田んぼに冠着山の反射 Kamuriki Mtn. Reflecting in the Rice Paddies

June 28, 2011: 季節 Seasons

Kamuriki mountain reflecting in the rice paddies

この時期の田んぼの景色が好きです。田植えが終わって、苗が途中まで育って来て、田んぼは背景を映しながら苗が目を引く模様となっている。

千曲川の近辺、戸倉上山田温泉の少し下流の田んぼでは冠着山の反射が見れる。川沿いのサイクリング道路からも見える。そして、山の雄大な姿を見れば、登りたくなってしまいます。

以前にも書きましたように、千曲川サイクリング道路及び冠着山登りコースを含めて、戸倉上山田温泉周辺のハイキング・サイクリングマップが出来ました。自転車やハイクで良い汗をかけて、そして温泉に入るのは最高です。

This is one of my favorite times of the year: the area's rice fields have all been planted and the seedlings are starting to grow bigger and bigger. They are still small enough for the paddies to reflect the surrounding scenery, reflections accented with the mesmerizing patterns of the rice seedlings.

Along the Chikuma River just downriver from Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, the rice fields are situated in just such a way to reflect Kamuriki Mountain, our area's landmark. The serene scene can be enjoyed from the cycling road that runs along the levee alongside the river. And seeing the grand visage of Kamuriki-yama awakens a desire to go hiking to the summit.

As mentioned previously, fortunately there is a new Hiking / Cycling map for Togura Kamiyamada and the vicinity. Both the Chikuma River Cycling Road course and the hiking trail for Kamuriki Mountain are featured. This summer, breaking a sweat on the cycle or hoofing it one of our local mountains, followed by a relaxing soak in our onsen will be a delight!



The New Hiking / Cycling Map


柏葉アジサイの特徴な花 Oak Leaf Hydrangea's Unique Flowers

June 26, 2011: 季節 Seasons

The distinct flowers of the oakleaf hydrangea

亀清旅館の中庭と露天風呂の庭に変わったアジサイが今咲いています:カシワバアジサイ。葉っぱが柏木のに似ていて、その名付きになっているそうです。葉っぱも特徴があるけど、花も他のアジサイと違う。丸くなくて、コーンの様に尖っている。

写真は我が手作り「100年風呂」露天風呂の庭です。側にカシワバアジサイが雄大で咲いている。夜になればどんな感じでしょう?その白い花は月様の光できっときらきらするでしょう。今晩、入ってみよう!

(全然関係ない話ですが、今は初めて気付きました:「尖っている」と言う字。「大きくから小さくへ」=「尖っている」。なるほどね。漢字は格好いいね。)

In a couple spots in Kamesei Ryokan's nakaniwa central garden and the garden surrounding our outdoor onsen bath there is a unique hydrangea blossoming right now. It is a Hydrangea quercifolia, commonly known as an oakleaf hydrangea. The plant's leaves resemble those of an oak tree and are considerably different from typical hydrangea leaves. More striking is the shape of the flowers. Most hydrangea flowers are generally round in shape, but the oakleaf hydrangea's are like elongated cones.

This picture is of our 100 Year Bath rotenburo (outdoor bath), showing the unique hydrangea in bloom. I wonder what it is like at night. The brilliant white flowers must catch the moonlight and almost glow. Hopefully tonight I can take a soak and check it out.





つつじからアジサイへ 季節の変更@亀清の庭 From Azaleas to Hydrangeas -- The Season's Change Here at Kamesei's Gardens

June 21, 2011: 季節 Seasons

Annabelle hydrangeas blooming in Kamesei's garden

亀清旅館の庭のつつじは今年、かなり頑張ってくれました。玄関や中庭、所々でつつじの綺麗な花が咲きました。でも梅雨の雨のせいか、花が落ち始まりました。

代わりに、今度はアジサイの花が咲きだしています。中庭もそうですが、離れ風の部屋への廊下の坪庭にアンナベルと言う雪のように白い花のアジサイが咲きだしました。見るだけで自分が元気をもらえるって感じです。

今日は海外から以前に泊まったお客様からメールが久しぶりに来ました。その方の住んでいる米国ニューメキシコ州に日本庭園を造ったそうです。そしてその写真が送られてきました。砂漠での日本的な庭はこんな感じなんだと思いました。水が少ない地域ですからどうしても植物より石や砂が多い。それと比較したら、亀清の庭、戸倉上山田温泉の周辺の山々は緑がたっぷりあって、恵まれています。

This year, the azaleas shrubs here at Kamesei Ryokan put on quite a colorful show with their flowers. We have azaleas in our entrance, our naka-niwa central garden and koi pond, and here and there throughout our ryokan's gardens. But perhaps due to the heavy rains this tsuyu (rainy season), the azalea flowers have started to wash away.

