カテゴリー別アーカイブ: 自然学校の活動

２日目は、白神自然学校遊々の森で白神山地の自然保護活動の一つであるブナの森復元再生プロジェクトに参画するということで、４年物のブナの苗木の植林活動を行いました。

初めて使う道具に戸惑いながら約３０センチメートルの穴を掘り、ブナの苗木を植えた後、暑いので水をたっぷりかけて足で踏み固めました。最後は全員で記念のポーズです。フランス人のMargot LITZLERさんは飛行機のチケットがとれず一日早くフランスに戻りました。

On the second day, we planted four-year-old beech saplings at the Shirakami Nature School’s Yuujin-no-mori forest, as part of our participation in the Beech Forest Restoration and Regeneration Project, one of the nature conservation activities in the Shirakami Mountain Range. Bewildered by the tools that they were using for the first time, they dug a hole of about 30 centimeters, planted the beech saplings, and then, because it was hot, poured plenty of water on them and stomped on them with their feet. At the end, everyone posed together for a commemorative pose. Frenchman Margot Litzler returned to France a day early because she could not get a plane ticket.On the second day, we planted four-year-old beech saplings at the Shirakami Nature School’s Yuujin-no-mori forest, as part of our participation in the Beech Forest Restoration and Regeneration Project, one of the nature conservation activities in the Shirakami Mountain Range. Bewildered by the tools that they were using for the first time, they dug a hole of about 30 centimeters, planted the beech saplings, and then, because it was hot, poured plenty of water on them and stomped on them with their feet. At the end, everyone posed together for a commemorative pose. Frenchman Margot Litzler returned to France a day early because she could not get a plane ticket.

午前中深浦町から鰺ケ沢町に移動し植林をしたら、鰺ケ沢町を代表する「ヒラメの漬け丼」を試食した。深浦町はマグステ丼ですが、鰺ケ沢町はヒラメの漬け丼です。共に新鮮な魚が捕れるから提供できる名物に満足していました。その後は、鰺ケ沢町の海の駅を訪問し、農産物やお土産店を周り、国の家族にと、りんごを使ったパイ等を高に有していました。

In the morning, we moved from Fukaura town to Ajigasawa town for tree planting and tasted a typical Ajigasawa town dish, “Donburi”, which is a bowl of rice topped with pickled flatfish. Fukaura town has a bowl of rice topped with maguste and Ajigasawa town has a bowl of rice topped with pickled flatfish. Both were satisfied with the specialty that they can offer because they can catch fresh fish. After that, they visited the sea station in Ajigasawa town, went around agricultural products and souvenir stores, and bought a pie made of apple and other products for their family in the country.

津軽三十三観音霊場の一つ、日照田の霊場には１１８段の階段があり、その階段を登り切ったところに社(やしろ)が建っている、参加者はひいひいいいながら登り切った。中々普段の生活から離れる事を意味する霊場は、普段登ったことがない階段の数で目的が達成されたかも知れない。

The sacred site in Hishoda, one of the 33 sacred sites of the Tsugaru Kannon, has 118 steps, and a shrine stands at the top of the steps. The participants climbed up the 118 steps with great difficulty. The sacred site is meant to be a place where one can get away from one’s normal life, and the number of steps, which were not usually climbed, may have accomplished the purpose.

津軽統一の為に種里地区に居城を構えた大浦光信公が祭られているこの地区は、大浦光信公の合祀され歴代津軽家が訪れている。社には馬が祭られていて、武将を守る神社として祭られているという話しを白八幡宮と種里八幡宮の宮司を兼ねている奈良さんから聞き、神妙な面持ちで訪れた。

以上が二日間のモニターツアーである。また、参加者は青森の夏の伝統祭りでもある五所川原市の立佞武多や弘前市のねぷたも見学した。

フェステバルすばらしいと五所川原市の立佞武多の囃子に併せて踊っていたのがとても印象深かった。全員が北国のこの企画にとても満足して日本を後にした。日本人の若者も、ねぶた祭りに圧倒されていた。その後京都・奈良、そして徳島玄の阿波踊りにも参加するという日本を知り尽くそうという意欲は続いていた。最後は本当に日本を満喫して、日本大好き人間となってSNSで情報発信したり、リピーターとして再来日してくれるだろう。

