驚き！・・・新たに「なまこ壁」の蔵を発見

　私の生まれ故郷であり、生涯に亘り住み続けてる倉賀野には、もう「なまこ壁」はないだろうと思っていた私ですが、とんでもありませんでした。一昨日は倉賀野神社で秋の例大祭があり、参拝に行く途中にご覧の「なまこ壁」の蔵を発見しました。何事も自ら興味関心を持ち、そのものが重要であったり希少価値と認識すると、そちらの方から目に飛び込んで来るもので、今回は誠に驚きました。

　先日書きましたように、倉賀野に残存する本格的な「なまこ壁」は太鼓橋近くの旧・大山倉賀野町長宅で、現在は倉賀野を散策する旅人のための「おもてなし館」【写真左下】の西側の壁です。これは非常に立派なものです。ぜひ拡大してご覧ください。もう一つは仲町の喫茶「蔵人」の入り口に一部があります。こちらは旧「上州屋」で私が子供の頃に住んでた家の近くで、この付近でよく遊んだものです。

　健脚をめざしつつ、倉賀野をあちこちウォーキングすれば、「なまこ壁」のみならず、あるいは歴史的な建造物を発見できるかも知れず、こうなれば健康と歴史探訪の一石二鳥です。なんだかワクワクしてきました。

　ところで、私の昔の家【現在・薬のアオキの反対側の空き地】にも大きな蔵がありました。この蔵には当時・県議会議員であった倉賀野の渡辺さんに依頼され、一時的に仲町の山車を格納しておいたり、永い期間に亘り、珠算塾として多くの子どもたちで賑わいました。その方たちは既に７０代～８０代になっており、ずいぶん時代が変わりました。

【英訳は１～３段目です。】

Dear my friends who are crazy about the history of native land and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.............................................

　I had assumed that there would be no more namako walls in Kuragano-town that is my hometown and where I've lived all my life since birth, but it is unexpected. The day before yesterday, on my way to Kuragano-Shrine to pray my future at its annual autumn festival, I discovered the namako-wall storehouse you see in the photo. When we become interested in something and recognize it as important or rare, our eyes will be drawn to it, and this time I was truly surprised.

　As I wrote the other day, the only remaining authentic namako-wall in Kuragano is the former residence of Kuragano Mayor Mr. Oyama, near Taiko Bridge. It is now an Omotenashikan (Hospitality Hall) [photo bottom left], which serves travelers exploring history of Kuragano-town. It is an extremely impressive piece. Please take a closer look to enlarge. There is another part at the entrance to the Kuranodo coffee shop named Kurato in Naka-cho. This is the former Joshuya, near where I lived as a child, and I used to play in the area a lot.

　If I walk around Kuragano while aiming to get in shape, I might not only discover the Namako-Wall, but also some other historical structures, which would kill two birds with one stone, good health and historical exploration. I'm starting to get excited.

昨日のウォーキングで、江戸時代の倉賀野を偲ぶ

　写真の如く、歴史的なこの紋様の壁を見ることは現在、殆どなくなりましたが、倉賀野町では今でも本格的なものが太鼓橋近くの旧・大黒屋の大山邸【昭和時代の倉賀野の町長宅】に現存し、ここは現在、倉賀野を見学する旅人が休憩する「おもてなし館」です。この建物の西横に、ご覧の通り、立派な壁が現存してます。もう一か所は仲町の喫茶「蔵人」は、その名の通り、元々蔵であったことから入り口の一部にその壁が残ってます。私は子供の頃、この「蔵人」近くに住んでいたので写真右下の蔵のことをよく覚えてます。昔は上州屋と言いました。

　この壁は「なまこ壁」と言われるもので、江戸時代以降に庶民の家の屋根葺きに瓦が利用されるようになると同時に出現したと言われ、台風などの自然災害に強く、しかも、倉賀野では昔、大火があったといわれることから、土壁や板壁よりも耐火性に優れることから「なまこ壁」が普及したのでしょう。この旧・大黒屋の建物は倉賀野町で最も歴史を感じさせる貴重なものです。

