歴史学者と文学 『日本の歴史をよみなおす」を読んで

東京大学大学院医学系研究科人類生態学教室で行われていた「健康・環境・国際」をテーマにした読書会での発表を再録しました(2012/12/12)。
http://blog.livedoor.jp/humeco/


１９８０年前後に一世を風靡した網野善彦が１９９０年頃に行った講演集である。１９８０年前後はまだ反権力であることそれ自体が支持を得る時代であった。しかし、そういったイデオロギーによる評価は抜きにして、歴史学者の商売道具である文字をテーマとして中世の社会の転換期の意味を考えていく手法は謎解きのようにわくわくするものであった。

筆者によれば、片仮名、平仮名、漢字が日本の文学や歴史の中でどのような機能を果たし、いかなる意味を持ってきたのかさえ、十分に考察されていないという。「古文書がなぜどの地域のものでも読めるのか」という自らの経験を出発点にして、「漢字−公−表−建前−男性」と「平仮名−私−裏−本音−女性」の対比から、日本社会の特質を論じていく。

平易な講演ということもあって議論は２項対立を使って進めているものの、社会の変化はねじれながら進んでいてそんなに単純ではないことがわかる。そして律令制（文字の普及）と家父長制がずれながら確立されたことが、女流文学が中世に生まれそして途絶えた理由という仮説を提唱している。

文字という歴史学者にとっての商売道具に立脚してその部分はしっかり論理を積み重ねつつ、考古学、民俗学など過去を扱う学問領域にも目を向けて素人とことわりながら論理というより豊かな発想でもって仮説を提唱していく。筆者は従来の「常識」が間違いで「自説」が正しいことを確信していたようだが、私は正しさよりも読み手を刺激させるような発想と表現にむしろ惹かれた。

ここに書いてある議論自体は、新たな事実で最終的には否定されてしまうかもしれない。しかし、自分の武器を一つ持ちながら、近隣の分野にも目を広げて組み合わせれば、常識を覆すような発想が生まれる可能性を秘めていることに励まされた。筆者は文字に対する愛を持ちつつも文字のみに依拠する歴史学の限界をも感じていたのではないだろうか。

Welcome to tropical world in Tokyo!

12 June 2014

Have you ever seen a tropical rainforest? It is hot, wet and located near equator. It has high levels of biodiversity: low and high trees with colorful flowers, beautiful insects and unique animals. The Amazon rainforest in South America is the biggest in the world. South part of the archipelago of Japan, such as Amami, Okinawa and Ogasawara, has also tropical rainforests. 

Tropical rainforest region is far from Tokyo City but you will be surprised when I tell you that you can enjoy it just 30 minutes from Tokyo Station. It is a botanical garden with a big greenhouse named “Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome.” Yumenoshima (Dream Island) was a notorious landfill area but now was developed into a park. The botanical garden, established in 1988, is a part of Yumenoshima Park run by Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It has a large greenhouse dome, a small greenhouse for carnivorous plants, a herb garden, an event hall, a video hall and a cafeteria. Entrance fee is just 250 yen for adult and 100 yen for Junior high school students. Primary school and younger children are free.

Location: The closest station is Shinkiba on the JR Keiyo Line (from Tokyo Station), Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line (from Ikebukuro, Ichigaya and Yurakucho Station) or Rinkai Line (from Osaki and Oimachi Station). After getting off the train, walk for 2 minutes along the Meji Avenue to the north. Enter the entrance of Yumenoshima Park. Go eastward through the lawn field of the park where families enjoy a day out eating their lunch or playing exciting sports. Shortly after, we see a big greenhouse dome. It takes 15 minutes from Shinkiba Station to the entrance of the botanical garden.

Highlight: To begin with, the main big greenhouse is divided into three domes with different themes. Passing through the entrance, we see exotic tropical water lily on a small pond. A number of unique tree ferns surround the pond, giving the feeling to walk around a tropical rainforest. 

Then, we come to the palm forest zone with domestic pants. Royal palms and king palms grow so high that they reach up to the ceiling. Crops like bananas, cacaos and star fruits are also planted in the zone. At the third dome, we enjoy precious plants from Ogasawara islands, Japan. The odd-shaped aerial roots of Pandanus boninensis, the indigenous plant in Ogasawara are impressive (see the right picture). It is named “Takonoki” in Japanese, meaning “octopus tree.” 

Close to the exit, we find remarkable trees and the leaves spread out in a rare fan-like form. The tree is called traveler's palm, coming from Madagascar.

Foods and Drinks: A small cafeteria, located just beside the big greenhouse, has a nice view of fantastic plants. You can enjoy fantastic ethnic foods and drinks here. Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes are available. It is worth trying tropical fruit desserts such as durian, mango and coconut ice creams and fruits. Mango and guava juices taste good. It is also allowed just to take a seat and a rest. If you prepare lunch, you can bring foods and drinks here without ordering anything.

The botanical garden is compact but very unique. In addition to trees in the main greenhouse, insect-eating plants in a small greenhouse are well worth seeing. Events like art craft, cooking, science, and lectures are hold every weekend. We can enjoy the tropical forest even in central Tokyo.

