Hanes

[The 18th Excursion Series] To the source of the novel world of Toson Shimazaki


Hello. I'm the active correspondent Hanes!
Bon dances have been held everywhere in Chuo-ku since the end of July, but all of them have characteristics and commitments, and this year they attracted many people ^^
Some of you may have visited Yasuaki Elementary School to participate in the "Ginza Bon Odori" introduced by senior correspondent Sam.

When you hear Yasuaki Elementary School, you may recall famous graduates such as Toya Kitamura, Toson Shimazaki, and Fumimaro Konoe in addition to the uniforms of that famous brand.

[The 18th Excursion Series] To the source of the novel world of Toson Shimazaki


Along the street, there is a monument engraved with "Toson Shimazaki Kitamura Toya Young Children Learn Here".
I'm not familiar with literary writers at this time, saying, "I must have lived in a good place since I was born." As expected, people from Tokyo!" I thought, but in fact both of them are not from Tokyo.

Toya Kitamura, a pioneer of modern Romantic literature, was born in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
He moved to Tokyo in 1881 and moved to Yazaemon-cho, Kyobashi-ku (currently Ginza 4-chome) with his family, and went to school from there.

On the other hand, Toson Shimazaki, a representative writer of naturalist literature, was born in Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture.
I also moved to Tokyo in 1881 and went to school from my sister's bride's bride (currently near Ginza 4-chome) in Yariya-cho, Kyobashi-ku and my fellow's house.

[The 18th Excursion Series] To the source of the novel world of Toson Shimazaki


On the 22nd of this month, Toson Shimazaki's anniversary, "Fujimura Anniversary," will be held at Eishoji Temple in Bodaiji Temple in Magome.
For that reason, this time, I would like to focus on Toson Shimazaki and focus on childhood spots that influenced the novel.

As you can see on the information board next to Yasuaki Elementary School, his novels "Kids Day" and "Osana Monogatari" depict the childhood he spent in Ginza, but when he visited Gifu the other day, I was blessed with the opportunity to pass in front of his birthplace.
The birthplace was an old house that also served as Honjin, Shoya, and wholesaler during the Edo period!
I realized with myself that he was not from Tokyo, and also obtained episodes that seemed to trigger interest in his work.

[The 18th Excursion Series] To the source of the novel world of Toson Shimazaki

(The birthplace remaining as the Fujimura Memorial Hall)


Next to his birthplace, there is Oguroya Chabo, famous for chestnut kowameshi.
At that time, it was known as "Oguro-ya", which runs a sake brewery, and played the role of wholesalers and elderly people in Magome-juku.
It seems that this was the house of Yu-san, who is considered to be his first love ^^

In addition, the feature-length novel "Before Dawn", which depicts before and after the Meiji Restoration with his father as a model and gained high reputation as a historical novel, is the "Oguroya Diary (Year Various Diary Books)" that conveys the state of Magomejuku and surrounding post towns at that time. It is said to have been influenced by
Knowing the background of such novels, would you like to pick up works that have the source of the novel world in your childhood?

[The 18th Excursion Series] To the source of the novel world of Toson Shimazaki


When you go to a local city, you will always find people and things that are connected to Chuo-ku.
Therefore, the current Chuo-ku may have been the center of Japan at that time and the place of longing for it.
If I find interesting connections in the future, I would like to introduce them on my blog ^^