　実は、私の生家で幕末に建てられた仲町の「原道屋」は「なまこ壁」は使われてませんでしたが、この大黒屋にそっくりな作りで、昨日もウォーキングでここを通過した際、改めて子供時代を懐かしく思いました。私の住まいも中仙道沿いで、後方にご覧のように蔵がありました。

　倉賀野町の古い建物では、上町で１ヶ月ほど前に、旧・高田家の歴史的に素晴らしい日本家屋が解体されてしまい、一つの歴史が終わりました。しかし、まだ、江戸時代の宿場町を感じさせる建物は須賀家など数軒あるので、大切に保存したいものです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about the history of birthplace and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

....................................................

　As you can see in the photo, walls with this historic pattern are rarely seen these days, but a genuine example still exists in Kuragano-Town at the former Daikokuya Ohyama Residence (the Kuragano-town's mayor's residence during the Showa era) near Taikobashi Bridge. This is currently the "Omotenashikan" (hospitality hall), where travelers touring Kuragano can rest. As you can see, a magnificent wall still exists to the western side of this building. Another example is the Nakacho coffee shop "Kurato," which, as its name suggests, was originally a storehouse, and a portion of the wall remains at the entrance. I lived near "Kurato" as a child, so I remember this storehouse in the lower right of the photo very well. It used to be called Joshuya at that time.

　Generally, this wall, known as a "Namako wall," is said to have appeared at the same time that tiles began to be used for roofing common people's homes during the Edo period. It is resistant to natural disasters like typhoons, and since Kuragano is said to have experienced major fires in the past twice, "Namako walls" became popular because they are more fire-resistant than mud or wooden walls. This former Daikokuya building is a valuable piece that exudes the most historic appearance in Kuragano-town.

　In fact, my childhood home, Haramichiya in Nakacho, which was built allegedly at the end of the Edo period, did not use namako wall, but it was built very similarly to this Daikokuya, and when I passed by here on my walk yesterday, I was once again reminded of my childhood. My house is also near the Nakasendo road, and as you can see, there was a storehouse in the back.

　Among Kuragano-town's old buildings, the former Takada family's magnificent historical Japanese house was demolished in Kami-cho about a month ago, bringing to an end a piece of history. However, there are still a few buildings, such as the Suga family, that give the impression of an Edo-period as post town, and they should be carefully preserved.

夕食前に古墳に登る

　夕食前に、一歩きしてきます。場所は倉賀野の特徴の一つである「大鶴巻古墳」の頂上へ登って涼しい秋風に触れてきます。頂上には樹木がたくさん生えてますが、整備されており、景色はなかなか良いです。

　P.S・・・夕暮れであったことから山頂は静けさが漂ってました。遥か古の5世紀を一人偲びました。往復２Kほどでしたが、良い運動になり、その後、寂しい中にも美味しい一杯になりました。

   Before dinner, I'll take a walk and climb to the top of Otsurumaki burial mound made around 5th century, I guess. This is one of the distinctive features of Kuragano-town. I enjoy the cool autumn breeze. There were many zelkova trees on the top, but it is well maintained and the view will be quite breath-taking beyond description.

  P.S...It was dusk, so the summit was quiet. Nobody is there. I was reminiscing about the distant 5th century. It was about 2km round trip, but it was a good workout, and even though it was lonely, I had a delicious drink. 

