The event at home "MONODUKURI Japan".

Can you see these two towels?

 

 

 

The other day I hold an event at home. As I told you recently I organize an event a month or every two weeks. I want this home to be the place where people get together and talk each other about something interests -- easily. (It means I want to make a available place for people living with their pension.)

 

This time I hold an event to introduce and talk about MONOZUKURI Japan.

MONOZUKURI simply means making things. but is infused with a deeper impression of skilled craftsmen pouring heart and soul into their work, striving for perfection to regardless of time or cost.

 

 

This time I introduced Japanese IMABARI towel, Japanese sweet candy "konpeito" and high^-quality soy sauce "yuasa syouyu".

 

 

Can you see the tag on the upper towel? It is the verification of being IMABARI towel.

 

 

IMABARI towels are known for their excellent quality. The city of Imabari has especially pure water, so towels that are produced there feel very soft. They must also pass original tests. For example new unwashed towels must sink in water within five seconds. If they don’t soak up water quickly enough, they won’t be certified.

 

We did it.

We soaked a new Imabari towel into a bucket of water, and --- yes, it sank within 5 seconds.

And We also tried soaking a towel which I bought at 100 yen shop, it took more than 30 minutes to sink.

 

 

 

Kazahano bookshop

Yesterday, it was a holiday. However Yuki went to work as usual, and I had lessons in the morning.
In the afternoon, I went to a beauty shop which my friend runs, and had my hair dyed and cut while talking with her.

And I visited a bookshop called Kazahano bunko.
The wife runs a used book shop and private library on the second floor, and the husband runs a café on the first floor.
At the private library she puts a few my English picture books, so I checked the situation while talking with her. Some customers seem to show a little interest to English picture books.

And I had coffee at the café.

While drinking a cup of coffee, I read this book.

The original version is French, and I don't know the tile in English.

If I were to translate the Japanese title in English, a story about an old lady in Paris 

A phrase made me laugh.

"The old lady grilled "poorly" 125 g stake.

 

(according to the book she seems to be 80 year old)

 

She still eats 125 g stake , that's enough, she is so powerful. --- it is a way of Japanese.

 

 

Refurbishing starts!

Yuki and I finally started to refurbish the rooms on the second floor.

Main refurbishing is renewing tatami mats in my room and changing the carpet floor into wooden floor in Yuki"s room. And we are thinking about changing wall paper of --- one room, or two rooms or including entrance hall and stairs. And prbably we need to have repair the toilet on the first floor.

Before  the tatami room refurbishing, I organize one shelf. 

And Yuki and I organized books in the two book shelves.

What a lot of garbage bags. As you know I usually throw 15 things away once a week, this time we threw more than 15 big bags away.  We did it on Saturday and Sunday, and fortunately today Monday is a garbage collection day. so all bags have gone.

And we took a small book shelf to the city recycle center with our car.

However this big book shelf is impossible to put it in our car. So I bought a ticket o ask he city hall to carry it to the city recycle center. They come in two weeks. So for a while this leaves in the entrance hall.

Well, now we are ready to start to refurbish. A home builder, who organized our house came, and we asked him to get an estimate .  Can you guess how much -----?

Social action work

I'll tell you the days with Akari.

 




























The photos I attached were taken at Ginger museum, not a kids museum.
Ginger is "ginger" which is plant and food.

The company president of IWASHIT food company, whose main product is pickled ginger and whose head office is in Tochigi prefecture,  built the museum last year to contribute to society. It's a kind of social action work. So the entrance fee is free.

We thought adults enjoy the museum, because pickled ginger is usually eaten for adults.
However the happiest person was Akari.

The president seemed to want to make the place happy for all people, especially family with kids.
 

As we entered there, we saw free rental costume site, of course Akari dressed up.

And I don't know why????? anyway here and there we saw Alpaka stuffed animals.

The main color is pink.

Because pickled fresh ginger is usually pink.

Can you see the big cap which our elder daughter
 is wearing?

 

Here we enjoyed ginger ale, and ginger coffee.

They were really really delicious.

 

If you are interested in Iwashita food company, drop by this site -- a little bit long.

 

P.S to my friends in America

Just I saw the trail of Mathew in Haiti. I hope the damage to America will be small as much as possible.

Jack o lantern

Our usual days have come with strange weather.

The day before yesterday, it was very hot, and yesterday it was a usual autumn day, and today it seems to be going to be hot.

Did I tell you? Last month I got a huge pumpkin for free from a farmer.

