翻刻
信越大地震
水内郡 高井郡 埴科郡 更級郡 筑摩郡 佐久郡 安曇郡 小県郡 伊奈郡 諏訪郡
一ノ宮 諏訪大明神
松代十万石真田信濃守 松本六万石松平丹波守 上田五万三千石松平伊賀守 高遠三万三千石内藤駿河守 高島三万石諏訪因幡守 飯山二万石本多豊後守 飯田一万七千石堀兵庫頭 小諸一万五千石牧野遠江守 岩村田一万五千石内藤豊後守 須坂一万五十二石堀長門守
抑信陽は
郡数十郡高五十
四万七千三百石に及ひ
日本高土第一の国にて尤
山川多く四方に水流なし
上々国にて人はしつそにして名産多
五こく豊ぎようの国也然るにいかなるじ
せつにや有けん弘化四年丁未三月廿四日の
夜より古今未曾有の大地しんにて山川へんじ
寺社人家をつぶし人馬の亡失多く火災
水なんに苦しむ事村里の凶へんつぶさに記し
且は 御上の御仁恵良民救助の御国恩
を後代にしらしめんが為こゝにしるす もつとも
三月陽気過度なること数日廿四日夜四つ
時より山なりしんどうなし善光寺の辺別
してつよく夫ぢしんと□より早く大山は
くづれおち水はあぶれ地中めいどうなす
より五寸壱尺又は五尺壱丈と大ちさけ
黒赤のどろ吹出し火炎のごとき物もへ
上り御殿宝蔵寺中十八ケ町の人〳〵は
おし潰され大ちにめり込男女らう少泣声
天にひゞき殊にやちうといひにげ迷ひ大石にう
たれ谷川にはまりらうばい大方成らず 其内
八方に火ゑん起りせうしつせり此辺の村々には北
は大峰戸がくし山上松北松しん光寺西条吉村田子
平手室飯小平落かけ小島大島あら町柏原のじり
赤川せき川の御関所東はこんどう間の御所中の
御所あらき青木島大つか間島こしまた水沢西寺尾
田中南の方は北ばら藤枝雨の
宮矢代向八まん志川山田小松
はらこくウ蔵山茶臼山丹波島
西はあら房かみや入山田中橋
木辺都て乍恐御代官様
御支配の分潰家五千三百
九十軒半潰れ二千二百
軒余但し木品は打
くたけ用には相立す
潰家同様にて死人は凡二千七百人けが人
九百人程馬百七十三疋牛二疋大ち
にめり込家数廿軒ほと宮寺四十
六軒郷蔵廿二ケ所是は六万石ば
かりの内也中にもあはれ成は此度善
光寺かいちやうにて諸国参詣の男女
同所止宿の者不知案内にてとほうに
くれ二百人余もおしうたれて即死
なす一生けんめい御仏に願はんと所の者
旅人本堂にかけ入一心にねんじたる者
七百八十余人かゝる大災別而此辺つ
よく災難の中に本堂山門けう蔵のみ
破損なくさすが末世の今に至る迄三国
でんらいゑんぶたこんの尊ぞう恩利
益の福恐れ尊むべし本堂は広間
十八間奥行三十六間東西南北
四方表門にて寺号は則四ツ有
東は定額山善光寺西は不捨山
浄土寺南は南めい山無量壽寺
北は北空山雲上寺天台宗ニ而
寺領千石庵寺にて由来は人
のしる所也□□「水内郡を聞
に小ふせ神代あさの大くち
かに沢今井赤沢三ツ又
さかい村茂右衛門村駒たて
戸隠小泉とかり大坪曽
根北条小さかゐわらひふか
さは第一飯山御城下至て
きびしきちしんにて逃ん
としてはころび足たゝず
あをのけにはうより仕方
もなく老子供は泣叫び
地はさけ土砂を吹出し山々
はくつれ男女の死亡丁方
にて四百三十人其外在方
多く此内丹波川かは付村
一同に押ながし行方をしらず
更級郡は内小
じ島はし本大原
和田古いちばかる
い沢よしはら竹房
今泉三水あんぞこ
小松原くぼ寺中の
うしろ丁皆家々をた
をす中にも稲荷山ニ而
廿八軒つぶれたる家は廿
八日には大水におしながし
ゆくゑ不知こゝに岩倉山
といふ高山高サ十八九
丈にて安庭村山平林
むら両村の間に有
此山めいどうなし
あたりも大雷の
ごとく半面両端崩れ壱ケ所は三十丁壱ケ所は八十丁丹波川の上手へおし入近村一同にうづまりこう水
あぶれ七八丈も高く数ケ村湖水のごとく人馬の死ぼう数しれず同少し北の方に六丈ばかりの岩山
有しが是又ぬけおち五丁程川中へ押出し土屋藤倉の両村水中へおし入￢あつみ郡の分新町と申
所三百八十軒の里こと〴〵く潰れ其侭出火にて焼失なし夫ゟ大水二丈ばかりみなぎり目も
当られぬ斗りにて宮ぶち犬かい小梅中曽根ふみ入寺竹くまくら成金町ほそかへしうら町とゞろき村
堀金村小田井中ぼり上下鳥羽住吉長尾柏原七日市間々べ狐島池田町堀の内曽根原宮本
草尾船場むら等大破に及ぶ￢小さがた郡は秋和生づか上田御ぜうかにしは新丁上小じま下
こじま此辺山なりしんとうなし地中めいどうす今にも大ちがさけるかと此辺のもの共生たる
心ちなくされど大ちのさける程のことはなしといへど家々はつぶれけが人多く 前田手つか山田別所
米沢くつかけならもと一乃沢凡百四十ケ村ほど￢ちくま郡は八まんむら辺至てつよく度〳〵ゆり返し
にんばそんじ多くほうふく寺七あらし赤ぬた洞村おかだ丁松岡ありかし水くみ松本御ぜう下辺
