わたしの家系は広島県がながく留まっていた地域。関ヶ原の合戦が終わって以降ですから400年前からほどがわかってきている。芸州浅野藩が広島入りした時期と同時期に現在の東広島市河内町入野に入植した一族。そこで短期間に地域経済活動の中心的な存在である「庄屋」に代々なっていた。その後、江戸時代中期、1730年頃に当時の新開地・松永塩田に移住した一統。一族としては「枝分かれ」した流れの末裔です。
　その松永の近く、山陽道の宿駅「今津」近辺から1905年に当主が北海道に移住してくるまでの間、175年間はこの周辺で過ごしていた一族。家系史をたどり続けてきて、そういう実相が浮かび上がって来ている。
　当然ながら、この地域の情報を求めていろいろな「つながり」を訪ね歩いてきています。次兄からのバトンタッチで徐々にわたしもそういうご縁に沿って動いてきています。
　そういうなかで「地域史」研究グループの存在を知って入会申込みし、毎回「会報」も受け取ってきています。会の名前は「備陽史探訪の会」という存在。2026年６月末段階で会員数は187名とのこと。
　また今津の「旧檀家寺」蓮華寺さんも住職さんがたいへん現代的な活動ぶりで、写真のように「蓮華寺通信」という郵送してきていただいております。わたしの家は父が北海道の同じ真言宗寺院でお世話になって檀家になっているので、旧縁ではあるのですが、歴史探索には欠かせないつながり。
　という次第ですが、やはり本州、広島県地方という歴史積層地域では「地方史」の研究活動が非常に活発。備陽史探訪の会では活動内容に沿った出版物も多数出されている。またほぼ月イチ程度で各種イベント活動まで行われているのですね。まぁ北海道でもこういう活動自体はあるのでしょうが、この備陽史探訪の会のようなレベルには遠いように思えます。またわたしは北海道人ですが、当然ながら「故地」は本州地域にあることは自明なので、地方史として興味を持つのはこういう地方になるのが自然ですね。移動交通などハンデキャップはありますが、やむを得ない。
　こういう志向性は柳田國男の民俗学や民藝運動などともつながる日本人らしさの重要なファクターなのでしょう。終の志向性と考え、捉えていきたいと思います。北海道人にもそういう気分はある、と。

●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⬇

[Fukuyama’s “Biyō History Exploration Society” and Other Active Information Outreach Efforts]
A modern-day continuation of Kunio Yanagita’s folklore studies and the Mingei Movement. We in distant Hokkaido would like to join in response to their vibrant activities. …

　My family lineage traces back to an area in Hiroshima Prefecture where my ancestors resided for a long time. We now know that this dates back about 400 years, beginning after the Battle of Sekigahara. Our clan settled in Irino, Kawachi-cho, in what is now Higashi-Hiroshima City, around the same time that the Asano clan of Geishu entered Hiroshima. There, generation after generation, they served as “shoya”—the village headmen who played a central role in the local economy—for a short period. Later, during the mid-Edo period, around 1730, a branch of the family moved to the then-newly developed Matsunaga Salt Fields. I am a descendant of this “branch” of the family.
From the area near Matsunaga, close to the “Imazu” post station on the Sanyo Highway, until the head of the family moved to Hokkaido in 1905, the family lived in this vicinity for 175 years. As I have continued to trace our family history, this reality has gradually come to light.
Naturally, I have been visiting various “connections” in search of information about this region. Taking over the baton from my second-eldest brother, I, too, have gradually begun to follow these leads.
In the course of this, I learned of the “Regional History” research group, applied for membership, and have been receiving their “newsletter” every issue. The group is called the “Biyō History Exploration Society.” As of the end of June 2026, the membership stood at 187.
　Furthermore, at Renge-ji Temple in Imazu—my family’s former parish temple—the head priest is very active in modern initiatives, and, as shown in the photo, he sends us the “Renge-ji Newsletter” by mail. My father was a parishioner at a Shingon sect temple in Hokkaido, so we have a long-standing connection with the temple; this connection is indispensable for my historical research.
　That being said, research into “local history” is indeed very active in regions with a rich historical legacy, such as Honshu and the Hiroshima Prefecture area. The Biyō History Exploration Society has published numerous works related to its activities. They also hold various events roughly once a month. Well, I suppose such activities exist in Hokkaido as well, but they seem far from reaching the level of the Biyō History Exploration Society. Also, although I am from Hokkaido, it goes without saying that my “hometown” is on Honshu, so it’s only natural that I take an interest in the history of regions like this. There are some challenges, such as transportation, but that’s unavoidable.
This kind of inclination is likely an important factor in what makes us Japanese, one that connects to Kunio Yanagita’s folklore studies and the Mingei Movement. I intend to view this as my ultimate aspiration. I believe even people from Hokkaido share this sentiment.

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

Posted on 8月 4th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類