The newest issue of NagaKnow came out today, featuring a timely article by yours truly on the Anzu-no-Sato apricot blossoms.
NagaKnowという雑誌の最新のIssueが今日、発行されました。私の書いた記事も載っている:杏の里の花見について。
http://www.nagaknow.com/Anzu.shtml
The newest issue of NagaKnow came out today, featuring a timely article by yours truly on the Anzu-no-Sato apricot blossoms.
NagaKnowという雑誌の最新のIssueが今日、発行されました。私の書いた記事も載っている:杏の里の花見について。
http://www.nagaknow.com/Anzu.shtml
今日は春らしい日で家族を連れて、杏の里にお出かけしました。(亀清旅館から車で約25分)莟が咲き始めたばかりの状態。信州の春の暖かい風とあんず味のアイスで幸せ!
Today was a warm spring day, so we took the family to 'Anzu-no-sato' (Apricot Homeland), approx. 25 minutes by car from Kamesei Ryokan. We enjoyed the gentle spring Nagano breeze and the apricot-flavored soft ice cream, but the apricot blossoms themselves were still mostly just buds.
A guy in our town, Nishizawa-san, collects piggy banks. Lots of them. In fact, his collection is the 2nd largest in all Japan, private or public. So what do you with all of those piggies? Well, build a museum, of course. Introducing the Nishizawa Chokinbako Kan (Piggy Bank Hall). Even if you you don't share an interest in the banks, the variety of the collection makes it an insight into Japanese culture. Located 5 minutes on foot from Kamesei.
近状の方、西沢さん、が貯金箱を集めている。沢山。日本2の数だそうです。全部を展示する為に、博物館を態々作った。貯金箱はどうかと思っても、このバラエティーが日本の文化を代表して、面白い!亀清旅館から歩いて5分です。
電話番号:026-213-4612
日本舞踊のグループが泊まってくれたお陰、この珍しい見事がありました:草履15足!
You don't see this every day: 15 pairs of zori sandals. We had the pleasure of hosting a group of ladies who practice Japanese traditional dance. They all came to our inn wearing kimonos, hence the sandals.
Click here for Kamesei Ryokan website.亀清旅館のHPはこちら
(Last Report from Seattle)
This was our last day in Seattle. Our trip was too short to do all the things we wanted. One thing I really wanted to do but didn't have the time for was to stop at a new sake shop, "Sake-Nomi" (www.sakenomi.us). Apparently sake's popularity is booming in the States, and there's a new shop in downtown Seattle that specializes in gourmet sake, including from Nagano. And it happens to be run from some old friends of mine. Johnny and Taiko. If you guys see this blog, I hope you are doing well!
これが里帰りの最後の日。今回は短すぎて、行きたいところの全部に行かれなかった。その1つはシアトルの新しい酒専門店:「さけのみ」(www.sakenomi.us). 信州の酒も扱っているようです。そして、偶然だけど、私の昔の友人がやっている。ジョニーさんとTaikoさん、このブログを見れば、「お元気で!」。
弟との息子と我が息子二人とMarinersの試合を見に行ってきました。イチロ選手をたっぷり応援してきました。
米国にも日本にも野球が大人気。それぞれの応援の仕方で国民の違いが見える。個人化の強い米国人は好きな様に自由に応援する。団体化の強い日本人は全員で一緒に選手の応援歌を歌う。それぞれの良い所を生かして、私は「かっ飛ばせイチロ!」と応援しました。
Tonight I went to the Mariners game with our two sons and my brother and his son. We cheered on Ichiro!
Baseball is immensely popular both in Japan and in the States. But you can really tell the cultural differences between the two in the way they cheer. In the States, anyone and everyone cheers whatever, whenever they want to, e.g. "Throw the bum out!" In Japan, everyone sings in unison each batter's cheer. Individualism vs. group mentality!
Ichiro Time is here! Opening Day for the Seattle Mariners was yesterday, and we are going to the game tonight to cheer on Ichiro and company. As you can tell by these articles in the Seattle newspapers, Ichiro is a hero here in Seattle. And conversely, Seattle is on the map in Japan. Wherever I go in Japan, people ask my where I'm from. When I say, "Seattle," they usually say, "Oh, Ichiro!"
シアトルMarinersのオーペン戦は昨日に行いました。シアトルの新聞を見れば分かると思いますけど、シアトルではイチロがヒーローです。そして、イチロのお陰、私の出身地のシアトルが日本人の皆に知られている。今晩の試合に行く予定なのでイチロ選手を応援してきます!
Last weekend, it looked like Halloween in Downtown Seattle. We saw all kinds of creatures, all in town for SakuraCon (www.sakuracon.org), the biggest anime convention in the Pacific Northwest. We even saw a samurai walking up 5th Avenue. (He did look a little portly, though...) It just goes to show you that anime is as huge in the States as it is in Akihabara or Harajuku.
週末はシアトルのダウンタウンがハロウィーンのような雰囲気になっていた。というのは、仮装している人が沢山いました。でも、良く見たら、仮装の皆はアニメのキャラクターでした。SakuraConというアニメのコンベンションが行われた訳。コスプレーは原宿や秋葉原に負けないぐらいにアメリカにも人気!