I was going to carve it at the end of this month with my students. However probably because of this strange weather, I noticed that the pumpkin started to go rotten. So it was impossible.
So I decided to carve it hastily.
 I called some students who were available, and carved the pumpkin.
I said to them " it doesn't matter you come at night".
Before they coming, I pre-cut it for them. --- I dare to say "It was the toughest job".

Two students came in the evening, and they cut them and took them to their home.

So a student came with her father and --- "he" carved it.

A junior high school students came on the way home from the cram school. He never squatted down because he didn't want to get his clothes and himself dirty. So he carved while saying my back hurts.

It was a good evening and night. I decorated one of them outside for one night.

We did in the entrance hall, so this morning the entrance hall was full of "bad" smell of raw pumpkin.

Yuki and I washed the entrance hall this morning, and  -- today it was a garbage  collection day, so I threw it off. It was already covered with small bugs, because today it is getting hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Usual Days have come

 

Yuki and my usual days have started again.

Since last Wednesday Akari had been with us until Sunday.

Her mother M had to go to Sendai or Tokyo, so our elder daughter T came to help me and stayed with us for one night.

So last week it was a busy, cheerful, and noisy week. Later I'll update where we went out.

 

After they came back to Tokyo, I cooked pre-cooked dishes for this week as usual.

 

While M was with me, I organized her desk together, and did "throwing away 15 things " as usual weekly routine.

 

 

This time it was very easy. Because she threw her  15"relics" ( I  would have thought that)  easily.

What parents consider relics are completely different from what kids consider as their relics.

 

This is the last  breakfast for four of us --- we made mini-pancake with special machine called "tokoyaki-ki"

 

 

And this is the usual breakfast for Yuki and me.

Last Sunday

On Sunday, we went to see a play by our local drama group. Here in Utsunomiya, "THEATER itself is not so popular, though Jazz music is getting popular. So I was really surprised to know that there is such a  drama group.It was formed in 2010, and this  performance was  was the 7th production for them. They played "miracle worker" . The actors, actresses, and staff are in all generations, from their 10's to 60's. So the audience was also in all generations. The members of the group probably have work, and on the same time "pursue" their passion.   Yuki and I were really inspired.

 

These days I sometimes feel something new has come to Utsunomiya. When I came here this city was a really old style city. More than half of people had never been out of this city except traveling. However, many people came here from other places like us when this city got some big companies , and they raised their kids, and they went to study at big cites or abroad and came back here (not everyone) or, people coming here like us began to do something new. It seems to lead a new wind.

 

After watching the play, we went to an old house which were opened to the public recently. It is  the only one old Samurai residence  left now. Around the house there is a small river where some carp are swimming. At the house, another Marshe was held, this time we didn't buy anything; however we really enjoyed the place.

 

 

 

Last Saturday

 

It was a really interesting weekend.

On Saturday  we went to craft fairs where two of my friends had their booths.

Yes, "my friends", it means they are not professionals, but not are completely amateurs. Recently such craftsmen between professionals and amateurs sometimes hold craft fairs called Marushe .

I bought a bag.

You might think it's a usual bag.

No, the crafts-woman, who is my friend, uses special cloth called Miya-zome.  Miya comes from Utsuno"miya" city. The cloth is dyed here in Utsunomiya.

Usually the cloth dyed here is used for special cloth  or store curtain. She contracted with the craftsman of Miyazome and collaborated. Usually the entire  cloth is expensive, however she uses   the odds and ends.  Usually the cloth is used as a large size, so some pieces are left. She uses them.

Compared to usual handmade bags, the Miyazome bags are little bit expensive. However I'm really happy to have something related with my town.

I went there with Yuki.

Usually for men such Yuki such place is not so interesting, however --- these days he can enjoy them, because,

He likes to find something for his granddaughter.

First he chose the red square bag, but before deciding to buy it he called his daughter to ask her opinion. Then it took a long time to choose. We sent all pictures on the  spot and ---  of course his select was rejected. Can you guess what bag was chosen?

 

question time --- An event "making playing cards using Japanese post cards" finihsed

Yesterday I hold an event "let's make playing cards using Japanese post cards".

I got total 7 attendees ( I hold it in the morning and in the afternoon, twice).

So today I'll give you a brief quiz.
What is the suitable picture, please number the order.

 
 

 

 Oh, I forgot to put a number to the picture in the right bottom corner. The number is "6".

 

 

 

( ) Be careful! Although look yummy, they are not  edible.

( ) Through the gates of thunder the famous temple

( ) There is happiness across this structure.

( ) The bridge in emperor's place, is famous for its structure.

