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戸倉上山田温泉の旅館組合の行事で我々旅館が当番で見にギャラリーを開いています。今回の作品が、何と、我宿です。今月から３月末まで東京の版画家、金子邦夫先生、の作品がうちのロビーで展示しております。金子先生の作品はどちらかというと、我々欧米人のほうがなじみやすいかもしれません。ご気楽でご覧になってください。
The Ryokan Assoc. here at Togura Kamiyamada Onsen has a project where we inns take turns hosting a mini-gallery. From now until the end of March, it's Kamesei's turn. We are proud to display the wood block prints of Tokyo artist Kunio Kaneko in our lobby. Kaneko-sensei's designs tend to appeal to us Westerners. If you get a chance, please come and enjoy.
亀清旅館のＨＰはこちらClick here for Kamesei Ryokan's website

亀清の近辺にこの建物が工事中です。何になるかと聞いたら、なんと｢郵便貯金箱会館｣だそうです。地元の西沢薬局さんが全国で二番目に多い貯金箱の集まりがあって、そして展示する為に態々この建物を建てています。ちょうど上山田温泉の中央公園の桜が咲く頃に完成の見込みだそうです。花見のついでに貯金箱をどうぞ、ご覧になってください。
Nearby Kamesei Ryokan, this building is being constructed. I found out it will be the 'Postal Savings Box Hall'. In other words, a museum for piggy banks. Mr. Nishizawa, a local pharmacist, has individually compiled the 2nd largest collection of piggy banks in the country. So this hall will display his collection. It is expected to be finished just in time for cherry blossom season, so come enjoy 'hanami' at Chuo Park behind our inn, and check out the piggy banks, too!

「どんど焼」という名前が燃えている竹の音からだと聞きました。今日の上山田温泉の千曲川沿いのに子供とお客さんを連れて行きましたが、名前変更が必要だと思いました：「どんどんどんどんど焼き」の方が良いのではないかと。音が凄かったですよ！感動的でした。（その後の炭で焼かれた御餅と川魚も美味しかった！ご馳走様でした！）
Whoever named this event 'Don-do Yaki' had it wrong. Our town holds the annual burning of the New Years decorations down on the banks of the Chikuma River, and I took our two sons and some guests to go see it. After the pyre was lit, the sound of the burning bamboo popping was more like 'Don-Don-Don-Don-Do'! It was really impressive! (And the 'mochi' sticky rice and river fish cooked over the coals were delicious, too!) For those of you who missed it, there's always next year.