７月２日（水曜日）２０２５
　小学校高学年の読み聞かせで今日の私の担当は５年生。男の子は元気いっぱいで女の子はおとなし目（落ち着いているといった方がいいのか）。図書館から借りた１３冊ほどの中から迷った末にえらんだのは日本昔話の「さんまいのおふだ」もう少し思想性のある本がいいかとも思いましたが、ほかにこれという本がなかったのと「さんまい〜」はテンポがあって面白いので選びました。

　さんまいのおふだといっても本によって話の展開が微妙に違っています。金井田英津子さんの版画絵が気に入りましたが、怖い鬼婆を機転をきかせた和尚さんが豆粒みたいに小さくして餅にはさんで食べてしまうというもう一冊の結末が愉快なので、こちらを選びました。はじめ端の方にもたれ掛かっていた男子生徒達も話が始まると中によってきて集中して聞いてくれました。

　終わって時間がまだあったので、子供達に「もし願いが叶うおふだがあったら何を願う？」と聞いてみました。「----がほしい！」「ペットの犬が飼いたい」など子供らしい答えが聞かれたかと思うと、考えてなかなか言えない子も。先生にも聞いてみました。横の机で子供達のノートをチェックしていた男の先生は「休みがほしいです」と。お疲れ気味の先生。同情に余りある切実な願いでした。

I went to local elementary school to give storytelling. On that day, I was in charge of fifth graders where boys were very active and girls were a little bit quiet. The book I chose among 13 books from a local library was " The Three Charms" which was from a Japanese folk tale.

There are several versions of the story. I liked the book in which pictures were the woodblock print but the ending was scary so I chose the other one for which the ending was much milder and funny. Some boys who were leaning against the wall when I started reading came much closer and concentrated on listening.

Since there were a few minutes left after my reading, I asked children what they would like to wish for if they had such charm. Some kid said what he wants to have, and a female kid said she wants to have a dog for her pet while some children kept thinking and couldn't say anything. I also asked their male teacher who was checking children's notebooks. He said that he wanted to have a rest. He looked tired. Oh, poor teacher! Indeed it was his sincere wish from his hard working life.

７月１日（火曜日）２０２５
　先日の福岡行きに続いて今回は宮崎への一泊弾丸ツアーを決行しました。宮崎を訪れるのは初めてで上手く辿り着けるかと不安もありましたが、空港で昔の仲間のTちゃんに出迎えてもらって先ずは一安心。ご主人の運転で最初に向かったのはごぼう天が評判といううどん屋さん。大きなごぼう天が2枚もうどんに突き刺さって満点のお味！

　日南海岸を少し進むと「鬼の洗濯板」と言われる珍しいそして風光明媚な海岸が広い水平線を背景に続いていました。白いはまゆうも初めて見る花でした。車が到着したところは鵜戸神宮。朱塗りの門をくぐって断崖を下りていくと洞窟の中に神社がありました。神武天皇のお祖母様の豊玉姫がこの洞窟で出産されたことから、ここは安産の神様となっているそうです。北陸の東尋坊などとは岩肌がまったく違うけれども日向灘の白い波飛沫で削られた大きな岩と青々とした海原の眺めは絶景でした。

　夜は宮崎地鶏の焼き鳥屋でご馳走になり、地酒で舌鼓を打ちました。あとは、Tちゃんとお喋りばかり。途中に出していただいた「あくまき」という南九州の伝統的な餅菓子は、親戚の方の手作りで、餅米を灰汁（あく）に浸し竹の皮に包んで煮るという見ただけでその大変な工程が想像でき、Tちゃんのご親戚の方への感謝の気持ちが素朴な味に加味されて美味しくいただきました。

　Tちゃんの近況にうなずき拍手を送っている間にあっという間に帰る時間が来てしまい、お名残惜しい宮崎訪問になりましたが、前回の福岡も今回の宮崎もどちらも私の図々しい突撃を温かく受け入れて下さった二人の友人とそれぞれのご主人にお返しできないほどの感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです。

Continuing the trip to Fukuoka, I flew to Miyazaki this time. It was the first time for me to visit Miyazaki, so I was a little bit worried about whether I could reach there. When I saw my old friend, T, at Miyazaki airport who came to see me, I was relieved indeed. Then she and her husband took me to a noodle shop which has a special menu of Gobo-ten (deep-fried Burdock Root) with noodles. It was really good.

