Blue Forest Chronicles: 2021

Monday, December 27, 2021

Aomori City Medieval Pavilion / 浪岡中世の館

It's been about a month since my last update so I thought I would share with you the trip my wife and I made to the Aomori City Medieval Pavilion back when we first moved to Aomori from Tokyo. The place is located in the Aomori suburb of Namioka, near the Namioka Castle Ruins.

一ヶ月以上更新してないですね。ということで、僕と妻が東京から青森市に引っ越して、車を買ってあちこちに行きまくった。今日紹介するのま青森市浪岡にある中世の館。

It was my birthday - August 13. It is also the beginning of the Obon holidays in Japan so the first thing we did in the morning was pay a visit to the family grave.

今日は僕の誕生日でした。８月１３日。日本ならお盆休みの日。お盆なので、最初にやることはお墓参り。

The Aomori City Medieval Pavilion is housed in an old school building. Next to the main building, there is the Former Tsubota Family Residence. The Tsubota family were originally from Gifu Prefecture and after the Sengoku Jidai, the Warring Period and up through to the end of the Edo Era, moved to Tsugaru (Aomori).

中世の館は廃校になった学校にある。その隣に旧坪田家住宅も展示されてます。青森市の公式ウェブサイトから：坪田家住宅は、寄棟茅葺屋根に木造軸組構法で、じょいと呼ばれる居間の奥に、整形四間取（同じ形・同じ大きさの部屋を４部屋もつこと）をもつ上層農家特有の住居形態と、「ちょうば（金銭を扱う場所）」をもつ商家の住居形態の両方を見ることができる建物である。また、「なかのま」と「まえのま」上の中二階部分に、切り上げ窓をもつ雪深い地区の農家住宅の特徴がよく保存されており、江戸時代末期の青森県を代表する建物である。

Former Tsubota Family Residence / 旧坪田家住宅

Aomori City Medieval Pavilion / 浪岡中世の館

The following pictures were taken inside the pavilion.

下記の写真は中世の館の中で撮ったもの。

I don't think these are medieval items but they are definitely antiques.

中世の物とは思えない。超昭和の展示品がずらり並んでる。

Straw rope making machine / 縄ない機

An old style weaving machine called a mushiro ami ki.

ムシロ網機。

Rice Winnowing Machine / 箕（み）

More farm implements.

農家の道具いろいろ。

Treadwheel / 踏み車

Plow / 犂（すき）

You had to get permission from the staff at the main building to enter the Former Tsubota Family Residence.

中世の館のスタッフの許可を得て、旧坪田家住宅の探索が出来る。

Located close to the Medieval Pavilion is the Namioka Hachimangu Shrine so of course we had to check it out but I will save that for the next post.

中世の館のすぐ近くにあるのが浪岡八幡宮。神社とお寺好きの私たちはもちろん探索しました。でもそれはまた今度紹介します。

Friday, November 26, 2021

Takayama Inari Shrine / 高山稲荷神社

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I went on our first drive with our new car. We went to see Japan's largest gingko tree in Fukaura. I was hoping to see it in all its golden glory but we were still too early in the season. My wife noticed my disappointment and suggested going to Takayama Inari Shrine. We had been there before but it was a fairly nice day and we wanted to get an amulet for safe driving from the shrine, so that is where we headed after we had lunch.

２週間ほど前、新車で初ドライブに出かけた。目指したのは深浦町にある日本一のイチョウ。秋になると全て黄色になって綺麗と思って楽しみしてたんですが、目的地に着いたら木のほんの一部しか黄色くなってなかった。落ち込んで見えたそうの俺に、妻が高山稲荷神社でも行こうと提案した。交通安全のお守りを買いに行こうという話になった。

Here we are at the Takayama Inari Shrine. This building is the Sanshu-dono or Gathering Hall.

高山稲荷神社に到着。この建物は参集殿。

Now there is a gingko tree in all its golden glory.

ここのイチョウが全て黄色くなってます。

Yes, we walked up these steps. You have to go up these stairs to get to the main shrine.

はい、この階段を上りました。じゃなけらば、神社の本殿には行けない。

A small shrine dedicated to those who want to be blessed with children.

子宝祈願。

You can see the ocean in the distance.

ここから海が見える。

This is the haiden or the Hall of Worship.

高山稲荷神社の拝殿。

We are near the Ryu Jingu or Dragon Shrine.

龍神宮の近くにいます。

The main thing to see at this shrine is the senbon torii or A Thousand Gates which is why it is also called the Fushimi Shrine of Tohoku. The gates are currently being replaced and you can be the owner of one for the the some of 150,000 yen (about $1500).

高山稲荷神社の一番の見所はなにを言っても千本鳥居ですね。これがあるから東北の伏見神社とも言われてる。現在は￥１５０，０００で自分の名前が１本の鳥居に名前が書いてもらうことを行ったる。