百二三ケ村ふるひつよく庄内田貫ちくま新町あら井永田下新かみ新三みぞ飛騨ゑつちうさかいに至る￢佐久郡は小諸御ぜう下西ノ方は瀧原市町本町与良村
四ツ谷間瀬追分かり宿右宿くつかけかるいざは赤沢峠町矢さき山浅間山より上しう口度〳〵つよくゆり川附の方至てひどく夫より￢諏訪郡は高島御せうか
大水高木は少〳〵にて八重ばら大日向細谷平はやし布引此辺は少〳〵強くゆる ￢はにしな郡は松代御ぜうか近へん廿四日よりゆりはじめ廿九日朝晦日夕
かたまで三度つよくふるひ大いしをおし出し山〳〵くずれやしろへんことにきひしく人家多くつぶれ川附下手のかた山〳〵岩はなくずれ人家をそんじ平
はやしかけむら赤しバ関屋西条せきや川上下とくら中条よこ尾いま井祢川之宿上下しほじりむら等同やう￢高井郡のぶん丹波川の東にて
すさか御ぜうか中じま御じん屋川へりの村〳〵ふくしまたかなし中じま別府いゝ田羽場くり林大俣辺ゟ田上岩井安田坂井等つよくふるい家をたおす
事少なからずそれよりゑちご路に至りて廿四日よりゆりはじめ段〳〵つよく廿□日の牛【ママ】の上こくは大へんのおゝちしんにて松ざきあら井辺より
くびき郡高田の御ぜうかよりいま丁中屋しき春日辺人家をくずしにんばのけがとくに多く其内しんしうよりの方きびしく山〳〵は一どうに
くずれ水はあぶれ大ばんじやくをころがし中にもながさはむらと申す小村はなさけなくも大山の為につぶれ七十人ほとちゝうにうずまりわずか
手足のみ相みへたりあはれと申すも中〳〵おろかなれ其上廿九日は今町辺大なみに引入られ家〳〵流しつすくなからず 此度信越二ケ国の
大ちしんは実にもきたいの珍事にていにしえよりぢしんも数度有之といえどもたいちさけ泥砂をふき出しかくの山〳〵にんばの死亡に及
ひ前代未聞の凶へんなりぜんこうじ辺は廿四日より廿五日迄きびしく松代ゑちご路は廿九日三十日に至て東西廿里南北三十里山川をくずしよう〳〵
ちしんはしずまれども山〳〵崩れこうすいあぶれわうぐはんにん馬の通路をふさぎ且ぢめんわれさけたる所十間位ひ筋つきくろ赤のどろみづ
ふき出し山〳〵くずれ大石ころばり落田畑こと〳〵く変地いたし用水所は欠崩れ谷川等ふるひうづまり一面にどろみずふき出し貯への
俵物はのこらずくずれどろ水を冠り地中にうづまり別して川中島は大水人力にて防く事難く一方ニ而水を落し候得は一方は水なんにていか
やうにも相成も不知西の方にて防水致せば東の方ののこる村々おしながし双方共に大変にていかさま騒動にも及ばんくらいの仕合にて然る所御見分
の上御下知無之内は双方共手出し致し候事御差留にて早速掘割人足共さしむけられ候へとも弥こう水溢れみなぎり此辺の者は親にはなれ
子にわかれ夫婦の所在もしれず庄屋村役人其外本心を取失ひ候ごとく跡片付の心得もなく潰家の前に家内一同雨露の手当もなくとほうにくれ只々頻りに
落涙に及ひ相悪みくらして米こくは土をかぶりどろ水に入食物の手たてもなく 小者なんぎの者はたゞ打ふしてなき入ては死かいにすかりけが人はおびたゝしく苦つうにたへかね罷あり何レのむら〳〵
同様にてたがひにたすけ合ちからもなく さしあたり食事にさしつかへ呑水もかねて用水を持い候間皆とろ水にてきかつに及びあわれといふもおろかにて水内高井両郡田畑
七八分はつぶれ家をつぶし道具を失い候ぶん八分斗りにて此上いかようのまん水にも相成候やもはかりがたく川ぎしの村々山林に退去いたし候やはり山々も日々鳴といたし水勢
【右下】
らいのことくにていち時に切候へは又々水災わかりかたく諸方御手配りこれありしに
四月十三日夕七ツ時にはかに山谷鳴働なし水押ぬき左右の土手を切り
堤の上をのりこし川中島は申不及さい川へ逆水押入中々防くことかな
わず松代御代下辺迄水みちて川そへ村々を押ながし高サ二丈斗作物はもち
ろん溺死人けが人多く村々古今希なる事にて凡三百余ケ村おながし廿四日
ゟ大災にて又々かく水なんはたとへんかたもなくいかに天へんとは申なからかくの
災害良民とりつゝき成兼候ほとの仕合 然は御代官様御地頭様は慈母之
子をあはれむがごとく御すくい小屋を立 米銭はもちろん御手あてあつく
御れんみんにて御すくひあそはされ候段 泰平の御めくみありかたきといふも恐有
然は諸人御こくおんわすれんかため一紙につゝるのみ
現代語訳
信越大地震
水内郡 高井郡 埴科郡 更級郡 筑摩郡 佐久郡 安曇郡 小県郡 伊奈郡 諏訪郡
一の宮 諏訪大明神
松代十万石真田信濃守 松本六万石松平丹波守 上田五万三千石松平伊賀守 高遠三万三千石内藤駿河守 高島三万石諏訪因幡守 飯山二万石本多豊後守 飯田一万七千石堀兵庫頭 小諸一万五千石牧野遠江守 岩村田一万五千石内藤豊後守 須坂一万五十二石堀長門守
