地域観光資源の 多言語解説文データベース

Former Toyama House Folk Museum

The Toyama House in the settlement of Miboro, near the southern end of Shirakawa-go, exhibits all the major characteristics of a traditional gassho-style farmhouse. These include a steeply slanted, triangular roof thatched with dried miscanthus grass (susuki), a spacious multi-level attic with windows on the gabled ends, an irori fireplace in the middle of the first floor, and a pit for producing saltpeter (potassium nitrate, an essential ingredient in gunpowder) underneath the floor. The house was built around 1850 for the Toyama family, which was the largest and most influential in Miboro at the time, and was used as a residence until 1967. Up to 48 members of the extended family lived here under the same roof. Such living arrangements were the norm in settlements like Miboro, where farmland was scarce and everyone’s labor was needed for home industries such as sericulture.

Designated an Important Cultural Property, the Toyama House has been converted into a folk museum, where visitors can learn what life was like in this remote, mountainous region from the late Edo period (1603–1867) through the Meiji era (1868–1912). Beside the entrance is the saltpeter pit, which was filled with materials including straw, soil, mugwort, and silkworm excrement and left to ferment. Urine from a nearby latrine was led into the pit to facilitate the fermentation process, which took several years. The first floor, where the residents of the house lived, has several bedrooms, a dining room, and a Buddhist altar, as well as rooms used to entertain guests. A corridor separates the living quarters from a kitchen, bathroom, and workroom. Tableware, utensils, tools for farming, fishing, and hunting, and other items are displayed throughout the residence to illustrate how the family lived and earned its sustenance. The attic was mainly used for silkworm cultivation and equipment for this and reeling raw silk is exhibited in the space.

In 1935, the Toyama House received a guest whose experience in Shirakawa-go helped spread the word about gassho-style buildings to an international audience for the first time. This visitor was the German architect Bruno Taut (1880–1938), who spent three years in Japan studying the country’s architecture in detail. In his writings, he praised the “rationality” and simplicity of gassho-style houses, which he compared to farmhouses in the Swiss Alps. Taut’s words would later inspire local efforts to preserve these structures.

舊遠山家住宅

遠山家宅邸位於靠近白川鄉南端的御母衣地區內，傳統「合掌造」民居的所有重要特徵在這處房屋上都有所體現：使用乾芒草鋪就的大坡度三角形茅葺屋頂、山牆上開窗的大空間多層複式閣樓、位於一樓中心的「圍爐裏」（用以烹飪和取暖的地爐）、一個位於地板下的製造火硝（硝酸鉀，火藥的主要成分）的火硝坑位。這棟房子建於1850年，是當時御母衣村最大、最有影響力的遠山家的產業，直到1967年都被用作家族宅邸。這個大家庭人口最多時，曾有48名成員同住在這一個屋簷之下。在御母衣這樣的村落裡，這種住家方式十分常見，因為當地耕地匱乏，而養蠶繅絲之類的家庭作坊產業需要全家每一個人分工合作。

遠山家宅邸被指定為國家重要文化財產，現已改造成一個民俗博物館。在這裡，遊客可以瞭解到自江戶時代（1603-1867）晚期到明治時代（1868-1912）期間這類偏遠山區居民的生活情況。玄關旁就是火硝坑，從前坑內會填滿稻草、泥土、艾草、蠶糞等混合材料，等待其發酵。附近一座戶外廁所裡的尿液也被引來坑中，以加快發酵進程，但整個發酵過程依然需要花費好幾年。一樓是宅邸住戶的居住空間，有幾間臥室、一個餐廳、一個佛龕，以及招待客人的房間。一條走廊將生活區與廚房、浴室和工作間分隔開來。餐具、廚具、農具、漁具、狩獵工具及其他物品分散陳列在宅邸各處，用以展示這個家庭的日常生活及謀生方式。閣樓主要用來養蠶，養蠶及繅絲設備都在此展出。

1935年，遠山家迎來了一位客人，他在白川鄉的經歷說明國際社會第一次認識了「合掌造民居」。這位客人就是德國建築設計師布魯諾·陶特（Bruno Taut, 1880-1938），他耗時3年留在日本，深入研究這個國家的建築。在他的著作中，陶特將合掌造民居與瑞士阿爾卑斯山區的農舍加以比較，對前者的「合理性」和簡潔性大加稱讚。陶特的評價激勵了當地民眾，促使他們隨後為保護合掌造民居而付出努力。

旧远山家住宅

远山家宅邸位于靠近白川乡南端的御母衣地区，传统“合掌造”民居的所有重要特征在这处房屋上都有体现：使用干芒草铺就的大坡度三角形茅葺屋顶，窗户开在山墙上的大空间多层复式阁楼，位于一楼中心的“围炉里”（用以烹饪和取暖的地炉），地板下一个制造火硝（硝酸钾，火药的主要成分）的火硝坑。这栋房子建于1850年，是当时御母衣村最大、最有影响力的远山家族的产业，直到1967年都被用作家族宅邸。这个大家庭人口最多时，曾有48名成员共住同一屋檐下。在御母衣这样的村落里，这种居住方式十分常见，因为当地耕地匮乏，而养蚕缫丝之类的家庭作坊产业需要全家每一个人出力支持。

远山家宅邸已被指定为国家重要文化财产，现被改造成一个民俗博物馆。在这里，参观者可以了解到，自江户时代(1603-1867)晚期到明治时代(1868-1912)期间，这类偏远山区村民的生活状态。玄关旁是火硝坑，从前坑内会填满稻草、泥土、艾草、蚕粪等混合材料等待发酵。为加快发酵进程，附近一座户外厕所里的尿液也被引来坑中。不过，发酵过程依然需要花费好几年。一楼是宅邸住户的居住空间，有几间卧室、一个餐厅、一个佛龛，以及招待客人的房间。一条走廊将生活区与厨房、浴室和工作间分隔开来。餐具、厨具、农具、渔具、狩猎工具以及其他物品分散陈列在宅邸各处，用以展现这个家庭的日常生活及谋生方式。阁楼主要用来养蚕，养蚕及缫丝设备都在此展出。

1935年，远山家迎来了一位客人，他在白川乡的经历帮助国际社会第一次认识了“合掌造民居”。这位客人就是德国建筑设计师布鲁诺·陶特(Bruno Taut, 1880-1938)。他在日本花了3年时间深入研究这个国家的建筑式样。他在个人著作中将合掌造民居与瑞士阿尔卑斯山区的农舍加以比较，对前者的“合理性”和简洁性大加称赞。陶特的评价激励了本地民众，促使他们随后为保护合掌造民居而付出努力。