Weekly Topics/Archive
August 2009
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From Last Friday to last Sunday, summer community festival was held in
the park and the ground
of a shrine nearby.
Last Friday, I helped with the setting up of the summer festival site
in the park.
We decorated the park with many lanterns and set up five tents for refreshment
stands.
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| The curtain for summer festival decorated with many lanterns in the park |
Last Saturday, as part of this festival，the refreshment stands organized
by our
neighborhood association were held there for 2 hours from 10 a.m.
Fried noodles, ice shavings topped with syrup, drinks like cans of beer
or cans of juice and some
games were served and provided to participants in this event for free at
their stands.
I helped in serving them with drinks with another cooperator at the drink stand.
And last Sunday evening, I watched Bon Dance as the last and the biggest
event of our summer
comunity festival.
It was also the last day of the three-day-long Bon Dance.
It was held at the ground of shrine, where a high platform was set up.
It's now ancient history that my daughter had joined in the Bon dance at
this place.
It was the annual event in our community in the past, but was held every
other year recently.
I heard it's because it takes a lot of energy to organize the event and
its organizers have aged.
Bon dances were originally a religious ceremony to comfort spirits and
send them back, but they
have become local festivals for entertainment.
Bon dance has been handed down as a part of the Bon festival throughout
Japan.
I have even an illusion that we couldn't finish Bon festival withoout Bon
dance.
Many people in the community was dancing wearing Japanese yukata nattily
with a paper fan
tucked into the back side of their sashes.
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| The Bon festival dance |
Bon dance might be the only event that old people can enjoy with the young.
I was very exciting to hear some golden oldie like "Tokyo Ondo",
"Tankou-bushi" and
"So-ran-bushi".
I found myself humming their songs in my heart.
The festival is a sort of Japanese spiritual home and heart-to-heart contact
among Japanese,
I think.
At Bon festival in my childhood, I used to play some games with my friends
and hold a lottery
in front of a stone image of jizo which flowers, and rice cakes were offered,
while eating some
sweets.
And also I remembered that I enjoyed Obon dancing by the high platform
set up in the wide park
with my family and people in the community.
At that time, it was the only summer event and our pleasure, wasn't it
?
I really feel nostalgic for the Bon dance at that time.
［Note］ Bon dance ； 盆踊り、 lantern ； ちょうちん、 refreshment stand ； 模擬店
neignborhood association ； 町内会，cans of beer ； 缶ビ−ル、 fried noodles ； 焼きそば
ice shavings topped with syrup ； かき氷、 the three-day-long Bon Dance ；
三日間続く盆踊り大会
be now ancient history that 〜 ； 〜も今となっては昔のことだ、 comfort spirits ；霊を慰める
hand down ； (後世に)伝える、残す、 have an illusion that 〜 ； 〜という錯覚を覚える、 sash
； 帯（おび）
paper fan ； うちわ、 nattily ； 粋に、 tuck into 〜 ； 〜に押し込む、 golden oldie ； 懐かしのメロディ
oldie ； (昔はやった) 歌、映画、 find oneself humming 〜 ； 気がついたら〜を口ずさんでいる
spiritual home ； 心のふるさと、 heart-to-heart contact ； 心の触れ合い
a image of jizo ； お地蔵さん、 hold a lottery ； 福引を引く、 feel nostalgic for 〜；
〜が懐かしい
Japanese Diary / No.176−2009.08.23 / 「夏祭りの盆踊り」
In the afternoon last Tuesday, I had the Shinto ceremony of purifying my new building site
in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture.
On the day, I was woken up by a strong earthquake with a magnitude of
6.5 centered in the
bottom of the sea off Suruga Bay.
It registered the magnitude of 4 here in Yokohama, but was also felt strongly.
The ceremony had originally been scheduled for 1 p.m.
I was anxious about being late for the ceremony because of train delay
of the Shinkansen line due
to the approach of the typhoon No.9 to Japan which was going north.
However, I never expected that Shinkansen trains were delayed due to an
earthquake.
After all, the ceremony was held two hours late behind schedule from 3
p.m.
This ceremony is traditionally held in order to pray for the safety in
building work and
the prosperity of the owner's family, enshrining the souls of local guardian
god and purifying
a building site before making a building or a civil engineering work.
Normally, the owner hold the ceremony inviting a Shinto priest to this
site, but this time it was
a brief ceremony arranged by a housing supplier.