そもそも信濃国は郡数十郡、石高五十四万七千三百石に及び、日本で最も石高の高い第一の国で、特に山川が多く四方に水が流れ、最上級の国である。人は誠実で名産も多く、五穀豊穣の国である。しかし、どのような事情があったのか、弘化四年丁未三月二十四日の夜から古今未曾有の大地震で、山川が変じ、寺社人家を潰し、人馬の死亡が多く、火災・水難に苦しんだ。村里の凶変を詳しく記し、かつ御上の御仁恵による良民救助の御国恩を後代に知らしめるためにここに記す。
もっとも三月の陽気が過度であること数日、二十四日夜四つ時から山鳴り地震が始まった。善光寺の辺りは特に強く、地震だと気付くより早く大山は崩れ落ち、水は溢れ、地中から鳴動し、五寸一尺、また五尺一丈と大きく裂け、黒赤の泥を吹き出し、火炎のような物が燃え上がった。御殿・宝蔵・寺中十八ヶ町の人々は押し潰され、大地に埋もれ、男女老若の泣き声が天に響いた。特に夜中のことで逃げ惑い、大石に打たれ、谷川にはまり、狼狽は大変なものであった。その中で八方に火炎が起こり消失した。
この辺りの村々には、北は大峰戸隠山・上松・北松・新光寺・西条・吉村・田子平・手室・飯・小平・落掛・小島・大島・新町・柏原・野尻・赤川・関川の御関所、東は金堂・間の御所・中の御所・荒木・青木島・大塚・間島・越間・水沢・西寺尾・田中、南の方は北原・藤枝・雨宮・矢代・向八幡・志川・山田・小松原・国衛・蔵山・茶臼山・丹波島、西は新房・上谷・入山・田中・橋木辺など、すべて恐れながら御代官様御支配の分で、潰家五千三百九十軒、半潰れ二千二百軒余り。ただし、木材は打ち砕けているが用には立つ。潰家同様で、死人はおよそ二千七百人、怪我人九百人程、馬百七十三頭、牛二頭が大地に埋もれ、家数二十軒ほど、宮寺四十六軒、郷蔵二十二ヶ所。これは六万石ばかりの内である。
中でも哀れなことは、この度善光寺開帳で諸国参詣の男女が同所に宿泊していた者が土地勘もなく途方に暮れ、二百人余りも押し打たれて即死した。一生懸命御仏に願おうと、土地の者も旅人も本堂に駆け入り一心に念じた者七百八十余人。このような大災害で特にこの辺りは強く、災難の中でも本堂・山門・経蔵のみは破損なく、さすが末世の今に至るまで三国伝来閻浮檀金の尊像の恩利益の福である。恐れ尊むべきである。本堂は間口十八間、奥行三十六間、東西南北四方に表門があり、寺号は四つある。東は定額山善光寺、西は不捨山浄土寺、南は南明山無量寿寺、北は北空山雲上寺。天台宗で寺領千石、庵寺で由来は人の知る所である。
水内郡を聞くに、小布施・神代・浅野・大口・苦沢・今井・赤沢・三つ又・境村・茂右衛門村・駒立・戸隠・小泉・戸刈・大坪・曽根・北条・小坂井・笑深沢。第一飯山御城下は至って厳しい地震で、逃げようとしても転び足が立たず、仰向けに倒れるより仕方もなく、老人子供は泣き叫び、地は裂け土砂を吹き出し、山々は崩れ、男女の死亡は大方で四百三十人、その外在方も多い。この内丹波川川付村は一同に押し流され行方を知らない。
更級郡は内小路・島橋・本大原・和田・古市場・軽井沢・吉原・竹房・今泉・三水・安底・小松原・久保・寺中の後丁、皆家々を倒す。中でも稲荷山で二十八軒潰れた家は二十八日には大水に押し流され行方不明。ここに岩倉山という高山があり、高さ十八九丈で安庭村・山平林村両村の間にある。この山が鳴動し、辺りも大雷のごとく、半面両端崩れ、一ヶ所は三十町、一ヶ所は八十町、丹波川の上手へ押し入り、近村一同に埋まり、洪水溢れ七八丈も高く、数ヶ村が湖水のごとく、人馬の死亡数知れず。同少し北の方に六丈ばかりの岩山があったが、これまた抜け落ち五町程川中へ押し出し、土屋・藤倉の両村を水中へ押し入れた。
安曇郡の分、新町と申す所三百八十軒の里がことごとく潰れ、そのまま出火で焼失し、それから大水二丈ばかりみなぎり、目も当てられないばかりで、宮渕・犬飼・小梅・中曽根・踏入寺・竹熊・倉成・金町・細返・裏町・轟村・堀金村・小田井・中堀・上下鳥羽・住吉・長尾・柏原・七日市・間々部・狐島・池田町・堀の内・曽根原・宮本・草尾・船場村等大破に及んだ。
小県郡は秋和・生塚・上田御城下・西原・新丁・上小島・下小島。この辺りは山鳴り地震し、地中鳴動し、今にも大地が裂けるかとこの辺りの者共は生きた心地もしなかったが、大地の裂ける程のことはなし。といえども家々は潰れ怪我人多く、前田・手塚・山田・別所・米沢・沓掛・奈良本・一の沢など百四十ヶ村ほど。
筑摩郡は八幡村辺り至って強く、度々揺り返し、人馬損じ多く、宝福寺・七嵐・赤沼田・洞村・岡田丁・松岡・有明・水汲・松本御城下辺、百二三ヶ村震い強く、庄内・田貫・筑摩・新町・新井・永田・下新・上新・三溝・飛騨・越中境に至る。
佐久郡は小諸御城下、西の方は瀧原・市町・本町・与良村・四つ谷・間瀬・追分・借宿・右宿・沓掛・軽井沢・赤沢・峠町・矢崎・山浅間山より上州口、度々強く揺り、川付の方至ってひどく、それより諏訪郡は高島御城下、大水・高木は少々で、八重原・大日向・細谷・平林・布引。この辺りは少々強く揺る。
