This time, we'll introduce "Iccyoba," a place located in the Honmura district, near the Naoshima Town Hall.

The town staff were doing some renovations the other day, so I lent a hand.

　This "itchoba" is a space with an "itchodai" (a type of stage or platform), established by Naoshima Town to offer tourists a casual place to interact with the island's residents.

"Iccho-dai" is said to be a corruption of "ichijou-dai" (a one-tatami mat platform), and it has been used as a traditional community gathering place on the island where neighbors would gather in the summer to cool off, play shogi, and share evening meals. It was a communication space the size of a single tatami mat.

　The waterway, said to retain its original stonework from the Tenpo era, was created as a channel for seawater when the port this location faced was reclaimed during the Edo period, and it also had a water gate. You can tell it's connected to the sea because the water level changes with the tides.

The coastline has changed, but it's the good thing about Naoshima that you can still see the unchanging scenery in the Reiwa era, where islanders sit on the breakwater and chat while watching the sunset together on warm days.

It's become very beautiful. Please be sure to stop by when you're walking around the village.

Despite the ongoing difficulties caused by the pandemic, spring is just around the corner.Hoping that after enduring a long winter, a wonderful spring will arrive.