When we were driving a little more along the Nichinan coastline, we saw a very interesting formation of undulating rocks which is known as the Devil's Washboard. It had a beautiful coastline and the sea. The white crinum flowers were opening. We visited Udo shrine. Upon going through the red gate and stepping down the way carefully, there was a shrine which was built in the rock cavern. We enjoyed the scenic view of the cliff facing the Sea of Hyuga.

T and her husband took me to the grilled chicken restaurant downtown. I enjoyed talking with T. Next day, she served homemade local mochi-cake which her relatives made. It was so good.

The time passed so quickly and both of us felt sad to part. T sent me off at the airport and I left Miyazaki.
I visited Fukuoka and Miyazaki within a month. I thank both K and T who warmly welcomed and gave me nice hospitality. I am also grateful to their husbands who were very nice to me. I can't thank them enough.

６月２４日（火曜日）２０２５

　かつてウェルズリー大学で日本語を教えたXさんから結婚式の招待状が届いたのは数ヶ月前。今はNYで金融関係の仕事をしているようですが、お相手の男性もまたNY在住。ところが結婚式は京都嵐山にある宝厳院という臨済宗のお寺で挙げるとのこと。送られてくる案内からも彼女が長い間かかって綿密に計画した結婚式であることが伺われました。
　結婚式に参加する服装は参加者の国の文化的な装い或いは和装でとのことでしたが、当日は雨の予報で私は悪いと思いつつ洋装で参加しました。宝厳院の門から本堂までは雨ながらも緑が美しく鶯が鳴いて心が洗われるようでした。式に参列したのは日本人より外国の方が多かったこと、そして男女とも和装が多かったのに驚かされました。仏前での結婚式に参列するのは初めてでとても興味深かったです。式が終わった頃には雨が止んで外で記念撮影ができたのは幸いでした。かつて教えた懐かしい学生や大学の卒業生に会えたこと、新婦の仕事関係や友人たちと話せたのも楽しかったです。

　その後、天龍寺内の料理店でいただいたのは立派な精進料理。驚くほどの品数、蓮根・豆腐・胡麻・芋・百合根等々、味覚・視覚全てに工夫を凝らした純然たる日本料理ながら周りで話されているのはほぼ英語というなかなか珍しい光景でした。夜は場所を変えての披露宴。さぞかし華やかな雰囲気になるだろうと思いながら私は失礼して帰ってきました。

　英語、中国語、日本語を流暢に話す才媛のXさん。相手に合わせて彼女が造った記念品の焼き物。いくつかの言語で表記された式次第。裏には二人に関係する言葉を当てはめるクロスワードクイズまで用意するという力の入れよう。Xさんは小柄ながら世界のマラソンに参加し、学者の道を歩いてきたご主人との出会いもあったとか。仏前で二人を結びつけた御住職の言葉通り「雨降って地固まる」。海を越えて京都の禅寺で式を挙げた二人に幸あれと願います。

I received an invitation of the wedding ceremony a few months ago from X whom I taught Japanese language to when I was teaching at W. College. She is now working in finance in New York and her partner is also in NY but they were planning to get married at a buddhist temple in Kyoto. I attended the other day.

There was a dress code in the invitation in which people were supposed to wear national costume or kimono.
However the weather forecast said it was a rainy day. Since wearing a formal kimono in the rain was too hard for me, I decided to attend in a dress. I arrived at the nearest station and took a taxi to the temple at around 9:30 a.m.. Although it was raining heavily , the path from the gate to the main hall of the temple was so beautiful surrounding deep fresh green and I could hear Japanese nightingale singing. I felt soothed by that. I was surprised at the number of the guests because more than half were foreigners and many people who were both male and female were wearing Kimono. It was the first time for me to attend a Buddhist wedding at the temple and it was very interesting. When the ceremony was over, the rain was up and it was nice for the couple, family and friends to take commemorative photos in the beautiful outside. I also enjoyed talking with my students and other graduates.

Then we moved to another place on foot where we ate wonderful Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. Lotus, soybean, sesame, several kinds of potatoes, lily bulb and other vegetables were used in various dishes. They were so good! I felt funny because the dishes were all traditional Japanese but most of the guests were talking in English. The celebration continued to the evening party in a different place, but I was exhausted and left early.

X is a brilliant woman who is fluent in English, Chinese and Japanese. She made pottery gifts by herself for the guests. She prepared a program for the ceremony in three languages. The couple also prepared a crossword quiz related to them which was very thoughtful. X runs marathon races in many countries and her husband also loves running. After the rain comes fair weather (in Japanese "After rain, the ground hardens."）　
Best wishes for X and A's marriage!

