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Weekly Topics/Archive
Aug.,2008
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Last Friday evening，I was at the first Ikoikai society reunion in a
long time which was held at an izakaya，"Achou" in Kanda，Tokyo．
Nevertheless，it has been just a few months since we last had a class
reunion in Hakone．
The Ikoikai society is the official Kanto chapter of our class reunion．
The Izakaya，"Achou" is a regular hangout for the Ikoikai society．
It got less hot when temperature dropped down to about 27 ℃ in the
Kanto region on that day and so we felt as if it had not been hot at all．
This time，we got together there in order to forget the summer hot．
It is called "Shokibarai" in Japanese．
Shokibarai is said to originate from a custom held from the Edo period
in order that some Japanese people may ease the feeling of summer
heat by taking a certain type of herbal medicine or medicinal liquor
in summer．
But now it means a mere drinking party held to relieve the summer
heat or stress．
This reunion combines with relieving my stress from strained back
for me．
Eight classmates joined in it including two mates who have been active
in business．
We first had a toast with a glass of draft beer and then enjoyed
conversation about various topics as usual，while drinking some
alcohole like beer，shochu and ume liqueur on the rock．
One of the topics was about lower-back pain．
Three mates of us have been suffering from it.
They taught me closely about their symptomatic therapies．
They said one of them was not to keep my lower-back cool but warmly．
Since I heard that from other several friends，I was convinced that
it was the best therapy．
On my way home，I bought some disposable body warmer at the
drugstore right now．
I hope I will get better with it as soon as possible．
[Note] shokibarai ： 暑気払い
the first 〜 in a long time ： 久し振りの〜
Ikoikai society reunion ： いこい会の集い
ｉzakaya： 居酒屋， nevertheless： とは言っても，そうは言うものの
chapter ：支部，〜版
hangout ： 溜まり場，行きつけの場所， it get less hot：暑さが和らぐ
to forget the summer heat：暑気払いに
originate from 〜： 〜に由来する
ease 〜： 〜を和らげる， herbal medicine ： 漢方薬
medicinal liquor ： 薬用酒
be active in business ： 業界(一線)で活躍する，have a toast：乾杯する
ume liqueur ： 梅酒， symptomatic therapy ： 対症療法
be convinced that 〜：(that 以下の事) を確信する
disposable body warmer ： 使い捨てカイロ
I've been suffering from lower-back pain since last Saturday．
On last Saturday afternoon，I was putting varnish on the floor in the
living room for the first time in almost a year．
I got a strained back on lifting the heavyish furniture off the floor
to
move it to another place．
I could walk only bending my back due to lower-back pain and
I couldn't also turn over easily in bed，so I got a massage in the
massage parlor to relieve muscle pain in my lower-back．
But I didn't get better，so I bought some anti-inflammatoty analgesic
poultice at the drugstore．
I decided to put two sheet of the poultice around my lower-back once a
day and see how it works for a while．
I hope I will get better soon．
[Note] lower-back ： 腰， strained back ： ぎっくり腰
put varnish on 〜： 〜にワックスを塗る
for the first time in almost a year ： 約1年ぶりに， hevyish ：やや重い
turn over ： 寝返りを打つ， get a massage：マツサ-ジをしてもらう
relieve ： 和らげる
anti-inflammatory analgesic poultice ： (抗炎症性の鎮痛)湿布剤
see how it works ： 様子を見る
Japanese Diary / No.78−2008.08.18 / ぎっくり腰(急性腰椎症)
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This Sunday，I enjoyed sailing and the fireworks display with regular
crews．
We started sailing a yacht around 10 a.m. from the marina in Ito．
The number of the crews was seven including the captain who was an
owner of the yacht．
In the morning，we enjoyed sailing off the coast of Ito．
It was fine and the sun was beating down harshly．
After having some rice balls for lunch on the deck，we sailed off the
coast of Kawana．
We dropped anchor in the beach and enjoyed swimming for about 2
hours．
Around 7 p.m.，five other crews joined in us to watch the fireworks
which take place on the sea off the coast of Ito from 8 p.m.．
The 62nd Anzin Festival took place in Ito from August 8th to 10th．
That day was the last one and the fireworks display was one of the
special events．
This festival commemorates the Japan's first construction of the
western-style sailboat in Ito by Britain William Adams，called as Anzin
Miura by a Japanese name，at the behest of the Syogun Tokugawa
in the early 16th century．
About thirteen thousand fireworks were set off over one hour from
six spots on the sea in the night sky．
We enjoyed the beautiful fireworks from the boat's deck．
Anyway，they were really fantastic．
[Note] fireworks display ： 花火大会， beat down ； 照りつける
harshly ： 容赦なく，rice ball ：おむすび，drop anchor ：錨をおろす
commemorate 〜： 〜を(祭典で) 祝う，記念する
sailboat ： 帆船， at the behest of 〜 ： 〜の命を受けて
Anzin Miura ： 三浦 按針
set off 〜 ： (花火) に点火する，打ち上げる
over one hour ： 1 時間にわたって
Japanese Diary / No.77−2008.08.12 /
ヨットセ−リングと按針祭海の花火大会
Last Saturday，I went to my hometown，Uji in Kyoto to pay respects at
parents' grave and then see my younger brother at his place．
He has suffered from an obstinate disease，Parkinson's one．
He takes medication a lot every day and has also suffered from the
side-effects．
So，ｈe has been in hospital to find more right medication and its
quantity with the least side-effects than ever before．
He temporarily came back to home with his doctor's approval and then
I invited him to dinner with his wife at Japanese restaurant nearby．
I was relieved to hear that his examination went well．
On the following day，I visited my brother-in-law's place to attend
the first Bon ceremony with my wife for my mother-in-law who passed
away in January this year．
Seventeen close relatives attended it including her grandchildren
and great-grandchildren．
As you may not know well，it's believed in Buddhism the spirits of
the dead return to their families during the period．
So，it is a Buddhist festival held to welcome back the spirits．
The Bon festival or ceremony takes place every summer in
mid-August．
Some people hold it on some day ealier than the period for reasons of
their own．
According to schedule，some sutras were recited aloud by a Buddhist
monk in front of the altar and we offered incense and paid our respects
at the altar one after another．
And then we visited the grave，made offerings of flowers and incense
and paid our respects again．
After that，we were invited to dinner at Japanese-style restaurant．
We talked a lot about our memories of her．
Anyway，I pray sincerely for the repose of her soul．
[Note] pay respects at parents' grave： 両親の墓参りをする
side-effect： 副作用， medication： (処方された) 薬
obstinate disease： 難病，temporarily： 一時，ほんのしばらく
〜 than ever before ： これまでより以上に〜，従来にもまして〜
the first Bon ceremony ： 初盆
welcome back 〜： 〜の帰還を喜んで迎える
Bon festival/ceremony ： お盆
for reasons of someone's own： 都合により，great-grandchild ； 曾孫
sutra ： お経， offer incense ： 焼香する，memory ： 思い出
pray sincerely for the repose of someone's soul ： 〜の冥福を祈る
Japanese Diary / No.77−2008.08.06 / 墓参り・お見舞い・義母の初盆
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