が窺えます。＜古渓宗陳は堺の南宗寺から大徳
寺の住持となるがその際に利休は百質文という多額の奉加金を寄進している。墨跡（原本）の内箱蓋裏には表千家第六代家元・覚々斎の書付。＞・・・との解説。
　書かれている書の翻刻は以下。
〜住山誰料去朝天雲　　水寄蹤二十年金宇　　玉堂不吾事一蓑烟雨　白鴎前
　右山野龍寶退院之拙偈也　抛筌老人出南紙需言書之　老人與山野道契不浅不獲
　峻拒輒命禿兎云　　　古溪閑衲（印）〜

　どうも先般来、こういう古文書に親近感が湧く。が、この道のはるかなること（笑）。

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[Calligraphy Scroll from a “Tea Ceremony” Held by Rikyu at Age 69]
The viewer is prompted to internally reflect on “what the artist wants to convey” through the atmosphere of the kanji characters. I wonder if that’s what calligraphy is all about as a form of communication. (laughs) …

　Since returning to Sapporo from the Kansai region—specifically my ancestral home in the Bingo Mountains—I’ve been so busy with various communications and scheduling appointments that I haven’t been able to keep up with processing the massive amount of data I collected. Since I likely won’t have many opportunities to visit that area again, and given the uncertainty surrounding the information I had about my grandmother beforehand, I went all out to gather every bit of relevant information I could find.
　What I need to do now is “analyze the data.” I have no choice but to approach this as a “task that must be done” and tackle it step by step. It’s unclear whether this will even be needed for my grandchildren’s generation (laughs), but I’m approaching it as a duty of my generation. Still, it’s taking quite a while…
　For that reason, I’d like to shift the focus of my daily blog updates to more general topics for the time being.
　Today, just like yesterday, I’m in Sakai—Rikyu’s hometown—so I’ll continue this series as a mark of respect.
　I’ve lived my entire life completely detached from the culture of the tea ceremony and tea gatherings. Even so, I’ve long been interested in the relationships that Sakai’s wealthy merchants forged with the samurai government during that turbulent period of history. In particular, the drama surrounding Rikyu—whose relationship with Hideyoshi became too intimate, leading to the tragic conclusion of being “granted death”—is etched into the Japanese psyche.
　At “Rishō no Mori,” I was able to see the calligraphy that was displayed at the tea gathering held just before Rikyu’s death.
　Just as depicted in the drama, I can’t help but think that Rikyu calmly accepted his impending death. This tea ceremony was held in the final days before his death.
　~At the tea ceremony held in Tenshō 18 (1590), a calligraphy piece by “Master Kokei” was displayed. Kokei Sōchin (1532–1597), the 117th abbot of Daitoku-ji and known as Rikyū’s Zen master, had a close relationship with Rikyū—he even served as the presiding priest at the 50th anniversary memorial service for Rikyū’s father.
　In an era when calligraphy by eminent Chinese monks and Tang Dynasty paintings were highly revered, it was unusual to use the calligraphy of a living person. This suggests that Rikyu actively incorporated items that resonated with him into his own tea ceremonies. … according to the explanation.
The transcription of the calligraphy is as follows:
~Who could have foreseen that the clouds would ascend to heaven this morning? The water has carried my traces for twenty years to the golden hall. The Jade Hall is not for me—just a straw cloak in the mist and rain. Before the white seagull.
　The above is a humble verse by Yamano Ryuhō upon his retirement from the monastery. The Elder Hōsen requested that I write it on paper from the South. The Elder and Yamano shared a deep spiritual bond, and I could not
　refuse outright, so he instructed the “Bald Hare” to write it. Kokei Kan’na (Seal) ~

Lately, I’ve been feeling a growing affinity for ancient documents like this. But what a long road this is (laughs).

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

Posted on 9月 1st, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【「茶道」出生の地・堺は世界との交流の坩堝】



