November 26, 2016

Kururi, the Land of Water That Lives/生きた水の里 久留里

Kururi is the place in Kimitsu city, Chiba prefecture that is famous for Kururi Castle. It's also famous for "Ikita Mizu" (lit. Water that Lives). In Kururi, there are several sites where you can get this water free of charge. I went to the Mizu Kumi Hiroba (Water-Drawing Square) near JR Kururi Station.
久留里(くるり)は、千葉県君津市にある、久留里城で有名な場所です。また、「生きた水」でも有名です。久留里には、この水が無料で手に入る場所がいくつかあります。私は、JR久留里駅近くにある、水汲み広場に行きました。
 
Before going to the Square, I dropped by the Kururi Tourism Exchange Center.
その広場に行く前に、久留里観光交流センターに寄りました。
An antique market was held here.
骨董市が開かれていました。
Entrance of the Center:
センターの入り口:
Inside:
内部:
"Kimipyon", the "yuru chara" (mascot character) of Kimitsu city:
君津市のゆるキャラ(マスコットキャラクター)、「きみぴょん」:
In Kimitsu city, there are several places where you can see fireflies ("hotaru no sato").
君津市には、蛍(ほたる、ホタル)が見れる場所(ほたるの里)がいくつかあります。
Toothpicks of various sorts, made of trees called kuromoji
黒文字(くろもじ)という木でできた、様々な楊枝
Kururi is also famous for such splendid toothpicks.
久留里はこのような素晴らしい楊枝でも有名です。




Items related to Kururi Line are on display.
久留里線関連のアイテムが展示されています。


Just watching the items inside the Center could take hours! Sadly, I didn't have much time, so I decided to go to the Water-Drawing Square.
センター内にある物を見ているだけで、数時間もかかってしまうかも。そんな時間はないので、水くみ場に行くことにしました。



In 2008, this water was selected as one of the "100 Exquisite and Well-Conserved Waters of the Heisei Period".
2008年、この水は「平成の名水百選」に選ばれました。

There are some nice videos introducing Ikita Mizu on YouTube like this one.
このビデオなど、YouTubeに生きた水を紹介するビデオがいくつかあります。

***
By the way, at around noon, I made preparations for making oden to have for today's supper. I asked my father what oden items he wanted me to buy at the supermarket. He talked about "nama age". "Nama age?!", I replied. I had never seen or heard of such oden items... My mother said it should be something like atsu age. At the supermarket, I did find nama age! Yes, it's just like atsu age. Learning new things every day!
ところで、昼ごろ、今日の夕飯に食べるおでんの準備をしました。父にどんなおでんの具をスーパーで買ってきてほしいか尋ねると、「生あげ」と言い出しました。「生揚げ?!」そんなものは見たことも聞いたこともありませんでした。母は厚揚げ見たいなものだろうと言ってました。スーパーで、生揚げを見つけました!そう、厚揚げによく似ています。毎日毎日、新しいことを学んでいます!
Pot of oden:
おでんの入った鍋:
Only  three items at this point: Daikon, boiled eggs, and konnyaku.
この時点では、3種のみ(大根、ゆで卵、こんにゃく)。

I will add other items just before eating.
他の具は食べる直前に入れます。

November 24, 2016

Snowfall in the Kanto Area in November/11月に関東地方に降雪

Today (November 24), something very unusual has happened: Snowfall in the Kanto area in November!
今日(11/24)は、とても珍しいことが起きました:11月に関東地方で降雪です。

At around 7 o'clock in the morning:
午前7時頃:
In Kimitsu city, Chiba prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo, 56 people say that it's snowing.
東京の隣り、千葉県の君津市では、56人が雪が降っていると言っています。
In Toshima ward in Tokyo, where my son lives, 153 people say that it's snowing.
息子の住む東京の豊島区では、153人が雪が降っていると言っています。
I've been staying at my parents' house located in Kimitsu city for weeks now. I've never expected to see snow here!
君津市にある実家に数週間、滞在しています。ここで雪が見られるとは思っていませんでした。

The roof connecting the annex to the main house:
離れと母屋を繋ぐ屋根:
I was worried that the roof might collapse due to the snow.
雪で屋根が倒壊するのではないかと心配しました。

Just a 2 or 3 cm (about an inch) snowfall... It would be nothing in snowy regions in Japan like mine.
たった2、3センチ(約1インチ)の降雪...。私の住む地域のように降雪地帯なら、何でもないですが。
 
Edited to add:
追記:
 
This morning (Nov. 25):
今朝(11/25):
Sunny! But very cold!
お天気!でもすごく寒い!
 
