この冬はまた戸倉上山田温泉の夜が輝か!
This winter, Togura Kamiyamada Onsen's night will once again be lit up!
戸倉上山田温泉の冬イルミネーション２０１３年 Winter Illumination for Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen for 2013
November 6, 2013: Uncategorized
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地酒王様の生坂屋酒店 Sake King Ikusaka Sake Shop
November 5, 2013: Uncategorized
亀清旅館の地酒飲み比べセットで提供している「夜明け前」はなかなかレアの地酒です。この辺で唯一扱っているのは千曲市屋代地区の「生坂屋酒店」。
先日も買付に行きましたが、とにかく地酒の種類が多い事。
東京の酒店でプレミアムが付く地酒でも普通な価格で売っています。だから観光客も買い求めて来るそうです。
生坂屋酒店は戸倉上山田温泉から車で約２０分。温泉にお越しになる方、地酒ファンなる生坂屋酒店に寄って行くのがお勧めです。
Kamesei Ryokan's Sake Tasting Set includes "Yoakemae", a very hard-to-get local sake. The only sake shop around here that carries it is Ikusakaya in Chikuma City's Yashiro district.
I recently went to Ikusakaya to stock up on Yoakemae. Their shop never ceases to amaze me with the extensive varieties of sake they offer. Some of them would carry a premium in Tokyo, but Ikusakaya sells them at regular prices. Hence, it is popular with tourists, too.
上山田のりんご農園でふじりんごは１１月中旬から Fuji Season to start mid November at Kamiyamada's Orchards
November 4, 2013: Uncategorized
クラウン農園の飛田さんです。亀清旅館・戸倉上山田温泉から車で約５分です。今年はふじりんごが１１月中旬からの見込みです。今シーズンのふじは小ぶりですが、味には自信があります！
Pictured is Crown Farm's Tobita-san. His orchard is only 5 minutes by car from Kamesei Ryokan. He informs us that fujis will start mid November. This year's crop has some smaller than normal sizes, but the flavor is as good as ever.
信州の紅葉ドライブ Autumn Leaf Drive in Nagano
November 3, 2013: Uncategorized
連休中で家族でプッチドライブしてきました。長男の中学校陸上チームの応援で長野県駅伝大会に出かけてきた。松本や途中の山道の紅葉は綺麗だった。
やはり、秋は信州での紅葉ドライブですね。
During the 3-day weekend, our family snuck out for a quick drive over to Matsumoto to cheer on our oldest son's track team at the Nagano Prefecture Cross Country Championship. The colors of the fall leaves in Matsumoto and along the mountain roads on the way were stunningly beautiful.
Fall is a great time to go for a drive in Nagano!
秋映えを浴びている戸倉の天狗 Togura's Tengu in the Autumn Sunshine
November 2, 2013: Uncategorized
文化の日の連休の最初の日で、
信州は秋映えの青空。
戸倉の天狗の周りは桜の木が紅葉してきました。
そろそろ、戸倉上山田温泉の標高（３７０ｍ）で紅葉になりそうです。亀清の庭のモミジやイチョウ等の木はこの秋、どんな綺麗になるか、楽しみしています。
'Tis the first day of the 3-day Culture Day holiday weekend, and Nagano is blessed with blue sky and crisp autumn sunlight.
Above Togura Station is a park with this Tengu statue. A tengu is a sort of Japanese goblin. Togura's looks over the town, both literally and (according to legend), figuratively. He is surrounded by cherry trees which in the spring attract multitudes of merrymakers for viewing the blossoms. But I think the colors of the trees' leaves in the fall are equally beautiful. And no crowds -- just the tengu.
It's probably safe to say that the fall color 'horizon' is starting to come down to our elevation here at Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen (around 370 meters above sea level). I can't wait to see the leaves change in our gardens here at Kamesei Ryokan, with the momiji (Japanese maples), ginkgo and all the other colorful trees.
着物イベント＠紬メッカ、上田市 Kimono Event at silk weaving mecca, Ueda City
November 1, 2013: Uncategorized
戸倉上山田温泉の近くの上田市で「キモノマルシェ」という着物のイベントは１１月１７日(日)に開催される。
知り合いの小岩井上田紬工房の小岩井さんに誘って頂きましたが、上田市の紬の文化(上田紬は日本三大紬の一つ)を生かしながら、着物の販売や着付け、着物パレードなど、面白そうな内容。なるべく行きたいと思っていますので、着物が好きな皆様はご一緒にどうぞ！
Nearby Ueda City (approx. 15 minutes by train from Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen) will hold a special kimono-related event called "Kimono Marche" on Sunday November 17th.
My buddy Koiwai-san at Koiwai Ueda Tsumugi Workshop invited me to this event that will include talks on Ueda's silkweaving roots (the local style, called 'Ueda Tsumugi', is recognized as one of the 3 most important tsumugi styles in the country) as well as the latest styles of kimonos for sale, kimono wearing, even a kimono parade.