埴科郡は松代御城下近辺、二十四日より揺り始め、二十九日朝・晦日夕方まで三度強く震い、大石を押し出し、山々崩れ、社辺ことに厳しく、人家多く潰れ、川付下手の方、山々岩鼻崩れ人家を損じ、平林・懸村・赤芝・関屋・西条・関屋・川上下・徳蔵・中条・横尾・今井・根川之宿・上下塩尻村等同様。
高井郡の分、丹波川の東で須坂御城下・中島・御陣屋・川縁の村々・福島・高梨・中島・別府・飯田・羽場・栗林・大俣辺りから田上・岩井・安田・坂井等強く震い家を倒すこと少なからず。それより越後路に至って二十四日より揺り始め、段々強く、二十九日の丑の刻は大変な大地震で、松崎・新井辺りより頸城郡高田の御城下より今町・中屋敷・春日辺り、人家を崩し人馬の怪我特に多く、その内信州よりの方厳しく、山々は一同に崩れ、水は溢れ、大盤石を転がし、中でも長沢村と申す小村は情けなくも大山のために潰され、七十人ほど地中に埋まり、わずか手足のみ相見えた。哀れと申すも中々愚かである。その上二十九日は今町辺り大波に引き入れられ、家々流し尽くすこと少なからず。
この度信越二ヶ国の大地震は実にも稀代の珍事で、古より地震も数度あったといえども、大地裂け泥砂を吹き出し、このような山々人馬の死亡に及び、前代未聞の凶変である。善光寺辺りは二十四日より二十五日まで厳しく、松代・越後路は二十九日三十日に至って、東西二十里南北三十里、山川を崩し、ようやく地震は静まったけれども、山々崩れ洪水溢れ、往還人馬の通路を塞ぎ、かつ地面割れ裂けた所十間位い筋付き、黒赤の泥水吹き出し、山々崩れ大石転がり落ち、田畑ことごとく変地し、用水所は欠け崩れ、谷川等震い埋まり、一面に泥水吹き出し、蓄えの俵物は残らず崩れ泥水を被り地中に埋まった。
別して川中島は大水で人力にて防ぐこと難く、一方で水を落とせば一方は水難で、いかようになるもしれず、西の方で防水すれば東の方の残る村々を押し流し、双方共に大変でいかさま騒動にも及ばんくらいの仕合いで、然る所御見分の上御下知ない内は双方共手出しすること御差し留めで、早速掘割人足共差し向けられたけれども、いよいよ洪水溢れみなぎり、この辺りの者は親に離れ子に別れ、夫婦の所在も知れず、庄屋・村役人その外本心を取り失ったごとく、跡片付けの心得もなく、潰家の前に家内一同雨露の手当もなく途方に暮れ、ただただ頻りに落涙に及び、相悪しみ暮らして、米穀は土を被り泥水に入り、食物の手立てもなく、小者難儀の者はただ打ち伏してなき入っては死骸にすがり、怪我人はおびただしく苦痛に堪えかね罷りあり。何れの村々も同様で互いに助け合う力もなく、差し当たり食事に差し支え、飲み水も兼ねて用水を用いる間、皆泥水で生活に及び、哀れというも愚かで、水内・高井両郡、田畑七八分は潰れ、家を潰し道具を失った分八分ばかりで、この上いかような満水にもなるやも計り難く、川岸の村々山林に退去したが、やはり山々も日々鳴動し、水勢雷のごとくで一時に切れればまた々水災分からず、諸方御手配これありしに、四月十三日夕七つ時にわかに山谷鳴り働き、水押し抜き左右の土手を切り、堤の上を乗り越し、川中島は申すに及ばず犀川へ逆水押し入り、中々防ぐことかなわず、松代御代官下辺まで水満ちて川添え村々を押し流し、高さ二丈ばかり、作物はもちろん溺死人・怪我人多く、村々古今希なることで、およそ三百余ヶ村を押し流し、二十四日からの大災でまた々このような水難は例えようもなく、いかに天変とは申しながらこのような災害で良民取り続き成り兼ねるほどの仕合い。
然れば御代官様・御地頭様は慈母の子を哀れむがごとく御救い小屋を立て、米銭はもちろん御手当厚く御憐愍にて御救いあそばされ候段、泰平の御恵みありがたきというも恐れある。然れば諸人御国恩忘れんがため一紙に綴るのみ。
英語訳
The Great Shinano-Echigo Earthquake
Minochi County, Takai County, Hanishina County, Sarashina County, Chikuma County, Saku County, Azumi County, Chiisagata County, Ina County, Suwa County
Ichinomiya: Suwa Daimyojin
