日本の近代化を支えた鉱山と岩から湧き出る名水の歴史　八幡平市松尾地区の由来を探る　岩手県 (26/05/14 21:21)

The Matsuo district, located southeast of Hachimantai City in Iwate Prefecture, was originally Matsuo Village, but merged with Anshiro Town and Nishine Town in 2005 to become Hachimantai City. In the Iwate Prefecture Geography, compiled by the prefecture during the Meiji era, the reading of Matsuo Village is written as "Matou," and it is thought that "Ma" means "between" and "To" means "place," suggesting it is a place name indicating a mountainous area. According to Atsushi Shishido, who has been researching place names in Iwate Prefecture for many years, "Another theory is that, looking at the entire Matsuo area, the mountain range descends to the foot of the mountain (the end). 'O' (尾) represents the tip, and that became the place name." In Chojayashiki Park in the Matsuo district, there is Chojayashiki Shimizu, a spring that gushes from a large rock. The spring is designated as one of "Iwate's 20 Famous Waters" and is also known as "Tachi Shimizu." Regarding the origin of "Chōja Yashiki and Tachi Shimizu," Mr. Shishido explains, "There was a man named Tokimori, the leader of the Emishi people, at Chōja Yashiki. According to legend, Tokimori plundered treasures from various places, and this is said to be the place where he amassed his fortune. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (the Shogun) then decided to punish Tokimori. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro punished Tokimori with his sword. The place where he purified that sword is said to be Tachi Shimizu." Now, in the Matsuo area, there was the Matsuo Mine, which produced sulfur until around 1970. At its peak, the Matsuo Mine accounted for about 80% of domestic demand and was called "the largest sulfur mine in the Orient." At the facility that preserves and exhibits the materials (Hachimantai City Matsuo Mine Museum), we interviewed Mr. Hata, who actually worked at the mine, about what it was like back then. Mr. Satoru Hata, who worked at Matsuo Mine: There were many jobs inside the mine. These included loading materials with shovels and filling in the holes after they were dug. The sulfur from Matsuo Mine was easily flammable and suitable for making gunpowder. There was also demand for it as a raw material for synthetic fibers. At its peak, approximately 15,000 people lived there, and apartment buildings, schools, and a movie theater were built. Mr. Hata recalls, "The mine's own shops were the main ones, along with privately owned shops like a watch shop, a shoe shop, and a tofu shop. Movies were shown daily, and I watched many movies. They invited many celebrities, and almost all the famous people of the time came. Young people would gather and sing and dance." Matsuo Mine, which developed to the point of being called a "paradise in the clouds," closed down after the war due to the decline in demand for sulfur ore during Japan's post-war economic boom. The museum conveys the existence and significance of the mine to the present day. Satoru Hata, who worked at the Matsuo Mine: "When I come here (to the museum), I feel rejuvenated and find peace. From this mountainous area, which gave rise to the name Matsuo, and from the mine that supported Japan's modernization, and the pure water that still springs from the rocks, so much history has been born and continues to this day."