Temporary Coal Storage
October 1967

Kabudashi
[Temporary Coal Storage]
37.8 x 54.0 cm Painting in Watercolors and Ink

Text at the Bottom Right
Most small-scale coal pits in the mid-Meiji era (1868-1912) had thin coal beds. The pit workers at such pits could not lift their heads or build any platforms for dumping coal sleds (sura) even in levels (kanekata). The coal carried out from both ascending and descending coalfaces was temporarily dumped and stored (kabudashi) at some places before being scooped up into mine cars. The hewer's helper (atomuki) who needed to use his/her four-blade rake (ganzume) more than one time in scraping coal to fill a bamboo winnow (ebi) was disliked as unskilled.
The bamboo winnow locally called an ebi or ebijoke in the Chikuho region was called a hoge in Saga and nationally called a temi. Its maximum capacity was about 10 kg.

Lyrics of "Gotton Bushi" Song at the Top Left
Onna kinsei Koya no yama ni
nazeni mematsu ga haeta yara?
Gotton!

Why is the Japanese red pine tree considered as female found
in the forest of Mt. Koya, which is closed to women as a Buddhist training center?
Gotton (Clang)! (Interjected chant)


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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