Matsushiro 100,000 koku Sanada Shinano-no-kami; Matsumoto 60,000 koku Matsudaira Tamba-no-kami; Ueda 53,000 koku Matsudaira Iga-no-kami; Takatō 33,000 koku Naitō Suruga-no-kami; Takashima 30,000 koku Suwa Inaba-no-kami; Iiyama 20,000 koku Honda Bungo-no-kami; Iida 17,000 koku Hori Hyōgo-no-kami; Komoro 15,000 koku Makino Tōtōmi-no-kami; Iwamura-da 15,000 koku Naitō Bungo-no-kami; Suzaka 15,052 koku Hori Nagato-no-kami
Now, Shinano Province consists of ten counties with a total assessed value of 547,300 koku, making it the highest-valued province in Japan. It is particularly rich in mountains and rivers with water flowing in all directions, making it a top-ranking province. The people are honest and there are many famous products; it is a land of abundant five grains. However, for some unknown reason, from the night of March 24th, Kōka 4 (1847), Year of the Boar, an unprecedented great earthquake occurred, transforming mountains and rivers, destroying temples, shrines, and houses, causing many deaths of people and horses, and bringing suffering from fires and floods. I record in detail the calamities that befell the villages, and also to make known to future generations the imperial benevolence of our lord's compassionate relief efforts for the people.
The weather in March had been excessively warm for several days. From the fourth hour of the night on the 24th, mountain rumbling and earthquakes began. The area around Zenkō-ji Temple was particularly severe. Before people could even recognize it as an earthquake, great mountains collapsed, water overflowed, the ground roared, splitting five sun to one shaku, or five shaku to one jō wide, spewing black and red mud, with flame-like objects burning upward. The palace, treasure house, and people of the eighteen temple districts were crushed and buried in the earth. The crying voices of men and women, old and young, echoed to heaven. Particularly as it was nighttime, people fled in confusion, struck by great stones, falling into valley streams, in tremendous panic. Meanwhile, flames arose in all directions causing destruction.
