Morino Lodge's Gomi Rules

この間、白馬のもりのロッジにお世話になりました。オーナーはスコットランド生まれのＭａｔｔさんです。そして、実は、Ｍａｔｔさんは和田野区の区長にもなりました。「外国人の区長」と言う事で、長野県のメディアで話題になりました。まあ、私もこの上山田温泉１１区の区長にはいつかなるから、大した事じゃないと最初に思いました。しかし、去年にＭａｔｔさんと共同で長野市に講演で喋りました。その時に、Ｍａｔｔさんが区のごみ問題についての活動を話しました。彼は白馬の自然と環境が好きだからこそ、引越ししたので、区長としてその環境を守りたいとの事。
なるほど。
私こそ、比較的にエコ派です。亀清のロビーに灯油のストーブをどけて、薪ストーブを取り付けるとか、近所のレストランの使われた割り箸をそのストーブの焚き付けに使うとか。
でもＭａｔｔさんのごみ選別などの努力を聞いたら、感動しました。
そして、先日は白馬に行った時に、彼のもりのロッジを見学させていただきました。外国人の宿泊者の為にごみ選別のルールを英語での説明、別々なゴミ箱など、彼らがしっかりしている。そして、聞いたら、近所の週一のごみの日が宿泊者に体験ツアーとして人気だと。
なるほど！日本のごみルールが細かくて、面倒くさいと思っていましたが、逆に考えれば、そのごみ文化を外国人に見せたらいい勉強・経験になるのだ。
Last week I was given a tour of Hakuba's Morino Lodge by its owner. The owner is Matt-san from Scotland, who also happens to be the Wadano Village Chief. Being the first foreigner Village Chief in Hakuba, Matt-san has been somewhat of a media darling here in Nagano. At first I thought -- what's the big deal? Within a couple of years it'll be my turn to be Kamiyamada Onsen's 11th District Chief. I don't find that to be particularly news-worthy. However, last year I was invited to give a speech in Nagano City with Matt as the co-presentor. Matt chose to live in Hakuba for its beautiful nature, and as Village Chief, he has taken it upon himself to take the village's garbage separation and recycling to a higher level.
I was impressed. I consider myself to be an environmentally sensitive type guy. For example, here at Kamesei Ryokan, we took out the kerosene stove from the lobby and put in a wood burning one. And we collect used chopsticks from neighboring restaurants to use for lighting fires in the stove, as opposed to letting them end up in the garbage. But I was fascinated by Matt's garbage and recycling efforts for his village.
When we took the tour of Matt's lodge, I was amazed to see the detailed "garbage rules" for his guests, and the separated waste cans everywhere -- all in English. And I heard that Matt turned his village's weekly garbage collection day into a cultural tour, to show his guests Japan's garbage "culture". It made me realize that Japan's garbage rules shouldn't be considered to be all anal in their detailedness, but they are a good thing for foreigners to learn and perhaps take back to their own countries.

もりのロッジのＨＰはこちらClick here for Morino Lodge's website.

Here's a link to a Japan's Time article that led me to understand Japan's gomi rules aren't to be dreaded, but are to be held up as an example for the rest of the world to follow.

Separate garbage cans -- not even bothering with Nihongo!

3 for sake, 1 for...

先日は上山田お神楽保存会の新年会がこの温泉の上山田ホテルで行いました。私が生まれてからbeatle'sのOb-La-Di, Ob-La-Daを歌ったなど、公表が出来ない部分はありますが、その中で感動した一事があって、ここで紹介したいと思います。
上ホの一角に日本の伝統的な物は飾ってありました。帯や主に結婚式関係の物でしたが、この三々九度の盃がありました。結婚する二人の親をお互いに紹介する時に使うお皿だそうです。普段はお皿が三枚らしいですが、この辺で４枚だと言う習慣があると教えてもらいました。一枚は盃の式の時に割れるそうです。つまり、結婚する娘との親の縁も割れるからだと。
確かに、日本の結婚式披露宴でその部分がありますね。お嫁になる女性が自分の親に「お世話になりました」と言います。その下降形の「した」に驚きました。日本で結婚する時、親との縁まで切れるのだ。
三々九度の４枚目のお皿が割れるように。

上山田ホテルさん、この伝統的なものの展示でそのストーリーを表現してくれて、有難うございました！

The other day, the Kamiyamada Okagara Lion Dance troupe held our New Year Party at Kamiyamada Hotel, one of the grandest inns here in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen. For the first time in my life, I sang Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by the Beatle's. That and many other stories shall be told at a later time (or maybe not). Now I want to mention about a little something that really fascinated me.
Kamiyamada Hotel had one section decorated by various traditional objects, like a kimono obi and several items related to weddings, including these "San-san Ku Do" dishes. These are apparently used as part of the ceremony for when the parents of the two to be married are introduced to each other. The party drinks sake out of 3 of the dishes in a special ritual. It is our local tradition to have a 4th dish, that is to be broken as a symbol of the bride's ties with her parents to be broken.
It reminded me of the Japanese wedding ceremonies I have seen. At one point during the reception, the bride gives a speech thanking her parents for all of the support they have given her, with the "given" being past tense. In other words, she no longer belongs to that family. From then on, she is a member of her husband's family. The ties are broken, like the 4th dish is. Powerful stuff.

I want to thank Kamiyamada Hotel for honoring and giving voice to local traditions like this through their displays!

上山田ホテルのＨＰはこちらClick here for Kamiyamada Hotel's website.