( ) Don't stare at it so much. It could be blinding.

( ) Buddhist structure in a city which is famous for aggressive deer.

( ) You see many cherry blossoms in full bloom over an old building.

( ) beautiful woman in an ancient capital of Japan

 

 

Additionally these are famous sight seeing spots in Japan.

1  The name of the bridge is Nijyu bashi.

2  It's Kinkakuji temple in Kyoto.

3  We see Hokkij  over there. It's in Nara.

4  It's Bay Bridge in Yokohama.

5  It's Todaiji Temple in Nara.

6. This girl is one of Maiko in Kyoto.

7. It is the main gate of Asakusa temple in Tokyo

8. It is Himeji castle built in 1601, in Hyogo prefecture.

 

We had a good time while enjoying good coffee and sweet.

 

 

 

 

 



"Yu" . Hot bath

"Yu" means, hot water and sometimes hot bath.

 

How's your condition?

Because --- this weather brought me neck and shoulder pain to me.

Probably, it's a usual thing.

I don't remember exactly when I started suffering this pain --- probably about ten years ago.

Anyway it started suddenly.

I was teaching and writing something on the board, and I turned back to my students, then I felt a strong pain on the back. And it got difficult to turn my neck.

Of course I went to, no I couldn't drive, so Yuki took me to a orthopedics.

I had a X-ray, but nothing was wrong.

For a while I applied pads and went there to get massage for several months.

Little by little it got better.

 

Since then sometimes I've suffered from such symptom.

So I've ever taken  chiropractic treatment  not covered by insurance.

(In japan  we usually take health insurance treatment, because we "usually" have( or have to have)  health insurance.

So I've ever  taken hot-yoga practices, of course sometimes I've ever  got massage not covered by insurance.

This time, the pain doesn't seem to be not so serious.

So during the day time in a weekday I went to "yu" hot bath to take a bath in a "wide" sink -- after going to workout.

 

 

 

This is the sign of the Yu.
I had a good feeling, however, the pain continues.
So I ask Yuki to put moxibustion on my back  when he comes back early ( it means about 10 o'clock),
And
last Sunday I went to take moxibustion treatment not covered by insurance.

Summer is finished, and summer fatigue, and pollen allergy come to me.

Karaku in September

I had a good afternoon in September at Karaku  as usual.

On the second Tuesdays I change into a pianist.

And after my performance  I enjoy good coffee and sweets.

Though it's not a job, it is a wonderful leisure time for me.

 

This time special sweets set was served. 

 

 

 

Because one of regular audience came here with her group. They booked their seats and they asked the master to serve special sweet set which is not on the menu.

 

Coincidently another regular came here with his group. 

So to be surprised, Karaku was full of audience.

We had a good time. I'm really happy to have such an opportunity.

Mr. yamashita's concert

Yousuke Yamashita is one of great Jazz artists in Japan.

Last weekend Yuki and I went to listen to him.

His concert was held in a private concert hall.

The owner's couple are our acquaintances.

 

 

Of course Yuki and I love Jazz.
However the customers coming to this hall are not so interested in Jazz. Of course they like music.
They are interested in what tunes they hear in the private hall. They are mainly the owner's friends and acquaintances like us.

It means -- half of them are in their 60's or 70's.
Mr.Yamashita knows this situation. So his talking style and playing tunes are different from his usual concerts (he said).
It's really fun for us.

The owner's couple are very big fan of Mr. Yamashita. They built this concert hall to invite Mr. Yamashita.
When they were young ( in their 40's and 50's)  they were "groupies" (what is the suitable word?)
And one day they asked him directly " we got old, so if we built our concert hall could you come and play for us?"
Mr. Yamashita said "yes". (later he said it is a kind of joke)

And a few years later, they built the concert hall.
Since the concert hall was built  9 years passed. Mr. Yamashita has come once every two years.
And he also introduce his artist friends to them. So even though the concert hall is in a rural area, some "famous" musicians come to play the concert secretly.

Point cards

Are you good at colleting points of some shops and using them effectively?

 

Do you remember one of my hobby or weekly duty is throwing 15 things away.

Last week I decided to use the point tickets ( the right things in the photo).

They are point tickets of a stationery shop. These days I seldom go there, it is easier to go 100 yen shop or buy things on the net.

So I stocked these tickets in a drawer.

 

 

 

 

I went to the shop. And ---  the tickets were expired. To say more correctly they are "indefinite", however the system finished. They changed a ticket system into a point card system. So if I make a point card, the point is moved in to the card and I use the point.

