Mellow-Denshokan Site English version - ????? - Database for Personal Experiences and Records - [ Times of Taisho ] https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?forum_id=8 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:38:58 +0900 http://backend.userland.com/rss/ Annual events of the inn at the hot spring town(by Fubou) https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=172 https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=172 The other day I introduced here [making house made miss=fermented soybean paste] as one of our annual event of my inn. There were several other things we should try to do as the inn every year. I wish to tell you about such things this time.[Fill up snows ... Wed, 27 Jul 2005 17:35:50 +0900 Database for Personal Experiences and Records Times of Taisho The other day I introduced here [making house made miss=fermented soybean paste] as one of our annual event of my inn.
There were several other things we should try to do as the inn every year.
I wish to tell you about such things this time.

[Fill up snows to the snow room]
Kusatu spa was on the highland of around 1200meters above the sea level.
So it was a fine summer resort temperature around 25c highest even in the midsummer.
In addition to this, fresh and clear cold water from mountain were supplied without limit and such waters flow into the water tub of the kitchen in which we put in ider: beer: water melon: peach: etc.
We could eat such a cool food in the tub.
So generally speaking, we need not to have refrigerator at all.
But as the kitchen of the inn, I presume they had to keep fishes and meets in the refrigerator.
There were big ice refrigerator in the kitchen room.
For that ice refrigerator we had the cave as the snow room which dug on the slope of the suburbs of the spa--only ten minutes walk from my house on foot--.

From the narrow entrance of the cave, we walked down two or three stairs; there were ten square meters snow room. It was rather difficult to put in powdery snow in the winter to the room.
So around March or April when the snow become wet by absorbing moistures, staffs of the inn came to fill in the snow on or around the cave.

In the summer some one in the kitchen room said [snow in the ice refrigerator now were running short], some staffs not so busy were pulling Rear-Car (two wheel carriage pulled by bicycle) to the snow room to collect the lump of snow covered with old blanket. I remember that I myself many a times helped to carry the snow with our staffs.

(Note) Rear-Car is said imported to Japan on Taisho 10 (1921)

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――
[To put postage stamp on New Years card]

Every year end a clerk wrote the address of the customers on several hundred of New Year card by hair brush pen.
[We called him a choba banto (head of banto=head of staffs) Now a days perhaps we call him as General manager of the office. His capacity will be including manager of administration and manager of accounting section. But at that time he was called Ochoubasan by other staff or women staff.]

After finishing the address writing, we children were requested to put the postage stamp on these New Year cards.
We children always said that it was rather trouble some, so it was better to ask Post office to stamp on it separate payment.
But our ideas were always refused by saying that such a way was very impolite to the customers.


[Renewing of tatami mats (rush covered mats)and repaper of shoji(sliding thin paper screen or door)]

Renewing of tatami mats and repaper of shoji were also very important work of that time.
As to these works I wish to show you a part of letter dated Meiji 45(1912) from my grandfather in the hospital in Tokyo to my grandmother.

[Repaper of shoji ; please try gradually to the part of not so good looking place. Renewing of tatami mats; upon receiving the tatami face, Please start from room 58 room 63 room 62 third floor room 22 room 23 to renew with new tatami face.
As to room 20 room 21 you might use old face of room 62 and 23.Room 25 and 26 I presumed it was alright to keep current face.
But if it was not so good looking you had to renew these as well.----]

This is the part of letter sent by my grandfather to my grandmother. It is great surprise for me that he sent such a detailed instructions to my grandmother notwithstanding with his illness in the hospital.

I take off my hat to his eagerness to his business.
These works were done by tatami maker and paper hanger entre to my home lived in town near to us.


[Change of cotton for cotton stuffed mattress]

I am not so sure the seasons of this, every year a man named Gunnjisa from Takasaki came to my inn and worked for the change of cotton for cotton stuffed mattress staying with us for a few days.
Upon returning from primary school, when I was told that Gunnjisan was here, I throw my school bag out and rushed in to the room where Gunjisan was working.

All day long Gunjisan was sewing futon and putting cotton into futon. He liked children and told us several stories doing his work at the same time.

The stories were such as
The subjugate of a baboon Revenge of Mr.Mataemon Arakikilling 36men Sanada ten brave warriorSarutobi Saksuke etc. with such a story telling actually himself experienced-


　　Daitou-kan (Japanese style hot spring hotel)
　　　　　　　　

　　Hot spring field and Daitou-kan




-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Looking back the era from Japan and Russia War(1904) to Showa first ten years with Taisho age in the middleI feel that it was rather romantic and optimistic good years, of course technically and economically not so developed well.
But such a good current of times and nice custom were gradually faded away followed by the change of labor power relation and demand and supply of good on or around second ten years of Showa after Japan came to stuck in the mud of war.

Fubou]]> Re: The flag parade https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=144 https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=144 Dear Mr.Fuboo. Thank you very much for your comment.My name is Reflee. I know your nice reputation for a long time before now. Thank you very much for your looking into my memory of my younger days and give me the polite response.Quote:I have had the some ... Sun, 24 Jul 2005 12:45:06 +0900 Database for Personal Experiences and Records Times of Taisho
My name is Reflee. I know your nice reputation for a long time before now. Thank you very much for your looking into my memory of my younger days and give me the polite response.

Quote:
I have had the some other memory for flag parade.
One was one September Taisho 15(1926)when I was first grade
ofprimary school. Eagerly awaited sin karuizawakusatuonsen total length 55.5km Kusatu Electric Railway was opened for use.
That parade was for that celebration.