歴史は消えゆく・・・倉賀野の古民家が解体される

　倉賀野には旧１７号国道沿いに江戸時代から明治の初期にかけて建設されたと想われる由緒ある住宅が３軒ありました。しかし、そのうちの一軒(高田家)が今日までに急遽解体されてしまい、私は写真を撮っておけばよかったと悔やんでいます。

　現在でも残っている古民家は写真右下の建物で、太鼓橋近くの旧大山家です。現在は、宿場町であった倉賀野を見学する人たちの休憩所「おもてなし館」として使われてます。昔ここの主は倉賀野町長でした。実は、私が生まれ育ち２０年暮らした家はこの近くで、家の作りがこの家にそっくりで幕末に建てられたと伝えられます。記憶の中にのみ存在します。

　ところで、写真左下は現在、倉賀野に残っている古民家では「風格と言い保存状態と言い申し分ない須賀家」です。残念なのはこの家の裏庭に樹齢５００年ほどの大きな欅の木があり、倉賀野の長い歴史を見下ろしてきたであろうに、どうしたことでしょう。近年伐採されてしまい残念に思います。

　写真上は現在私が一人暮らししてる家です。庭は２００坪と広いのですが、その殆どは樹木です。二階の窓の所でこのフェイスブックを発信してます。樹木の間から時折ピアノの音がしているかもしません。遊びにいらして下さい。

Dear my Facebook friends who are crazy about the history of your birthplace and great music.

　Along the old National Route 17 in Kuragano-town, there were three historic houses thought to have been built since the Edo period to the early Meiji period. However, one of them was hastily demolished today, so that I regret not taking a photo in advance.

　The only remaining old house in Kuragano is the photo in the bottom right, the former Oyama family home near the Taiko Bridge. It is currently used as the Omotenashikan that means a hospitality home for visitors to Kuragano-town which was once a historical post town. The former owner was the mayor of Kuragano-town. In fact, the house I was born and raised in and lived in for 20 years was nearby. My old house was said to have been built at the end of the Edo period and is very similar to this house. It exists only in my memory.

　By the way, the bottom left of the photo is the Suga family home, one of the remaining old houses in Kuragano, which is "impeccably preserved in terms of both style and preservation." It's a shame that a large zelkova tree about 500 years old stood in the backyard of this house, overlooking Kuragano's long history. What happened to it? It's a shame that it was cut down in recent years.

　Meanwhile, the photo above is the house where I currently live alone. The garden is large at 665m², and most of it is covered in trees. I'm posting this Facebook from a second-floor near the window. You may occasionally listen to the sound of the piano through the trees. Please come over for tea.

夕食前に、鯉池一周ウォーキング

　お腹が空いて夕食【一杯を含む】が美味しくなるよう、これから家を出発し、ご覧の倉賀野町の鯉池一周ウォーキングに出かけます。

　ラジオ体操仲間に訊いたら、鴨はもう一羽もいないとのことでシベリアへ帰ったらしいです。私も確認してきます。

　ウォーキングは鼻呼吸に心掛け、腕は力を抜いて自然に振り、ストライドを気持ち広めに遠方を見て歩きます。赤城大沼一周ができるよう鍛えます。では行ってきます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about sightseeing the nature and great music.

　I'm leaving home now aiming to get hungry and enjoy my dinner (including one drink) to go for a walk around the carp pond in Kuragano-Town, as you can see.

　I asked my radio gymnastics friend, and she said that there are no more ducks left and that they must have returned to Siberia. I'm going to go and check it out myself.

　While walking this time, I make sure to breathe through nose, relax the arms and swing them naturally, take a slightly wider stride, and look into the distance as I walk. My purpose is so as to be able to walk around Lake-Onuma in Mt. Akagi in the near future. Well, I'm off.

未だシベリアへ渡らない鴨

　今日も夕方1時間ほど倉賀野駅の北にある広い「鯉池」一周ウォーキングに行ってきました。目的は足腰の鍛錬というより、夕食【一杯を含む】が美味しくなるためです。距離は３Kほどです。

　この鯉池は浅間山の大噴火【１７８３年】による天明の飢饉のとき、農業用水として造られたと伝えられます。今では「渡り鳥の安住の池」になり、鴨が一昨日は２２羽もいましたが、昨日は１５羽でした。しかし、今日は１６羽でした。近頃の気候変動のため、夏をここで過ごすか、遠方のシベリアへ行くか、鴨も迷っている「かも」しれません。どの鴨も色がきれいで、スイスイ泳ぎ健康そうに見えます。

　今日の日中の暑さを考えると今夏もかなりの猛暑と想定されます。人間の私たちは体内の水分６０％を保つことが必須といわれます。お互いに水分補給をしっかり行いましょう。我が家に花を見に来られるときは水分を提供いたします。

Dear my friends who are crazy about migratory birds and great music.

