ドイツ在住のマリンバ奏者・布谷史人（ぬのや・ふみと）氏が２年振りに来日し、多賀あさひやでマリンバコンサートをします。

    マリンバはローズウッドなどの木製の音板をマレットでたたく楽器です。音盤の下についた金属製のパイプを響かせることで広い音域の多彩な音色を出す打楽器です。

    多くのマリンバ奏者が両手で数多くのマレットを持ち、派手な動きで見せ場を作りながら演奏する中で、長身の布谷氏は恵まれた身体を余す所なく使いながらもあくまで「歌う」ように演奏します。叩いて出るマリンバの音が布谷氏の創り出す表現の世界で柔らかに流れ、また堅く強靭に弾みます。優れた技法と深く追求された独自の表現力が聴衆を圧倒します。なぜ布谷氏のマリンバがこれほどまでに聴くものの心を動かすのか、答えは彼の演奏を聴けばすぐに分かるでしょう。

    今や世界のマリンバ界を牽引する立場となった布谷氏ですが、どこまでも謙虚で誠実な人柄であり続けるところも、多くのマリンバファンが彼を絶賛する要因になっています。

    日本での布谷氏の演奏会はほとんどが優れた音響効果を持つ音楽ホールで開かれますが、多賀あさひやは普通の古民家です。しかしながら、演奏が間近で見られる迫力と演奏者と聴衆が一体となった空間での和みある演奏会の良さを布谷氏自身が愛し、演奏会は今年で４年目となります。



    Marimbist, Fumito Nunoya who lives in Germany is coming to Japan two years after the last time.

    Marimba is a pitched percussion instrument where the wooden tone plates that are lined up like piano keys are struck to produce sounds. Many marimbists play marimba with dramatical action holding　many mallets but Mr. Nunoya who is tall and has a gifted form plays marimba like singing. It is the sounds made by striking the tone plates which flow gently in the world which Nunoya creates, and sometimes they bounce hard and strongly. His excellent technique and deeply pursued his musical expression overwhelms listeners. Why are we moved by his marimba? It is easy to get the answer if you listen to his marimba playing.

　Now, Mr. Nunoya leads the international marimba world, but he has been so humble and sincere since he had started marimba and it is one of the reasons people praise him.

　Most of Nunoya's performances in Japan are held at a music hall which has an excellent facility of acoustic effect, but Taga Asahiya is just an old Japanese house and has no such facility. However, you will watch the performer playing closely and you must feel it is very powerful. It is also a space in which the player and audience feel closely connected, and Nunoya loves it. This year will be his fourth concert at Taga Asahiya.

８月８日（月曜日）２０２２

    多賀大社の夜の境内を華やかに照らしていた万灯祭の提灯も翌日にはすっかり撤収されて、骨組みだけとなり普段の境内に戻りつつありす。昨日のイザナミランチは夏らしく、あっさりした献立にしました。

    わかめ（東北大槌産）とキュウリの酢の物、豆腐ボール、茄子・トマトのオレガノ炒め、卵袋煮、ブロッコリ、マッシュポテト、大槌産サーモン焼き（レモンバター醤油ソース）梅ご飯、ガスパッチョ（冷製トマトスープ） 

    ご注文くださいました皆様には心から御礼申し上げます。

    Lanterns of the summer festival at Taga taisha which were illuminating precincts of the shrine were removed the next day, leaving only electric wires and poles. It is returning to a normal site rapidly.
I made a summery menu for yesterday's special lunch so as not to be too heavy.

    Vinegared seaweed and cucumber, Deep-fried tofu with tiny cut vegetables, Saute of Eggplants and tomatoes with oregano, Seasoned boiled egg wrapped with fried tofu, Broccoli, Mashed potato, Salmon steak with lemon butter soy sauce, Pickled plum rice, and Gazpacho (chilled tomato soup)

    I thank the guests who ordered this special menu.

