翻刻
七月七日七夕之事
一七夕の星祭りは大概皆人の知れる事故いふに不及
大陰暦御改正以前は七月上旬夫々寺子の師匠ゟ
詩歌の手本を与へ五色の色紙短冊に清書を認め
五日の頃ゟ笹に結び家中の弟子は思ひ〳〵市中夫々の
寺子屋は皆々一所に持集り垣につらねて立並べ
扨当日之昼後には銘々認めし笹を持門人不残列を
正し真先に大旗押立て師匠と高弟は跡に附添
最寄之川と云しなれと皆笏谷迄流し行弁当
遣ふを楽しみとせり
七夕流略図
【「七夕手向」の幟を先頭に、短冊を下げた笹をかついで川流しに向かう寺子屋の子供たち】
現代語訳
七月七日七夕のこと
一、七夕の星祭りは大概皆が知っていることなので言うに及ばない。太陰暦御改正以前は、七月上旬にそれぞれの寺子屋の師匠から詩歌の手本を与えられ、五色の色紙や短冊に清書を認め、五日頃から笹に結び、武家の弟子は思い思いに、町中のそれぞれの寺子屋はみな一か所に持ち寄り、垣に連ねて立て並べた。さて当日の昼過ぎには、銘々が認めた笹を持ち、門人が残らず列を正し、真っ先に大旗を押し立て、師匠と高弟は後に付き添い、最寄りの川と言ってもみな笏谷まで流しに行き、弁当を遣うことを楽しみとしていた。
七夕流略図
【「七夕手向」の幟を先頭に、短冊を下げた笹を担いで川流しに向かう寺子屋の子供たち】
英語訳
Regarding the Seventh Day of the Seventh Month, Tanabata
1. The star festival of Tanabata is something generally known by everyone, so there is no need to elaborate. Before the reform of the lunar calendar, in early July each terakoya (temple school) teacher would give out poetry samples, and students would make fair copies on five-colored paper and tanzaku (poem cards), tying them to bamboo branches from around the fifth day. The disciples from samurai families would do this each in their own way, while the various terakoya in the town quarters would all bring theirs together to one place, lining them up against fences. Then on the actual day, in the afternoon, each student would carry the bamboo branch they had prepared, with all the pupils forming proper lines, a large banner raised at the very front, and the teacher and senior disciples following behind as they went to the nearest river - though they all went to Shakudani - to float them downstream, making a pleasure of bringing lunch boxes along.
Abbreviated Diagram of Tanabata Floating
[Children from terakoya heading to the river floating ceremony, led by a banner reading "Tanabata Offering" and carrying bamboo branches hung with tanzaku]