The villages in this area include: to the north - Ōmine Togakushi-yama, Uematsu, Kitamatsu, Shinkō-ji, Nishijō, Yoshimura, Tagodaira, Temuro, Ii, Kodaira, Ochikake, Kojima, Ōshima, Shinmachi, Kashiwabara, Nojiri, Akagawa, and the Sekigawa checkpoint; to the east - Kondō, Ma-no-gosho, Naka-no-gosho, Araki, Aokishima, Ōtsuka, Mashima, Koshimata, Mizusawa, Nishi-terao, Tanaka; to the south - Kitahara, Fujieda, Amenomiya, Yashiro, Mukōhachiman, Shikawa, Yamada, Komatsuhara, Kokue, Kurayama, Chausuyama, Tanbashima; to the west - Shimbō, Kamiya, Iriyama, Tanaka, Hashikibe - all under the jurisdiction of the magistrate. Destroyed houses: 5,390; half-destroyed: over 2,200. However, the timber, though smashed, is still usable. Similar to destroyed houses, the dead number approximately 2,700, injured about 900, horses 173, cattle 2, buried in the earth. About 20 houses, 46 shrine-temples, 22 village storehouses. This is within about 60,000 koku worth of territory.
Most pitiful of all, during this Zenkō-ji Temple exhibition, pilgrims from various provinces staying there, unfamiliar with the area and at a complete loss, over 200 were crushed to death instantly. Those desperately trying to pray to Buddha - both locals and travelers who rushed into the main hall and prayed with all their hearts - numbered over 780. In such a great disaster, particularly severe in this area, only the main hall, mountain gate, and sutra repository remained undamaged amid the calamity. This truly demonstrates the blessed benefits of the revered Jambudvīpa gold statue that has been transmitted through three countries to this degenerate age. It should be feared and revered. The main hall is 18 ken wide and 36 ken deep, with front gates on all four sides - east, west, south, and north. There are four temple names: east is Jōgakuzan Zenkō-ji, west is Fushazan Jōdo-ji, south is Nanmyōzan Muryōju-ji, north is Hokukūzan Unjō-ji. It belongs to the Tendai sect with temple lands of 1,000 koku. As a hermitage temple, its origins are well-known.
