Akashi Jiro - Akashi Jiro

Japanese: 明石次郎 - あかし・じろう

Year of death: September 2, 1679 (October 6, 1679)
Year of birth: 16th January 16th (1620.2.19)
A legendary figure who is said to have brought the weaving technique of chijimi to Ojiya in Echigo Province (Niigata Prefecture) in the early Edo period. His real name was Hori Jiro Masatoshi, and Akashi Jiro was his nickname. He was a samurai of the Matsudaira clan of Akashi Domain, but after a period of wandering, he settled in the Ojiya region at the beginning of the Kanbun era (around 1661). Linen had been produced in Ojiya since ancient times, but Akashi is said to have invented chijimi fabric by tightly twisting the weft thread, and developed high-quality chijimi fabric suitable for summer with various stripes and white patterns. From the latter half of the 17th century, Ojiya chijimi gained a reputation in the three major cities as a high-quality linen fabric. In commemoration of his achievements, Akashido was built at Gokurakuji Temple (Ojiya City), and festivals are held twice a year, in spring and autumn. <References> Nishiwaki Shinjiro, "Ojiya Chijimi History," Kodama Shozaburo, "Research on the History of Echigo Chijimi"

(Masayuki Tanimoto)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：延宝7.9.2(1679.10.6)
生年：元和6.1.16(1620.2.19)
江戸前期に越後国(新潟県)小千谷に縮布の製織技術を伝えたとされる伝説的な人物。本名は堀次郎将俊で明石次郎は通称。明石藩松平家の武士であったが,流浪の末に,寛文の初めごろ(1661年頃),小千谷地方に住みついた。小千谷では古くから麻布の生産が行われていたが,明石は緯糸に強い撚りをかける縮布を考案し,種々の縞や飛白模様の夏向き高級縮布を開発したといわれる。この17世紀後半以降,小千谷縮は高級麻布として三都でも声価を高めていく。功績を讃えて極楽寺(小千谷市)に建てられた明石堂では春秋2回,祭事が催されている。<参考文献>西脇新次郎『小千谷縮布史』,児玉彰三郎『越後縮布史の研究』

(谷本雅之)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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