Saturday, April 29, 2017

4月29日(土曜日)2017
不思議なお天気の一日でした。午前は曇り。お客様によると神社は午前中お宮参りの家族連れなど結構いらしたようです。それが午後になって急に怪しげな空模様。暗くなって風も吹き始めやがて激しい雨と風そして雷が鳴る暴れ天気。1時間ほど経つと雨は止み明るくなってお陽様も顔を出し夕方は西陽が和室に差していました。雨宿りにお寄り下さったお客様も傘いらずでお発ちになりました。雨上がりの庭はきれいに光っていました。ツツジが咲き始めています。It was strange weather today. According to the customers, in the morning there were many families who came to the shrine to celebrate their newborns. The weather was bit cloudy though. Then in the afternoon, it changed to violent weather with rough wind, rain and thunder. However after about an hour the rain stopped and the sun came out. The evening sunlight poured into the tatami room. Customers who stopped by the cafe during the shower left without having to use an umbrella. The garden after the shower was beautiful. Azalea has begun blooming.





Friday, April 28, 2017

4月28日(金曜日)2017
おまつりが終って絵馬通りは穏やかな町並みに戻りました。神社脇の川に添って山吹が新緑と石塀を背景に並んで咲いています。落ち着いた黄色が太田川と小道によく似合って嬉しくなります。森の後ろは水を張った田んぼが急に増えました。すでに田植えが終ったところもあり農家の忙しさが想像できます。Spring festival is over and the street has returned to its usual calm state. Along the stream by the shrine, Japanese roseas are blooming against the backdrop of fresh green and stone fences. I am pleased with the gentle yellow which goes along well with the stream and the path. Behind the woods of the shrine, I could see many rice paddy fields filled with water. Surprisingly some have already been finished with rice planting. The season now begins when farmers get busy.





Sunday, April 23, 2017

4月23日(日曜日) 2017
22日の多賀まつりは風と少し寒さがありましたがお天気に恵まれて古式豊かな騎馬のおわたりが執り行われました。「多賀あさひや」も行きの おわたりの通過直後からお客様が増えてKさん、Hさんの強力な援軍がありながらもてんてこ舞いの忙しさでした。庭の新芽が鮮やかに吹き出して和室からお客様に楽しんでいただいています。店内も季節の花でいっぱいです。明るい軽やかな春の到来です!On the 22nd, Taga-matsuri was held with lines of people walking or riding on horses in traditional costume under the clear sky, although it was windy and still a bit cold. Many customers came in to the cafe just after the first main procession had passed by. We (Ms. K, Ms.H and I) were a powerful team in running the cafe for this special day, even though there were times when all of the tables were full and we were almost in a panic. Phew! Our guests in the Tatami-room can enjoy the fresh green colors of the newly-budded plants in the garden. There are also many seasonal flowers inside the cafe. Now we welcome the bright spring!





Monday, April 17, 2017

4月17日(月曜日)2017
きのうは暖かだったので玄関の戸を開けて一日中、春風を店の中に入れました。もうすぐ多賀まつりです。神社ではまつりを前にいろいろな神事が行われています。お店のお客様ともまつりの話題が増えています。鎌倉時代が起源といわれるこの古例大祭はの主役は馬頭人(ばとうにん)。今年は多賀町から選ばれているので一層皆さんの関心は高いようです。騎馬40頭、総勢400人ほどのまつりのハイライトは本わたりと呼ばれる行列で午後4時ごろ「多賀あさひや」の前をお通りになります。いつのものか分かりませんが家に多賀まつりの様子が描かれた徳利がありました。Yesterday was a warm and nice day, so I had the sliding front door open all day long and let the spring wind in to the cafe. Soon we will have the old annual spring festival of Taga-taisha. There are many Shinto rituals before the festival at the shrine. The closer the festival comes, the more people enjoy chatting about the festival in the cafe. The origin of the festival is Kamakura period (1185-1333) and the main role of the festival is called Batoo-nin (manager of the festival). The highlight of the festival is called Hon-watari (main procession) in which about 40 horses line up and nearly 400 people in traditional costume or formal wear ride on the horses or walk. At around 4pm you will see this procession in front of my cafe. I took a photo of the sake pitcher on the scene of Taga-matsuri is drawn.