　Today, I walked around the "Koi Pond" that means pond for carp located north of Kuragano-Station for about an hour in the evening. The purpose was not only to train my legs, but also to make my dinner (including one cup) taste better. The distance was about 3km.

　It is said that this large carp pond was originally built as agricultural water during the Tenmei famine caused by the great eruption of active volcano Mt. Asama in 1783. Now it has naturally become a "pond of peace for migratory birds," and there were 22 ducks the day before yesterday, but 15 yesterday. However, today there were 16 ducks. With the recent climate change, the ducks may be wondering whether to spend the summer here or go to faraway Siberia. All the ducks are beautiful in color, swim smoothly, and look healthy.

　Considering the heat during the day today, this summer is expected to be extremely hot in Japan. It is said that it is indispensable for us humans to maintain 60% water in our body. Let's make sure to hydrate each other from now on. I will provide water when you visit my garden to see the flowers such as Japanese rhododendron.

「倉賀野」という地名の由来を考える

　私が生まれ育った倉賀野という地名の由来は「崖の上の野原」という風に考えられると、以前に倉賀野についての研究者の講演会で聞いたことがあります。つまり、昔は「崖のことを倉」と言ったようです。その一例として、群馬県北部に位置する谷川岳には有名な「一ノ倉」という名の物凄い絶壁の山があります。

　倉賀野町を烏川を隔てた南隣の阿久津町の方から眺めると、確かに、倉賀野は東から西までずっと崖の上に成り立っていることが分かります。このため、倉賀野は大昔から水害に見舞われることがなく住みやすかったのでしょう。烏川近くの崖の上のみならず、倉賀野には数か所で遺跡が見つかってます。

　ところで、現在、私が住んでる土地は以前は畑であり、少し掘ると今でも浅間砂が出てきます。天明三年の浅間の大噴火では倉賀野にも火山灰が厚く降り積もり、田が大打撃を受け、人々は降った灰を集めて灰塚としたと伝えられます。このため、私の土地は灰塚の一部だったと考えられます。

　しかし、それとは比較できない大昔の石器時代より、人々は倉賀野に住み着いていたのでしょう。１０年ほど前に私は庭いじりをしていたとき、写真上の鋭い刃を持った「打製石器」、また、木の実などを潰したと想われる「楕円形の石と球体の石」を発見し、今でも保存し、何万年もの大昔から、この地に人々が住んでいたことに思いを馳せてます。

Dear my overseas friends who like both of nature and great music

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my radio gymnastics held in the nearby park and breakfast in Japan time.

.......................................................

I once heard at a lecture by a researcher about Kuragano-town that the origin of the name of the place where I was born and raised, Kuragano can be thought of as "a vast field on a cliff." In other words, in the old days, "cliff" was called "kura" in Japan. As an example, there is a famous mountain called "Ichinokura" on Mt. Tanigawadake in northern Gumma Prefecture, with a steep cliff beyond description.

When we look at Kuragano-town from the neighboring Akutsu-town across the Karas River to the south, we can see that Kuragano is indeed existed on the long cliff from east to west. For this reason, Kuragano-town has never been hit by floods since ancient times, I guess and has been easy to live in. Ruins have been found in several places in Kuragano-town, not just on the cliff near the Karas River.

Not change the subject, but the land where I currently live was formerly a field, and even now, if I dig a little, I can find the active volcano Mt. Asama's sand. It is said that during the great eruption of Mt. Asama in 1783, thick layers of volcanic ash fell on Kuragano, of course, it caused great damage to the rice fields, and people collected the volcanic ash and made it into ash mounds called Haizuka in our tongue. For this reason, it is believed that my land was a part of the ash mound.

