大館曲げわっぱの歴史
「曲げ物」の伝統的工芸品は、唯一大館曲げわっぱOdate Magewappa is the only one of magemono made around Japan.
木を曲げて加工した木工品をまとめて、「曲げ物」と呼びます。日本各地で製作されている曲げ物の中で、国が伝統的工芸品に指定したものは、2020年時点で唯一大館曲げわっぱのみです。A wooden product that is processed by heating and bending is called magemono. Odate Magewappa is the only one of magemono made around Japan, which is nationally designated as a Japanese traditional craft as of 2020.
日本の曲げ物の歴史は先史時代に遡るといわれます。秋田の隣、青森では縄文時代の曲げ物が見つかっています。The history of Japanese magemono dates back prehistoric times. Similar artifacts to magemono used in the Jomon period were excavated in Aomori Prefecture, which is located just north from Akita Prefecture.
大館曲げわっぱの始まりThe Beginning of Odate Magewappa.
きこりが柾目板を使って曲げ物を作ったものが、大館曲げわっぱの始まりといわれています。915年の十和田火山の噴火により発生した泥流が家屋に流入し、火山灰に埋没した古代の曲げわっぱが、大館郷土博物館に展示されています。杉材と山桜の樺（木皮）を使った簡素な円形のわっぱです。このような曲げわっぱが、少なくとも平安時代には使われていたことがわかります。Odate Magewappa is said to originate from magemono that a lumberjack made of a straight grain board. An ancient magewappa, which had been buried under volcanic ash occurred by the eruption of the Towada volcano in 915, is exhibited in the Odate Folk Museum. It is simple round magewappa which was made of Japanese cedar lumber and a cherry bark. This type of magewappa had been used since at least the Heian period (794-1185).
市井の人々の暮らしで使われてきた曲げわっぱは、17世紀後半に大館城代によって下級武士の副業として奨励されたことで、地域の産業に発展します。江戸時代末期から近代にかけて、大館曲げわっぱの技法は武士や職人たちによって守り、受け継がれてきました。The production of magewappa, which had been popular among the common people, was encouraged as a side work for low ranked samurai by a castellan of Odate-jo Castel in the late 17th century. Then, it was developed as a part of the local industry in later years. The techniques of Odate Magewappa had been preserved by samurai and craftsmen to pass on to the next generation from the late Edo period to the modern period.
高度経済成長期、金属製や合成樹脂製の工業製品が普及したことで大館曲げわっぱの生産が衰退した時期もありましたが、1980年には国の伝統的工芸品に指定され、秋田を代表する特産品へと成長しました。The industry of Odate Magewappa once declined when manufactured products such as metal products and synthetic resin products became widespread. However, Odate Magewappa was nationally designated as a Japanese traditional craft in 1980 and became a local specialty which represents Akita.
