１月２３日（土曜日）２０２１
ひょんなことから実家でカフェを始めて５年目に入りました。多くの方とお出会いしこんなにも楽しい時間をいただくとは想像もしていなかったことです。曽祖母や祖母が一時期、土産物店をしていた頃の屋号をそのままカフェの名前にし、小学校の恩師、北村百合子先生に「多賀あさひや」の文字を書いていただき、その字と我が家の外観を見ながら永源寺の染色家、野田浩二さんが和モダンの暖簾を作ってくださいました。一体何人の方がその暖簾をくぐってカフェに入ってくださったことでしょう。３、４年経ったら色が褪せますよと野田さんに言われていたのですが、残念なことに野田さんは他界。困っていたところ野田さんの奥様の紹介でお二人の友人でろうけつ染をなさっている北島桂子さんに出会いました。お忙しい北島さんが我が店の暖簾作りを快く引き受けてくださったのです！山科から何度も足を運んで去年の１０月に多賀あさひやに暖簾二世が誕生。新年からカフェの新しい顔としてお目見えです。大きな大きな朝日が湖面をゆっくり上っていきます。大胆なデザインが大らかで優しい北島さんと重なります。皆様には今年も新しい暖簾をくぐってカフェで寛いだ時間を楽しんでいただければと願っております。It has been five years since I opened a cafe at my family's house unexpectedly, and I didn't expect that I could meet so many people and have such a wonderful time with them. Taga Asahiya is the name of the souvenir/liquor store that my great grandmother and grandmother were running for a while in the past and I took it as my cafe's name. I asked my elementary teacher, Ms. Yuriko Kitamura, to write the name of the cafe. Looking at the calligraphy and the appearance of the house, Koji Noda, a fabric-dyeing artist who lived in Ehgenji made a modern Japanese shop curtain for my cafe. I wonder how many people came into the cafe through the curtain. Mr. Noda said that the curtain will not last for many years and fade in three or four years. Sadly Mr. Noda passed away two years ago, and I had no idea about what to do about a new shop curtain without him. Kohko Noda, wife of Kohji Noda introduced me to Keiko Kitajima who is a batik artist and she agreed to make a new shop curtain. She came to me several times from Yamashina near Kyoto, and completed the original shop curtain last October. I put it on the first day of the new year. It is a very important image of the cafe. It is the image of a big sun rising from the surface of Lake Biwa. It's a dramatic design and it expresses Ms. Kitajima's accepting and kind character. I hope that many people come through this new shop curtain to the cafe and enjoy their relaxing time.

１月２１日（木曜日）２０２１
多賀大社では節分が近づくと、厄神斎というお札（ふだ）が売られることをお客様のNさんから教えていただきました。早速多賀大社へ。竹に挟まれたお札は淡い黄色。これはクチナシ色で魔除けの力があるとされ古くから神社の厄除札として用いられる色とのこと。お札を買ったら一緒に福豆もついて７００円でした。またクジも引けるようになっていて私は多賀大社のおしゃもじが当たりました。感染病の新型コロナウィルスが日本中どころか地球全体猛威を振るっています。多賀大社のお力をお借りして疫病には一刻も早く退散してもらいたいと今回ほど願うことはありません。Cafe's regular customer, Mr.N taught me that when Setsubun (The Last Day of Winter) is approaching, an amulet called "Yaku-jin-sai" for protecting against misfortune is being sold in Taga-taisha. I went to the shrine to get it. The color of the amulet which was put in a bamboo stick was light yellow. It is a color of Cape jasmine which has a power of protecting you from evil, and Taga-taisha has been using this color for the amulet since ancient times. When I asked for the amulet at the office, Fuku-mame (parched and roasted soybeans scattered on Setsubun) came with it and it cost 700 yen. I also had a chance to draw a lottery. I got a rice scoop with the letter of Taga-taisha branded. Coronavirus is prevalent not only in Japan but also all over the world. I strongly wish the coronavirus will leave right away with the help of God of Taga-taisha.

