地域観光資源の 多言語解説文データベース

Silk Farming and Female Labor

Silkworm raising and raw-silk reeling in Shirakawa-go was notably labor-intensive and relied particularly on a female workforce. The scarcity of arable land in the Sho river valley meant that the mulberries used as food for silkworms had to be grown on the mountainsides, often on multiple small plots far from each other. In addition to harvesting mulberry leaves, a large labor force was required for reeling, which is the process of unwinding raw silk thread from cocoons. This monotonous and tiring task, usually performed from July to September, every day from early morning to evening and sometimes past nightfall by the light of an oil lamp, was mainly done by women. In the Toyama household, reeling was initially a completely manual form of labor but was partially mechanized in the late 1800s. Reeling machines powered by a water wheel were placed in a shed next to the main house, which had space for eight women working side by side. The importance of women’s labor in sericulture motivated the heads of families to keep their female children and grandchildren in the home to work, and led to a system of marriage in which husbands visited their wives in the latter’s family home instead of living together in a separate house.

養蠶與女性勞作

在白川鄉，養蠶和繅絲都是典型的勞動力密集型工作，尤其依賴女性勞動力。由於庄川流域耕地不足，桑蠶的食物——桑樹只能種在山坡的若干零散土地上，且土地彼此相距較遠。除了採摘桑葉之外，將生絲從蠶繭中抽出來的繅絲環節也需要大量的勞動力投入，這項單調、勞累的工作主要由女性承擔。每年7月到9月，她們每日從清晨忙碌到傍晚，有時甚至在夜幕降臨之後還要再點上一盞油燈繼續勞作。就遠山家而言，繅絲最初完全依靠手工處理完成，直到19世紀晚期才部分實現了機械化。繅絲機被放置在主屋旁的一個棚屋裡，由水車驅動，棚屋內可容納八名女性肩並肩工作。女性承擔了蠶絲產業中的大量工作，因此，一家之長傾向於將兒孫輩裡的女性後代都留在家中工作，從而形成了當地獨特的婚姻制度——丈夫定期造訪岳家探望妻子，而不是與妻子一起獨立門戶。

养蚕与女性劳作

在白川乡，养蚕和缫丝都是典型的劳动密集型工作，尤其依赖女性劳动力。由于庄川流域缺乏耕地，供应桑蚕食料的桑树只能种植在半山腰的若干零散土地上，且土地彼此相距较远。除了采摘桑叶之外，将生丝从蚕茧中抽出的缫丝工程也需要大量的劳动力投入。这项单调、劳累的工作主要由女性承担。每年7月到9月，她们每天都要从清晨一直忙碌到傍晚，有时甚至在夜幕降临之后还要再点上一盏油灯继续劳作。就远山家而言，缫丝最初完全是手工操作，直到19世纪晚期才部分实现了机械化。缫丝机被放置在主屋旁的一间棚屋里，由水车驱动，棚屋内可容纳八名女性肩并肩工作。鉴于女性在蚕丝产业中的重要性，一家之主通常都希望将儿孙辈里的女性留在家里，由此形成了本地独特的婚姻制度——丈夫定期造访岳家探望妻子，而不是与妻子共筑新家庭。