８月６日（土曜日）２０２２　

    多賀大社万灯祭（３日〜５日）が終わりました。なか日は雨でしたが最終日は良好なお天気で、カフェを早めに終わり、お祭りの見物がてら神社へお参りに出かけたところ神社付近のあまりの人混みにびっくり！コロナ禍・マスク姿ながら若い人たちの開放的ではしゃいだ雰囲気は昔と変わっていません。拝殿へはとても近づけず、遠くからお参りをしてゆっくり日向神社の方へ灯された提灯を見て歩きました。県外から奉納されている多くの提灯を見るにつけ多賀大社が全国の大勢の人の心の拠り所となっていることを改めて感じました。

    さて、８月７日（日曜日）は恒例の朝市とイザナミマーケット。私ども多賀あさひやもイザナミ・ランチをご用意します。
ご予約（0749-48-0186）お待ちしています！

　　
　イザナミランチ（+お汁）1373円　　
　イザナミランチ（+お汁）＋コーヒー 1700円　　
　イザナミランチ（+お汁）＋コーヒー＋もち粉ケーキ 1800円　
　お持ち帰り（汁なし） 1000円　　
　白玉クリームあんみつ 750円
　冷やし白玉ぜんざい　 600円
　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 多賀あさひや  　

＊写真は先月のランチ、８月は新しい献立になります。

    Taga taisha Summer Festival (3rd ~5th) is over. The middle day was rainy but both the first and the final day were fine. I closed the cafe early and visited a shrine to watch the festival last night. The entrance area was so crowded with family and young people although the Covid-19 catastrophe is still continuing. Everybody put the mask on but looked open and filled with happiness. Since I couldn't approach the front of the shrine because of the crowded people, I greeted God from afar and walked along lanterns. These were dedicated to believers which were not only from local people but also from all over Japan. I felt that Taga taisha is a peaceful and important place to those people as their heart's place.

    Well, 7th is the first Sunday of August and I will prepare a special lunch called Izanami Lunch. Please make a reservation! (0749-48-0186)

７月３０日（土曜日）２０２２　

    人と会う約束があって、久しぶりに以前の職場を訪れました。ウェルズリー大学は夏休みでキャンパスは学生も職員もいなくて遠くに塊となって座って人の話を聞いている光景が見えましたが（あれは高校生を対象にした夏のprogramではないかと）、あとは夏休みに両親と大学を見に来ている数組の親子連れがいたぐらいです。

　マサチューセッツ州西部、ボストン郊外にあるこの大学は創立が１８７０年。大学院を持たない学生数２３００人ぐらいのこじんまりした私立の女子大です。私はここで２０年ちょっと仕事をしました。今回時間がなく僅かな写真しか撮れませんでしたが、それでもいかに緑に囲まれた美しい大学であるかが分かると思います。広い敷地内には人工で作られた湖もあり私たち日本人には夢のようなキャンパスです。

　８０年代後半の日本の経済好調期にアメリカの大学は空前の日本語ブームが起こり、教員の人材不足からアカデミアとは無縁ながら劇団で日本語の基礎訓練を受けたという経歴に教授が興味を示しハーバード大学で採用され、８年後にこのウェルズリー大学に移ってきました。日本の経済力の恩恵を受けて貴重で楽しい様々な経験を若さみなぎる学生たちの中でできたことは幸運以外の何ものでもありません。

    Since I had an appointment, I visited Wellesley College where I used to work after many years. Almost no students and staff were on campus because it was during the summer vacation, I only saw a group sitting in the yard and listening someone's talk ( probably it was a summer program for highschool students). I also saw a couple of small family groups who visited campus for the college selection before the application.

    Wellesley College is located western part of Massatusetts and in the suburbs of Boston. Wellesley College is a women's college with no graduate program which has about 2300 students. I worked for this college for 20 years and little more before. I took only a few photos because of the time limit, but you will see how beautiful the college is surrounded by lots of green. There is also a man-made lake in a vast area. It is a dreamy campus for most Japanese.

