千曲川のつけば・川の家に寄ってみました。鮠の時期が終わりかけですが、お釣りの皆さんは鮎の解禁を楽しみにしています。６月２０日の予定です。亀清旅館ではうちの板長がそれに合わせて鮎塩焼きもそのごろにスタート！お楽しみに！
Yesterday we went down to one of the fishing shacks on the Chikuma River. The Haya season is apparently finishing up, and the fishermen are looking forward to the start of the Ayu season, which is scheduled for June 20th this year. Our chef will start a special Ayu dish then, too.

ラベンダーと戸倉上山田温泉

戸倉上山田温泉から歩いて２０分で千曲川の側にこんなに綺麗なラベンダー畑があります。今日は子供達と自転車で行きました。ラベンダー狩りがじゆに出来るところです。ラベンダーはなんとなく信州の自然、この戸倉上山だの山と川の景色に合います。
In a spot along the Chikuma River about 20 minutes on foot from Togura Kamiyamada Onsen are these beautiful lavender fields. The kids and I rode our bicycles down to see them. The city lets people pick the lavender to decorate at their homes. The soft purple waves of lavender blooms somehow match the natural beauty of Nagano and the river and mountain setting of our onsen town.

ラベンダーと美咲ちゃん

アシスタントの美咲ちゃんとクッキー売り

戸倉上山田温泉に市場は２つある：１０月までの毎週日曜日の朝６時半からの朝市と毎週金曜日のかめ乃湯通り夕市です。朝市は段々と大きくなってきていますが、夕市はこれで２年目だけですからまだ育っているところです。先日は私が亀清の名物（？）若旦那手作りクッキーを朝市で売りました。夕べは夕市の方に。せかっくその通りの皆様が頑張っていますので形になる応援したかった。宿泊客様も近所の皆様も楽しめる市場になるように、継続で頑張りましょう！
Togura Kamiyamada Onsen has 2 weekly farmers markets going on through October: The Sunday Morning market at the main park, and the Friday Evening Market on Kame-no-yu Toori (Street). The Sunday Morning one has been going for several years and gets bigger each year. The Friday Evening one is just in its second year and is still just starting out. A couple of weeks ago I helped out at the Sunday Market by selling my home-made cookies, and last night I did the same for the Evening Market. It's impressive to see the people in the neighborhood get together to put on the market. Things like this have to start somewhere, and need sweat equity to get going. Not that selling cookies is a sweaty job, but I wanted to help out in a meaningful way.

駄菓子もある！