Regarding Minochi County: Obuse, Jindai, Asano, Ōkuchi, Nigasawa, Imai, Akasawa, Mitsumata, Sakaimura, Mozaemon-mura, Komadate, Togakushi, Koizumi, Tokari, Ōtsubo, Sone, Hōjō, Kosakai, Waraifukasawa. First of all, Iiyama castle town experienced extremely severe earthquakes. When trying to flee, people fell and could not stand, having no choice but to fall backward. Old people and children cried and screamed, the earth split spewing earth and sand, mountains collapsed, and deaths of men and women reached 430 in the immediate area, with many more in the surrounding countryside. Among these, the entire riverside village of Tanbagawa was swept away, their whereabouts unknown.
In Sarashina County: Uchikoji, Shimahashi, Motōhara, Wada, Furuichiba, Karuizawa, Yoshiwara, Takefusa, Imaizumi, Mizu, Anzoko, Komatsuhara, Kubo, and the rear districts of Teranaka - all had their houses toppled. Particularly at Inariyama, the 28 houses that collapsed were swept away by great floods on the 28th, their whereabouts unknown. Here stands Mount Iwakura, a high mountain of 18-19 jō in height, located between Antei village and Yamahirabayashi village. This mountain roared, the surroundings thundered like great thunder, half its face collapsed on both ends - one section 30 chō, another 80 chō - pressing into the upper reaches of the Tanbagawa, burying nearby villages entirely. Floodwaters overflowed 7-8 jō high, making several villages like lakes, with countless deaths of people and horses. A little north of there was a rock mountain about 6 jō high, which also collapsed and pushed about 5 chō into the river, pressing both Tsuchiya and Fujikura villages into the water.
In Azumi County, a place called Shinmachi with 380 houses was completely destroyed, then immediately caught fire and burned down. From there, floodwaters about 2 jō deep surged, too terrible to look at. Miyabuchi, Inukai, Koume, Nakasone, Fumiiri-ji, Takekuma, Kuranari, Kanmachi, Hosogaeshi, Uramachi, Todorokimura, Horigane-mura, Odai, Nakabori, Jōge-toba, Sumiyoshi, Nagao, Kashiwabara, Nanokaichi, Mamabe, Kitsuneshima, Ikeda-machi, Hori-no-uchi, Sonehara, Miyamoto, Kusao, Funaba-mura and others suffered major damage.
In Chiisagata County: Akiwa, Ikitsuka, Ueda castle town, Nishihara, Shinchō, Kami-kojima, Shimo-kojima. In this area mountains roared and earthquakes struck, the ground rumbled, and the local people felt as if they were barely alive, thinking the earth might split at any moment. Though the earth did not actually split, houses collapsed and there were many injured. Maeda, Tezuka, Yamada, Bessho, Yonezawa, Kutsukake, Naramoto, Ichinosawa - about 140 villages.
In Chikuma County, the Hachiman-mura area was extremely severe with repeated aftershocks, causing many casualties among people and horses. Hōfuku-ji, Nanaarashi, Akanuta, Horamura, Okada-chō, Matsuoka, Ariake, Mizukumi, Matsumoto castle town area - 120-130 villages shook severely. Shōnai, Tanuki, Chikuma, Shinmachi, Arai, Nagata, Shimo-shin, Kami-shin, Mitsumizo, extending to the borders of Hida and Etchū.
In Saku County: Komoro castle town, to the west Takihara, Ichimachi, Honmachi, Yora-mura, Yotsuya, Mase, Oiwake, Karishuku, Migishuku, Kutsukake, Karuizawa, Akasawa, Tōgemachi, Yasaki, Yamada Asama-yama to the Jōshū entrance - repeatedly shaking strongly. The riverside areas were extremely severe. From there, in Suwa County, Takashima castle town, Ōmizu, Takagi were slight, while Yaehara, Ōhinata, Hosoya, Hirabayashi, Nunobiki shook somewhat strongly.
