TEDxAnjoWomen2023 Blog vol.03 - Recommended places in Anjo City-second half/ 安城市のおすすめスポット後半

2023年10月23日 12:11

安城市は、『ごんぎつね』の絵本で有名な新美南吉さんのゆかりの地で、市内各所に彼のゆかりの地があるということでした。
Anjo City is known as the hometown of Nankichi Niimi, famous for his picture book "Gon, the Little Fox." It is said that there are various places in the city associated with him.

Recommended places in Anjo City-first half/ 安城市のおすすめスポット前半

前半のブログでJR安城駅から会場のアンフォーレまでの、南吉ゆかりの地と丈山苑を紹介いたしました。
In the first part of the blog, we introduced the places associated with Nankichi and Jozan-en, located from JR Anjo Station to the venue, Anforet.

Recommended places in Anjo City-second half/ 安城市のおすすめスポット後半

後半は、会場近くにひっそりとある南吉ゆかりの地を紹介いたします。
In the second half, we will introduce the quietly nestled places associated with Nankichi located near the venue.

新美南吉ゆかりの地
Places associated with Nankichi Niimi

前半でご紹介した新美南吉ゆかりの地の２番に、どうやらアンフォレーの近くに『花の木橋』があるらしいので、会場周辺の散歩がてら歩いていると写真で見た橋のようなものがあるので近くに寄ってみて見ると、、、
As for the No.2 of the map of Nankichi Niimi-related places introduced in the first half blog, it seems that there is a "Hanano-ki Bridge" near TEDxAnjoWomen venue, Anforet. So, while taking a stroll around the venue, I happened to notice a bridge that resembled the one I had seen in a photograph, and to take a closer look...

It's not just the Hanano-ki Bridge; it's a somewhat tragic place of significance/花の木橋だけじゃない、少し悲しいゆかりの地

ありました。花の木橋の欄干。
It was there: the railing of the Hanano-ki Bridge.

花の木橋欄干
The railing of the Hanano-ki Bridge.

花の木橋欄干、アンフォーレ側より
The railing of the Hanano-ki Bridge, view from the TEDxAnjoWomen venue anforet

橋の横に立っている案内にはこう記されています。
The sign standing next to the bridge reads as follows.

花ノ木と橋の由来
一七八九年(天明八) 安城ヶ原の細田と大山田の間に「花ノ木田」という名の小さな田が開かれた。そこはハナノキの自生地で、春は濃紅色の花、秋は紅葉の美しいところでした。安城高女校の先生で童話作家新美南吉の作品 ”花のき村の盗人たち”の舞台となったところと言われています。一八九一年(明治二四)に安城駅が開設されると、一本の野道の両側に家が建ち、商店が軒を並べ街が作られ「花ノ木通り」と呼ばれ人情豊かな町になりました。
花の木橋は一九二五年(大正十四)に永久橋に架け替えられ今も現役です。この川は中部小学校脇から分かれた明治用水の支流(枝川)で、錦町小学校の手前で追田悪水に合流します。当時この辺は最も賑やかな商店街でこの橋を乗合バスが通っていきました。
平成十年八月前歴史博物館館長神谷素光
花ノ木商店街振興組合
花ノ木町内会
Origin of Hananoki-bridge
In 1789 (Tenmei 8), a small field named "Hananoki-da" was opened between Hosoda and Oyamada in Anjogahara. It was a place where "Hananoki" cherry blossom trees naturally grew, displaying vibrant crimson flowers in spring and beautiful autumn foliage. It is said to be the setting for the work "The Village of Hananoki and the Thieves" by Nankichi Niimi, a teacher at Anjo Girls' High School and a children's story writer. In 1891 (Meiji 24), when Anjo Station was established, houses were built on both sides of a single field path, and shops lined the street, creating a town called "Hananoki Street." It became a warm-hearted and lively town. Hananoki Bridge was rebuilt into a permanent structure in 1925 (Taisho 14) and is still in use today.
The river is a branch of the Meiji irrigation canal that split from the side of Chubu Elementary School and merges into the Oida Drainage before reaching the front of Nishiki-cho Elementary School. At the time, this area was the liveliest shopping district, with shared buses crossing this bridge. Motomitsu Kamaiya, Former History Museum Director, August 1998,
Hananoki Shopping Street Promotion Association,
Hananoki Town Association

田んぼにもそこに自生するハナノキという花の名前を取った地名があって素敵ですね。
春には濃紅色の花が咲き、秋には紅葉の深紅が目に浮かぶようです。
南吉もこのあたりの季節ごとの色彩の鮮やかさに感銘を受けて、心根の優しい盗人の話しを思いついたのかもしれません。
その後も、このあたりの道の両側に商店街ができ、人情豊かな町になっていったというのも頷けます。
It's lovely that there is a place named after the flower "Hananoki," which also grows naturally in the rice fields. In spring, its vivid crimson flowers bloom, and in autumn, the deep red of its leaves is quite striking. Nankichi may have been inspired by the vibrant colors of each season in this area, leading him to create the heartwarming "The Village of Hananoki and the Thieves". Furthermore, it's easy to understand how the development of a shopping street on both sides of the road in this area contributed to the creation of a warm-hearted and lively town.