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| A brief altar arranged by the housing supplier |
When we got to the site，a tent has been set up there.
Inside the tent, a desk was set up as an altar and two bottles of the sake were offered with a set of
drinking vessel on it.
My nephew in charge of sales from housing supplier led the ceremony.
First, I performed Shinto bowing and clapping rituals toward the south-facing
altar with my wife.
Second, we performed a brief purification ceremony at the four corners
of the site.
We threw salt, washed rice, and sacred sake, three times each item, in that order, to purify the site
in a clockwise direction from the northeast corner.
In the groundbreaking ceremony，directed by the call of the leader, we
hoed and plowed a small
mound of sand placed on the site.
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| The groundbreaking ceremony |
Finally, all of us drank sacred sake out of a cup.
The ceremony was over in forty minutes or so.
After that, we went the rounds of courtesy calls to our nearest neighbors
with boxes of sweets
with a site supervisor from the housing supplier.
It was to introduce ourselves to them and win their understanding, saying, ” Please forgive
the inconvenience like noises under upcoming construction.”
Anyway, we could finish the ceremony safely though the unexpected happened
from morning.
［Note］the Shinto ceremony of purifying a building site ； 地鎮祭
an earthquake centered in 〜 ； 〜を震源とする、 magnitude of 6.5 ； マグニチュ−ド6.5
register ；を記録する、示す、 be anxious about 〜 ； 〜(まだ起こらない事)を心配している
building work ； 建築工事、 civil engineering work ； 土木工事
enshrine the souls of 〜 ； 〜の霊を祭る、 guardian god ； 氏神，守護神
normally ； 本来は、正規には、 drinking vessel ； 飲み物を入れる容器
perform Shinto bowing and clapping rituals ； 二礼二拍手一礼の神道形式をとる
bow ； おじぎ(礼)をする、 clap ; 拍手する、 ritual ； (宗教的)儀式、 offer ； 供える
south-facing ； 南向きの、 purification ceremony ； 清めの儀
sacred sake ； お神酒、 A、 B、and C、in that order、 ； A, B, C の順に
in a clockwise direction ； 時計回りに、 groundbreaking ceremony ； くわ入れ式
directed by the call of 〜 ； 〜の掛け声で、 hoe 〜 ； 〜をクワで掘る
plow 〜 ； 〜を鋤で耕す、 small mound of sand ； 砂の小山
go the rounds of courtesy calls ； 挨拶回りをする、 one's nearest neighbors ；
向こう三軒両隣
a box of sweets ； 菓子折り、 site supervisor ； 現場監督者、 the unexpected ； 予期せぬこと
win one's understanding ； （人）に納得してもらう/理解を得る
Japanese Diary / No.170−2009.08.14 / 「地鎮祭」
I received the results of my complete medical checkup the other day.
The general diagnosis was nothing abnormal detected.
But I was diagnosed as possibly having COPD based on a chest X-ray examination.
COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The examination finding also said they would see how it's going by annual
routine medical
checkup.
After a few days, my wife consulted her physician on the results.
The doctor told her that COPD patients would be at risk of lung cancer
as COPD would progress.
I was very surprised to hear that and dreaded that I would get a cancer.
My wife urged me to quit smoking.
And so I decided to quit smoking although I didn't have enough confidence.
Also I declared quitting smoking on this Home Page secretly and have already
started it.
The day before yesterday, I could passed through the first turning point
that was the third day
after quitting smoking.
According to a guide book to smoking cessation, those who tried to quit
smoking start having
more or less some nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
The symptom usually shows its peak within three days after quitting smoking
and then
gradually go away.
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| Strength of withdrawal symptom after quitting smoking |
So that means I was on the peak of withdrawal symptoms.
I often became irritated having a strong urge to smoke after each meal, before going to bed, while
taking the dog for a walk，while watching TV and while having nothing to
do.
Chewing gum or kelp seasoned with vinegar and sugar relieved my irritation.
Anyway, although I'm completely in the dark about how long I can quit smoking,
I'd like to be able
to talk about my situation to you on the seventh day after quitting smoking
which is the second
turning point.