However --- I'm not good at using cards. I don't have more point cards.

So I "threw away" the tickets which is worth in 450 yen.

 

I learned such points have to be used quickly.

So I used another card there. (The stationery shop is in a mall, so I went to another shop in the mall.)

I bought some aroma oil using the points. ( the purple card in the photo).

I saved 1000 yen.

 

So numerically I saved  around 500 yen.

 

I dropped by a café and had a tea time .

I found IT !!!!

It's raining. Today I go to Karaku to play the piano. I hope some audience will come even though it's raining.

 

Well, well, these photos were taken on the way to the private library.

 

On the way we dropped a café.

We were really surprised to hear that in a mountain there is a café run by a young couple.

 

 

 

Yes, there is a café near the river.

And a young couple runs it.

And --- there are some young customers who seem to come from the down town like us, however there are some old people who live in this area.

The care is open on the weekends, so I don't know how they manage their life.

However it's a really modern café in a village.

 

And on the way I found it.

what is "it".

A big pumpkin.

 

 

 

A farmers group make huge pumpkins as leisure. It's not a good.
So I "got " it for free.
And I bought dry Umeboshi".

This year I'll carve with elementary school students.
However --- most students don't like to touch inside of pumpkin, because they say "it's like mud".
Babies or small kids like playing with mud, however children who are more than 9 years old don't like it  especially for girls.

Private library & used book shop

It's too hot -- even it is September. I think it's hotter than in August.
This weekend we went to Kirifuri highland where it takes about one hour by car.
The place is famous for having lots of pensions and vacation homes. And of course there are people living there.
A person moved there after his retirement and opened a private library to residents  and also sell used books. He used to work for Asahi newspaper as a reporter and he is also a poet.
So we were really interested in books he deals in.

 

Yuki and I read books. However it's sometimes difficult to select books. Because there are too many books in book stores and in the library.

New books are a little bit expensive, so we often go to used book shops. The way I select is -- (because there are too many books), I chose books what I try to read among 100 yen books.

When I go to the library, I chose one character depends on my feeling, and the book written by the authors starting with the character.

 

This used book shop (and the library) is not so big or, you can say very small, so it's very easy to choose books. He doesn't deal in any love stories. It doesn't mind.

During browsing books, three of us were talking a lot. He served coffee to us.

 

We bought five books in 1400 yen.

He said "books without a price tag are so-so (they are sold by 200 yean each) and books with  a price tag are "very" good books."

Of course what is good and what is not good depends on person. However this part makes us interested.

 

We had a really good time there.

 

 

A new rice cooker

We changed a rice cooker.
And --- a new rice cooker made Yuki cook rice by himself.
Do you understand the situation?

To tell the truth, I didn't need to buy a new rice cooker, I was satisfied with the previous one.
However, Yuki "suddenly" (though it's my opinion) seemed to want to change the rice cooker to more skilled? technical? expensive? one.

Usually he doesn't eat meal at home except breakfast. However during the Obon vacation he had meals almost three times a day at home.
It means after I cook rice with a rice cooker, I keep the rice for a while to the next meal.
And he noticed.
It is delicious to eat rice as soon as it is cooked. However it is not so delicious to eat the rice which is kept warm for a while. And it must be improved by changing the rice cooker. (Actually the previous one was more than 10 years old.)

So he started searching, and nobody couldn't stop his idea, even though our elder daughter was with us. Because she is proud of her "new" rice cooker.

So I gave him a deal.
When a new rice cooker arrives, "you" cook the rice at first by yourself.
He accepted it.

---

So he cooked the rice with the rice cooker by himself, and probably it was the first time for him to cook rice by himself. (probably must learn it at home economics lesson when he was an elementary school student, because I remembered it.)

--

The rice cooker came the last day of his vacation.

It means

He said
I accept the rice as soon as it is cooked is delicious even though it was cooked with the previous one.

And
Unfortunately he hasn't eaten the rice which is kept for a while yet, because his usual days have started.