　さて大阪での用件も土曜日に終わって、関西圏でのホーム・堺で１泊して昨日帰還。
　関空からの飛行機の時間まで、いつも学ばせてもらっている「利晶の杜」でデスクワークもあわせ「整理整頓」を行っていました。利晶の杜というネーミングは堺が生んだ千利休と与謝野晶子の名を冠した記念館。場所も、与謝野晶子の生家近辺で、彼女が詩に表現した「大浜」や堺の灯台にもほど近く、同時に「大航海時代」の日本の玄関口として機能していた街の空気感に満ちている。
　上の写真は世界に開かれていた雰囲気を体感させてくれる堺の「燈台」に海岸線で対面する企業が、その外壁に描いているペイント画を。その企業姿勢も含めて好ましい。
　堺という始原的な「国際都市」の自覚がそうさせていると思うと、なかなかと思えるのですね。
　で、描かれているのは西洋人たちが船で上陸してくる様子。なかには「象」が描かれたりしている。見たこともない世界の「珍獣」をデモンストレーションに活用したかれらのコミュニケーション「国際交易の戦略眼」が色濃く反映している。
　そういう特性が堺なのだけれど、同時に現代にまで引き継がれる「茶道」という文化現象で「和の数寄」を育んだ地域性も持っている。
　以下、利休コーナーの展示解説からの引用。
　〜市中の山居　堺の町衆は、狭く密集した都市の中に山里の風情を作りだして茶会を催すようになります。それは、山中での純粋な隠遁に優るとさえ考えられ、「市中の山居」と称されました。宜教師ロドリゲスは「xicha no sankio」と記し、堺に始まった新しい茶の湯の様式であったと述べています。中近世の堺のまちを描いた『住吉祭礼図嵐」には草庵風の茶室と思しき建物もみられます。〜
　この説明、これまで、あんまり気付かなかったポイントを突いていると感じた。それは、侘びサビみたいな茶道のコアな考え方が、実は世界との交流の極地・堺が出生の地だったこと。灯台もと暗し。世界との交流から逆に「日本らしさ」を追究する心理が生まれた。和を自覚させたのは国際交流かと。
　そしてそのポイントが、日本の風土景観の「らしさ」再発見だった。先般も箱庭的な日本の庭文化と北海道の「高断熱高気密」住文化について触れましたが、また違う視覚。ふーむ。

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English version⬇
　
[Sakai, the Birthplace of the “Way of Tea,” Is a Melting Pot of Global Exchange]
Sakai, often called the “Venice of Japan,” is also the holy land and pinnacle of tea ceremony culture. Perhaps this seemingly contradictory blend of environmental conditions is what makes it so “Japanese”…

　Well, my business in Osaka wrapped up on Saturday, so I spent one night in Sakai—my home base in the Kansai region—and returned home yesterday.
　While waiting for my flight from Kansai International Airport, I spent some time at “Rishō no Mori”—a place where I always learn so much—doing some desk work and “tidying up.” The name “Rishō no Mori” comes from the memorial hall named after Sen no Rikyū and Yosano Akiko, both of whom were born in Sakai. It’s located near Akiko Yosano’s birthplace, close to “Ohama”—which she described in her poetry—and the Sakai Lighthouse, and is imbued with the atmosphere of a city that once served as Japan’s gateway during the Age of Discovery.
　The photo above shows a mural painted on the exterior wall of a company facing the Sakai Lighthouse along the coastline—a sight that lets you experience firsthand the city’s atmosphere of openness to the world. I find this corporate philosophy particularly commendable.
　When I consider that this is likely driven by Sakai’s self-awareness as a primordial “international city,” I find it quite impressive.
　The mural depicts Westerners disembarking from ships. Some of the figures even include “elephants.” It vividly reflects their “strategic vision for international trade”—a form of communication that utilized “exotic animals” from a world they had never seen before as demonstration tools.
　While these characteristics define Sakai, the city also possesses a regional identity that fostered “Japanese aesthetic sensibility” through the cultural phenomenon of the “tea ceremony,” a tradition that has been passed down to the present day.
　The following is a quote from the exhibition commentary in the Rikyu Corner.
　~A Mountain Retreat in the City: The townspeople of Sakai began to create the atmosphere of a mountain village within the narrow, densely packed city to host tea ceremonies. This was even considered superior to pure seclusion in the mountains and was called “a mountain retreat in the city.” The missionary Rodriguez recorded it as “xicha no sankio” and noted that it was a new style of tea ceremony that originated in Sakai. In the painting *Sumiyoshi Festival Procession*, which depicts the town of Sakai during the early modern period, a building that appears to be a thatched-hut-style tea room can also be seen. ~
　I felt that this explanation hit upon a point I hadn’t really noticed before. It is that core concepts of the tea ceremony, such as wabi-sabi, actually originated in Sakai—the very epicenter of international exchange. The light is darkest under the lamp. The psychology of pursuing “Japanese-ness” in response to engagement with the world was born. Perhaps it was international exchange that made us conscious of “Wa” (harmony).
　And that insight led to the rediscovery of the “authenticity” of Japan’s natural landscapes and environments. I recently touched on Japan’s miniature garden culture and Hokkaido’s “high-insulation, high-airtightness” housing culture, but this offers yet another perspective. Hmm.

