Hayakawa Kotaro

Folklorist. Born into an old farming family in Yokoyama, Nagashino Village, Minami Shitara County, Aichi Prefecture (now Shinshiro City). After graduating from Toyohashi Municipal School, he moved to Tokyo with the aim of becoming an artist, and became a disciple of Kuroda Seiki. This would later be put to good use in his sketches during his folklore observations. At the age of 26, he contributed an essay to the journal "Local Studies" and was recognized by Yanagita Kunio, which led him to enter the field of folklore studies. He became acquainted with Orikuchi Shinobu and Shibusawa Keizo, and showed his talent in collecting folklore. In 1930 (Showa 5), ​​he published two volumes of an extensive research book titled "Flower Festival," which included Shimotsuki Kagura, known as the flower festival of his hometown, and Dengaku, which is held as a Shusho-e festival. He also worked at the Attic Museum (now the Kanagawa University Institute of Japanese Folk Culture) where he collected folk tools. He also worked as an assistant at the Faculty of Agriculture of Kyushu Imperial University, and was active in agricultural policy.

[Masahiro Nishikadoi February 18, 2019]

"Complete Works of Hayakawa Kotaro, edited by Miyamoto Tsuneichi and Miyata Noboru, 12 volumes (1971-2003, Miraisha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

民俗学者。愛知県南設楽(みなみしたら)郡長篠(ながしの)村横山（現、新城(しんしろ)市）の農家の旧家に生まれる。豊橋市立素習学校を修了、画業を志して上京、黒田清輝(くろだせいき)の門に入るなどした。これがのちに民俗観察におけるスケッチに生かされることになった。26歳のとき、『郷土研究』に論文を寄稿して、柳田国男(やなぎたくにお)に認められ、民俗学の道に入る。折口信夫(おりくちしのぶ)、渋沢敬三らの知己も得、民俗採集に才能を発揮して1930年（昭和5）に故郷の花祭とよばれる霜月神楽(しもつきかぐら)を中心に、修正会(しゅしょうえ)として行われている田楽(でんがく)などを含めた膨大な研究書『花祭』2巻を刊行。一方「アチック・ミューゼアム」（現、神奈川大学日本常民文化研究所）に所属して民具の収集に努めた。九州帝国大学農学部の助手なども経験し、農政にも力を入れた。

［西角井正大　2019年2月18日］

『宮本常一・宮田登編『早川孝太郎全集』全12巻（1971～2003・未来社）』

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