GAS --before WW2--

I interviewed my grandmother, Reiko(77 years old).She lived in Ehime in old days, but now she lives in Nagano. When I asked about a difference of energy source between her old days and now, she answered it was gas.

Before World War II, the Japanese didn’t have gas laid on in their houses. Therefore they used charcoal and the firewood when they did housework. There was an orchard in her house. After gardeners cut branches of fruit trees, her family put them on the roof of the house, and put them down when they wanted to use fire. And sometimes they bought firewood from a timber. Because heating power was different with kinds of wood, so they use firewood using different species. For example, they used the branch of the grape when they cooked rice. The grape is good for high heating power. They use the pines when they want to use fire for long time.

Of cause they didn’t have oil stove, so they used “Anka” or “Kotatsu” as heating. Anka is a box which has charcoal inside. She sometimes put futon on Anka and heated it. They could use electricity at that time, but they use it for only lights.

After World War II, they could use gas, and they bought cookers. She said that now she can live easily with electric appliance; it is hard for the old person standing and walking for a long time. Therefore modern life is very comfortable. However, she said that she wanted to use the eco-friendly electric appliance.