This area is dedicated to Mitsunobu Oura, who built a castle in the Tanezato district to unify Tsugaru, and has been enshrined together and visited by successive generations of the Tsugaru family. Mr. Nara, who also serves as the chief priest of Shirohachimangu Shrine and Tanesato Hachimangu Shrine, told us that a horse is enshrined at the shrine to protect the warlord, and we listen to that story humbly. This was the end of the two-day monitoring tour. The participants also visited Goshogawara City’s Tachineputa and Hirosaki City’s Neputa, both of which are traditional summer festivals in Aomori. It was very impressive that they danced to the music of the wonderful festival and Goshogawara City’s Tachineputa. Everyone left Japan satisfied with this northern project. The Japanese youth were also overwhelmed by the Nebuta Festival. They continued their desire to get to know Japan by participating in the Awa Odori dance in Kyoto, Nara, and Tokushima Gen. In the end, they truly enjoyed Japan, and will become Japan lovers who will be sharing information on SNS and coming back to Japan as repeat visitors. Hirosaki Neputa

弘前ねぷた

五所川原　立佞武多

Goshogawara Tachineputa

今回、イタリア・フランス・台湾・日本の大学生・高校生に鰺ケ沢町の町中と西海岸周辺の観光地、そして白神山地でのアクティブな取り組みとサステナブルなボランテイア活動を体験してもらいました。

参加したインバウンドの方や日本の皆さんは、白神山地並びに鰺ケ沢町が大好きな町となってくれました。

特に、鰺ケ沢町で日本文化に触れられたことはとてもうれしいと話てくれました。

このモニターツアー開催後に京都・奈良にもでかけるという方もいましたが、小さな町だからこそできる、温かい人と人の交流がとても感動だったみたいです。お別れの時は全員ハグしてJR鰺ケ沢駅前でお別れしました。

また、いつか日本にくる機会があったら連絡すると話して別れました。

This time, we invited university and high school students from Italy, France, Taiwan, and Japan to experience active engagement and sustainable volunteer activities in the town of Ajigasawa, tourist attractions around the west coast, and Shirakami Sanchi (Mountains).   The inbound visitors and the Japanese participants loved the Shirakami Mountains and Ajigasawa Town. Especially, they were very happy to be able to experience Japanese culture in Ajigasawa.   Some of the participants said that they will visit Kyoto and Nara after the tour, and they were very impressed by the welcoming atmosphere in this small town. When it was time to say goodbye, they all hugged each other and said goodbye in front of JR Ajikazawa station.   They said goodbye and promised that they would keep in touch when they come back to Japan again.

最初に鰺ケ沢町を代表する魚屋「加藤鮮魚店」で日本海の魚を見学し、大きな魚や初めて見る魚に驚いて、魚の名前や十三湖のシジミ貝について聞いていた。

First we went to “Kato Fresh Fish Store”, a fish shop representing Ajigasawa town, to see fish from the Sea of Japan. They were surprised to see big fish and fish they saw for the first time, and asked about the names of fish and about the Shijimi clam in Lake Jusan.

港町の鰺ケ沢町を一望できる天童山に登り、天童山と鰺ケ沢町の歴史を知ると共に、天気の良い日は北海道や秋田県の男鹿半島までも望める天童山の景色に感動していた。また、常夜灯があり、昔の船乗りの位置を確認する現代の灯台の役目を果たしたことにも、日本の海の歴史を知った。

They climbed up Mt. Tendo where they could overlook the port town of Ajigasawa, learned about the history of Mt. Tendo and Ajigasawa, and were impressed by the view of Mt. Tendo where they could even see Hokkaido and Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture on a fine day. They also learned about the history of Japan’s oceans, as well as the fact that there was a nightlight that served as a modern-day lighthouse to check the location of sailors in the old days.

鰺ケ沢町は北前船の寄港地として栄えたという歴史で残っている城八幡宮神社には、当時の船主が残した絵馬がたくさん寄贈されていた。宮司の奈良さんから、その話を聞きながらお宮に寄進されている絵馬を鑑賞させて頂いた。また、鰺ケ沢町は津軽藩の御用達港として、この津軽地域繁栄に貢献した事も商会され、歴史のある町であることを初めて知った。

They climbed up Mt. Tendo where they could overlook the port town of Ajigasawa, learned about the history of Mt. Tendo and Ajigasawa, and were impressed by the view of Mt. Tendo where they could even see Hokkaido and Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture on a fine day. They also learned about the history of Japan’s oceans, as well as the fact that there was a nightlight that served as a modern-day lighthouse to check the location of sailors in the old days.

