７月１８，１９日の上山田温泉夏祭りに向かって、準備が段々と進んでいます。夕べは獅子の練習でした。その「どこい！どこい！どこい！」が耳にずっと残っています。物凄く迫力のアル祭りなので機会があれば、是非見に来てください。私は今年、また獅子に入りますので宜しくお願いします。
（ちなみに、写真に写っているのは私の先輩、亀屋本店の高野さん。今年の若連のトップです。ご苦労様です！）

Preparations for this year's Kamiyamada Onsen Summer Festival (scheduled for July 18th and 19th) are starting to build into a fevered peak. Last night was the main practice for the Shi-shi lion. The "Dokoi! Dokoi! Dokoi!" chant is stuck in my head now. I can't wait for the actual day. It's an energy-filled event -- if you get the chance, definitely come and see it!

(By the way, the guy in the picture is my "senpai", Takano-san from Kameya Honten. He is this year's Waka-Ren top. Keep up the good work!)

グッド・ニュース！戸倉駅に直売りの野菜・果実キオスクが出来ました。地元の農産物を安く手に入れる。他の道の駅で桜ん坊は小さいカップで５００円、戸倉駅の市場で割りといい大きさのパックで３５０円ぐらいでした。そして、トマトは色んな種類、アスパラは緑も紫もあり、美味しそうな野菜はいっぱいありました。戸倉上山田温泉からの帰りの電車にローカルのチェリーはどう？

Good News! A mini Farmers Market has opened up in Togura Station. Good prices on locally grown produce. The other day, I stopped by a "Michi-no-Eki" at another town, and they had a pitifully small cup of cherries for 500 yen. The kiosk at Togura Station had a decent sized pack of cherries for about 350 yen. There were several varieties of tomatoes, purple as well as green asparagus, and a whole lot more yummy-looking fresh veggies. So on your train ride back home after your stay at Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, you can munch on local cherries!

信州戸倉上山田温泉の亀清旅館のHPはこちらClick here for the website of Kamesei Ryokan in Nagano.