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A short drive across the mountains from Hiroshima lies Shimane Prefecture, with the famous shrine at Izumo, close to the Japan Sea coast. Late last month, the municipal board of education announced that a huge wooden pillar had been found within the main shrine complex. The pillar is thought to have been part of the original shrine, built in the late Heian period, some 900 years ago.
The wooden pillar is actually three tree trunks measuring between 1.1 metre and 1.35 metres in diameter, the three having a combined diameter of about 3 metres. The pillar was surrounded by rocks the size of human heads, which are thought to have kept it in place. Similar rocks were found several metres away and these are thought to have formed the base of a similar pillar.
The discovery lends credence to the historical records kept by the shrine, according to which the main building was supported by nine such pillars and was 48 metres tall, the tallest wooden structure known at the time. The computer images of the original shrine show the main building on pillars and approached from the ground by a flight of steps some 108 metres long, which is also supported by wooden pillars. What are thought to be parts of these pillars were discovered in 1957.
A ceremony was held last week beneath the busy Kamiya-cho crossing to mark the completion of the bulk of the construction work of the new underground shopping complex, which is due to open next spring. The ceremony was held in the vast open space directly under the intersection, which will be the main focal point of the complex. It was attended by the Mayor of Hiroshima and by representatives of the chamber of commerce, local enterprises and the construction industry. During the remaining months, the concrete skeleton will be fleshed out, tenants selected and all the familiar elements of a typical shopping mall added.
Nearby in the NTT CRED square, a ceremony was held to announce the name of the new shopping arcade. The name Shareo was selected from among 7,587 suggestions and is based on oshare, which means ‘highly fashionable’. The name was suggested by Mr Osamu Soda, 36, a government official from Hirata City.
Three female employees of the Hiroshima Dentetsu bus company have qualified to become bus drivers. After learning the routes and other essential matters, they will make their debut in the city in late May or early June.
H.S.O. Subscription Concert
What: The 201st Subscription Concert of the Hiroshima’s own Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra will be conducted by Kazumasa Watanabe and violin soloist Ayano Ito will participate. The concert includes works by Brahms and Rachmaninov,
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municipal board of education 町教委 |
出雲で新たな発見
広島から車で山を越えると、島根県。日本海岸沿いに有名な出雲大社がある。先月末、（簸川郡大社）町教委は出雲大社境内から、巨大な木製の柱根が発見されたことを発表した。柱は約九百年前の平安時代末期に建てられた本殿の一部だと考えられる。
木製の柱は、直径が１．１０―１．３５メートルもある三本の幹を結んで直径約３メートルほどの太さにしている。柱は固定させるために、人間の頭ほどもある岩で固められている。似たような岩（の入った穴）は数メートル先でも発見されており、同様の柱を支えていたと考えられる。
この発見は、大社に伝わる資料（設計図面「金輪造営図」）を裏付けるものとなる。社伝によると、本殿は九本の柱に支えられ、高さは４８メートルと、当時では最高だったとされている。コンピューターで再現すると、本殿は柱の上にあり、同様の木製の柱で支えられた約１０８メートルの長さの階段から上ることができる。これらの柱の一部だと考えられるものが、１９５７年に発見されている。
シャレオでおしゃれショッピング
先週、にぎやかな紙屋町交差点の下で、来春にオープンする予定の新しい地下街の建築工事の大部分が完成したことを記念して、完工式が開かれた。式は交差点のちょうど真下にある大きな広場で開かれた。そこが地下街の中心点となる。式には広島市長、商工会議所、地元の会社、建設会社の代表らが参加。オープンまで骨組みだけの建物が完成され、テナントが選択され、典型的なショッピングモールに備わっている要素が加えられる。
近くのＮＴＴクレド基町ビル前広場では、この新しいショッピング･アーケードの名前の発表式があった。「おしゃれ」を基にした「シャレオ」という名前は７５８７通の応募から選ばれた。この名前は平田市の公務員、曽田修さん（３６）が提案した。
運転する女性
広島電鉄バスの女性３人がバス運転手の資格を得た。運行ルートと必要事項を学んだ後、５月末か６月始めにデビューする。