Tuesday, April 11, 2017

4月11日(火曜日)2017
多賀大社の桜が満開です。昨日の朝、久しぶりに神社へ行ってみました。桜があちこちで美しく咲いていました。古木の立派な桜の枝は支えられながらも見事に咲誇って優雅な姿を見せていました。その後の散歩道でも満開の桜が迎えてくれました。この淡い桜色が何とも品がよくいいですね。Cherry blossoms in Taga-taisha are in full bloom now. Yesterday morning, I went to the shrine after a long while. Cherry blossoms are blooming here and there. It was a magnificent sight to see the branches of dignified-looking old cherry trees which require support with sticks, full of new blossoms. After the shrine, I also saw many cherry blossoms on my usual walk route. I felt as if they were all welcoming me. The pale pink color of the flowers is elegant and nice.




Sunday, April 9, 2017

4月9日(日曜日)2017
あさひやの玄関が春らしく軽やかな雰囲気になりました。緑の鉢植えは「すすらん水仙」というそうです。友達のHさんが家で育てたものをこの季節うちにちょうどいいと言って持って来て下さいました。清々しい緑が風に揺れるだけでとても壮快な気分になりますが、このところの陽気で先のところに白い可憐なすずらんのような花がちょこんと咲き始めました。何と控えめで清楚な花でしょう。隣はテッセンです。一昨日、近所の野菜市に並んでいたのを買い求めました。お茶花だけあって、可憐なすずらん水仙のそばで凛と咲いています。お客様や通りすがりの人が楽しんでくださるでしょう。You might feel the spring at the entrance of our cafe. Two potted plants have appeared in front of the entrance. The green one is from my friend, H from her house. According to her, it is called Suzuran-Suisen (snowflake). The leaves sway lightly with the spring wind and they make me feel refreshed. Since a couple days ago, small tiny white bell shape flowers started blooming at the very top of long stalks. What cute, clean flowers they are! The next pot is Tessen (clematis). I bought it at the vegetable stand near my house the day before yesterday. It is often placed at the alcove in the occasion of a Tea ceremony. I hope the guests and the people who pass by my cafe enjoy them.





Wednesday, April 5, 2017

4月5日(水曜日)2017 


カフェの名前「多賀あさひや」の題字は小学校の恩師の北村百合子先生が書いてくださいました。おしゃれでモダンで妥協のない先生のお暮しぶりは昔も今も変わりがありません。いただくお手紙の字がいつもとてもきれいで、半世紀以上も先生と先生の字に接してこられたことを幸せに思っています。カフェの説明も充分にせず、無謀なお願いでしたが、心のこもったとても温かい書を贈ってくださいました。大切に使わせていただきたいと思っています。The person who wrote the name of my cafe "Taga Asahiya" is my elementary school teacher, Ms.Yuriko Kitamura. Her fashionable, modern and uncompromising life style has not changed much from the old days to now. Letters from her are so beautiful and nice every time. I am grateful to have such a nice connection with her and to see her beautiful handwriting over a half century. It was a reckless request to ask for calligraphy of the cafe's name without giving much information about the cafe, but she wrote a magnificent title for me. It will be my treasure from her. Thank you so much, Kitamura sensee!

Sunday, April 2, 2017

4月2日(日曜日)2017
月が変わったので座敷の床の間のしつらえを新しくしました。掛け軸は平井東庵の画。東庵は滋賀の村上家に生まれ後に西陣の織物卸売商、平井家に入った江戸末期の実業家で画や茶に精通していた人物とのことです。動物は犬でしょうか。ちょっとモダンな感じがします。横にゼンマイが描いてあるので春の掛け軸だと分かりました。左は桜の舞扇です。右は前に友人Hさんが生けてくださったいぶきを廊下から床の間に移しました。お客様が「春」を感じて下さると嬉しいです。Since we are in the new month, I  changed the display of the alcove in the guest room. As for the hanging scroll, it was done by Thoan Hirai who was born in Murakami family in Shiga and later was adopted in Hirai family which was a merchant of Nishijin in Kyoto. He became a big businessman in the late Edo period. He also had thorough knowledge of Japanese paintings and the tea ceremony. The animal which he drew might be dogs. I feel this drawing is quite modern although it was done about 150 years ago. I know it is for the spring from the picture of Osmund on the right side. You will see cherry blossom in the fan. I moved the green in bamboo vase to the alcove from the hall way.  It was arranged by my friend, H.  I wish you could feel the spring from this display.