１月１９日（火曜日）２０２１
毎年１月１９日はこの辺りに獅子舞がくる日。今年はあいにく雪がちらつく寒い日でコロナもあって去年に比べると寂しい絵馬通りと我がカフェでしたが、遠くから一軒一軒近づくにつれて大きくなってくる笛や太鼓の音を聞いていると何かしら心落ち着かなくはしゃいだ気持ちになります。笛に合わせて剣（つるぎ）や鈴、御幣（ごへい）でお獅子がカフェの中で舞を舞ってくれた後、私は頭を噛んでもらい、今度は外で太鼓やシンバルのような鳴り物が加わり獅子二頭の舞になります。総勢１０人ぐらいの伊勢からの獅子舞一座を今年も絵馬通りにお迎えすることができました。Every year, on Jan.19th Shishi-mai troupe comes to our neighborhood. Due to the cold weather with snow flurries as well as the effect of coronavirus, we don't see many people on the street and in my cafe. Even so, when I hear the sound of the flute and drum approaching toward my cafe, I get excited and can't sit still. After Shishi (lion) danced to the sound of flute with sword, bells and wand with white paper, it bit my head promising my health for this year. Then, two Shishis danced, adding drum and metal instruments like tiny cymbals. We are happy to have the troupe this year, too, which consists of about 10 members from Ise in Mie-prefecture.

１月１７日（日曜日）２０２１
朗読サークル「ひだまりの会」で講師の北村妙子先生が持ってきてくださった課題の中に尾崎紅葉の「金色夜叉」の一場面がありました。これは「声に出して読みたい日本語」（斎藤孝著）からのようですが、有名なお宮・貫一の場面。飛ばしながら一部紹介すると「吁（ああ）宮さんこうして二人が一処に居るのも今夜限だ。……１月１７日、宮さん、善く覚えてお置き。.....一生を通して僕は今月今夜を忘れん、忘れるものか! .....いいか、宮さん、１月１７日だ。来年の今月今夜になったらば、僕の涙で必ず月は曇らして見せるから、月が…月が…曇ったらば、宮さん、貫一は何処かでお前を恨んで、今夜のやうに泣いて居ると思ってくれ」。結婚を約束していた宮サンに裏切られた書生の貫一サンは涙とともに悔しさと恨みをこんな風に伝えます。今なら「しつこいよ、貫一！サッサと次イコーッ、次！」と言いたくなるところですが、明治中期から大正、昭和にかけての世の女性は貫一サンに同情したのでしょうか。それにしてもその後金儲けの鬼となる貫一サンが面白い。「熱海のカイガ〜ン散歩スール〜♫」と直立不動で歌っていた東海林（しょうじ）太郎さんの歌声が懐かしくてしばらく頭の中で流れていました。In the Read-aloud circle which I belong to, our instructor, Ms. Kitamura, brought a couple of tasks and one of them was a scene from the Konjiki-yasha (The Golden Demon) 1897 novel by Ozaki Kohyoh. This was from the book, "Koe ni dasitai Nihongo (Japanese writings which are encouraged to be read aloud)" collected by Takashi Saito. It was a very famous scene of a couple, Miya & Kan-ichi. I will introduce Kan-ichi's dialogue although I will omit some parts. "Ah, this is the last night, Miya and I get together. ...Today is Jan.17. Miya, you should keep in mind about today..... On the same night and month next year, I will make the moon cloudy with my tears. If you see the cloudy moon, you should think of me who is feeling bitter and crying like I am doing now." Miya and Kan-ichi were promising their marriage, but Kan-ichi being a student, was betrayed by Miya who decided to marry a rich man, so Kan-ichi expressed his disappointment and resentment to her in this way with tears. If Kan-ichi were to be in front of me now, I would say "Hei, Kan-ichi, you are so persistent! Give her up and find another one!". I wonder if Japanese women in the Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras (late 1800s ~ early 1900s) sympathized with Kan-ichi. Anyhow, it is interesting that he became a loan-shark later. I remember the male singer who sang the music about this story in the mid 1900s was singing with an upright and immovable style.

１月１０日（日曜日）２０２１
お天気もよく日曜日の今日は多賀大社も賑わっていたようで外にでると神社の前に人が大勢見えました。今日はまた嬉しい贈り物をいただきました。多賀大社の今年の莚寿すずです。干支の丑が何とも上品で可愛らしいです。いつも多賀大社にまつわる色々なことをお教えいただき心から尊敬申し上げているお客様のご健康と令和三年の平穏を願わずにはいられません。It was a clear Sunday today and it seemed Taga Taisha was crowded with people visiting. When I was out on the street, I saw many people in front of the shrine. Today I received a nice gift which made me feel pleasant. It was an Ox-shaped bell named Enjyu-suzu (lit.long life bell) in Taga Taisha. 2021 is the Ox year in the zodiac calendar and the ox bell is so cute and elegant. I wish for a peaceful year of 2021 and good health for the presenter who always teaches me various things about the shrine and I deeply respect him. 