Yes that was Kusatukeidentetsu. I remember that I myself , it was a very long time ago, walked in front of that station.

Quote:
another one was on Showa 3(1928) third grade of primary school.
Showa Emperors coronation celebration parade.
We walked through the town by singing the song for the celebration waving small flag by succeeding the three Sacred Treasure of the Imperial House/our Emperor to the throne/graciously todays coronation/celebrate celebrate now Celebrate.
Dont you remember this?


Yes ,of course, I remember that. It was very big and splendid celebration. That was celebration through out night and day.
I was living near to the prefectural government office.,and as all the celebrate unit together come to the prefectural office. It was in a great bustle.

In my memory the word of the celebration song are as follows.

[the third year of Showa /,Autumn is far advanced,/chrysanthemum is fragrant/this nice day Emperor acceded to the throne/celebrate celebrate now celebrate/banzai banzai banbanzai/]

I remember this was the first number of the song.

Dear Mr.Fuboo, Thank you for your kind attention and I do hope for your happy future and good health. .

Refurei
]]> Re: The flag parade https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=143 https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=143 Dear Refurei, My name is Fuboo. Sorry for the a bit late response.I have had the some other memory of flag parade.One is on September Taisho 15(1926) when I was first grade of primary school .At that time eagerly awaited Kusatu Electric railway ---total l ... Sun, 24 Jul 2005 12:35:25 +0900 Database for Personal Experiences and Records Times of Taisho Dear Refurei, My name is Fuboo. Sorry for the a bit late response.

I have had the some other memory of flag parade.
One is on September Taisho 15(1926) when I was first grade of primary school .At that time eagerly awaited Kusatu Electric railway ---total length 55.5kirometers from sinkaruizawa to kusatu onsenwas opened for use.
That flag parade was for that celebration.

Another one was on Showa 3(1928)third grade of primary school.
That one was [Showa Emperor coronation]!celebration .
We did the parade through the town waving small paper flag by singing the song for the celebration.

[by succeeding the three Sacred Treasures of the Imperial House / our Emperor to the Imperial throne/graciously today! coronation/
celebrate /celebrate /now celebrate.]

that was the song we sung .
Dont you remember this? Mr.reflee?

Fuboo]]> The flag parade (by Rifurei) https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=124 https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=124 The memory of my lower grade of primary school. It was in 1920(Taishou year 9) when I was the 2nd grade of primary school. It was the flag parade for the traffic safety campaign. Waving small paper flags of Hinomaru, we did the parade by singing 'traffic ... Wed, 20 Jul 2005 14:59:05 +0900 Database for Personal Experiences and Records Times of Taisho The memory of my lower grade of primary school.

It was in 1920(Taishou year 9) when I was the 2nd grade of primary school. It was the flag parade for the traffic safety campaign. Waving small paper flags of Hinomaru, we did the parade by singing 'traffic safety song'. [we walk left side of the road--- right side is very dangerous collide with something]

Traffic vehicles at that time were daihachiguruma[large two wheel luggage carriage], nibasha[luggage cart pulled by horse], jinrikisha[man-pulling cart], and three wheel bicycle for commercial use[bicycle carrying the luggage equipped a rack in the front with two wheels and one wheel in the back]. The bicycle for home use was only belonging to rich people.

The second flag parade was when I was the third grade of primary school?, at fifty years anniversary for the educational system(started on 1872)? The song we were singing was, [in the house no one who do not learn and in the village no children who do not learn. already 50years now past after the educational system started]. We were singing without knowing what this song actually means. But I remember very clearly the words of the song.

But now by recollecting to sing that song, very strong emotion hits my heart. Around that time, we children were all wearing short Japanese kimono: kongasuri(a dark blue kimono with pattern of splashes on) with their knee fully exposed and also wearing geta (Japanese wooden footgear) or zori(sandals made of straw and covered with cloth).

By thinking back for that time, my heart is filled with deep emotion.

Rifurei

]]> The Imperial train (by Rifurei ) https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=123 https://www2.mellow-club.org/densho_en/modules/d3forum/index.php?post_id=123 My memories around 1923-1924(Taisho year 12-13) when I was in primary school.As the location of my school was near Kisei main line(former Sanngu line), school children used to welcome to and send off the Imperial train for the Royal family's visit to the ... Wed, 20 Jul 2005 07:35:28 +0900 Database for Personal Experiences and Records Times of Taisho My memories around 1923-1924(Taisho year 12-13) when I was in primary school.

As the location of my school was near Kisei main line(former Sanngu line), school children used to welcome to and send off the Imperial train for the Royal family's visit to the Grand shrine of Ise. [Imperial train means the train prepared for the journey of Emperor, Empress and prince]

Pupils of the upper class, in class unit in turn, stood in one row facing the train track (around 30 meters near to the track) setting up the scheduled time for the passing of the Imperial Train.

When the Imperial Train was approaching, the teacher of the class shouted a command, "Attention. Profound bow". Then the Imperial Train was passing by.

Two steam locomotive engines were pulling the Imperial train. The reason why two engines were there, they said, was just in case of trouble of engine.

It is the story that we cannot believe it these days.

Rifurei


(Taisho era (1912-1926),
Transportation Museum (Tokyo) possession)


(Around Showa 1955,
Transportation Museum possession)]]>