The sorrowful Hananoki Kan-non, Goddess of Mercy/ 悲しい花の木観音

そして、この隣に観音様とお地蔵様が立っています。
一つは、花の木観音。
この観音様には、少しもの悲しいエピソードがありました。
And next to this, there are statues of Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) and Jizo (a guardian deity of children). One of them is Hanano-ki Kannon. This Kannon statue has a somewhat sad episode associated with it.

花ノ木観音
Hananoki Kan-non, Goddess of Mercy

『御幸本町(当時、安城町字花ノ木)にかって大きな料亭があり、働いていた料理人、仲居さんなどの使用人や芸妓の中には、遠い地方からの出身者が多かった。この中には亡くなられた時連絡すべき縁者が知れず、料亭主によりここ花ノ木の地で葬られた方もいました。
これを不憫に思った料亭主がその霊を弔うために作ったのが、この観音さんです。料亭からほど近い元更生病院のすぐ南の路地に、ひっそりと観音堂が建っていました。』
"In the past, there was a large restaurant in Miyuki Honmachi (formerly part of Hananoki, Aza, Anjo-machi), and many of the employees, including chefs, maids, and geisha, came from distant regions. Among them were individuals who, upon their passing, had no known relatives to contact, and as a result, they were laid to rest here in the Hananoki area at the behest of the restaurant owner. Moved by this area, the restaurant owner constructed the Kannon, Goddess of Mercy, statue to honor their spirits. A quiet Kannon hall stood in a narrow lane just south of the former rehabilitation hospital, not far from the restaurant."

今も昔もいろんな理由で遠方から働きに出てきて、身元も明かさず働いてる女性がいると思います。
でも、身内がいなかったり、様々な理由で連絡を取りたくない事情があるのは、今もそんなに変わらないのではないでしょうか。
Even now, as in the past, there are women who come from distant places to work for various reasons, sometimes without revealing their backgrounds. However, the circumstances of having no family or having reasons not to be contacted may not have changed all that much even today.

現代社会は、より複雑になり人の顔が見えないからこそ、そういった問題も見えなくなってきていると思います。
TEDWomenイベントだからこそ、女性の働く環境や地位についてもう一度考えてみるきっかけとなり、それが結果として、全ての人に優しい社会に繋がるヒントになるのではないでしょうか。
In modern society, things have become more complex, and because we often don't see people face-to-face, I believe that such issues may have become less visible. That's why events like TEDWomen's events provide an opportunity to reconsider the working environment and status of women. This, in turn, can serve as a hint towards creating a more inclusive society for everyone.

そんなことを思わされた花の木観音でした。
お近くにお越しの際は、ちょっと立ち寄って手を合わせてみてはいかがでしょうか。
That's what I was reminded of by the Hananoki Kannon. If you happen to be in the vicinity, why not take a moment to stop by and offer a prayer?

Nankichi Jizo with Straw Sandals/ 草鞋を履いた南吉じぞう

あとひとつ、南吉じぞうが、観音様の隣にあります。
こちらのじぞう様、草鞋（わらじ）がキーとなってるそうです。
One more thing, there is another Jizo statue next to Hananoki Kannon. This Jizo statue, wearing straw sandals (waraji), serves as a hint that this Jizo is Nankichi Jizo.

新美南吉作『花のき村と盗人たち」にはこう書かれています。
「それ(牛を連れていた子供)は、土橋のたもとにむかしからある小さい地蔵さんだろう。草鞋（わらじ）をはいていたというのがしょうこである。･･･」
In Nankichi Niimi's work "The Village of Hananoki and the Thieves" it is written as follows: "That child who had a cow with him must have been a small Jizo statue that has been by the base of the earthen bridge since ancient times. The clue is that it wore straw sandals (waraji)..."

と、思って足元を見てみると、しっかりこのじぞうさまも草鞋を履いていらっしゃいました！
And when I looked at its feet, I could see that this Jizo-sama was indeed wearing straw sandals just like the one in the story!

南吉じぞうの草鞋 Nankichi Jizo with straw sandals

花の木橋、花の木観音、南吉じぞう、これらはTEDxAnjoWomen2023の会場となったアンフォーレ南側、百練堂さんの横にあります。
赤いノボリが目印です。
Hananoki Bridge, Hananoki Kannon, Nankichi Jizo - all of these are located on the south side of Anforet, the vennue of TEDxAnjoWomen2023 right next to Hyakuren-do. Look for the red banners as a landmark.

アンフォーレ南側、南吉ゆかりの地
South of Anforet, places associated with Nankichi Niimi.

他にも南吉壁画が街の至る所にあって、これを探して回るだけでも、いい散歩コースになるなぁと思いました。
こちらは壁画編として、別途書きたいと思います。There are also wall paintings depicting stories from Nankichi Niimi scattered throughout the town, and just searching for these can make for a nice walking route. I plan to write blog separately about the mural edition in the future.

小さいお子さんがいらっしゃる方にはピッタリ。大人でも楽しめますよ！
これを機会に、安城にお越しの方は、今まで安城在住で気が付かなかった方も、一度足を運んでみてはいかがでしょうか？
Perfect for those with young children. Even adults can enjoy it! If you happen to be in Anjo, whether you're visiting for the first time or have been living here without noticing, why not take this opportunity to pay a visit?

For more info about Anjo-city Tourist Information/ 安城市観光協会はこちら