今日の「天職人」は、愛知県小坂井町の「菟足神社の風車職人」。（平成21年12月16日毎日新聞掲載）
銀杏並木の葉を掃い 北風枝を震わせる 菟足神社の風車 子らは風待ち駆け回る 俵型した羽根回し 小槌を振れば小豆鳴る 忠実な暮らしに豊作を 祈りを運べ風車
愛知県小坂井町の加藤之康さんを訪ねた。
子どものころ風車を手に、冬枯れた田んぼの畦道を、白い息を吐き、北風に向ってどこまでも駆け続けた。
誰の風車が一番良く回るか、そんな他愛も無い理由で。
愚鈍なほどに純朴だったあの日。
いつからだろう。子どもたちが、畦道という絶好の遊び場まで放棄してしまったのは。
だからもう、そんな昭和の冬景色にはお目にかかれない。
ところでこの風車はどうしたものだ。
妙に見慣れぬ形である。
まるでアイスキャンディーの棒が、三本交差したような羽根で、しかも柄を振ると、デンデン太鼓のような音がする。
「ここらあ小坂井町の菟足神社の風車は、羽根も木製だもんで、紙の風車ほどは回らんだあ。もともとは『風まつり（4月第2土・日）』の縁日に並ぶ縁起物。俵型した6枚の羽根に、一反の田んぼで六俵の米が採れるようにと豊作を願い、『六俵』を『無病』にかけて健康を祈っただ。そいでもって心棒の先っちょにガラガラ付けて、そいつを、打ち出の小槌に見たてるだ。中には小豆が入れたるもんで、忠実に暮らせて仕事や金が、風車みたいによう回って、商売も繁盛しますようにってこったわ。ちょっと欲どしいか？」。之康さんは、経木を切る手を止めた。
之康さんは昭和14（1939）年、6人兄妹の長男として誕生。
高校を出ると乳製品製造会社に勤務。
「元々技術系が好きで、洗瓶機や検瓶機の修理が主な仕事だっただ」。
しかし勤続20年を目前に退職。
「人が出来ん仕事をしよと思っただわ」。
設備屋として独立し、ミクロの精密度が要求される、変電所の設備工事等を手掛けることに。
5人の妹を嫁に送り出し、昭和50年に近在から妻を迎えた。
だがものの4年で破局。
「縁がなかっただわ」。
おぼろげな視点のまま遠くを見つめ、微かに目を細めた。
しかしそれ以来、年老いた両親の面倒を、男手一つで最期まで看続け、平成17年に66歳で設備屋の看板を下ろした。
「仕事辞める10年ほど前から風車作りを始めただ。風車の職人が、たったの1人きりになっただもんで」。
手先の器用さは天下一品。
今さら習わずとも、子どもの頃の記憶と現物の見本で十分。
「縁の下で作る文化と、買って楽しむ文化の両方を残さなかんだわ」。
まずヒノキの経木から6枚の羽根板を切り出し、止め木に貼る。
次に中心部に太い群青色の円と、外側に緑色の円を二本描く。
俵の端は赤く、縦に藁縄の縄目を群青で描き、柄の取り付け。
そして小槌は、経木を円柱状に丸め、小豆を入れ和紙で蓋留め。
「米だと虫が喰うもんだで」。
最期に小槌を、柄の裏側に取り付ければ、素朴な風車が完成。
今より確かな明日への希望を、何人もが平等に持ち得た昭和。
風車よ、回れ！
市井の民の祈りと願いを、天に届けと回れ回れ！
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なんとカラフルな風車。
羽根の数や風車の模様と色合いは きっと意味があるんでしょうね。
去年は どこのお祭りも中止や延期になって みんなの願いを神さまに届ける事が出来なかったわけで…。
ニュースで 亡くなった方の人数が流れる度に なんでコロナなんかで亡くならなきゃいけないんだ！と悔しい思いが込み上げてきます。
今朝もお寺さんで手を合わせて来ました。祈ることしか出来なくて。
どうか天に届きますように。
見返りを求めず、ただただひたすら神仏に手を合わせる！
無力なぼくには、それしか出来ません。
でも手を合わせた数だけ、神仏と向き合った証ですから、それだけでも十分な気がしてきました。
パッと見、風車に見えなくて、目を引きますねぇ。芯棒の先に付いているガラガラに小豆が入っているとは。マメに暮らせて商売繁盛⤴️それさえあればと今の世に願うばかり。
水戸黄門のあの風車の弥七が投げると、柱や戸板には刺さりそうにないですが！
まあそれはそれ！
可愛らしいものじゃないですか！
風まつりって、ステキな響きで、由緒もありそうですね。兎も因幡の白兎を連想してしまいます。昔、友達からフランス旅行のお土産にと本物の兎の足（５センチほどの毛皮付き・縁起物）のキーホルダーをもらった事を思い出しました。
風車も、今まで見た事のないオシャレな絵柄ですね。風車の横に書いてある「おかめ」も気になりまーす♪
素朴さって、素敵なものですよねぇ。
作り手の温もりが伝わってくるようで！
「天職一芸〜あの日のpoem350」
「菟足神社の風車職人」
poemから想像しながら読みすすめていますけれども やはり天職びとは想像を遥かに超えていますね。
あ〜なんだか ほっこりしています。
昔の方の願いや祈りが、そうした手作りの玩具にも込められているんですもの。
風車といえば、弥七やな！
やっぱ、そう来なくっちゃ！
だって押しも押されもせぬ、お互い昭和半ば生まれのオッサンだもの。
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