Cultural inheritance by old teller of out-going farming “Dezukuri”

a study on Seinaiji community in Achi-mura village, Nagano as an ecomuseum

Abstract

Seinaiji district of Achi-mura village, Nagano have been keeping the custom of “out-going” farming called “Dezukuri”. With its steep slopes and deep gorges, it has few patches of plain-land. Under such circumstances, the villagers cultivate on the mountain slope and build a small house in which they stay during summer. But with the development of modern commercial economy and social change, the unique life style has declined with only a few exceptions. This study describes how they managed to maintained the mountain houses and what needs for the cultural inheritance by old peoples who tells stories about the life.