というか、そもそも、私には炊飯器の買い換えは必要なかった。
が、このお盆休み、とにかく家で「ご飯」ほぼ毎日たべていた相方さん。(基本、普通は自宅で夕食はとらない)、で、保温のご飯がどうも、だんだん気になってきたらしく・・・
「炊飯器のせいでは」と思ったらしい。

こうなると・・勝手に調べの・・・
まあ、いろいろと予算折衝ありの、
あまりの炊飯器の値段の差に驚きの・・

で、結局、送料無料25980円で、購入。
で、ありがたいことに、相方さんのお盆休み最終日に間に合い・・

「自分で買うといいだしたのだから、自分で炊いて」
ということで・・・
挑戦。
(挑戦というほどの挑戦でもないけれど、なんせ、お米の場所もしらないくらい・・・いや、正確には、さがせばわかるけれど・・という程度。)
で、計量カップではかりの、洗米しての・・自分のお好きなコ－スで、炊いた。

で、「おいしい」という。
が、これは、以前の炊飯器でも、「炊きたて」はおいしかった。
で、正直にみとめた。
「でも、2万円の差はないかもしれない」・・・・

で、仕事がはじまり、結局食べるときは、「炊きたて」なので、保温して味がどうなるか・・まだためしていない。
炊いてあまったご飯は、すぐ冷凍しちゃうし。

でも、とにかく「自分で炊ける」ことを体験していただいて・・・私には、とても価値ある25980円でした。炊飯器はもう使って10年だしね。
おもわず、くろにんにく作りように、おいておこうか・・とおもったけれど・・・・
しょっちゅう作るものではないし・・・やめて、家電リサイクルにだしました。

Tomomi's exhibhition was a sucess

Tomomi's exhibition was a success.
Because of the place which is near to the station, and is along a street, many people could drop by casually. So a person bought one of her work. ( It means he is not our acquaintance). And two of her works are dealt as  commercial work at the gallery.
And she got an invitation to an exhibition at Tsukuba.

 Of course Yuki and I are very happy that some of works were sold.
However what made us most relieved was --- that
this time she carried in and out their work by herself -- it means she rent a car and drove to and from by herself.
For exhibitions before, the work were too big to carry in and out by herself.  So she hired a porter. Of course it is expensive. This time she did it by herself.
You might sound strange.
Actually she got a driver license, but she doesn't drive so often. From our view she doesn't get used to drive yet.
When she comes here, we make? get ? her drive. I know sometimes she rent a car in Tokyo.
However this time she had to go to Ginza where is in the middle of Tokyo.
So we were really worried.  We were going to go to Tokyo by car, and let her drive our car --- but "we know" she needs more experience.

I know she is becoming 29 in winter, However she is still a child.

Additionally our younger daughter M has also a driver's license. When she got the license for the first time, she would come here and drive. At that time, probably she drove better than Tomomi.
However since her husband appeared in front of her, she has not driven for more than three years, because he can drive.
When she comes back here, she seems to want to drive, but Aakari is always with us, to we don't let her to drive. I know we are really grand parents.

A sushi restaruant

Last week a new sushi restaurant opened nearby. It's not a conveyor-belt sushi bar. It's traditional sushi restaurant. And actually it "was" a good-quality restraint. -- it means, yes, we went there.

 

There we can also take other dishes in addition to Sushi at reasonable price.

This is little fish with eye == (I know a friend doesn't like it)

And we ate the seasonable fish "sanma" this year for the first time.

Of course we ate Sushi. It was a good quality,  and compared to other "traditional sushi restaurants"  probably they serve at a reasonable price.

And the biggest advantage is  -- Yuki can drink there, because we can walk there.

We are happy to enjoy cuisine around here easily.

 

On the other hand the disadvantage is  --- I have to balance our house budget more severely.

Having dinner at a traditional sushi restaurant is one of our luxury diet.

Stake

Yesterday I had lunch with a friend.  A half of year has passed, since we last talked together. 

She became my first friend when I came to Utunimiya about 30 years ago, it means we've known each other for about 30 years. What is interesting is we don't have in common expect being the same age and female. I think so our relationship has been kept . every time we see, we appreciate our life style each other.

However both of us are getting old, so this time while we talked about our current situation, and thought about our pension life. Actually her husband has already retired so their pension life has started. She also retired earlier because she "had to" nurse her mother-in law. Last year she fit free from nursing her, and now she is pursuing a garden making world. This Sunday she will take an examination to get a licensees as a gardener.

So we eate stake to get stamina .

This restaurant was not too casual, not too formal, and not too noisy. We had a good time here.

Well well, what am I pursuing? 

Tomomi's exhibition in Ginza

This week  my elder daughter is holding her individual exhibition. Fortunately she holds annual exhibition for  five or six years.

This time her works are not so big.

However this work is as tall as her height 145cm, (Yes, she is very short. One of the reasons when she won for the first time was "we can't believe such a short woman made such a big work")

 

 

 

These are small  works.

 

 

There are other works on display.

 

We wish "all" works would be sold, and we hope some works will be sold. (Is it a correct way to use wish and hope?)