Title:
奴道中 (yakko dōchū)
attendant on the road
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This top depicts a samurai attendant. During the Edo Period (1600-1868), daimyō (military lords) were required to travel to the capital of Edo (modern day Tokyo) on alternating years to reside there. Travel across the country took place in long processions of the daimyō and their retainers and servants. These processions were a point of pride for each individual province and local ruler, and could include as many as several thousand men. At the forefront of these processions were bannermen, who carried spears or flags, and called out for commoners to clear a path for the daimyō’s party to move through the road. Here, Hiroi-sensei has made a top of one of these bannermen.
奴さんの独楽。江戸時代（1600-1868年）、大名は参勤交代のために江戸（現在の東京）に住むことが義務付けられていたので、江戸まで旅をしなければならなかった。家臣や家来を引き連れて大名行列をなし国々をまたいで旅をした。それぞれの国や地主の誇りに関わる大事だったので、数千人を動員することもあった。大名行列の先頭には旗や槍を持つ旗持ちがおり、大名のために道を開けるように庶民に掛け声をかける。廣井先生はこの旗持ちを独楽で作った。
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Click the following links for more detailed information on the top, a video of Hiroi-sensei explaining his work, and English and Japanese transcripts:
こちらのリンクをクリックすると独楽についての詳しい情報、廣井先生が作品について説明された際の映像、日英のインタビュー記録がご覧いただけます:
- 奴道中 (attendant on the road) English
- 奴道中 (yakko dōchū) 日本語
Carving Community: 