Summary

1. Time: 9:30 – 17:00 (enter before 16:00)
2. Closing day: Mondays (Tuesdays in case of holidays) and from 29 December to 3 January
3. Contact: TEL：03-3522-0281 Address: 2-1-2 Yumenoshima Koto-ku 136-0081 Tokyo
4. Getting there: 15 minutes walk from Shinkiba Station of JR Keiyo Line from Tokyo Station, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line from Yurakucho Station or Rinkai Line from Osaki Station.
5. Ticket: Buy at the entrance. Fee: ¥250 (adult), ¥120 (65 years or more), ¥100 (Junior high school student living outside Tokyo) and free (Junior high school student living in Tokyo, primary school or younger child, disable person and an attendant)
6. Annual passport: Buy at the entrance. ¥1000 (general) and ¥480 (65 years or more).
7. Facility: a large greenhouse dome, a small greenhouse for carnivorous plants, a herb garden, an event hall, a video hall, cafeteria and souvenir shop
8. Food and drinks: Cafeteria serves you ethnic foods and tropical drinks and desserts. You can take a seat and rest without ordering in the cafeteria.
9. Events: Exhibition on plants, craft workshop using plants, cooking with herbs, music concert and dance on weekend
10. Review: Plants in greenhouses are good particularly for family, senior adults and everyone interested in nature. Foods and drinks are reasonable.

The island of mixed-culture

The fourth largest island in the world – most Japanese have heard of the name, Madagascar. However, the exact/distinct/detailed/accurate location seems not to be clear. Some people think it is north of Australia, others believe it close to India. In fact, it is located east of African continent. This country is famous for its unique/rare/particular/different fauna and flora: rare monkeys, chameleons and baobabs. 

The nature in the countryside surely makes your stay fascinating, but do not forget that people live here. They are also　fantastic/unique/awesome/different/rare. It is interesting to know that ancestor settled here only 1,500 years ago, coming from Southeast Asia by boat. Afterwards, people from the African continent immigrated to this island. Nowadays, Asian and African cultures are well mixed here. You can also enjoy western culture – even excellent croissant and delicious coffee, remaining parts of the influence of French colonization.

What do you think is the staple food here? Wheat? Potato? Cassava? Yes, they often eat them but remember that most people were coming from Asia: Rice is the most important food for the people here.  The per-capita consumption of rice of them is twice as much as that of Japan!

Rime ices in a mountain in late April

22 May 2014

We are climbing up a narrow trail. We haven’t met any other parties probably because the weather is not good and our route is not popular.  Suddenly, the mist disappeared. My friend told me, "Look! Isn't it rime on trees?" I see a line of trees with white branches along the upper ridge. After 3 hours walk, we reach the main ridge. An alpinist is passing when we take a rest there. The altitude is not very high, just 1300m, but it is very cold for late April. I feel my fingers painful, so I change my gloves to thick ones covered with overgloves. There is no snow on the ridge but in the valley. The trail on the main ridge is full of rime ices. My friend is excited because it is her first time to see them. Finally, we are on the top of the mountain called Hinokiboramaru after climbing steep slopes. It is misty again.

Quiet enthusiasm – concert of Shugo Tokumaru

7 July 2014

Sold out. To my regret, I missed to get a ticket of a special concert of Shugo Tokumaru, a Japanese pop musician, in commemoration of his 10^th anniversary. However, just one week before the concert, I was so fortunate that I found a ticket selling at a ticket-trading web site. At last, I come to the show! It is a second time for me to see his performance. Five years ago when I firstly saw his performance, his excellent guitar impressed me. Not only the guitar. He played various instruments such as ukulele, xylophone and percussion. That is not all. He played non-instruments – toys!

The concert hall is not very big. My seat is in the back row on the second floor, but it has a good view of the stage. Woody objects, hanging down from the ceiling, make the stage stand still. The audience is waiting for the show, reading a free booklet provided. Most of spectators, 80 % or more, are young females who are of the same generation as the artist. Nobody talks nor smiles. Young girls are eager to read the booklet quietly. I, a middle-aged man, am not quite comfortable with that.

Once the show starts, I am drawn to his music. He is singing and playing a guitar with an excellent technique. To my surprise, he is shoeless. He gives a quick bow after each song without saying anything. Only once, he said between songs, “ I am not good at talking. You see a booklet at your seat. Everything I want to say is inside. Read it after the concert, please.” Contrary to his shy attitude, he says at the last part of the show, “I am so excited that I want to cry out.” But he looks calm and plays a guitar quietly.

The audience is as similar as the performer. I am surprised that no one stands up throughout the show even at the encore performance. This concert is quieter than a classic concert. Nevertheless, I feel that the spectators are surly impressed his sound and performance and their minds are glowing. I also leave the hall with mental fulfillment.

Shugo Tokumaru official website
http://www.shugotokumaru.com/index_eng.html (English)
http://www.shugotokumaru.com/index2.html (Japanese)

Katachi

https://youtu.be/RpLBR38kVvY

Live on KEXP
https://youtu.be/BSpJRiV3CGw