In Hanishina County, the Matsushiro castle town area began shaking from the 24th, with three strong quakes until the morning of the 29th and evening of the last day of the month, pushing out great stones, collapsing mountains, with shrine areas particularly severe. Many houses collapsed, and in the downstream riverside areas, mountain rock faces collapsed damaging houses. Hirabayashi, Kakemura, Akashiba, Sekiya, Nishijō, Sekiya, Kawakami-shimo, Tokukura, Nakajō, Yokoo, Imai, Negawa-no-shuku, Jōge-shiojiri-mura and others similarly affected.
In the Takai County section, east of the Tanbagawa: Suzaka castle town, Nakashima, Gojinya, riverside villages, Fukushima, Takanashi, Nakashima, Beppu, Iida, Haba, Kuribayashi, Ōmata area to Tagami, Iwai, Yasuda, Sakai and others shook strongly, toppling many houses. From there to the Echigo region, shaking began from the 24th, gradually intensifying. The hour of the ox on the 29th brought a tremendous earthquake to Matsuzaki, Arai area to Kubiki County's Takada castle town, Imamachi, Nakayashiki, Kasuga area, collapsing houses with particularly many casualties among people and horses. The Shinshū side was especially severe, with mountains collapsing all together, water overflowing, rolling great boulders. Most pitifully, a small village called Nagasawa was crushed by a great mountain, with about 70 people buried underground, only hands and feet visible. To call it pitiful is quite inadequate. Moreover, on the 29th, the Imamachi area was pulled into great waves, with many houses swept away.
This great earthquake in Shinano and Echigo provinces was truly an extraordinary rare event. Though earthquakes have occurred several times since ancient times, none have involved such earth-splitting, mud and sand eruption, mountain collapses, and human casualties - this was an unprecedented calamity. The Zenkō-ji area was severe from the 24th to 25th, while Matsushiro and the Echigo region continued until the 29th and 30th, collapsing mountains and rivers across 20 ri east-west and 30 ri north-south. Though the earthquakes gradually subsided, collapsed mountains and overflowing floods blocked highways for people and horses. Where the ground cracked about 10 ken wide in streaks, black and red muddy water gushed out, mountains collapsed with great stones rolling down, all fields completely changed, irrigation channels broke and collapsed, valley streams shook and were buried. Muddy water gushed out everywhere, stored grain bags all collapsed, covered with mud and water, buried underground.
Particularly at Kawanakajima, the great floods could not be contained by human effort. If water was drained on one side, the other side suffered water damage of unknown extent. If flood control was attempted on the west side, the remaining villages on the east side would be swept away - both sides faced great danger, truly a situation approaching major disturbance. However, until official inspection and orders were given, both sides were forbidden to take action. Though canal-digging laborers were immediately dispatched, floodwaters continued to overflow and surge. People in this area were separated from parents, parted from children, husbands and wives not knowing each other's whereabouts. Village headmen and officials seemed to have lost their senses, with no idea how to clean up the aftermath. Before collapsed houses, entire families had no shelter from rain and dew, completely at a loss, constantly weeping, living miserably. Rice was covered with soil and muddy water, with no means of obtaining food. Poor and suffering people just lay down crying, clinging to corpses. The injured were numerous, unable to bear the pain. All villages were similarly affected, with no strength to help each other. Immediate food needs could not be met, and drinking water had to come from irrigation channels, all muddy water for daily life. To call it pitiful is inadequate - in both Minochi and Takai counties, 70-80% of fields were destroyed, houses collapsed, tools lost, about 80% damaged. It was impossible to predict what further floods might come, so riverside villages evacuated to mountain forests. But the mountains too rumbled daily, water forces like thunder - if they burst suddenly, more flood disasters of unpredictable nature could occur. Various emergency measures were taken, but on the evening of April 13th at the seventh hour, suddenly mountains and valleys roared and rumbled, water burst through cutting left and right embankments, overflowing the tops of dikes. Not only Kawanakajima but reverse currents pushed into the Saigawa, impossible to prevent. Water filled up to the Matsushiro magistrate's area below, sweeping away villages along the river, about 2 jō high. Not only crops but many drowned and injured, an extremely rare occurrence in villages throughout history. About 300 villages were swept away. After the great disaster from the 24th, these additional water disasters were beyond description. However much one may speak of natural calamity, such disasters made it nearly impossible for good people to survive.
Therefore, the magistrates and domain lords, like compassionate mothers pitying their children, erected relief shelters, providing not only rice and money but generous aid with deep compassion for relief. The benevolent grace of peaceful times is so grateful it inspires awe. So that people should not forget this imperial benevolence, I record it on this single sheet of paper.