「四百年間のいのちの履歴書」シリーズ。記録が残されているもっとも古い「故地」は、広島県竹原から10数キロ内陸側で、現在東広島市河内町の「入野」地域であります。わたしは住宅雑誌をやってきた人間なので、やはりその「現場空間」というものから惹起される認識に強いこだわりがあります。
　住宅は人間を包み込んで、その雰囲気全体で社会の荒波から人間を保護する目的。
　その一族が守護されつづけてきた土地空間にも、同様のパワーがあると思っているのです。もちろん古記録や伝承などの認識系情報も、他者との対話を成立させるには不可欠で決定的ですが、いわば「内発する同意力」はいわば出発点なのだと思う次第。そんな思いから数回、この故地を訪れている。
　いまから約300年ほど前の時代を生きたわたしの家系の六世の祖が、かれの時代から百数十年前の祖先の足跡を探索して、古文書として書き記してくれているのです。そこに「山上に」一族の墓地の記述があり、参詣したと記されていた。この記録に基づいてわたしの次兄は河内町教育委員会に委託して、所在確認をしていただいていたのですが、1998-1999年当時の調査では発見されず、どうやらふもとに移設されたようだと返答を受けていたのです。
　今回３月16日に当地を再訪して、かろうじて確認できた山道を踏破していたら、ふもとからは百数十メートルで山頂からはやや下の平坦な場所に大きな塊としては３つの墓域があったのです。
　そしてその中に墓名がハッキリ確認できるものがあって、わたしの家系の元姓である「原」家名の人物で昭和22年に亡くなられた方の墓碑を確認することができた。一応個人と家系の情報なので公開は差し控えますが、しっかり確認することができた。ミッシングリンクの適合とも考えられる次第。「よくぞ」。
　そういう発見に基づいてさらに確証を求めて、入野の歴史についての資料を探し始めている。現代の利器AI探索などを繰り返した結果「入野郷土誌」という出版物が確認できた。20年ほど前の出版だそうなのだけれど、国立国会図書館では存在が確認できた。また東広島市の図書館でもあった。しかし貸出は不可という資料扱い。
　やむなく出版人である地域団体に問合せしているところ。どうしても手間はかかる（笑）。
　しかしいろいろな記録類は残されていることを実感させられますね。人類の痕跡。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇

[Graveyard Discovered on a Mountain in “Iri,” the Ancestral Homeland of the Takehara Clan]
This graveyard, discovered during our exploration on March 16, remains on a mountain in the clan’s ancestral homeland. I wonder if this is the “remnant of life” emanating from this place…

　The “Four Hundred Years of Life’s History” series. The oldest recorded “ancestral land” is located about 10 kilometers inland from Takehara, in the “Iri no” area of Kawachi-cho, Higashi-Hiroshima City. As someone who has worked in the home design magazine industry, I am particularly drawn to the insights evoked by the “spatial context” of a site.
　Homes are meant to envelop people and protect them from the rough waves of society through their overall atmosphere.
I believe that the land and space that a family has continued to safeguard possess a similar power. Of course, cognitive information such as ancient records and oral traditions is indispensable and decisive for establishing dialogue with others, but I believe that what might be called “internal consensus” is, so to speak, the starting point. With these thoughts in mind, I have visited this ancestral land several times.
　The sixth-generation ancestor of my family, who lived about 300 years ago, traced the footsteps of ancestors from over a century before his own time and recorded them in ancient documents. In these records, there is a description of a family cemetery “on the mountain,” and it was noted that he had paid a visit there. Based on this record, my second older brother commissioned the Kawachi Town Board of Education to confirm its location, but the survey conducted in 1998–1999 failed to locate it, and we were informed that it had apparently been relocated to the foothills.
　When I revisited the area on March 16th and managed to make my way up the barely discernible mountain path, I found three distinct clusters of graves on a flat area slightly below the summit, about a hundred and some meters from the base.
Among them, I was able to clearly identify a gravestone bearing the name of a person from the “Hara” family—the original surname of my lineage—who passed away in 1947. Since this involves personal and family information, I will refrain from making it public, but I was able to confirm it thoroughly. I believe this may fill a missing link. “Well done.”
Based on this discovery, I began searching for materials on the history of Irino to seek further confirmation. After repeatedly using modern tools like AI search, I found a publication titled “Irino Local History.” It seems to have been published about 20 years ago, but I was able to confirm its existence at the National Diet Library. It was also available at the Higashi-Hiroshima City Library. However, it is classified as a reference-only document and cannot be checked out.
I have no choice but to contact the local organization that published it. It’s definitely a lot of work (laughs).
Still, it really makes me realize that various records have been preserved. Traces of humanity.

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

Posted on 3月 24th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類