１月３１日（木曜日）２０１９
３０日午後６時から山田周生さんに講演をしていただきました。 急なお知らせでしたが、３０名ほどの方がお集まりくださいました。 お出で下さった皆様、ありがとうございました。 講演は、まず山田さんの現在の活動拠点である岩手県釜石市橋野町のエコハウスの位置、回りの環境、活動内容から始まりました。２０１１年３月１１日に東日本大震災があり、これによって山田さんは大きな方向転換をなさいましたが、それまでの道のりを（２０代から始まったとてつもない冒険旅行の数々を）素晴らしい写真を巧みな画像技術で見せながら話してくださいました。また、何十回と見てきた壮大な地球の自然が今、急速にその姿を変えていることも山田さんが撮った写真で私達は知る事ができ、この危機的状況に私達がどう対処すべきかそこに大きな問題提起がありました。太陽光や風力などを使って自力で持続する工夫をエコハウスが実践している紹介も力強いものでしたが、山田さん自身の人間としてのあらゆる能力の高さに皆は衝撃を受けました。しかしそれは比較して我が身を落胆させるものではなく、私達も何かしなければと奮起させるものであったことが今回の講演の素晴らしさだったと思います。It was a lucky chance to have a talk by Mr. Shusei Yamada on the 30th at 6pm at my cafe. Despite the short notice, 30 people came. I would like to thank them for coming. He started his presentation showing the location of Echo House at Kamaishi in Iwate where his activities are based and the surrounding environment, as well as explaining the activities themselves. March 11, 2011 ( the Great East Japan Earthquake) was a big turning point for him. He talked about his adventures up until then, showing beautiful photos with amazing animations on a powerpoint. He saw magnificent natural landscapes dozens of times but we are now faced with a crisis, and he showed photos which were taken by himself as evidence of the seriousness of the situation. It is important to ask ourselves what we can do. It was great that he introduced us to devices of sustainable energy such as solar power, wind power generation at his Echo House, but we received a particularly strong impact in knowing his high level of physical and mental strength in various situations, both during his adventures and during his time in Echo House. It's great that we were inspired by what he is doing now and what he will do in the future. In the same way, maybe we can take action in the things that we feel passionate about.
１月２４日（木曜日）２０１９
朝は雪になっているかと思いましたが、白くなっていずほっとして ８時半からの読み聞かせに小学校に行きました。私の担当は２年い組。 今の小学生は昔話をあまり知らないと聞いていたので「つるのおんがえし」を選びました。大学の演劇部に入った時、最初に大道具で参加したのが木下順二作の「夕鶴」で、当時のことを懐かしく思い出しました。初めは落ち着かなかった男の子たちも途中から集中して聞いてくれているのが分かり嬉しかったです。 ところで、岩手で復興支援をしている山田周生さんが一年振りに車の整備と車検のために滋賀に来られます。それで、急ですが１月３０日（水曜日）に私のカフェでお話をしていただくことになりました。びっくりするような経験をお持ちの山田さんです。是非、ご都合をつけておいで下さい。I woke up this morning thinking that it might be snowing, but actually it was not and I was relieved. I went to the elementary school nearby for story telling. This time I read a book for the second graders. I chose the picture book of "Tsuru no On-gaeshi (The Crane of Gratitude). Theatre play " Yuhzuru (The crane wife) by Junji Kinoshita is the same story and it was the first play I participated in as a member of a Japanese dramatic club when I was a college student. I remember the old days. In the reading class, at first a couple of boys were not paying attention but in the middle of the story all of kids listened quietly which made me feel encourage very much. By the way, Mr. Shusei Yamada who is supporting the reconstruction of the Great East Japan Earthquake in Iwate will visit Shiga this year too for the maintenance and inspection of his biodiesel car. I received his offer to talk in public at my cafe. I set the day and time for Jan.30 (Wed) 6pm. Since he has had amazing experiences in the past, I hope many people will come to his talk although it is bit sudden notice.
１月１９日（土曜日）２０１９
陽射しのある良い土曜日でした。１９日は獅子舞の日と決まっていると 教えてもらっていたので、お金を予め包んでおきました。今年は店内に お客様が多くいらっしゃり、お祓いのようなことをしてもらった後、それぞれ 頭をお獅子に噛んでもらいました。それから、店の外で二つの獅子が鐘と笛の 音に合わせて舞ってくれました。私はもちろんお客様も大喜び。賑やかな一日でした。It was a fine Saturday with lots of sunshine. Jan. 19th is the day that a troupe of Shishi-Kagura comes to our town from Ise in Mie prefecture. I prepared a money offering for the troupe wrapped in Hanshi (Japanese calligraphy paper). This year, there were many customers in the cafe. After they did a purification-like ritual, the Shishi (lion) bit each customers head including mine. Then, two of the lions performed a dance with festival music (flute and bell). We all enjoyed it very much with the Shishimai dance. It was a day full of festive mood.
