[info] 渓谷沿いの建物の向きについて｜Orientation of Buildings Along the Valley

上の写真は、2008年11月に 東京・奥多摩の「玉堂美術館」（ぎょくどうびじゅつかん）の前より 多摩川（渓流）越しに対岸を撮影した画像です。　JR奥多摩線「御嶽駅」（みたけえき）の近くです。
　
この場所では 多摩川 は西から東に流れており（地図上では左右方向）、渓流の南側にある玉堂美術館から、北向きにカメラを向けています。　ここに写っている建物は古い旅館や食堂などで、一部RC造（鉄筋コンクリート造）の建物がありますが、その他は木造でした。　傾斜地にへばりつくように複数の建物が建ち並び、リズミカルな面白い景観を作り上げています。　そして、ここに写っている建物は全て陽当たりの良い「南向き」です。　日本では陽当たりの良い南向きの建物がとても好まれますが、ここでも渓流沿いに立ち並ぶ建物はほとんどが南向きで、渓流の南側にあって北を向いている建物はかなり少ないのです。
　
実はこの景観（写真）は、かつての拙作 2010年「温泉郷の電気軌道セクション」のイメージの元となっています。　その後の渓流もの作品も同じです。　川が東西に流れていて、渓流の北側に南を向いた建物が建ち並び、渓流の南側にはあまり建物がない（北向きの建物となってしまうため）、という景観の実例として今も大事に思っている写真です。　模型作品（ジオラマ作品）においても東西南北の方位を意識した方がリアルに近づける気がします。
　

2026年（令和８年）５月３日 掲載

The photograph above was taken in November 2008 from in front of the Gyokudo Art Museum in Okutama, Tokyo, looking across the Tama River (mountain stream) toward the opposite bank. The location is near Mitake Station on the JR Ome Line.

At this location, the Tama River flows from west to east (from left to right on a map), and the camera is pointed northward from the Gyokudo Art Museum, which stands on the south side of the stream. The buildings seen here are old inns, restaurants, and other establishments. Some are reinforced concrete structures, but most are wooden. Several buildings are lined up along the slope, almost clinging to the hillside, creating an interesting and rhythmic landscape. All of the buildings shown here face south, receiving plenty of sunlight.

In Japan, buildings with a south-facing orientation and good sunlight are highly preferred. Here as well, most of the buildings along the stream face south, while there are relatively few buildings on the south side of the stream, where they would have to face north.

In fact, this landscape, captured in the photograph, became the basis for the imagery of my former work, 2010, “Electric Railway section of the hot spring village” The same applies to my subsequent works featuring mountain streams. I still regard this photograph as an important example of a landscape in which the river flows from east to west, buildings facing south line the north side of the stream, and there are relatively few buildings on the south side because they would have to face north.

Even in model works (dioramas), I feel that consciously considering the four cardinal directions—north, south, east, and west—can bring the result closer to a realistic appearance.
　

Published May 3, 2026