［Note］diagnosis ； 診断結果、 nothing abnormal detected ； 異常無し
be diagnosed as possibly having 〜 ； 〜の疑いがあると診断される、 a chest X-ray ； 胸部X−ray
stand for 〜 ； 〜の略である、 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ； 慢性閉塞性肺疾患
examination finding ； 検査所見、 routine medical checkup ； 定期健診
physician ； 内科医、 be at risk of 〜 ； 〜の危険性がある、 lung cancer ； 肺がん
dread that節〜 ； 〜ではないかとひどく心配する、 smoking cessation ； 禁煙
nicotine withdrawal symptom ； ニコチン離脱症状、 start having symptoms ；症状が現れる(出る)，
more or less ； 多かれ少なかれ、 go away ；消えてなくなる
have an urge to do 〜 ； 〜したい衝動に駆られる、 have nothing to do ；手持ち無沙汰である
kelp ；昆布、 seasoned with 〜 ； 〜で味付けされた
I'm completely in the dark about 〜 ； 〜のことは皆目見当がつかない
Japanese Diary / No.167−2009.08.05 / 「人間ドックの結果」
Japanese Diary / No.169−2009.08.08 / 「禁煙して三日経過」
Japanese Diary / No.171−2009.08.15 / 「禁煙して1週間経過」
Last Tuesday night, I attended a chief meeting of my neighborhood's block
association in my
town.
The president of the association calls the meeting together.
In my town, some neighborhoods are organized by small associations.
My family belongs to the Minaminagata-kita block association.
Our association consists of households within 36 blocks which includes
about 400 households.
Each block consist of 10 to 15 neighboring households.
The block chiefs are automatically appointed in turns from among the households
of each block
every year.
The term of the chiefs is one year.
This year, I was appointed and have been chief since April.
That's why I attended the second chief meeting of the association.
The purpose of the chief meeting in Aprpl was to introdue ourselves and
also to make a budget
for this year.
Basically, the budget funds are covered by annual membership fees from
members of
the association and subsidies from Yokohama City.
The proceeds of weekly recycled aluminium cans are also included in the
budget.
A volunteer in my town has recycled and collected the refunds from these
cans.
I really take my hat off to him for his effort.
During the last meeting, we discussed the upcoming annual summer community
festival, the Bon
Dance Festival and a disaster drill in this coming September.
I truly believe the cooperation from members of the association is essential
in order to carry on
these events every year, which are rooted in our community as unique summer
sights.
I will help to set up the Bon Festival site and also with one of the refreshment
stands.
My daughter was taken care of by members of the association in her childhood.
So I really feel that I have to give something back to the community.
The number of children has drastically decreased, even in my home block,
due to an aging
society and declining birthrate.
Aftr the neighborhood children had grown up and left their homes, only
elderly couples live with
their pets in many cases.
It seems our area is stagnant compared to when my daughter was a child.
It must be because of declining birthrate.
In other words, it must be because young couples are worse off and so can't
afford to have
children.
Anyway, Japanese politicians need to overcome the current situation.
I just had an idea that I need to cast a vote in the upcoming House of Representatives election
after having seriously examined the election manifestos from each political
party including their
policies about measures against the declining birthrate.
[Note] neighborhood ( or block ) associatio ； 町内会、 household ； 世帯
chief meeting of the block ； 組長会議、 neighborhood ； (ある特定の)地域
elect O from among the members of 〜； O を〜の互選で決める、 neighboring ； 近隣の
in turns ； (あることをするのに複数の人が)順番に、 That's why 〜 ； そんなわけで〜だ
budget funds ； 予算財源、 subsidy ； 補助金、 the proceeds of 〜 ； 〜の売却代金
refund ； 払戻金、 take one's hat off to A for A's effort ； A の努力には頭が下がる
Bon Dance Festival ； 盆踊り大会、 unique summer sights ； 夏の風物詩
help with 〜 ； 〜の手伝いをする、 refreshment stand ； 模擬店
give something back to 〜 ； 〜に何かお返しをする
an aging society and declining birthrate ； 少子高齢化
stagnant ；活気がない、沈滞した、 be worse off ； いっそう暮し向きが悪い
can afford to do 〜 ； 〜する余裕がある、 cast a vote ； 一票を投じる
election manifesto ； 選挙公約、 I just had an idea that 〜 ； ふと〜と思った
House of Representatives election； 衆議院議員選挙
political party ； 政党、 measures against the declining birthrate ； 少子化対策
Japanese Diary / No.165−2009.07.28 / 「組長会議」
 TOPペ−ジへ戻る
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