大三島みんなの参道物語

しまなみ海道がまだ開通していなかった頃、宮浦港で船を降りて大山祇神社へと向かう人々で参道は押すな押すなの賑わいだった、と島の人から聞きます。ところが現在の参道は信じられない程寂れています。昼間でも神社の周辺を除けば観光客の姿を目にすることはほとんどなく、まして夜間人に出会うことは滅多にありません。しかし何と言っても大三島の中心は大山祇神社の参道と言えるでしょう。大三島の賑わいを取り戻すには参道の復活が不可欠です。

　参道を元気にするにはどうすればよいでしょうか。これまでも検討して参りましたが、いまいちど私達は神奈川大学曽我部・吉岡研究室と関東学院大学柳澤研究室の協力を得てこのテーマに取り組み、さまざまな提案を「大三島みんなの参道物語」と題して展示することにしました。

　提案の中心は２つあります。その第1は宮浦港周辺の整備です。宮浦港はかつて海から参道への玄関口でした。眺望も良く、すぐ近くには今治市役所の支所や大三島公民館と一体になった図書館もあります。これらのエリアをもっと街に開き、島民の人々が日々集まりたくなる場所にするにはどうすれば良いかを提案します。

　第２の提案は参道の古民家の改修です。かつて薬舗だった鈴木邸は参道でも最初期に建てられたと言われ、その佇まいは美しいのですが、傷みも激しい。この家を調査して、いずれは学校帰りの子ども達が立ち寄って楽しく過ごせる居場所にしようと考えています。子どもたちで賑わえば、参道もきっと明るくなるでしょう。

　その他、誰でも自由に自分の参道への想いを模型にして展示できるような試み、参道付近の人々へのショートインタビューの映像など参道の活性化を実現するための提案をしたいと思います。皆様のご意見をいただいて、一緒にこの参道物語を綴っていきましょう。

伊東豊雄

Stories of the Approach-for-All on Omishima

Before the Shimanami Kaido Expressway was opened, We heard from the island’s people that the approach leading to Oyamazumi Shrine after one gets off the boat from Miyaura Port was crowded with people pushing and shoving. However, the approach now is unbelievably deserted. There is hardly anyone except for a few tourists around the shrine even in the daytime, and one would hardly meet anyone during the nighttime. But after all, the approach to Oyamazumi Shrine is the center of Omishima. The revival of the approach is necessary to regain the hustle and bustle of Omishima.

What can be done to make the approach lively again? This is something that we have considered in the past, and once again, we would like to tackle this problem with the assistance of Sogabe and Yoshioka Laboratory of Kanagawa University and Yanagisawa Laboratory of Kanto Gakuin University, and exhibit the different proposals under the title “Stories of the Approach-for-All on Omishima.”

There are two main proposal directions. The first is the maintenance of the area surrounding Miyaura Port. Miyaura Port was the entrance to the approach from the sea in the past. The view is good, and nearby, there is also the Imabari City Hall branch office and a library that is part of the Community Center. Suggestions are made on further opening these areas and making them places where people on the island would want to gather daily.

The second proposal is the renovation of a kominka (traditional folk house) on the approach. Suzuki House—once a medicine shop—is said to be one of the first houses built on the approach, and although its appearance is beautiful, it is also severely damaged. We would like to conduct survey on the house and eventually turn it into a place where children can drop in and enjoy time after school. The approach will undoubtedly become brighter if it is crowded with children.

We would like to propose for the revitalization of the approach through other exhibits too, including an architectural model that allows anyone to freely display their thoughts on the approach, and short interview videos with people who live near the approach. With your opinions and ideas, let’s write the stories of the approach together.

Toyo Ito