However, people have been living in Kuragano since the incomparably ancient Stone Age. About 10 years ago, while I was working in my garden, I discovered a chipped stone tool with a sharp blade, as shown in the photo, as well as oval and spherical stones that are thought to have been used to crush nuts. I have still preserved these, and they make me think about the fact that people have been living in this land for tens of thousands of years of Stone Age.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

長寿会「お知らせ版」に掲載された拙いブログ

　今朝６時に計測したところ、外気温は９°Ｃ、気圧１０３０ｈＰａ、湿度５３％です。群馬県は朝からよく晴れており、特に気温の冷えが著しいです。

　ところで、今回発行され、近くの掲示板に載った倉賀野町上四地区の「長寿会お知らせ版」には、私の拙いブログ記事が掲載され、嬉しいと共に多くの先輩諸氏に読まれるので、内心恥ずかしさもあります。それでも　歴史内容には正確さが求められることから現地に赴き、公的な立て看板の説明文に基づき取材してます。以下、掲載文を載せます。

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

　倉賀野町には「古堤」と、通常、鯉池と呼ばれる「新堤」の二つの灌漑用溜池があります。写真は「古堤」です。「新堤」は、天明３年(１７８３)に着工し、足かけ４年の歳月をかけ、天明６年に完成したものです。天明年間は稀に見る多難な時代で、天明３年７月には浅間山が大噴火し、倉賀野近辺でも火山灰が２０～３０cmも降り積もり、田畑は壊滅的な打撃を受けてます。その後も、天候不順で大凶作となり、いわゆる天明の大飢饉が発生しました。

　このような困難を乗り越えて造られた新堤は、その後、倉賀野町の東部・東南部の田畑を潤してきました。現在、建設当初より若干狭くなりましたが、今なお、現役の用水池として機能し、また、四季を通じで渡り鳥の飛来など独特の水辺の風景を演出しています。

　一方　写真の「古堤」について、私が倉賀野小５年の頃、担任教師に連れらクラス全員で写生に来たことがある堤で、当時の広さは推定８０ｍ×８０ｍほどで、子供心に広い池であったことが脳裏に浮かびます。しかし、昭和３０年代になり倉賀野保育園開園にあたり、古堤の南半分が埋め立てられ、現在は写真のように北半分が残るのみです。

　新堤より１００年ほど前、つまり、３５０年ほど前の江戸時代前期に造られたこの古堤は、現在では農地が激減し、その役目は殆ど終わっても、由緒ある古堤が現存してることは、令和時代に生きる私たちが目で確認できる倉賀野の歴史的事実の一つです。時折、渡り鳥が羽を休めてる光景が見られます。ここは諏訪神社のすぐ東にあります。

Dear my overseas friends who like both of nature and music

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my radio gymnastics held in the nearby park and breakfast in Japan time.

..........................................................

When it was at 6 am this morning, the outside temperature was 9°Celsius, the air pressure was 1030hPa, and the humidity was 53%. Gumma Prefecture has been sunny since the morning, but, the temperature is particularly cold.

　By the way, my humble blog post was published in the "Chojukai Notice Edition" of the Kami-4th district of Kuragano-town, which was recently published and posted on a local bulletin board. I am happy, but also secretly embarrassed, as it will be read by many seniors. Nevertheless, accuracy is required for historical content, so I went to the site and read the explanations on the official signboard. The published text is below.

　Kuragano-town has two irrigation ponds, the "Old pond", and the "New pond" which is usually called the "Koi Pond." The photo shows the "Old pond." Construction of the "New pond" began in 1783 and took four years to complete in 1786. The Tenmei era was a time of rare hardship because of a major eruption of Mt. Asama in July 1783, causing 20-30cm of volcanic ash to fall in the Kuragano area, dealing a devastating blow to the fields. Further bad weather led to poor harvests, resulting in the so-called Great Tenmei Famine.