１月１５日（火曜日）２０１９
三幅對についての更なる情報です。本日、岐阜からお客様がお見えになり 座敷に上がっていただいたので、掛け軸について分かっていることをお話 している中で、光格天皇の名前を出したところ、「尊号一件」の話しを して下さいました。「尊号一件」とは光格天皇が父の閑院宮典仁親王（慶光天皇）に太上天皇の尊号を贈ろうとして、幕府の老中松平定信に反対されて断念した事件です。実は天皇の系図を見ていて、慶光天皇が光格天皇の父君であることは分かったのですが、天皇の名前がありながら即位された訳でなかったのでどういうことかと不思議に思っていました。親王は後に明治天皇により太上天皇の尊号と慶光天皇の諡合（しごう）を追贈されたとのことです。「尊号一件」、私は初めて聞きましたが、歴史好きなお客様から勉強をさせて頂きました。I got another piece of information about Three Hanging Scrolls. Today a married couple from Gifu came to my cafe. Since they took their place in the guest room, I talked about the scrolls in the alcove. When I mentioned the name of Emperor Koukaku, the husband began to tell me about "Songo Ikken (Title Incident)". Songo Ikken was a case of dissension between the Imperial Court in Kyoto and the Edo Bakufu. Emperor Koukaku intended to present the special title to his father, Kan'in-no-miya Sukehito shin'noh, but he did not receive it, since the Senior Councilor of the Edo bakufu, Sadanobu Matsudaira was against it. Before, when I was looking at the genealogy of the Emperor's family, I wondered why Sukehito shin'noh (Emperor Kyoko) was not enthroned before Emperor Koukaku. Now I understand the reason. Emperor Koukaku had to give up his plans to present the title to his father, but later his father was given the honorary name of the Emperor Kyoko and the honorary title of Daijo Tenno in 1884 by the Meiji Emperor. I heard the name of the incident "Songo Ikken" for the first time today and I appreciated the chance to learn about it from a guest who likes Japanese history.
１月１４日（月曜日）２０１９
昨年９月から月一回開かれている「文化財サポーター養成講座」に行きました。講師は学芸員の井上ひろ美先生で毎回文化財の基礎知識、取り扱い技術、保存環境などを大変分かり易く教えて下さり勉強になっています。さて、今日はこの講座のことではありません。うちで今掛けている三幅對について講座の前にちょっとお伺いしてみました。木箱に貼ってある紙を見せて「慶光天皇(1733-1794)」を「光慶天皇」と書いてあることから、本物ならそれはあり得ないのではないかと聞いたのですが、井上先生によるとこう言った間違いは時々あるとのこと。また掛け軸自体は江戸のものでも、箱書きは恐らく明治に書かれたものだろうとのことでした。それから、「光慶天皇御賛」とは、天皇自身が和歌をお詠みになったということで、天皇がこの掛け軸を褒めたという意味ではないと教えて下さいました。つまり、３つの和歌は慶光天皇が詠まれたもので、絵は久世三位源通根が描いたものということです。久世三位ということから画家も相当身分が高い人であったようです。 I went to a Training Course for the people who support cultural property and it has been held once a month since last September. The lecturer of the course is curator, Ms. Hiromi Inoue and she has been teaching basic knowledge about cultural property, handling techniques and storage environment, etc, but I would like to bring to attention a topic today not about the course. It is about the three hanging scrolls. I recognized the name of the emperor, Kyoukou tennoh (慶光天皇）on the white paper attached to the wooden box, but the order of the kanji (Chinese character) is different from his original name. I asked her what had happened. Ms. Inoue said that it sometimes happened. She also mentioned that scrolls are from Edo period but the white paper attached the wooden box probably was from Meiji period. At first I thought that Emperor Kyoukou looked at the scrolls and appreciated them but Ms. Inoue corrected that "御賛" means Emperor made the poems by himself. Therefore, Emperor Kyoukou made three poems and 源通根（Minamoto no Michine [I am not sure if this reading is correct.}) drawing. We know this painter was also at a very highly ranked position because of the title 久世三位 （Kuze sanmi).
１月６日（日曜日）２０１９
今日は小寒、つまり暦の上では寒の入りです。 今年の大寒は１月２０日で、大寒は冬の一番寒い日と言われていますから今日から２０日ごろまでは寒さが厳しくなるでしょう。今のところ雪も大して降っていないのが幸いです。さて、表通りの賑わいも一先ず今日で終わりでしょうか。三が日の混雑を避けて初詣にいらっしゃった方がカフェに寄ってゆっくりして下さいました。家が古いので隙間風があちこちから入りますが、エアコンと石油ストーブで何とか温かさを保っています。Today is "Shookan" and the beginning of midwinter. According to the net info., the "Shookan" literally means " Minor cold" and refers to the term before the coldest period. "Daikan (the coldest day)" of this year is Jan. 20th, so it will be cold until about that day. We are lucky up until now, because we haven't had many snow days. The bustle of new year on the main street to the shrine probably comes to the end today. I am glad that people coming to visit Taga Taisha during the first three days of the year chose to take a break from the crowds by stopping by my cafe and relaxing here for a while. Since the house is old, it is drafty, so I try to keep the room warm by putting on both air heating and oil heater.
１月５日（土曜日）２０１９
２０１９年が幕を開けて早五日目となりました。 平成最後のお正月。元旦は晴天に恵まれ、多賀大社へ参拝の方も かなりでした。床の間には母の実家（長浜）にあった三幅對の掛け軸を いとこから借りて掛けました。色彩といい繊細な筆といい見事な軸です。久世三位源通根筆とあり、それぞれの軸の上方に和歌が読まれていますが、残念なことに描かれた時代、和歌の内容など詳しいことは私の力には及びません。どなたか古文書の読める方、お力をお貸し下さい。It's already the fifth day since the year of 2019 began. This is the last new year of Heisei era in Japan. The new year's day was a clear sky and Taga Taisha (shrine) was crowded with a lot of people for the new years visit. In the alcove in my house, I put a set of three hanging scrolls which were from my mother's house. My cousin who kept them kindly lent them to me during this special season. They are antique and wonderful from the viewpoint of color and brush painting. I could recognize the painter's name but unfortunately I can not figure out when he drew them and the meaning of the poems which were written in upper part of the scrolls in cursive style. I would appreciate information from anyone who has knowledge about them.
