Old Farmer's House Gets New Life

 

This house was reconstructed in this park 15 years ago only for the purpose of reservation. My city renewed the house to let visitors rest inside last year. The straw-thatched roof was covered with metal plates at the same time. The left tree is an apricot.

Beside the house, the small cafe opened serving beverages and meals such as spaghetti, hamburger and curry with rice. Many people go into the renewed house taking foods and drinks.

This is a Japanese allspice tree having a wonderful fragrance. 蠟梅花

Its flower is called "wax apricot". The petals are not wettish but dry. They open bravely in the coldest time of the year. I think if the petals are wettish, they will be frozen up easily.

The house still keeps a fireplace. Farmer's family gathered around here to warm themselves. The hook usually has a wooden fish. Fish is associated with water. It is said a fish is set on the hook to avoid a fire. 

The roof was thatched every 30 years or so. Old but not damaged straws were reused and made layers in different colors. This is a beauty made by people's life.

In younger days, I love cherry blossoms more than apricot called "Ume". This Japanese pronunciation is based on a Chinese word "Mei". 

Now I am more attracted to Ume than ever. 

Poets in this country in the 7th century loved apricot because Chinese poets those days did. Cultural influences from China had decreased since the end of the 9th century. Japanese poets found beauty gradually with their own eyes and began making poems of cherry blossoms far more than apricot. I was surprised to know that our present views of beauty may have been influenced by those in older times. 

Jomon Pottery 繩文土器

These were made 5,000 years ago at villages built along the river I saw from the top of the mountain which I shared with you in the last post.

All of them were for daily use, not for ritual.

Jomon period has a long history from 10,000 years ago to 2,500 years ago. At the time 5,000 years ago, the temperature was warmer than ever. People could live easier with more foods and would afford to depict the spiritual world.

Most peculiar shapes of this time can be seen on an edge of the pot. I often think about their designs. Is that a whirlpool, flame or snake? Archaeologists have not discovered what they mean.

This would be portable.

Is this a god of wisdom or owl?

The left one attracted me very much.

Potteries following this type of design have not been excavated all over Japan except this area. The artisan made this pot with excellent skill.

These stone tools were used in this period. Tools at upper right are portable knives.