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

Posted on 8月 31st, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
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【明治10年代の住空間を「瞑想」 in 祖母ふるさとの廃屋】



　さて一昨日までの広島県神石高原町での「祖母の生き様探訪」を終えて、昨日は大阪で今回の移動の中心の会合に参加しておりました。しかし、あまりにも祖母関連の「掘り起こし」のリアリティが強烈に心底に残っていて、淡々と過ごしておりました。
　写真は祖母の「ふるさと」とほぼ特定された同町の「来見・井関」地域にあった廃屋古民家。
　一統とおぼしき住宅群もあったのですが、それらは比較的新しめの住宅群だったので、あえて、148年前からの十数年間の「住み方の残滓」が感じられるような住宅を呆然と見つめていたのです。
　この廃屋は住まれなくなって日は浅そうですが、原建築は100年程度の風雪感。各所で崩落が確認できておりました。ただ、広島県の東北部山間地域を巡り歩いていると、このような寄棟茅葺きトタン屋根で、四周に瓦屋根の回廊的下屋空間が配置された建築様式が、地域の「住まい方」を想像させてくれていた。
　生業として主食のコメ生産は谷筋の狭隘な空間を段々の田んぼとして開発する様子が多様に見られた。また地域産業として当然ながら「木材資源」の活用、そして渡辺大一氏の顕彰碑が語るように「コンニャク芋」が大きな特産品だったことは歴史的にも確実。さらに「高原」という地名が示すように、冬期間は積雪も多いようでした。そうした様子が、寄棟屋根の板金仕上げという景観を生んでいるように思えた次第。板金素材の経年ぶりが相当の経年を感じさせていた。積雪への対応の結果かと。（あ、これは現地での感覚で、資料を確認した上での公知的理解とはまだ言えませんが・・・）
　生活装置としては家の周囲の「半外半内」的な、瓦屋根の掛けられた下屋空間がどのように利用されたのか、これがなにかを表現したものなのでしょう。
　祖母と祖父は、1905年に北海道の岩見沢市近郊の栗沢町上幌という地に移住するのですが、その当時を記憶している叔父の家記憶でもこのような建物イラスト表現をしてくれていた。高地の積雪・山間地域での暮らし民俗として伝承される生活空間の定番認識が感じられた。直接雨水や積雪が影響しない半戸外空間で、長期保存の利く食糧や燃料物資が貯蔵されていた可能性が高い。
　多少なりとも、祖母の若き日の「暮らしよう」が想像できた気がした。・・・

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English version⬇

[“Meditating” on Living Spaces from the 1870s in an Abandoned House in My Grandmother’s Hometown]
I’ve almost figured it out. The way people lived in the area where my grandmother spent her youth. The state of the abandoned traditional house in her hometown that invites me to reflect on that…

　Well, having wrapped up my “Journey to Discover My Grandmother’s Life” in Jinseki-Kogen Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, which lasted until the day before yesterday, I attended a meeting in Osaka yesterday—the main event of this trip. However, the raw reality of “unearthing” my grandmother’s history had left such a profound and lasting impression on me that I spent the day in a daze.
The photo shows an abandoned traditional house in the “Kimi-Iseki” area of the same town, which has been almost definitively identified as my grandmother’s “hometown.”
　There were also clusters of houses that appeared to be of a uniform style, but since those were relatively new, I found myself staring blankly at this particular house—one that seemed to retain the “remnants of a way of life” from the decades spanning 148 years ago.
　Although it seemed this abandoned house had only recently been vacated, the original structure showed signs of having weathered wind and snow for about 100 years. Collapses were visible in various places. However, as I wandered through the mountainous regions of northeastern Hiroshima Prefecture, this architectural style—featuring a hipped roof with a corridor-like space surrounded by tiled roofs—allowed me to imagine the “way of life” in this area.
　As a means of livelihood, the production of rice—the staple food—was evident in the diverse ways the narrow spaces along the valley floors had been developed into terraced rice paddies. Furthermore, as a local industry, the utilization of “timber resources” was, of course, a given, and as the commemorative monument to Mr. Daiichi Watanabe attests, “konjac yam” was historically a major local specialty. Additionally, as the place name “Kogen” (Highland) suggests, there appeared to be significant snowfall during the winter months. It seemed to me that these conditions gave rise to the distinctive landscape of hipped roofs finished with sheet metal. The patina on the sheet metal gave a strong sense of age. Perhaps this was a result of adapting to the snowfall. (Ah, this is just my impression from being on site; I can’t yet claim it’s an authoritative understanding based on verified sources…)
As a living space, the “half-outdoor, half-indoor” corridor-like area surrounding the house, topped with a tiled roof, must have served a specific purpose—it likely represented something.
　My grandmother and grandfather moved to Kamihoro in Kurisawa Town, near Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido, in 1905, and my uncle—who remembers that time—had also drawn illustrations of such buildings in his family memoirs. I sensed a standard perception of living spaces passed down as part of the folk traditions of life in high-altitude, snowy mountainous regions. It is highly likely that food and fuel supplies, which could be stored for long periods, were kept in this semi-outdoor space, protected from direct exposure to rain and snow.
　I felt I could imagine, at least to some extent, what my grandmother’s “way of life” was like in her youth. …

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

　
　

Posted on 8月 30th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類 | No Comments »

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