６月２１日（土曜日）２０２５
　木曜から金曜にかけて福岡に行ってきました。西の方角に旅することが殆どない私は、大阪と福岡の土地柄と人柄の違いをそれぞれの空港で感じて物珍しさもあって楽しみました。
　突然の無謀な訪問にも関わらず温かく迎えてくれた大学時代の友人。前回会ったのがいつか記憶が曖昧ですが、２０年ちかく前のような気がしています。卒業後まもなく結婚したKちゃん。開業医である御主人を支え、六人を出産、子育ても見事に終わり皆立派に社会人になり悠々自適の今日、４つもの楽器を習い、毎週末のご主人とのゴルフ、教会の仕事、近くに住む孫の世話と、１週間が隙間なく埋まってしまう日常。想像しただけでも忙しそうなKちゃんの毎日ですが、その誠実で一生懸命な人柄と気遣いの姿は学生時代と少しも変わっていませんでした。互いの近況を話し、笑い転げ、美味しい中華をご馳走になり帰途につきました。前日に出たのに何日も旅に出ていたような錯覚をするぐらいいつもとは違う楽しい経験でした。

I went to Fukuoka from Thursday to Friday of last week. I often travel to the east of Japan but not to the west, so it was interesting for me to see the difference in the local color and people's character between Ohsaka and Fukuoka although it was only in the airport.

It was a spontaneous decision for me to visit my college friend, K in Fukuoka, but she warmly welcomed me. I haven't seen her for nearly twenty years. K got married to a practicing doctor soon after we graduated from college. She has been supporting him and had six children and raised them. Now they have all grown up and left their home. She is having a peaceful life with her husband who has reduced his work as a doctor now. She is now taking four music lessons which are piano, guitar, recorder and ocarina and every Sunday, she is playing golf with her husband and two others. She also takes care of her grandchildren every Wednesday who are living near her house with her daughter. I can easily imagine how busy she is. Her lifestyle has changed very much from the day when we were college students but she hasn't changed her personality, which is a sincere, hard working person and very warm. We talked and laughed a lot. She took me to a very nice Chinese restaurant for dinner. It was a really good time.
Early afternoon, she sent me off at the nearest station and I made my way home. I appreciated what she did for me. I left my home only a day, but I felt as if I was away for several days. I enjoyed this short trip very much.

６月１６日（月曜日）２０２５
　大きなマリンバを前に長身の布谷史人さんが両手に２本のマレットを自在に操りながら演奏するのを満杯の観客はその目と耳を一点に集中して聴き入りました。水面に一滴の水滴が落ちるようなピアニシモの微かな音、まるで無数のコマネズミたちが忙しく駆け回るように軽やかで素早い音の連続、お腹に深く響くような強い、けれどもどこか温かみのある音、どれひとつ聞き漏らすまいと観客は無言でその音色を聴きました。
　
　二年ぶりの布谷史人さんのマリンバはやはり凄かったです。耳にしたことのある曲も初めて聞く曲も、布谷さんが演奏するとそのどれもが一つの話を聴いているようで引き込まれていきます。小さな息遣いや、長くダイナミックに語り終わった後そっとつく一息、その後静かに元の自分に戻っていくような、そんな布谷さんのストーリー性や美意識を演奏を聴いていて感じました。「手を上げて質問するなんて僕にはできないんです」と自身を語っていた布谷さん。そんな布谷さんだからこそ、マリンバのマレットに託して自己を表現しているのでしょう。繊細な内面を持つ布谷史人さんです。「困難を乗り切るにはどうしたらいいですか」との質問に「練習です」と言い切っていらっしゃいました。「ゆっくり繰り返し練習しているうちに、いつかできるようになります」これは何にでも当てはまりますね。

８曲の演奏を譜面台を置かないで演奏する布谷さんの超人的な姿はいつも通り。アンコールにリクエストしておいた琵琶湖周航の歌は滋賀県民だけでなく誰もの心に響き、胸に込み上げるものがありました。私の体力が持ち、布谷さんのスケジュールが合えば、来年も多賀あさひやで布谷さんのマリンバ演奏が聴けるでしょう。

The full audience concentrated while they listened to marimba music by Fumito Nunoya. He held two mallets in each hand and played the big marimba in front of him amazingly. There were subtle sounds like a drop falling on the surface of water, then light, rapidly moving sounds as if countless numbers of waltzing mice were scurrying around, as well as deep heavy sounds which I could feel in my stomach but still they had a warmth to them. People tried to catch all of these sounds.