I hope the sun melts this snow on the roof soon enough!
太陽が屋根の雪を早く溶かしてくれるといいのですが。 
 
 

November 13, 2016

My Parents' House/実家

These photos are for my son to view, but I thought you might find them interesting, so here they are.
次の写真は、息子に見せるためのものですが、他の人に興味があると思って、載せます。

Just some parts of my father's field:
父の畑のほんの一部:
The house on the left was for buckwheat (already harvested). The house on the right is for strawberries.
左のハウスは、蕎麦(そば、ソバ)用です(すでに刈り取った後)。右のハウスはイチゴ用です。

House for buckwheat:
蕎麦用のハウス:
 
Inside the house for strawberries:
イチゴ用のハウスの内部:
70 seedlings. My father and I completed the house only today.
苗が70もあります。ハウスは父と二人で今日、完成させました。

Chinese cabbage:
白菜:
Naganegi in the middle:
中央に長ネギ:
Konnyaku plant:
こんにゃく:
It will take at least three years to harvest the corm.
こんにゃく芋(根茎球茎)を収穫するのに最低3年はかかります。

Amanatsu (a type citrus):
甘夏(柑橘系):
Grapefruit tree:
グレープフルーツの木:
Yuzu tree:
柚子(ゆず)の木
(I may be wrong.)
(間違いかも。)

Chestnut tree:
栗の木:
Bracken fern:
蕨(わらび、ワラビ):
These bracken fern plants are not wild. My father planted the bracken fern roots purchased from a shop located in Iwate in Northern Japan. The bracken fern here in Chiba prefecture does not grow big.
このワラビは野生ではありません。父が、北日本の岩手にある店から購入したワラビの根を植えました。千葉県のワラビは大きくなりません。

Gingko tree:
銀杏(いちょう、イチョウ)の木:

Unfortunately, this and the other gingko trees do not produce gingko nuts.
残念なことに、この銀杏の木も、もう一本の銀杏の木も銀杏(ぎんなん)ができません。

Yard of my parents' house:
実家の庭:

Fig tree:
イチジクの木:
My parents keep a dog, Ace.
両親は犬を飼っています。エースです。
He's 15 years old. He doesn't want to take a walk any longer.
15歳。もう散歩したがりません。 


Lemon tree:
レモンの木:

Buckwheat:
蕎麦:
Buckwheat we harvested only today.
今日、採ったばかりの蕎麦:
Stems still attached.
まだ茎が付いたままです。

Grapefruit trellis:
ぶどう棚(だな):
Bonsai:
盆栽:

November 12, 2016

Notes for those who wish to purchase Shigefusa knives from Yoshizawa Riko through me

Revised on Sep. 6, 2020
AS OF NOW, DUE TO DIFFICULTIES BEYOND MY CONTROL, I AM UNABLE TO HELP YOU GET SHIGEFUSA KNIVES FROM YOSHIZAWA RIKO.

Revised on April 30, 2020

I'm willing to help you get a Shigefusa knife, but I just can't stand some rude people. Before sending me a request, please consider the following:

1. THE WAITING TIME IS 2 TO 3 YEARS.
2. You need to cover the PayPal fee (4.1% + 40 yen).
3. You need to pay 10% consumption tax.

******

First of all, I'm not a merchant of any sort. The transaction will be between Yoshizawa Riko and you. I will be just a bona fide third party.

You will need to cover the PayPal fee (4.1% + 40 yen), in addition to the knife price and the Express Mail Service (EMS) shipping fee.
For information about EMS, visit:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/charge/list/ems_all_en.html

You are requested to create a PayPal account if you don't have one.

You will need to pay half the total amount before placing the order and the other half before delivery.

You will also need to cover the 10% consumption tax applied to the knife price.

Please be VERY specific about your order right at the time of asking me to send Yoshizawa Riko an estimate request to minimize confusion, as well as the number of emails between you, me, and Yoshizawa Riko.

Specify, among others:

1. Which of wa (Japanese-style) and yo (Western-style) you want
2. Which of kasumi and kitaeji you want
3. Whether you want a wooden sheath and a paulownia box for the knife
4. Any special requests