Weekly Topics/Archive
June 2009
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Last weekend, my nephew living in Nara and working for the housing supplier
visited my place
to have various discussions about floor plan of my new house.
I've been taken care of him to build a new house since this April.
I got a rough draft of the floor plan from him in the beginning of May.
I let him make some changes or modifications on the draft several times
to bring close to my
ideals.
Off course，he worked very hard to check with his boss，the VP of Sales regarding the price
discounts that I was requesting.
He had some skills as a coordinator for layout of the house as well as
a salesperson.
And so his advice was always helpful to me.
The floor plan has come to the final stage through his advice.
I'm waiting that he will make the final plan and then send it to me by
e-mail.
［Note］ floor plan ； 間取り､ make a modification on 〜 ； 〜に対して修正する
bring close to 〜 ； 〜に近づける， the VP of Sales ； 営業課長
through one's advice ； のアドバイスのおかげで
I enjoyed an overnight golf trip of the Ikoikai Society Reunion to Hakone
after a long time last
weekday.
Around 2 p.m. on June 16th, I and Mr.Yoshida got picked up at JR Hodogaya
station by
Mr.Nakanii to go to Sengokuhara, Hakone.
We got on the Tomei Expressway at Yokohama−Machida Interchange, drove to
Gotenba
Interchange and then got off there to get to Sengokuhara in Hakone.
According to the weather forecast，it was cloudy then occationally rainy.
It started sprinkling around Hadano as the forecast said.
After we bought a bottle of Japanese sake at a liquor shop in Sengokuhara,
we arrived at the
Point Vacation Relo Hakone in the misty rain.
It was located in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by nature in Hakone.
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| The entrance of resort villa, Point Vacation Hakone |
We have decided to use this resort villa, Relo Hakone in Sengokuhara through
the courtesy of
Mr.Waida who was one of the owner this time, too.
It prepared two wide rooms for six with a large size of jacuzzi bath for
us.
After a while, other three friends arrived here riding in the same car.
First of all, we drank a toast to reunion with our old classmates and chewed
the fat for a while.
And then, everyone relaxed by taking a hot spring bath.
Around 6 p.m., we went to a Chinese restaurant called Taigen to have a
dinner party.
At first, a barbecue party was planned at Relo Hakone.
But as it had been expected to rain in this rainy season, the organizer
arraanged this restaurant.
After the party, we got onto a courtesy bus，feeling tipsy.
It was raining cats and dogs outside.
We couldn't help but be concerned about tomorrow's weather.
We had a second party at the room at Relo Hakone with brown bags.
Mr.Kishi played several tunes on his favorite harmonica as if they were
BGM.
We enjoyed a pleasant midnight time, singing or humming their tunes like
Japanese ballads and
children's songs.
Two friends or so started dozing off with a lullaby because they felt tipsy.
On the following day, I woke up with an alarm clock around 7:30 a.m. and then took a hot spring
bath.
In sharp contrast with last night's heavy rain, it was clear and crisp
in this morning.
We had Japanese-style or Western-style cooked breakfast delivered to my
door.
How convenient this food delivery service is in such a uncivilized place!
After we took a commemorative picture in front of the etrance of the villa, we went to the golf
course by car.
Fujiya Hotel Sengoku Golf Course was built in 1917 and has a long history
and tradition.
This is one of the finest golf courses in Japan.
We started playing from out course around 9:40 a.m.
As the number of players was six, we enjoyed threesome golf with caddie.
It was clear and so we could play on such wonderful golf course that beautiful mountain range
in Hakone overlooked.
Azaleas in full bloom around the teeing ground added color to the courses
in early summer
as you can see.
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| Azaleas in full bloom around teeing ground of the sixth hole |
I played a round of golf in less strokes than 90 in a friendly golf competition
of the class reunion
in Aso for the first time this year.
But I never practiced golf because I've been so busy since then.
I was in this competition in expectation of remnant of good swing in Aso.
That would be too easy.
After all, it's essential for me to practice golf at least once a week,
isn't it?
In the betting on golf called Olympic Game with fellow competitors，I lost
25 points.
It says a lot about how upset my putting was.
As expected, the favorites ranked high.
I also made a Nassau bet with Mr.Waida and got a walloping from him.
Thus, I finished in the last place and betrayed some racetrackers.
Mr.Nakanii who was an organizer of this golf trip and Mr.Waida who shared
his resort villa
with us, thank you again for your kind arrangement.
You gave us a pleasant class reunion.
For details about our golf scores and more pictures, please click and visit
the following titles.
 Picture / Golf / 「2009・箱根オ−プンゴルフ・コンペ (2009.06.16〜06.17)」
Picture / Golf / 「2009・箱根オ−プンゴルフ・コンペ (2009.06.16〜06.17)」
(You must know the password in order to look at the picture.)
