[Connected Travelogue #231] For some reason, I ended up talking about Sazae-san before going to the museum [Machiko Hasegawa]

Last time, I fully enjoyed the Fukuoka City Zoological and Botanical Garden and saw the botanical garden at super high speed.

While engraving the importance of time management into my brain, I plan to go to the museum today.
When you come to a new place, you really must gain some knowledge at a museum.

(Though this isn't my first time in Fukuoka)

And so, I've arrived near the museum.

Towering above is the Fukuoka Tower.
It has a sleek yet futuristic design.

Also, it seems there is a Hakata Port Tower as well.
I'll go there sometime.

And then, a silhouette I've seen countless times appeared.

No matter how you look at it, it's Sazae-san, but apparently this place is called Sazae-san Street.

Does that mean...?

Was Sazae-san from Fukuoka...!?

That is correct.

Or rather, it was by walking along the beach in this area long ago that Machiko Hasegawa created the seafood-themed character names for Sazae-san.

...So, here is a little bit of Machiko Hasegawa trivia.

Machiko Hasegawa, the creator of Sazae-san, was born in Saga Prefecture, but it seems she came to Fukuoka when she was in elementary school due to her father's work.

Some time later, her father passed away, and she moved to Tokyo at her mother's request.

Machiko debuted as a manga artist in Tokyo, but to evacuate from air raids and avoid conscription, the Hasegawa family evacuated to Momochi, Fukuoka City. (Back to Fukuoka again)

Then, after the war ended, the serialized manga that began in the Yukan Fukunichi newspaper, which was launched by the Fukunichi Shimbun company, was "Sazae-san".

Later, Machiko Hasegawa became the first manga artist to receive the People's Honor Award.

(It makes sense that the anime is still continuing today)

Well, it seems I didn't know as much about Sazae-san as I thought.

And I had assumed that Sazae-san was a story about Tokyo...

No, it seems that understanding wasn't wrong, as Sazae-san lives in Fukuoka in the beginning, but starts living in Tokyo later.

And then the flow goes that she marries Masuo-san and Tara-chan appears.

(By the way, Namihei-san's twin brother lives in Fukuoka)

Now that I've gained this knowledge, I can't help but want to read early Sazae-san.

Come to think of it, for some reason there was one super old manga called "Yorinuki Sazae-san" at my parents' house, I should have read it when I was there...!

Anyway, near here there is also something called the Birthplace of Sazae-san (Isono Square).

Looking at the map, you can see it is located quite far from the coast, but it seems the coastline was in a completely different place in the past.

That's right, let's look at it with the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan map.

Because with that, you can see old aerial photographs...!

Wow, the land in Fukuoka has increased too much!!

I never imagined the terrain had changed this much compared to the past.

And indeed, it seems the area around Isono Square was the coastline during the time Machiko Hasegawa was in Fukuoka.

Well, looking at things like this, it makes me realize that human civil engineering technology is truly amazing.

And thanks to the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan for letting me feel that...!

And so, I'm in a good mood having gained a bit of knowledge before heading to the museum.

Well then, next time we will finally enter the museum.

I wonder what kind of Fukuoka history we will be able to learn.

To be continued next time!!