2025.06.26
伝検通信（メルマガ）週刊メールマガジン「伝検通信」 第63号
週刊メールマガジン「伝検通信」第63号をお届けします。
今週のトップ記事は、白洲信哉さんの「多様なるジャパン」の第８回。目にも涼しい「和ガラス」の器をめぐる話題です。
「クイズで肩慣らし」は、前回クイズの答え・解説と、伝統文化の問題です。
第２回伝検は現在実施中で、こちらから申し込みを受け付けていま
伝検公式教材・参考書・サイト https://denken-test.jp/
目次
・ 「多様なるジャパン」 第8回 和ガラス
・ 「クイズで肩慣らし」 第62回＝「伝統文化」
・ 伝検協会だより
「多様なるジャパン」 第8回 和ガラス
白洲信哉＝文筆家、日本伝統文化検定協会副会長
氷コップ（個人蔵）
梅雨入りし夏至を迎える頃、僕は食器棚の奥にしまっていた夏昼食の定番である素麺（そうめん）用の器、俗に「氷コップ」と呼ばれる大きめのガラス鉢を引っ張り出す。タイトルの「和ガラス」然（しか）り耳慣れない言葉だと思うが、どちらもメード・イン・ジャパンのガラス製品のことを指す。
わが国にガラスが伝わったのは弥生時代と考えられてはいるが、生活容器としてガラス製品が知られるようになるのは、１６世紀中頃に、かのザビエル他宣教師などから伝えられた「びいどろ」や１８世紀後半から１９世紀中頃にかけてオランダ舶来の「ぎやまん」と呼んだ無色で良質なガラスの登場まで待つことになる。
前者の舶来品に触発され日本人が独自に開発したのが和製のびいどろで、素地の製法や意匠についても工夫し、１８世紀初めには質も高くひとつの工芸品として完成域に達した型吹き食器が生まれる。後者に至っては渡来後間もなく、欧州のカットグラスを手本にしながらも素地や製法が全く異なる似て非なる日本製品が誕生したのである。
僕は普段から「用の美」に徹した生活を心がけてはいるが、江戸期和製びいどろはとても薄く脆（もろ）く、和製ぎやまんの代表で世界水準に照らしても遜色のないカットグラス「薩摩切子」はその品格と完成度が高すぎるが故に、もっぱら僕の愛用品は、明治後期から大正時代に出現した「氷菓器」、冒頭に記した氷コップである。
氷コップは宙吹きとプレスガラスに分かれるが、形や模様が多様な宙吹きが圧倒的に趣深く、名もない職人が西洋の模倣から離れ主に東京で製造された。溶けるような焦点の合わない乳白色が特徴で、ガラス質の気泡にもゆらゆら感があり、また手作りのため同型の物はない一点物、特に夏の強い太陽の光を通すとさまざまな色に千変万化、見ているだけで涼しくなってくる。色彩豊かな「日本の色」にバリエーションの豊富さと姿形の愛らしさから、昨今人気沸騰中、「和ガラス」の華と言っていい。
ちなみに「氷コップ」の「氷」とはかき氷のこと。かき氷の歴史は古く「枕草子」に記述があり、旧暦６月１日（本年６月２５日）に宮中では「氷の節会」という行事が催されていた。一部の特権階級の嗜好（しこう）品であった氷が、明治２年横浜で初めてのかき氷屋が誕生し次第に普及する中で、それに似合ったアイテムが仕上がったのである。季節に合わせ食器を選ぶことで、コンビニのアイスでもこれに移し食せば、一味違う味に感じられるのは気のせいではないと思う。願わくは機械による均一の製品か手作りか、使う中で意識しつつ見極める眼を養ってほしい。
「クイズで肩慣らし」 第62回＝「伝統文化」
～伝統文化に関するさまざまな話題をクイズ形式でお届けします～
正倉院にある香木の写真（「ColBase」（https://colbase.nich.go.jp/）をもとに作成）
第62回
問題：平安時代に香りを比べて判定する遊び（薫物合：たきものあわせ）が流行したように、香は日本の重要な文化でした。天下一の名香とうたわれ、奈良・正倉院に所蔵される香木を何というでしょう。（答えと解説は次号で）
相国寺承天閣美術館で特別公開された絵画（写真／時事）
【前回の問題と答え・解説】
問題：江戸時代中期に活躍し、極彩色の鶏や草花などを精緻に描き、「奇想の画家」と呼ばれている絵師は誰でしょう。
答え：伊藤若冲（いとう・じゃくちゅう）
解説：伊藤若冲は京都の青物問屋の出身。高価な画材を惜しみなく使用して、動植物を独自の色彩感覚と緻密な筆致で描きました。国内外で人気が高く、展覧会は毎回大にぎわいです。大作の「絹本著色動植綵絵（けんぼんちゃくしょくどうしょくさいえ）」３０幅は国宝に指定されています。
伝検協会だより
▼東海地区を中心に活動する「ＢＯＹＳ ＡＮＤ ＭＥＮ」（ボーイズ・アンド・メン、略称ボイメン）のメンバーで、伝検マスター（２級合格者）の本田剛文さんが７月２０日（日）午後２時から１時間半、伝統文化に関するトークライブ「伝トーク」第１回を開催することになり、伝検協会が後援します。会場は東京・東銀座の時事通信ビル１３階「ラウンジ日比谷」。本田さんが自身の体験に基づく伝統文化の魅力を伝え、お笑い芸人から狂言師になった石井康太さんをゲストに迎えて伝統芸能を語り合います。現在、前売り券を発売中です。
イベント案内やチケット購入はこちら
https://t.livepocket.jp/e/
【編集後記】
先週のクイズで東大赤門(2年後には２００周年とのこと、記念切手も作られています)の由来が解説されていましたが、建築に関連する調べ物をしていて、「らちがあかない」の「埒（らち）」（囲いやしきりのこと）、「うだつがあがらない」の「?（うだつ）」（屋根を支える短い柱、その後、装飾がついた防火壁にも）など、住環境が日常語になったものに触れて、改めて面白いと思いました。クイズからもさまざま学べます。バックナンバーはこちらからどうぞ。（坂本）