In their place, the hydrangeas are starting to blossom. The ones in the nak-niwa are beginning to put on color, but right now the most spectacular are the Annabelle hydrangeas in the tsubo niwa pocket gardens by the detached rooms. Their snow-white flowers seem to radiate energy.

Just today I received an e-mail from a guest who stayed with us last year. She apparently made a Japanese garden where she's living in New Mexico. Looking at the photos she sent, it was interesting to see a desert version of a Japanese garden. With water being so scarce, the few plants she did use were of course drought resistant. Rocks and sand seem to be the most prevalant aspect. Compared with that, Kamesei's many gardens as well as the hills around our onsen town, Togura-Kamiyamada, are alive with green color. We are truly blessed here.





「繭」を思わせる庭 Silk-Themed Garden

June 17, 2011: 季節 Seasons

coccoon-like flowers in our silk-themed garden

「あっ、床の間に糸巻機械が飾ってある!」

「えっ、庭に蚕棚が掛けてある!」

と、先ほどに亀清の「紬」テーマの客室に案内したら、お客様が感動してくれました。

私が説明しました。「そうですよ。その壁に飾ってあるタペストリーは上田紬で、私の手作りです。去年は庭師二胡の庭を作ってもらったので、桑の木も植えました。」

それでまたお客様が嬉しくて思い出して「子供のころは桑の実を食べっちゃいけないと言われたが、良くこそこそで食べたよね」と。

そして、この庭のもう一つな特徴は繭を思わせる花もあります。今は蛍袋(Campanula punctata Lam.)が咲いています。普段は紫の花だが、庭師が珍しい白い花のを見つけて、植えてくれました。

まあ、気が付かない方がほとんどでしょうけど、私にとっては非常に嬉しい所。

"Ahh, isn't that a silk thread spool there in the tokonoma alcove?"

"Hey, and those are silk worm raising trays there hanging on the garden wall, right?"

Those were the comments of tonights this afternoon as I showed them their guest room that we have been remodelling after a tsumugi (silk) theme.

I explained to them a bit further. "That wall hanging is made of silk in the Ueda tsumugi tradition, by none other than yours truly. And in the garden there is a mulberry plant."

That started a whole new round of memories. "Oh, remember how we were always told not to eat the mulberries but we snuck them in our pockets and ate them anyways?"

We had our gardener make design the new garden around a silk theme. One of the plants blooming right now is a spottled lantern flower, Campanula punctata Lam. Usually the flowers are purple, but our gardener managed to find a rare one with white flowers. Doesn't the shape vaguely resemble a silk coccoon? Most people probably wouldn't realize the connection, but that's find. It's like my little secret.





家族でラベンダー畑 ラ・プロヴァンス?スクイム? いいえ、上山田! Family Trip to the Lavender Fields: La Provence? Sequim? Nope -- Kamiyamada!

June 14, 2011: 季節 Seasons

family lavender

家族で自転車乗りでラベンダー畑へ行きました。おフランスのラ・プロヴァンス?ワシントン州のスクイム?いいえ、ここ、上山田!

亀清旅館・戸倉上山田温泉から自転車で約10分で、広くて良いラベンダー畑があります。万葉スポーツエリアーの一部です。新しく出来た戸倉上山田温泉周辺のハイキング・サイクリングマップにも紹介されています。

今は綺麗に咲いているので、ぜひ見に、いいえ、香りをかみに行ってみてください。

Our family went on a bicycle ride to some lavender fields. Is it La Provence in the south of France? Or maybe Sequim on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula? Nope, the fields are right here in Kamiyamda.

In fact, the Manyo Sports Area lavender fields are just a 10 minute bike ride from Kamesei and our onsen town, Togura Kamiyamada.

I highly suggesting going and seeing, more than that, smelling the lavender fields!







亀清の新しい玄関看板の初春 Kamesei's New Entrance Sign's First Spring

June 12, 2011: 季節 Seasons

Our sign's first Spring

去年の秋に私がこの玄関看板を手彫りで作りました。この春になって、周りのつつじとラベンダーが咲いてきて、カラフルで良い背景になりました。

どうですか?花が看板に合うと思いませんか?

Last Fall, I made this hand-carved sign for Kamesei Ryokan's entrance. Now that it is Spring, the surrounding azalea and lavender are in bloom making a colorful background for the new sign.

Don't you think that flowers complement the sign?





