Japanese

March 12: Samurai housing,　by Mie
	I was born in Tatsuno City on the bank of Ibo river in Hyougo prefecture. Tatsuno city is sometimes called "small Kyoto" that holds thick air of an old castle town. My father, died in January, my mother, my brothers and sisters love this small town very much. The town also features its tradition in literature. I came to Tatsuno to hold a memorial service on the 49th anniversary of my father's death. Grandchildren and a great-grandchild joined the ceremony as well. We have had a good time by looked through old albums and talked on my dead father.
On the next day, I walked around the town in the clear warm air with my old mother. Even in small old town Tatsuno, I found minor changes here and there.
	This is an old house, three minuts walk from home, recently remodeled as a museum and opened to the public. My old friend had once lived in the house. The museum holds the living atmosphere of lower class Samurai in Edo period.
Tatsuno city officials are eager to preserve the old streets according to the governmental plan sponsored by Ministry of Construction. The museum is now used as a community hall and historical archives. An old map of Tatsuno published in 1789 tells that the museum had once been a housing of a Samurai whose name was Heizaemon Shibatsuji. The main building was first constructed in 1837. It is a precious remnants of an old building used by a Samurai who could afford two servants.
This is the entrance room of the house with a shoes-off plate. I took a picture here.
	Main guest room is decorated with Hina Dolls. here in Tatsuno, people cerebrate Girls' Day in lunar calendar.
An openwork screen above the sliding partitions between two rooms tells a story of old transportation system on Ibo river.
The corridor of the main guest room and hand-washer of the rest room in the right back.
	An old kitchen is restored like this.
In-house second floor.
	A long black wall matches well with Keirou-hill in the back. My dear old elementary school is on the right.