　The new pond was built in spite of these difficulties, and has irrigated the fields in the eastern and southeastern parts of Kuragano-town. Although it is now slightly narrower than when it was first built, it still functions as an irrigation reservoir, and creates a unique waterside landscape with migratory birds flying in throughout the year.

　The "old pond" in the photo is one that I came here to sketch with my classmate when I was in the fifth grade at Kuragano Elementary School, accompanied by my homeroom teacher. At the time, it was estimated to have been about 80m x 80m in size, and I can recall it being a large pond in my child's mind. However, in the 1950s, when Kuragano Nursery School opened as you see left side, the southern half of the old pond was filled in, and now only the northern half of pond remains.

　This old pond was built in the early Edo period, about 100 years before the new pond, that was about 350 years ago. Although farmland has now drastically decreased, so its role has almost been fulfilled, the fact that this historic old pond still exists is one of the historical facts of Kuragano-town that we who live in the Reiwa era can confirm with our own eyes. Occasionally, migratory birds can be seen resting their wings here. This place is just east of Suwa Shrine.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

　

台風は去り、今宵は閻魔堂のお祭り・・・倉賀野町

　珍しく初めから関東地方に接近した台風7号は、運よく上陸することなく、次第に太平洋沖に進む気配です。私の群馬県では青空が見え始め、西から太陽が出ています。どうやら一安心です。

　雨はかなり降ったようで、庭の植物は生き返っています。私も今夜はビールで生き返ります。「こら、カッキー、また飲むのか」と声が聞こえて来そうですが、今宵くらいは許してください。

　実は、今宵、私の倉賀野では、下町地区の追分にある閻魔堂が年一回の祭りです。ここは江戸時代から江戸へ行く道と日光へ行く道の分岐点で、昔から旅人や参勤交代が立ち寄った場所と伝えられてます。

　ここで有名なのは「百万遍」という大きな数珠です。 直径4～5メートルに及ぶ大きな数珠を十数人で囲み、持ち上げて回しながら「ナムアミダーブツ、ナムアミダーブツ」と唱えます。大きな鈴が来たら自分の悪い所に付けると治ると言われてます。以前に私は頭に付けました。

Dear my friends who like beer

　Typhoon No. 7 which was unusually close to the Kanto region near Tokyo from the beginning, is showing signs of gradually moving toward the Pacific Ocean without landing. In my prefecture of Gumma, the sky is starting to clear and the sun is rising in the west. We feel a relief.

　It seems that a lot of rain has fallen, so that the plants in the garden are coming back to life. I will be revived too with a beer tonight. I can almost hear your saying, "Hey, Kakky, are you going to drink again?" but please forgive me for tonight.

　Because, tonight in my town of Kuragano, Enma-do in Oiwake in the downtown area is holding its annual festival. Since the Edo period, this has been the fork in the road to Edo and the road to Nikko, and it is said to have been a place where travelers and feudal system people traveling to Edo stopped off since ancient times.

　The famous item here is the large rosary called "Hyakumanben." A dozen or so people surround a large rosary measuring 4 to 5 meters in diameter, lift it up and spin it while chanting "Namu Amida Butsu." It is said that if a big bell comes, by touching on our bad place, it will cure. I once touched it on my head.

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昔の「倉賀野」は各町内の対抗意識が強かった

【３～4才頃の小生・祭りの日、胸に屋号の原道屋が入ってます。When I was about 3 or 4 years old, on festival day, I had the shop name, Haramichiya, tattooed on my cloth chest. 】

　私の故郷・倉賀野町は昭和３８年に高崎市に合併するまで、群馬郡倉賀野町として独立した町であり、町長、町会議員がおり、特に旧１７号沿いには町全体に各商店が軒並み並び、常に人々で溢れ、活気ある町でした。私は子供でしたが、今でも賑やかな選挙運動をよく覚えています。私が育ったのは仲町で、現在の「薬のアオキ」の反対側で空き地になってるところでした。祖父母の時代から原道屋という屋号の金物屋でした。しかし、私が生まれたとき、祖父母はすでに他界しており、会うことはできませんでした。