Nunoya's marimba concert, which took place two years since the last one in Asahiya was awesome as I expected. It contained both some familiar music and some new to us and we were drawn into the world which Nunoya created. Sometimes I felt it was a subtle breath, sometimes it was a relieved breath after a long dynamic speech and went back to the original state. I could imagine a story and feel his artistry in his music. He described himself as a person who is not able to raise his hand even if he had a question. That's why he expresses himself with marimba with some mallets. I guess he is a gentle and sensitive person. At the Q & A time, one of the audience asked him what is the way to overcome the difficulties. Mr. Nunoya answered clearly that it is practice. He said that he practiced slowly over and over, then he could reach the point where he could manage it. I think it applies to anything.

Mr. Nunoya played eight marimba music without putting a music stand in front of him and that was his usual style although it was an extraordinary ability. He played Lake Biwa Rowing Song as the encore piece which I requested. It was so expressive and emotional and I almost cried. If I will still have power and if it fits Nunoya's schedule, you will listen to his marimba at Taga Asahiya next year again.

６月１４日（土曜日）２０２５

　マリンバ演奏会の前日です。明日のお天気が心配ですが、大勢のお客様に混乱がないよう対応をしっかりしたいと思います。
　そんな昼下がり、大きな箱が宅配で８つ届きました。布谷史人さんがお使いになるマリンバです。いつものことながらその大きさと重さに驚きます。明朝は布谷さんと遠く高知県で音楽教室を開きマリンバも教えていらっしゃるE.Yさんと、ボストンで布谷さんのマリンバの弟子だった岐阜のN.Fさんのお二人が組み立ての手伝いを申し出てくださり、これらの大きな箱が開けられて一台のマリンバになります。楽器屋からのレンタルのようで、こうして梱包されて送られてきますが、普段ドイツでは自宅から演奏会場まで布谷さんが自分で車に積み込み、会場で組み立て、終われば解体して車に積んで帰るという生活です。フルートのような軽い楽器と違い、マリンバ奏者は演奏だけでなく、楽器の持ち運びにも強靭な体力を要することがよくわかります。
　２年ぶりの多賀あさひやでの演奏会。ソロの曲ばかり考えに考えてくださったプログラムです。合間には布谷さん自身のトークが入ったり、観客からの質問を受けるなど、普段の音楽ホールとは違う雰囲気のコンサートです。楽しみでなりません。

It's the day before the marimba concert. I am worrying about the weather tomorrow, but anyhow we will try our best to make all participants feel comfortable at the site.

This afternoon, I received eight big boxes from the delivery service person. They are pieces of marimba which Nunoya will use for his performance tomorrow. I had been receiving these boxes every time we had his performance at my place, but still the size and the weight of each box were a big surprise to me. Mr. Nunoya is based in Germany and uses rental marimba when he has concerts in Japan. Therefore these are sent from musical instrument company in Chiba, Japan. Two people who know Nunoya very well offered to help for assembling marimba with him. One is Ms.Y who is teaching marimba in Kouch and the other one is Mr. F who received marimba lessons from Nunoya when they were in Boston. They will unpack these boxes and assemble them to one marimba for the concert tomorrow morning. Usually Mr. Nunoya carries these pieces in his car and assembles them by himself, and brings them back to his home in Germany. Since it is not a light instrument such as flute, marimba player needs to be strong to carry the music instrument besides playing the music.

It will be two years since the last marimba concert in Taga Asahiya. The program is all solo music for the marimba which Mr. Nunoya selected from his repertoire. It will be a little bit different from his usual concert at the big music hall. In his concert at my place, he will talk little bit about the music which he plays at this concert and explain about the instrument of marimba. He will also take questions from the audience in between the music. I am looking forward to having the concert tomorrow.

６月１３日（金曜日）２０２５
　布谷史人・マリンバコンサートが二日後に迫りました。
１３時は満席。１７時は若干お席があります。
マリンバ経験者もマリンバは初めてという方も、布谷さんの歌うようなマリンバの音色に心動かされるでしょう。
開場はリハーサルが終わり次第、３０〜４０分前になります。
地元の方、遠くからお越しの方、ご来場をお待ちしております。


Marimba Concert by Fumito Nunoya will be held in two days. The concert at 1p.m. is full but the second concert at 5p.m. has a little space.
Both people who play marimba and people who don't even know marimba, will be moved by Nunoya's sound of marimba which is played like heartfelt singing.
The door will be opened 30 to 40 minutes before the concert starts.
We look forward to seeing you, both to those outside of Shiga and local people.