かやぶきの里　Kayabuki-no-sato

　　

　美山町北集落は、茅葺き民家が多く残る地区です。かつて日本海沿岸から京の都へと続く「鯖街道」として栄えた当時の景観を残しつつ、人々の暮らしが続いています。

　この地域の茅葺き屋根の独特な形状は、「北山型」と呼ばれます。明治時代以前に建てられたこれらの民家は、地域の人々の手で守られており、その維持の取組には集落周辺の土地活用も欠かせません。由良川を挟んで集落の向こう側は、毎年11月下旬から、屋根を葺くカヤを共同作業で刈る「茅場」。一軒の屋根を葺くのに必要な茅は、この地域で1年間に刈り取られる量でまかないきれないほどです。その場で良い茅を選り分け、束ねて立たせ、半年乾燥させます。屋根の茅は、囲炉裏の煙で燻されることにより長持ちしますが、火を焚く機会の減った近年は20～25年ごとに葺き替えを要します。

　The village of Kita is located along the ancient Saba Kaido, of Makerel Highway, which linked Kyoto City to the Japan Sea to the north. The distinct thantched roof houses found in the villages of this area are known as constructions in Kitayama-North Mountain-Style. In order to maintain these traditional dwellings, some of which are over 150 years old, the contemporary inhabitants of Kita must also manage the surrounding landscape. Across the Yura River from the village lies the field designated for harvesting thatch. This task is communally managed each November as collected thatch is checked for quality, bundled, stacked, and set in the field to dry.

  Since the adoption of gas cooking stoves, roofs must be re-thatched every 20-25years. This period is about half of the time they previously lasted, when they were preserved by smoke rising from the indoor cooking hearth. As replacing a single roof requires more thatch than can be harvested from the three village fields together, preserving the traditional architecture now requires much additional grassland.

 

かやぶきの里の桜　Cherry trees of Kayabuki-no-sato

 

初夏のかやぶきの里　Early summer Village

 

茅場　Thatch field

 

雪灯籠　Snow lantern

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