　その頃、今宵７月１４日の倉賀野は街中が大賑わいの祭りです。それは各町内である上町、仲町、下町、正六、駅前、大門(田屋町)、田子屋、南町、横町など【その頃、桜木町は未だありませんでした。】から、夜になると、手作りの万灯を高く掲げたそれそれの町内から１００名位の集団が街中を練り歩くのです。万灯には思い思いの絵が描かれ、ろうそくの灯で絵が浮き出て見えます。

　当然、万灯を高く掲げた集団同士が道ですれ違うと大変なことになり、万灯同士でぶつかり合いになり、折角描いた絵は相手の万灯の角に当たり、破れてしまったり、時々はろうそくの火が燃え移り、赤々と炎が上がり、結果的に集団はより興奮しすると言う風に、倉賀野の各町内の集団意識と独立心が強く、町内同士の対抗意識が凄かったです。

　私も近所の友達と大きな万灯が作って、４面に好きな絵を描いて準備したものです。そして、暗くなると、鉢巻きして、いざ出陣となったのです。私の知る限り、昔からの倉賀野町内で行われた祭りは、各町内から山車が繰り広げられた１月１４日の道祖神祭、４月８日の安楽寺大祭(現存)、４月１９日の倉賀野神社・春の大祭(現存)、そして、今日７月１４日の万灯の祭り、８月１６日の閻魔道の祭り(現存)、８月２６日の諏訪神社の祭り(現存)、そして１０月１９日の倉賀野神社秋の大祭(現存)です。

Dear my friends who are interested in the history of Kuragano-town

　My hometown, Kuragano-machi was an independent town in Gumma County until it was merged into Takasaki-City in 1963. Our town had a mayor and town council members, and especially along the old Route 17, the town was always full of people and lively with all kinds of shops lined up all over the town. I was a child at the time, but I still remember the lively election campaigns well. I grew up in Naka-cho, on the vacant lot opposite the current "Pharmacy Aoki." Since my grandparents' time, the store was a hardware store called Haramichiya. However, by the time I was born, my grandparents had already passed away, so I was never able to meet them.

　In those days, tonight, July 14th, Kuragano is having a festival where the whole town is bustling with activity. At night, groups of about 100 people from each of the neighborhoods, including Kami-cho, Naka-cho, Shimo-cho, Shoroku, Ekimae, Daimon (Tayacho), Tagoya, Minami-cho, Yokomachi, etc. [Sakuragi-cho did not exist yet at that time.], parade through the town with handmade lanterns held high. The lanterns were painted with all kinds of pictures, and the pictures were made to stand out in the candle light.

　Naturally, when groups of lanterns holding lanterns high passed each other on the street, the fighting begins and the lanterns would bump into each other, and the pictures they had worked so hard to paint would hit the corners of the other lantern and get torn. Sometimes the candle fire would catch fire and a red flame would rise, which would end up making the groups even more excited. The community spirit and independent spirit in Kuragano is strong, and the rivalry between the neighborhoods is incredible.

　I also made a huge lantern with a friend from the neighborhood, and painted all four sides with pictures of our choice. Then, when it got dark, we put on headbands and were ready to set out. As far as I know, the festivals that have been held in Kuragano-town since ancient times are the Dosojin Festival on January 14th, where the Japanese floats from each neighborhood were paraded, the Anraku-Temple Festival (still in existence) on April 8th, the Kuragano-Shrine Spring Festival (still in existence) on April 19th, and today's Mando Festival on July 14th, the Enmado Festival (still in existence) on August 16th, the Suwa-Shrine Festival (still in existence) on August 26th, and the Kuragano-Shrine Autumn Festival (still in existence) on October 19th.

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