Suzuki Bokushi’s ‘Akiyama Kiko’ is an account of his journey from September 8 to 14, 1828, on the old lunar calendar. He traveled from Ima-Tama in Niigata Prefecture up the Nakatsu River to the Kiriaki area, where the rivers of Shinano and Echigo converge. This record includes detailed observations and interviews conducted in the canyon region, encompassing 13 scattered communities. It features sketches and notes on various aspects such as the local governance, socio-economic dependencies, tax contributions, production history, clothing, food, shelter, dialects, religious beliefs, and customs prevalent within the Akiyama region.
The document also includes scientific descriptions of the area’s historical weather conditions (snow and rain), river characteristics (routes and water volume), topography, geological features, natural gas, and prevalent diseases (smallpox), though these are not extensively detailed. Focusing on river routes and local meteorological conditions, we aim to analyze ‘Akiyama Kiko’ from a natural scientific perspective, attempting to provide proof and understanding of the region’s natural conditions.
Footnotes:
- Influenced by ‘Akiyama Kiko,’ Yanagita Kunio played a significant role in the development of folklore studies with his collection of tales and legends in ‘Tono Monogatari.’ Among these, the well-known tales about the extinction of the Japanese wolf are notably documented by ecologist and cultural anthropologist Imaizumi Kinji from a scientific perspective, highlighting ‘Tono Monogatari’ as a natural and socio-cultural chronicle encompassing the surrounding environment. French literature scholar Kuwabara Takeo also revered the memories preserved in these classical Chinese texts.
- Miyazawa Kenji discovered the widespread exposure of bluish pyroclastic mudstone along the western bank of the Kitakami River, which he fondly compared to the coasts of England. His observations note that the mudstone, indicative of a former seaside from the Tertiary period, appeared particularly clean and refreshed as it was repeatedly washed by the river’s waters.
- Isabella Bird’s ‘Unbeaten Tracks in Japan’ includes her travel notes during her voyage from Aizu to Echigo along the Agano River, documenting the local people and culture of the Agano area during her stay, providing a captivating account of the region’s conditions at the time.