鰺ケ沢町は京都・大阪方面から様々な物資や文化が運ばれてきた。また、北海道からこんぶやわかめ等が運ばれてきたが、京都の各宗派が多くお寺を構えた港町でもあり、そのお寺街が黒塀を残している。そのお寺の一つ、曹洞宗 高澤寺(こうたくじ)において、修行の一つである「禅体験」を体験した。

また、裏千家の日本茶を頂く機会を得た。北国の小さな町での日本を代表する文化に触れる機会を持ち、参加した外国人(イタリア・フランス・台湾、そして日本の大学生達)は、とても神妙に気持ちで日本文化に踏めることができて感動していた。

Ajigasawa town has brought various goods and culture from Kyoto and Osaka area. It was also a port town where many temples of various religious sects in Kyoto were located, and the black walls of the temple town are still there. At one of these temples, Koutakuji Temple of the Soto sect, I experienced Zen, a form of ascetic training. He also had the opportunity to enjoy a Japanese tea ceremony by the Urasenke school. The foreigners (Italian, French, Taiwanese, and Japanese university students) who participated in the tour were moved by the opportunity to experience representative Japanese culture in a small town in the north of Japan.

この日の昼食は、道の液ふかうらのまぐろの漬け定食(日替わり定食)を頂いた。深浦町の本マグロの漁獲量は日本一という話しを聞きながら試食した。
イタリア人の小学校の教師のアニータさんは、マグロは、大間のマグロが有名だが、深浦マグロとの違いは？と質問があり、深浦町の小さなマグロが津軽海峡に移動して、津軽海峡の流れの中でもまれたマグロが、大間マグロだと話を聞き、驚いていた。

For lunch that day, we had a set meal of pickled tuna (daily set meal) at Michi no Ryokubu Fukaura. We tasted it while listening to a story about Fukaura Town having the largest catch of tuna in Japan. Anita, an Italian elementary school teacher, asked what the difference was between the tuna from Oma, which is famous, and the tuna from Fukaura. She was surprised to hear that the small tuna from Fukaura town moved to the Tsugaru Straits and the tuna that was caught in the currents of the Tsugaru Straits is the Oma tuna.

この日のモニターツアーの最後は深浦町の十二湖でした。十二湖が江戸時代の地震と土砂崩れでできたカルデラ湖である事や十二湖の名前の由来の説明をうけた。その後、青池を目指して歩いていく途中の湖の色がグリーン色なのがとても気になったみたいで、何でグリーンなのかとガイドに聞いてきた。それは、青池を見たら質問してねと言われ、青池を見て、二度びっくりで、何でここだけ青いのと聞いてきて、伏流水といって地下水より深い場所からの成分の水と太陽の光の屈折によっておこる変化によってこの色がでると説明したらダイヤモンドみたいだと感激していた。

The last stop of the day’s monitoring tour was at Lake Juniko in Fukaura Town. The tour guide explained that the Twelve Lakes are caldera lakes created by an earthquake and landslide during the Edo period (1603-1868) and the origin of the name “Twelve Lakes. After that, he was very curious about the green color of the lake on the way to Aoike, and asked the guide why it was green. When I explained to him that this color was caused by the refraction of the sun’s rays and the water from deeper than groundwater, which is called subterranean water, he was impressed that it looked like a diamond.

この日の宿は、深浦観光ホテルでした。日本海の夕日をみながら露店風呂に入ろうと、お薦めしていたのですが、あぶが多く入れませんでした。でも日本の温泉はとても気持ちがいいと台湾のシュンさんが言っていました。

イタリア人のAnita ARIOLAさんやフランス人のMargot LITZLERさんも、温泉は大丈夫といい入っていました。

一日目は、ここで終了し就寝しました。

The hotel for the day was the Fukaura Kanko Hotel. I had recommended taking an open-air bath while watching the sunset over the Sea of Japan, but there were too many flies in the water, so I could not enter. However, Mr. Shun from Taiwan said that Japanese hot springs are very pleasant. Anita Ariola from Italy and Margot Litzler from France also enjoyed the hot spring. The first day ended here and we went to bed.