I hope to attend, so all of you kimono fans out there, won't you join me?
http://kimononet.naganoblog.jp/e1359862.html
ハッピーハロウィン、ハッピーかぼちゃランタン Happy Halloween, Happy Jack o' Lanterns
October 31, 2013: Uncategorized
今年のハロウィンは亀清旅館の玄関の周りにかぼちゃをまた飾りました。先日は我が家族がお客様と一緒にかぼちゃを彫って、ランタンを作りました。
(あるお客さんは去年に泊まった時に一緒に作りました。あまりにもよい思い出になった様で、今年も作りたかったらしいです。しかし、亀清は偶々満室だったので、違う宿にお泊りになりました。それでも、かぼちゃタンタンを作りに来て頂きました。）
かぼちゃランタン作りは私たちアメリカ人のＤＮＡに付いております。来年のハロウィンはまた作りますので、ご一緒にどうぞ！
Once again for Halloween our entrance here at Kamesei Ryokan has been taken over by pumpkins. The other day our family, along with some guests, carved jack o' lanterns.
In fact, one family happened to stay at our inn last year when we carved the pumpkins and enjoyed it so much that they wanted to come again this year. Unfortunately we happened to be fully booked, so they stayed at a nearby inn, and still came over at night to make the jack o' lanterns with us!
For people like me who grew up in the States, carving pumpkins at Halloween is in our DNA. Next year won't you come and make them with me?
軽井沢の英語ガイドブック登場 New English Guide Book for Karuizawa
October 30, 2013: Uncategorized
戸倉在住のPeter Ninnesさんはまたやってしまいました：新しい「長野県ウォーキング・ハイキング・サイクリングガイド」を出版しました。今回は軽井沢と周辺です。千曲市番と上田市番に続いて、これで３つ目の本です。
外国人は日本で町歩きや山登りをしたくても、情報が少ない。Peterさんは長野の町の歴史や山の自然が大好きで、回りながらそのうんちくを調べて、そして自分で本を作って、出版しています。
これで長野に来る外国人がより深く信州を楽しめると思います。
Aussie expat and fellow Go-Nagano ambassador has been at it again. He just published his 3rd book in his Hiking, Walking & Biking Nagano Guide -- the Karuizawa edition. Joining the Chikuma City and Ueda City editions, Peter's guide gives detailed information on lots of well-researched courses from walks around town to vigourous hikes in the nearby mountains.
Karuizawa is perhaps best known nowadays for its outlet shopping mall. But what drew people here originally is the beautiful natural scenery, such as graceful Shiraito-taki waterfall and awe-inspiring Mt. Asama volcano. Western missionaries from Tokyo started coming here to escape the heat of summer and Karuizawa gradually developed into a resort town here among the mountains of Nagano.
Peter's 16 courses for Karuizawa and surrounds will help you explore the area's natural wonders as well as take you through the history of the town's origins. Many of the courses are well-suited for bicycling, and you'll find many rental cycle shops in Karuizawa.
Get a copy of Peter's Karuizawa Guide (now available in electronic form for downloading to your smartphone or tablet) and use it to gain a deeper understanding of this popular corner of Nagano Prefecture. And be sure to check out the Chikuma City and Ueda City guides as well!
Peter Ninnes' Walking, Hiking & Biking Guide to Karuizawa
Chikuma City version
１１月の大勝館は子供の大衆演劇？ Kids in Geisha Drag for November?
October 29, 2013: Uncategorized
戸倉上山田温泉の太守演劇の劇場「大勝館」に１１月に面白そうな劇団が来ます：
しらさぎさん兄妹
今までの劇団の中で子供連れのもいらっしゃいましたが、大体暮れでした。表面に出るのは珍しいのではないかと思います。
１１月こそ、戸倉上山田温泉で大衆演劇を見よ！大勝館は毎日１３：００と１９：００で行われています。亀清旅館で割引券がございますのでお問い合わせをどうぞ。
Togura Kamiyamada Onsen's Taishokan Theater offers 'taishu-engeki' performances -- sort of Kabuki theater for the masses (or, in other words, a geisha drag show). Every month a new troupe comes, and the one for November is called the "Shirasagi Siblings". While some troupes have children amongst their members, the kids are usually in the background. This is the first one I've seen with the children take top billing. Should be interesting!
Taishokan holds 2 performances daily, at 1pm and 7pm. We have discount tickets here at Kamesei, so feel free to ask!
京都で夢の様な舞妓遊び Like a Dream Come True: Playing with the Geisha in Kyoto
October 28, 2013: Uncategorized
長野県と京都府のそれぞれの旅館組合青年部の交流事業で、２８日に京都に行ってきました。
Ｔｈｅ Ｓｃｒｅｅｎと言う最新デザイン宿の見学に社長の講演、
京都の組合の外国人観光客の取り組み、
そして長野県のインバウンド事業の発表。
発表者は何と、私！
その夜は皆で祇園のお茶屋桝梅に行きました。
伝説の舞妓さんと座敷遊び。
とにかく、感動！一生忘れられない。
この外国人の私だけだと思ったら、京都の連中さえ写真ぱしぱし。
現代の日本はクールが沢山あるけど、芸子さんはその最も！
On October 28th, the Kyoto Ryokan Junior Assoc. invited the Nagano team to join them for a seminar. We got to take a tour of The Screen, one of the most fashionable 'design hotels' in the world, as well as a talk by the owner. Then the Kyoto guys made a presentation on their projects for guests from overseas. Finally, our Nagano team made our presentation, with Yours Truly doing the presenting.
That night, we went to the Gion district and the Kyoto team treated us to the ochaya Masu-ume, where we were entertained by maiko.
It was an unforgettable experience -- totally mesmerizing. And I thought it was just me, the foreigner who felt so, but even the Kyoto guys couldn't stop taking pictures!
