いのちのめぐる家づくり
恵那、かやぶきプロジェクト
The House with a Thatched Roof
新しい結の形
/ Introduction2017年4月、岐阜県恵那市に佇む一軒の茅葺(かやぶき)民家の修復を始めました。30年以上もシートをかぶったまま時が止まっていた屋根。雨が漏れ始めそろそろ限界を迎えていたため、傷んだ柱や桁を修復し、古い屋根をはがし、新しい茅(かや)で屋根を葺いてこの家を家族が暮らせる家に再生したいと思います。大工さんや茅葺職人さんから技を学びながら、みんなの力で仕上げるお家にしたい。簡単ではないし、時間も掛かるけれど、昔は地域の「結」で守ってきたこの家を今度は私たちが受け継ぎます。
In April 2017, we started the renovation project of an old house in Ena. The house originally had a thatched roof when it was first built 150 years ago, but the roof has been covered by a huge plastic sheet for more than 30 years. The rainwater leaks from the damaged roof last year, which spurred us into action. We started the renovation by repairing the damaged pillars and beams first, then started to replace the grass roof. Through this renovation project, we are rediscovering and learning the traditional techniques from skilled carpenters and thatchers. Having some supports from the professionals, we try to complete as much of the work as possible by ourselves. This is not an easy challenge, will take long time and needs many supports. But this is the similar way that people in the past had continued since long time ago. Now it's our turn !
築150年の茅葺民家
150-year old約150年前にできた立派な茅葺のお家。時代は変わり、屋根の葺き替えをできなくなってから30年以上、茅葺屋根をすっぽりシートで包まれて風雪に耐えてきました。ここが私たちの現場です。
The locals say this house has been here for more than 150 years. The roof had been covered by the huge plastic sheet for over 30 years until it was taken off last year. The clock began to tick again.なぜ今茅葺?
Why thatching today?茅葺きは一人ではできない、そこが楽しい！
Working together
循環する茅
昔はどこの里山にも「茅場」と呼ばれる茅を育てる草原がありました。茅が枯れる冬、村人が総出で茅を刈り、刈り取った茅を各家に持ち帰り屋根裏で保管します。
集落内で屋根の葺替えが必要になった時には、村人は各家で保管されていた茅を持って集まります。そして、職人さんを中心に村人が協力して古くなった茅を屋根から下ろし、村人が持ち寄った新しい茅で屋根を葺き替えます。役目を終えた古い茅は、肥料として畑などにすきこまれて土に帰ります。
There used to be many grasslands called kayaba where people raised kaya grasses (or rushes) for thatching anywhere in the countryside.
In winter, villagers cultivate and gather grasses in the kayaba and store them in the roof spaces of their houses.
When the house in the village needs to repair the roof, the villagers bring their stock of kaya grasses to the house.
Thatchers and villagers work together and take old kaya grasses off the roof and renew it with the new grasses.
The old kaya grasses taken off from the roof would be brought to the farm field to fertilize the land again.茅葺は一人で維持することが難しい
葺き替えの作業は、屋根の上の人、下で準備する人、屋根裏で作業する人、多くの人の手が必要。だからこそ、人と人、地域と地域の交流の拠点になります。かつて地域の「結」が担ってきた役割を、これからは各地から集まる人々が作る大きな「結」で担いたい。ある茅葺職人さんが「茅葺民家に懐かしさを感じるのは、それに携わった多くの人々の想いを感じるから」と仰っていました。無機質でデザインばかりを追及した家が多い今、「人」が作る「大事な人」のための家。そんな家が増えてほしいと思います。
Restoring an old thatched roof needs lots of work of thatchers and their assistants who work beneath the roof. In the past, only the locals worked as the assistants, but today anyone can join to help them and touch the real work. It was a burden for the locals in the past, but now it changed to a joy for us. A house with thatched roof has a natural warmth and friendliness. That is because, I believe, we're able to feel the people's effort or joy in the past hidden in the history of the roof. I would like people to choose the "warm" house that someone made for somebody like this, rather than just a fancy design house made in a factory.くらしを大事にする暮らし
Important Things in Life⼭々に囲まれ、その合間に真っ⻘な空が⾒える場所。町中で暮らしている私たちにとっては美しすぎる⾃然そのままの光景がここにはあります。人々の暮らしは随分と変わってきたけれど、変わらず残りつづけてきたこの家とこの景色。前の世代から、今を経て、次の世代に繋いでいく。それによって生まれる人の繋がりを大切に。
Black starry night seen over the mountains. For the people who visit here from where they live in the city, this village seems almost too beautiful . The modern city lifestyle is changing very fast, but here life moves at a slower pace. It reminds us of the important things in life. We'd like to value what we inherited from the previous generation, and pass it on to the next.
茅刈りをしよう！
Kayaba grass field茅とは、ススキやヨシなどの草を屋根の材料として使うときの総称。かつて、どこの里山にも「茅場」と呼ばれる草原、いわば屋根に使う茅を育てる畑がありました。茅葺きは、屋根を葺くための茅を刈って集めることが出発点。と同時に、茅場は生き物にとっても大事な住処、かやねずみやモズなど多くの生き物が暮らすフィールドです。毎年茅を刈って茅場を維持することで、草原の小さな仲間たちのねぐらを作ります。
Kaya is a collective term of the grasses like straw when people use it for roofing. People used to maintain the grass fields called Kayaba where they raised kaya grass for roofing. Maintaining Kayaba is important not only for human, but also for many small animals because it leads to keep the rich habitat for animals.
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