【English version】
Weekly e-newsletter Denken Tsushin, No. 63.
We are pleased to present the 63rd issue of our weekly e-newsletter, Denken Tsushin.
This week's top article is the eighth edition of Shinya Shirasu's “Diverse Japan”. The topic is Japanese glassware, which is cool to the eye.
In the “Let's Practice with Quizzes” section, you'll find answers and explanations to the previous quiz, as well as questions on traditional culture.
The 2nd DENKEN is currently underway and applications can be made here. Please make use of the official textbooks and online courses below.
Official Denken teaching materials, reference books and website: https://denken-test.jp/official_text/
Table of contents
- Diverse Japan - Vol. 8: Japanese Glass
- “Let's Practice with Quizzes” - Vol. 62: ‘Traditional Culture’
- From the Dendo Kensa Kyokai
Diverse Japan, Vol. 8: Japanese Glass
Shinya Shirasu = writer, vice-president of the Japanese Traditional Culture Certification Association
Ice cups (private collection).
Around the time the rainy season begins and the summer solstice approaches, I pull out a large glass bowl for somen noodles, a staple of summer lunches, and a glass bowl commonly called an “ice cup”, which I had stored away in the back of a cupboard. The title “Japanese glass” is probably an unfamiliar term, but both refer to made-in-Japan glassware.
Although it is thought that glass was introduced to Japan during the Yayoi period, it was not until the mid-16th century that glass products became known as everyday containers, with the introduction of “biidoro” from Xavier and other missionaries in the 16th century, and “giyaman” (colourless, high-quality glass) imported from the Netherlands in the late 18th to mid-19th centuries. The first two were introduced in the late 18th to mid-19th centuries.
Inspired by the former, the Japanese developed their own biidoro and devised the manufacturing process and design of the base material, producing high-quality, mould-blown tableware that reached the stage of perfection as a craft at the beginning of the 18th century. By the beginning of the 18th century, high-quality kata-blown tableware had reached the stage of perfection as a craft.
