クルマがわが家から一時消滅して、さっそくに札幌は本格的降雪。
　まずは除雪用のツール類を常時使用状態に復元させる作業。また冬用の履物類や服装品などの整理整頓を至急で迫られた後、気合いを入れて家周辺の除雪作業に向かっていました。
　・・・しばし40-50分間。夏場の散歩中心の運動とはまったく違う「力仕事」感が襲ってきた（笑）。わが家の除雪面積は約30坪ですが、カラダ的には「泥の汗」。運動「歩数」は2,500歩でしたが「おおむね３倍」とされる換算指数に強い納得感でした。
　入浴してさっぱりした後、歩数増加を目指して散歩しようとしたのですが、いきなりで冬靴とは言え、路面が滑りやすいし疲労感もあって早々に中止判断。
　その後、昼過ぎには「家系史研究」の碩学・岸本良信氏と知り合える「家系図サロン」開催の札幌市中央区民センターに向かいました。早めに到着して初対面ごあいさつを思ったのですが、やはり足下が悪く、また先生（と記述します）の到着も午後２時直前だったのでほんの目礼程度。ただ、先生も事前のメール連絡で興味を持っていただいていたようで、たいへんありがたい受け止めでした。
　写真はサロンでの発表の一部。札幌在住の歴史作家・石村博子氏の取材旅行で直近の８月に行われたサハリンツアーの様子が、サロン中心メンバーの実弟の方から紹介されたもの。戦争中の独裁国家・ロシアに向かう経緯から平和な日本の「常識」と彼の地の戦時体制とのあつれきが端々から窺われた。拘束されている北海道新聞記者の一件にも関わっている様子も。実際に記者さんと一行は面談されたとの報告。・・・
　なかなかリアルタイム的な深層情報に接した次第。
　一方、サロン後は岸本先生に呼び止められ、わたしの持参した資料（兄がまとめたわが家家系の本）をお渡しし、さらにルーツ探索という事業「領域」の世界の現在状況を伺わさせていただいた。日本と世界、欧米では「30年」くらいの時間差とのこと。とくにアメリカでは数千億〜兆円レベルのルーツ探索「市場」がすでに成立している。対して日本はまことに牛歩の感とのこと。
　さらに先生のお宅とわが家はごく近接していることも帰り道同道で確認できました（笑）。これは興味深い「由縁」が感じられた（笑）。さて？

●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⬇

[Spotlight on the History of Ordinary People: The “Roots” History Market]
In Europe and the United States—societies characterized by vibrant “interaction” among diverse ethnic groups—there exists an “information market” worth trillions of yen, fueled by people’s interest in exploring their “roots.” This is an area with significant future potential. …

　Just as my car temporarily disappeared from our home, Sapporo was immediately hit by a full-blown snowstorm.
　First, I had to get all my snow removal tools back into working order. After being forced to urgently organize my winter footwear and clothing, I mustered up my determination and set out to clear the snow around the house.
　…It took about 40–50 minutes. I was suddenly hit by a sense of “hard physical labor”—completely different from the exercise I get from my summer walks (lol). The area I had to clear around my house is about 30 tsubo, but physically, I was drenched in “muddy sweat.” My “step count” for the workout was 2,500 steps, but I was completely convinced by the conversion index that says this is “roughly three times” the equivalent of walking.
　After taking a refreshing bath, I tried to go for a walk to increase my step count, but even though I was wearing winter boots, the roads were slippery, and I was feeling fatigued, so I decided to call it quits early.
　Later, just past noon, I headed to the Chuo Ward Community Center in Sapporo, where a “Family Tree Salon” was being held—an event where I’d have the chance to meet Mr. Yoshinobu Kishimoto, a leading scholar in “family history research.” I arrived early, intending to greet him upon our first meeting, but the ground was indeed treacherous, and since Professor Kishimoto (as I’ll refer to him) didn’t arrive until just before 2:00 p.m., we only exchanged a brief nod. However, it seemed he had taken an interest in the event based on our prior email correspondence, which I was very grateful for.
　The photo shows part of the presentation at the salon. A core member of the salon—Professor Kishimoto’s younger brother—presented details of a tour of Sakhalin that took place this past August as part of a research trip by Sapporo-based historical writer Hiroko Ishimura. From the circumstances leading up to the trip to Russia—a dictatorship during the war—the narrative revealed, in every detail, the friction between the “common sense” of peaceful Japan and the wartime regime there. It also appeared to be connected to the case of the Hokkaido Shimbun reporter who is currently being detained. We were told that Professor Kishimoto and his group actually met with the reporter. …
　I found myself exposed to some quite timely, in-depth information.
　Meanwhile, after the salon, Professor Kishimoto stopped me. I handed him the materials I had brought (a book on our family lineage compiled by my older brother) and asked him about the current state of the “field” of genealogy research. He mentioned that there is a time lag of about “30 years” between Japan and the rest of the world, particularly the West. In the United States, in particular, a genealogy “market” worth hundreds of billions to trillions of yen has already taken shape. In contrast, he remarked that Japan’s progress feels like a snail’s pace.
　Furthermore, as we walked home together, we confirmed that his house and mine are actually very close to each other (laughs). I sensed an interesting “connection” in this (laughs). Well then?

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

Posted on 11月 8th, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類