    In the late 80's, the Japanese economy was in good health, and it made a Japanese language boom in US colleges. Many Japanese programs were short of teaching staff. Although I was not in the field of linguistics or language education, professor T. Monane in Harvard was interested in my background. I was in a Japanese theatrical company and had been trained in basic Japanese vocalization, so she hired me as a language instructor. After teaching Japanese at Harvard for eight years, I moved to Wellesley College. Receiving the benefit of a good Japanese economy, I spent precious and joyful days among US college students who were full of energy and talent and those were my happiest days in my memories.

７月２９日（金曜日）２０２２

    アメリカと日本の違いは数え上げたらキリがありませんが、皆がよく言うのはサイズと量と種類でしょう。全てが大きく量が多く色々あるのがアメリカです。ミルクも皆がよく買うのは１ガロン（約3.8リットル）。1/2ガロンや1/4ガロンも売られていますが、手に取りやすい場所にズラリと並ぶのは大きいミルク。種類も色々。Whole Milk（全乳）, 2% Milk, 1% Milk, Skim Milkと脂肪分の割合で分けられ、Homogenized Milk (成分が分離しないように処理したもの）、Lactose Free Milk (乳糖（Lactose)を分解する酵素が含まれ「お腹を壊しにくい牛乳」）、rBST Free Milk (成長ホルモンの入っていない牛乳）、他殺菌温度によって分けられた牛乳、オーガニック（無農薬）、ビタミン入り、カルシウム入り、いろいろな味入り豆乳。前はあまり目立たなかったけど結構な存在感で棚に並んでいたのはアーモンドミルクです。ココナツミルク、カシューナッツミルクなどもありました。我が家の冷蔵庫には全乳と2%牛乳があります。2%が定番だったのにどうして全乳があるのかと買った本人に聞くと、ヨーグルト作りには脂肪分の多いのが良いのだそうです。アメリカのオレンジジュースは果汁100%で美味しいのですが、これも各社１ガロンのものを多く並べていました。

　最近のアメリカの物価の高騰ぶりは凄まじいようですが、久しぶりに覗いた大型スーパーは品物で溢れ圧倒されました。皆それなりに財布の紐を締めながら買い物をしているのでしょうが、コロナよりも経済を優先するアメリカの雰囲気は確かにここにもありました。

    If you count up the difference between US vs JPN, there is no end, but many people often point to the size, amount and kinds of things. Indeed most products in the US are big, sold in large amounts and are of various kinds. For example, many people buy 1 gallon milk. You can also get 1/2 gallon or 1/4 gallon but large ones are located in a place where people could pick easily.

    I will list some of the various kinds of milk. Whole Milk, 2% Milk, 1% Milk, Skim Milk, Homogenized Milk, Lactose Free Milk, rBST Free Milk, different pasteurizing temperature of Milk, Organic Milk, Vitamin added Milk, Calcium added Milk, different taste of Soy Milk, etc. I was surprised that many kinds of Almond Milk were on the shelf. Coconut Milk, Cashew nuts Milk and more and more.

    There are two kinds of milk, whole and 2% milk in my refrigerator. I wonder why whole milk is there because we used to drink 2% milk every day, so I asked the reason to the person who chose it. He said that he can make better homemade yogurt with whole milk rather than less fat product.
I also would like to mention about orange juice in the US. It is so good because it is 100% juice. I saw 1 gallon orange juice produced by several companies.

    It seems that the prices are increasing rapidly in the US but I was overwhelmed by all the products in a big American supermarket. I guess people are buying their necessities by controlling their tough budget but still I felt that the US government put more economic priority than preventing Covid-19.