１月８日（金曜日）２０２１

雪にはなりませんでしたが、冷え込みの厳しい１日でした。夜は一段と寒さが増し外は軽く氷点下を超えたでしょう。昼間に座敷に席をお取りになったお客様が「換気が効いていますね」とおっしゃったので「いえ、隙間風なんです、古い家ですから」と申し訳なく応えました。今のご時世ではちょうどいいのかも。去年、むべをくださったY.Nさんが（11/7/2020 ブログ参照）、今日は獅子柚子をお持ちくださいました。「大きいのではありませんが…」とおっしゃっていましたが、カウンターに飾るにはちょうどいい大きさです。そばにある徳利は1900年代初期に、曽祖母や祖母が一時土産物屋をしていた時に延命酒を入れて売っていたものと思われます。お客様がどこかの骨董屋で手に入れて収集していらしたものをわざわざうちのためにお持ちくださった徳利です。かつて多賀大社に参拝に来られた方がお土産に延命酒を買って帰られた徳利がその後どこかの骨董屋に並び、それが巡り巡って元の所に戻ってきたという訳です。「多賀あさひや」と書いたものは今はこの一点だけ。なおさら貴重な徳利です。Although it didn't snow, today was an extremely cold day. It probably easily got down below 0℃. A customer who visited during the day and took their seat in the Japanese room said " Air ventilation is working well, isn't it?", and I said " Cold air is coming through windows, because it is an old house," feeling sorry. In a way, it might be appropriate (for preventing coronavirus) these days. Today, Ms. Y.N, who gave me Mube last year (see blog on Nov.7 2020) , brought Citrus maxima. She said that it was not a big one, but it is a perfect size to display on the counter of the cafe. The small sake bottle beside it is from the time when my great grandmother and grandmother were running souvenir/liquor shop for years early 1900s and they were selling Enmeishu (lit,life extension sake) in this container. About three years ago a customer came to my cafe to give the container to me saying it was probably ours because the name of Taga Asahiya was on it. I guess in the old days, a person who visited Taga-Taisha (shrine) bought Enmeishu at my great grandmother's (or grandmother's) store for his/her souvenir and later the container traveled to an antique shop for some reason, and took a place on the shelf in the shop. It was bought by the collector and stayed at his house and finally brought to the original place. I was very surprised by the container's story. Several same size containers were left in my house but this is the only one which has the name on, so it is a very special and precious container.

１月７日（木曜日）２０２１
今日からまた雪になるとの予報で早めに図書館、郵便局、買い出し、灯油補給と予定通りこなしてヤレヤレといった気分。買い出しの途中で雪が舞い出し「大変、急がねば！」と思うも先日の転倒経験があるので「無理シナイ」を言い聞かせて帰りました。それにしても東京の１日の感染者が２４４７人。この数字は一体どこまで上がるんでしょうか。終息が必ずあると理解するも１００年前のスペイン風邪の時は３年かかったそうです。医学も人々の健康意識も高まった現代はどうかそのようなことなく早く峠を越えるよう願うばかりです。新年が明けて早１週間。七草がゆで気持ちを和らげました。According to the weather forecast, it will snow from late afternoon today, so I went to the library, post office, supermarket in Hikone and home center for supplying oil for the heater early. On my way back, since snow started falling, I wanted to hurry to go home, but I needed to be careful to drive a bicycle to not fall like my previous experience. Anyway, the news reported that 2,447 people were infected with coronavirus today in Tokyo. I wonder how high the numbers will go up. I know this pandemic will end someday, but I read that Spanish flu which spread around the world 100 years ago and it took three years until the end. Now that both medical technology and people's health consciousness have gone up so much higher than those days, I really hope the peak of the spread will pass soon. Today is the seventh day of the new year. I made Nanakusa-gayu (rice porridge with the seven herbs of spring) and it made me calm down.