Although I usually try to live my life with a focus on the beauty of use, Japanese biidoro from the Edo period is very thin and brittle, and the cut glass Satsuma Kiriko, which is a representative of Japanese gyanban and comparable to world-class cut glass, has too much dignity and perfection, so that my favourite products are exclusively those from the late Meiji to Taisho periods, such as the The ice cups mentioned at the beginning of this article are called “ice cups”.
Ice cups were divided into space-blown and pressed glass, but space-blown ice cups, with their variety of shapes and patterns, were by far the most atmospheric, and were produced mainly in Tokyo by unknown craftsmen who had moved away from Western imitation. Characterised by a milky white colour with an unfocused melting effect, the glassy bubbles have a wavering effect, and because they are handmade, no two pieces are identical. The abundance of variation in the richly coloured Japanese colours and the loveliness of the shape have seen their popularity soar in recent years, and it is fair to say that they are the flower of “Japanese glass”.
Incidentally, the “ice” in “ice cups” refers to shaved ice. The history of shaved ice dates back as far as the Pillow Book, and on 1 June of the lunar calendar (25 June of this year), an event called the “ice festival” was held at court. Ice had been a luxury item for the privileged few, but with the first shaved ice shop opening in Yokohama in 1869 and its gradual spread, items were created to suit the occasion. By choosing tableware that matches the season, even ice cream from convenience stores tastes different if you eat it on this. Hopefully, you will develop an eye for whether the products are uniformly made by machine or handmade, and become aware of this as you use them.
“Let's Practice with Quizzes” No. 62 = “Traditional culture”
- Various topics related to traditional culture are presented in quiz format -.
Photograph of an incense tree in the Shosoin (based on “ColBase”, https://colbase.nich.go.jp/).
Vol. 62
question: Incence was an important part of Japanese culture, as evidenced by the popularity of the Heian-period game of takimonoawase, in which people compared and judged different aromas. What is the name of the fragrant wood that is said to be the most famous fragrance under heaven and is kept in the Shosoin Repository in Nara? (Answers and explanations will appear in the next issue.)
Paintings on special display at the Shokokuji Joutenkaku Art Museum (Photo/Jiji).
[Previous question, answer and explanation]
Question: who is the painter active in the mid-Edo period who painted exquisite pictures of chickens, plants and flowers in extreme colours, and is known as the “painter of strange ideas”?
Answer: Jakuchu Ito
Explanation: Ito Jakuchu was born in Kyoto to a greengrocery wholesaler. He used expensive painting materials sparingly and painted animals and plants with a unique sense of colour and precise brushwork. His paintings are popular both in Japan and abroad, and his exhibitions are always very popular. The 30 large paintings of his “Silk festschrift” have been designated national treasures.
From DENKEN Association
▼ Takefumi Honda, a member of BOYS AND MEN (Boyz and Men, abbreviated as Boimen) and a DENKEN Master (level 2 pass), who is active mainly in the Tokai region, will hold the first edition of DENKEN Talk, a talk live event on traditional culture, on Sunday 20 July from 2pm for one and a half hours. The event will be supported by the Denken Association. The venue is Lounge Hibiya on the 13th floor of the Jiji Press Building in Higashi-Ginza, Tokyo. Mr Honda will share the fascination of traditional culture based on his own experiences and discuss traditional arts with comedian-turned-kyogen performer Kota Ishii as a guest. Advance tickets are now on sale.
For event information and to purchase tickets:
https://t.livepocket.jp/e/wkvdj
Editor's Postscript
Last week's quiz explained the origin of the University of Tokyo's Red Gate (which will celebrate its 200th anniversary in two years' time, and a commemorative postage stamp has been produced), and in doing some research related to architecture, I came across some everyday words for the living environment, such as “rauchi” for “rauchi ga araku” (meaning “no rauchi”) and “udatsu” for “udatsu ga araku” (short pillar supporting a roof, which later became a decorative fire wall). It was interesting to be reminded of the everyday language of the living environment, such as “udatsu” (a short pillar supporting a roof, later also used for firewalls with decorations). You can also learn various things from the quiz. Back numbers can be found here.
カテゴリー: 伝検通信（メルマガ）