Hi there! I visited another World Heritage spot in Kumamoto, Kyushu Japan. It is called Manda Coal Mine Shaft. It has became UNESCO World Heritage site together with Yahata (Shinnihon) Steel Manufacturing Company. They both contributed the industrial revolution in Japan which started in late 19th century.
みなさん、こんにちは！明治日本の産業革命遺産として官営八幡製鐵所とともにユネスコ世界遺産認定された、熊本県は荒尾市の万田坑へも行きました。明治日本の産業革命は19世紀の終わり頃に始まりました。
The Coal Mine Shaft looked like a Hollywood movie set. The shaft itself was so huge and the premises was so spacious. The Coal Mine Shaft was digged vertical and miners went down the shaft so deeply using an elevator to dig coal. This coal mine supported energy resources in both Japan and neighboring Asian countries. This shaft had been operated since late 1800’s up until 1997, for more than 100 years.
まるでハリウッド映画のセットのような趣を持つ、だだっ広い場所に立つとても不思議な堅坑（地表から垂直に近い傾斜で掘り下げた炭坑）で、1890年代の終わりから1997年まで実に100年以上に渡り採炭が行われ、日本の産業革命を支えた炭鉱です。坑夫達は長い長いエレベーターを使い地下深くに潜って採炭を行いました。この炭鉱は日本とアジア諸国のエネルギー源を支えた現場です。
A volunteer guide who actually worked as a coal miner there gave us a simple lecture. We learned the unbelievably severe work. There sometimes occured falling rock accidents and not few people lost thier lives. The miners were so rough edged because they thought they might die the next day. They drunk like a fish and ate like a horse every day, they had lots of sweets to spoil themselves. There is a famous song of the coal mine labor. I don’t know why, but I like the song a lot. Let me translate the lyrics.
元現役炭坑夫だった方がボランティアとして解説を加えて下さり、その労働の時に死者さえも出す苛烈さを教わりました。明日は分からぬ我が命と、毎日大酒を飲み甘い物を沢山食べていた男達の物語。子供の頃から何故か好きな、盆踊りの炭坑節が胸に染みます。
The moon came out
The moon came out
On top of Miike Coal Mine
The moon came out
As the chimney is so high
The moon must be so smoky
Go over a mountain, two mountains, three mountains
There is a secret beautiful camellia
But even how beautiful she is
If Sama Chan did’t go
It is meaningless
If you say so seriously
That you want to break up with me
I would make up my mind
If only you make me back the 18 years old girl
Who was innocent and pure
月が出た出た月が出た
三池炭鉱の上にでた
あんまし煙突が高いので
さぞやお月さん煙たかろ
サノヨイヨイ
ひと山ふた山み山越え
奥に咲いたる八重椿
なんぼ色よく咲いたとて
さまちゃんが通わにゃ仇の花
サノヨイヨイ
あなたがその気で言うのなら
思い切ります分かれます
元の娘の十八に
返してくれたら分かれます
サノヨイヨイ
Now that so many people go visit the Coal Mine Shaft which became UNESCO world heritage site, but on the back there are countless numbers of men’s history who accepted hard lives. The each of their story will never be told, yet it is so sad and somehow beautiful.
世界遺産として日本の産業革命を支えたという、大きな枠組みの中に入りきれない坑夫一人ひとりの人生には、それぞれに言うに言われぬ愛おしい物語があるのです。