上山田のラベンダー畑でまた良い香り! The lovely scents are back -- Kamiyamada's Lavender Fields Blooming Again

June 5, 2011: 季節 Seasons

Misaki enjoying the lavender

千曲川の河川敷に行けば、いつも気持ちいい風があります。今はその風が良い香りを運んでいます:上山田のラベンダー畑がまた咲き出しました。

亀清の若若女将とその畑に行ってみました。亀清から車で約5分、歩いて20分です。

その甘い香り!

Down on the riverbanks of the Chikuma River, you will often find a pleasant breeze blowing. Now that breeze carries the sweet scent of lavender, as Kamiyamada's lavender fields have started blooming again.

I took our daughter down to check out the lavender. The fields are only 5 minutes by car from Kamesei, or a nice 20 minute walk.

And the scent of lavender is simply sublime!







亀清旅館の客室庭に杏のみ?! Apricot Fruit in Kamesei Ryokan's Guestroom Garden?

May 31, 2011: 季節 Seasons

Apricot fruit starting to develop

亀清旅館の「千歳」と言う客間はこの千曲市の森地区「あんずの里」の記念で「杏」と言うテーマに合わせてプッチ改造しています。その一部としてはお部屋の庭に杏の木を庭師の岡田さんに植えてもらいました。今日に見たら、立派な身が出始まりました。さすがあんずの里に近い温泉地と思いました。

ちなみに、本来の杏狩り@あんずの里は6月25日(土)~7月15日(金)頃
で行うそうです。戸倉上山田温泉・千曲市は杏から初めて、サクランボ、ぶどう、梨、そして代表のりんごで次から次へ果実が出てきます。その最初は杏です。楽しみにしていま~す!ご一緒に杏狩りに行きませんか?

For Kamesei Ryokan's guestroom 'Chitose', we are doing a slight make-over around an "Apricot" theme in honor of nearby Mori 'Apricot Village'. We had our gardener, Okada-san, plant an apricot tree in the room's private garden. When I took a look at it today, I was surprised to see it was starting to bear fruit!

Apricot picking will officially take place in Mori from June 25th thru July 15th. Apricots will be followed by cherries, table grapes, pears, and the granddaddy of them all, apples. Togura Kamiyamada has a veritable parade of fruit picking. But first, the apricots. Won't you come and join me for apricot picking?

「あんずの里」杏狩りの詳しくはこちらClick here for info on apricot picking in Mori 'Apricot Village'





田んぼと北アルプスの日の入り Sunset over the Alps Reflecting in Rice Paddies

May 25, 2011: 季節 Seasons

Sun setting over the Alps

この時期は松本の方で、見る角度によって夕方にアルプスの裏に沈む太陽は槍ヶ岳を針の様シルエットになるらしいです。

県旅館組合青年部の会議で松本に行っていまして、帰りは夕日が見れました。角度が違ったからその槍ヶ岳のシルエットは見れなかったけど、田植えされた田んぼに反射していた夕日は綺麗でした。その時に撮った写真を提供します。

At this time of the year, from certain locations in Matsumoto it appears that the setting sun goes down over the Japanese Alps right over Yatsugatake, silhouetting the needle-like mountain.

I was in 'Moto for a meeting of the prefecture's ryokan junior association, and on the way home got to see the sun setting over the Alps. Unfortunately I was in the wrong spot and so didn't get to see the Yatsugatake Alps action. But it was still pretty, especially as the newly planted rice fields reflected the setting sun. Here's a picture I took.




Yatsugatake silhoutte by a much better photographer than I


アカシア花の天ぷらはいかがですか? How about some Acacia Blossom Tempura

May 24, 2011: 季節 Seasons

'Tis Spring! Acacia flowers!

この戸倉上山田温泉の真ん中に千曲画が流れています。堤防の内側に入れば川辺の別な世界になります。今日は我が息子達を連れて、川辺へ冒険しました。アカシアの木は花がちょうど咲いていました。

信州は本当に自然で恵まれて、嬉しいです。

板長がこのアカシアの花を天ぷらでお客様に出すので、少し採ってきました。旬の味できっと美味しいでしょう。

The Chikuma River runs through the center of our onsen town, Togura-Kamiyamada. If you cross over the levee and enter the river 'zone', it feels like a separate universe. With the rustling sound of the wind through the reeds and gurgling sound of the river, you can easily forget the hussle and bussle of the surrounding town.

Yesterday I took our sons down to the river. The acacia trees are in bloom now and the air was filled with the sweet scent emanating from the white blossoms. We picked a few to take back to our chef here at Kamesei. Acacia flowers taste fabulous served as tempura. Our guests for the next few days are in for a treat!



Acacia trees in bloom with the Chikuma River and Togura Kamiyamada Onsen in the distance