[Note] Tomei Expressway ； 東名高速道、 get on ( off ) the expressway ； 高速道路に乗る（降りる）
misty rain ； 霧雨、 through the courtesy of 〜 ； 〜の厚意(好意)により
a room for six ； 6人用の部屋、 jacuzzi bath ； ジャクジ−風呂（泡風呂）、 reunion ； 再会
chew the fat ； だべる、 feel tipsy ； ほろ酔い気分である、 it rains cats and dogs ； 土砂降りだ
can't help but 〜 ； 〜せざるを得ない、 be concerned about 〜； 〜を憂慮（懸念・心配）する
second party ； 二次会、 brown bag ； 持込みの飲食物
play a tune on the harmonica ； ハ−モニカで曲を吹く、 tune ；歌曲、メロディ−
sing a tune ； メロディ−を口ずさむ、 doze off； まどろむ、うとうとする、 Japanese ballad； 演歌
children's song ； 童謡、 lullaby ； 子守唄、 in sharp contrast with 〜 ； 〜と打って変わって
crisp ； (天候などが)すがすがしい、 uncivilized； 辺ぴな、山奥の、 overlook ； (場所が)見渡せる
mountain range ； 山並み、 teeing ground ； テイ−グラウンド(ゴルフ)、 remnant ； 名残
That would be too easy．； 世の中そんなに甘くない、それでは安易すぎる
fellow competitor ； 同伴競技者(ゴルフ)、 upset ； 調子が悪い(狂っている)
the favorite ； 本命馬、 make a Nassau bet ； ナッソ−方式の賭けをする(ゴルフ)
get a wallopping from 〜 ； 〜に完敗する、 betray；裏切る、 racetracker ； 競馬ファン
Japanese Diary / No.156−2009.06.21 / 「箱根オ−プンゴルフ」
I'd been very busy from around the end of May to the beginning of June
because I took a trip to
Kansai region to have several things.
And so I hadn't been at my home and also was absent from English Conversation Class two times
during the period.
On May 29th，I visited my brother-in-law’s wife in the Kyoto Citizen’s
Hospital with my wife and
her sisters.
She was in the hospital for cataract surgery.
She said to us she was getting well day by day after the surgery.
We were relieved to hear that.
After that, we had a dinner with her husband on him at a Japanese-style
restaurant in downtown
Kyoto.
On the following day, May 30th, I was present at the fourth family reunion
at a hotel near Lake
Biwa．
This time again, I organized it to cultivate the friendship among the family.
10 relatives from 5 families were at the reunion.
We enjoyed wild dinner party talking frankly about this and that as usual.
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The hotel we had the
fourth family reunion |
The shore of Lake Biwa
near the hotel |
The view of Lake Biwa. |
On the end of May, I went to the head quarter of housing supplier, Pana
Home in Osaka to put
my name on the purchase and sales contract about my new house.
After that, I visited Kohfukuji temple and took a walk around the temple
grounds.
The view of the five-story pagoda in the blue sky was very fantastic.
I stayed at my youngest brother's place overnight in Nara.
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| The view of the five-story pagoda and the East Golden Hall(National treasure) |
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The five-story pagoda
of Kohfukuji temple
(National treasure) |
To-kondo
(East GoldenHall) |
Nan-endo
(South Octagonal Hall.) |
Wild deers on the
grounds of temple |
On June 1st, I walked around Nara Park and visited many famous old temples
from morning.
They were Nara's Todai-ji temple with its 16.2 meter-high statues of Buddha,
Sangatsu-do,
Nigatsu-do, Kaidanin, Syousouin and Gango-ji temple as the National Treasure.
They were also registered as World Cultural Heritage Sites.
I enjoyed visiting the temples and their old Buddha's images in Nara Park
taking about six hours.
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| The view of Great Buddha Hall of Todai-ji temple(National Tresure) |
I stayed at my younger brother's place in my home town in Uji，Kyoto.
For details, please click and visit the following Diary and Picture.
Japanese Diary / No.150−2009.06.01 / 「忙しかった5月末」
Picture Picture / Pilgrimage to old temples / 「奈良公園散策(東大寺・正倉院・元興寺)」
From May 2nd to 3rd，I took a one night trip to Hida-Takayama in Gifu Prefecture
for my past
company's reunion from Uji.
It's been a year since I met past coworkers at the last reunion.
We enjoyed wild dinner party and hot spring bath at a hotel in a hot spring resort called
Garyu-onsen.
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The limited express,
Hida #9 for Takayama
at Nagoya station |
The outdoor spa
at the hotel |
And we took a scenic trip to Shirakawa-go which was registerd as World Heritage Site and
Takayama by sightseeing bus.
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| The beautiful Gassho-zukuri village in Shirakawa-go(World Heritage Site) |
Shirakawa-go is famous for Gassho-zukuri village.
Gassyo-zukuri is a house of wooden beams combined to form a steep thatched
roof.
We had an opportunity to enjoy a panoramic view of the village from a scinic
overlook.
The view of the village was really fantastic as above photo.
Anyway, I had a enjoyable reunion with past coworkers.
［Note］ cataract ； 白内障、 surgery ； 手術、 be relieved ； ホッとする
on 〜；〜のおごりで，be present at 〜；〜に出席する、 cultivate the friendship ； 親睦を図る
talk about this and that ； よもやま話をする、 put one's name on the contract ； 契約する
purchase and sales contract ； 売買契約書、 octagonal ； 八角形の、 Great Buddha Hall ； 大仏殿
be registered as 〜 ； 〜に登録されている、 visiting the temples ； お寺巡り
Gassyo-zukuri ； 合掌造り（の）、 wooden beam ； 木げた、 steep ； 急勾配の
thatched ； カヤ（わら）葺きの、 a panoramic view ； 全景、 scenic overlook； 見晴らし台、展望台
Japanese Diary / No.154−2009.06.19 / 「2009年度FIMAT 同窓会 in Takayama」
Picture Picture / Trip / 「2009年度FIMAT 同窓会 in Takayama」
 TOPペ−ジへ戻る
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