Tamako-san playing konpira fune-fune with a guest
芸者の世界が奥深くて、外からなかなか入れないようです。その意味で、私が恵まれている。この戸倉上山田温泉の旅館に入った御蔭で、お客さんの宴会で私も芸者さん達の三味線や踊りを見る機会があります。夕べは私にとって、また初めての経験でした：座敷ゲーム。「こんぴらふねふね」と言いますかな？噂は良く聞きましたが、自分の目で見るのは初めてでした。そして、見るだけじゃなくて、「おい、おまえもやれ」と。玉子さんにご親切に教えて頂いて、そしてチャレンジ！私が飲んでいなかったにかかわらず、勝てられなかった。やはり芸者さんはプロですね。最初は三味線がゆっくりでなんとなく上手くできたけど、三味線が早くなる内に、失敗してしまう。三味線と合わせてやるのは凄いですね。さすが芸者さん達の芸！
The geisha world is deep and mysterious, and it's difficult for outsiders to enter. So I consider myself fortunate, because thanks to my job at the ryokan here in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, I am able to see some of the shamisen music and traditional dance at our guests' banquets. Last night was another first for me: geisha parlor games. I'd heard about the games, but had never really seen one. So when I heard the sound of the shamisen and stepped into the banquet room last night, I was thrilled to see "konpira fune-fune" taking place. And not only did I get to watch it, but then one of the guests said, "Hey, you try it, too!" Tamako-san taught me the rules (it's too complicated to explain here), and I gave it a try. One thing I learned really quickly was it's impossible to beat a geisha. They are pros! While the shamisen is going slowly, I could keep up with Tamako-san, but as the shamisen picked up speed, before I knew it I had lost. Playing the game accompanied live by a shamisen was so cool!