７月２７日（水曜日）２０２２　

    ボストンで車を処分して数年経ちます。遠出など必要な時はレンタカーを利用しますが、普段は近所のモールまでバスで行くか片道３０分を歩きます。（因みに運転しない主人の買い物はインスタカートというネットの宅配SVCを利用）。

    すぐそばのバス停が数ヶ月前になくなって、遠くのバス停を利用することになったのは不満ながらも仕方ないことですが、先日また我ながら苦笑する失態をしました。

    バス停まで数十メートル歩くのですが、標識は運転手からは見えますがこちらからは裏になって見えません。反対車線にも同様のバス停があるのでその向かい側であることは確か。こちらではバスの運転手が気づかないで通過することがあるので、運転手に手を振って知らせ、バスが止まって無事乗車。数日後、同様にバスを待っていて、ふと自分が歩いてきたところにもう一つバス停があるのを発見。あれっと自分が待っていた所を見ると、それはバス停ではなく「左車線は左折のみ」という標識。つまり自分が変なところでバスを待っていたことに気づいたわけです。あわてて正規のバス停に戻ってバスに乗車したのは言うまでもありませんが、それにしても、あの時のバスの運転手サンは変なところから乗り込んできた私に注意することもなく普通に乗せてくれたのです。優しい運転手さん.....ありがとう。

    It has been several years since I didn't keep my car in Boston. Since then, I rent a car when I need it such as going away from Boston but usually I take a bus or walk to the mall for shopping. ( My husband who doesn't drive uses Instacart for his usual necessity.)

    The bus stop which we had been using was taken away a few months ago, and we needed to walk to another bus stop which is about one block away.

    The other day, I had a little bit of an embarrassing experience related to this bus stop. I was waiting for the bus at "the new bus stop". There are times that the bus driver doesn't pay attention to the people at the stop and passes by without letting them ride, so I waved my hand to the driver when the bus approached. The bus stopped and I could get into the bus. A couple days after, I was also waiting for the bus, there I saw another bus stop sign which I passed by from my home. I got confused and looked at the sign where I was waiting. It was not a bus stop but the sign of "LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT". I hurried up to the right bus stop and got on the bus. My mistake occurred because all the signs faced the drivers and only the back side of the signs came in our sight. I laughed at myself because I was waiting for the bus at the place which was not related to the bus stop but the bus driver stopped for me and let me get on the bus without saying any warning. What an open minded bus driver he was! I thanked him very much. 

７月２５日（日月曜日）２０２２

    今度はちょっと珍しい動物が家の前を通っていきました。野生の七面鳥です。オスはメスに比べて2倍ぐらいの大きさで、かなり重そうなコロコロの七面鳥。顔が赤くて、羽が複雑に重なり合って、間近で見るのは初めてです。

    七面鳥といえば、アメリカでは１１月末の感謝祭やクリスマスに丸焼きを家族や親戚一同が食卓を囲んで食べるのが恒例ですが、普段でも各部位やひき肉が鶏肉より安くスーパーで売られています。もちろん、それらは大量に飼育されたもので、私たちが見かけるのは丸ごとであっても頭も羽もなく内臓もまとめて袋に入れてスッキリしています。

    野生の七面鳥くんたち、そばで見るとかなりグロテスクで怖いぐらいでしたが、カメラを向けると興味があるのかこっちにゆっくりと近づいてきました。もちろん後退りするのは私の方。立派な羽があるけど飛ぶことはもはやできないでしょう。近くの池にカモや他の水鳥たちと一緒に生息して時々こうした遠征をしているのでしょう。このご一行、互いの関係はどうなってるのかなというのが私の素朴な疑問で、当人たちに尋ねてみたい気分でした。

    Since there is a little pond near by my house, water birds such as ducks often come up to the road. This time, I saw a very rare animal passing by my house. They were wild turkeys. Male turkeys were almost twice as big as female ones and looked very heavy. Male one's face was red and covered with feathers which overlap complicatedly. It was the first time for me to see them in such a short distance.

    When we hear "turkey", we know that people get together with family and eat roasted turkey at the occasion of Thanksgiving or Christmas in the US. We also buy turkey which are separated into parts and eat it regularly. They are less expensive compared to chicken. 

    Seeing these wild turkeys so vividly made me scared. When I approached to take a photo, a male turkey was coming toward me, so I stepped back. They have gorgeous feathers but I guess they are not able to fly any more. I was wondering what was the relationship within this turkey group and wanted to ask them.