Weekly Topics/Archive
August 2010
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Hi，everyone ! Late-summer greetings.
Today is Risshu，one of 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian lunisolar
calendars.
Risshu means the beginning of autumn in East Asian culture.
It usually begines around August 7 and ends around August 23.
It's said we begine to feel a nip of autumn for the first time around this
term.
However, Risshu is merely nominal today.
The summer sun beats down harshly and people are having a relentless heat
wave in many parts of the country.
Here in Yokohama, the maximum daytime temperature reached 33 degrees Celsius.
NHK says leafy vegetables like cabbages, lettuces and Welsh onions are
about
1.5 to 2 times more expensive than in an average year due to the heat.
As you may know well, the goverment started a toll-free expressway trial
on
June 28.
And so some parts of rural expressway were made toll-free and also the toll
on weekends was reduced by up to 1,000 yen.
On the other hand, because of the beginning of Bon festival，many people
started to return to their hometowns.
So, the expressways had also traffic jams in many parts of the country
as expected.
Some airports were very crowded with people who try to spend their Bon
vacation abroad.
The annual summer tournament at Koshien opened today.
High school baseball players from 49 schools marched powerfully into Koshien
Stadium at the opening cremony.
So, which high school will win the title this summer ?
I can watch high school baseball on TV for some time, while beating the summer
heat off.
I'm looking forward to it.
[Note] late-summer greetings ； 残暑お見舞い申し上げます。
Risshu ； 立秋, 24 solar terms ； 24 節気、 a nip of autumn ； 秋の気配
be merely nominal；名ばかりである、 beat down；(太陽が)照り付ける
relentless heat wave ； 厳しい暑さ、 leafy vegetables ； 葉もの野菜、 lettuce ； レタス
Welsh onion ； ネギ、 be made toll-free ； 無料化される
a toll-free expressway trial ； 高速道路無料化実験
summer tournament at Koshien ； 夏の甲子園大会
beat the summer heat off ； 暑気を払いのける、 Bon vacation ； 盆休み
be looking forward to 〜； 〜を楽しみにしている
Japanese Diary / No.288−2010.08.07 / 「立秋2010の風景」
In the evening，I went out to be at summer party in the name of "Shokibarai".
This party is one of annual events of Ikoikai Society Reunion.
Off course, it was held at Japanese style pub called "Acho−sakanaya"
in Kanda, Tokyo.
Extremely hot days have been throughout the country these days.
Also in Tokyo metropolitan area, people have had extremely hot days with
temperature above 33 degrees Celsius.
So, it was good timing for us to have the party.
Waida−san cancelled it in the last minut because he had a strained back
after
gardening yesterday.
However, eight old classmates met there from around the metropolitan area.
I imagine it's so hot everywhere.
Having some cold beer, shochu or plum wine on the rocks with some tasty side
dishes served by "Acho−sakanaya", it's certain that we could
beat off the
summer heat this evening.
Everybody here seems to come alive whenever they drink alcohol.
Well, since it's forecasted that it will be so hot for the next several
days, we
might have to deal with the heat from tomorrow.
It's said many elderly people is suffering from heat exhaustion nationwide.
Everybody，please drink an appropriate amount of fluid and beat off the
heat.
[Note] in the name of 〜 ； 〜という名の下に、〜という名目で
Ikoikai Society Reunion ； いこい会、 Japanese style pub ； 居酒屋
cancel 〜 in the last minute；〜をドタキャンする、 have a strained back ；ぎっくり腰になる
plum wine ； 梅酒、 beat off ； 払いのける、 come alive ； (人などが)元気になる
for the next several days ； 今後数日間は、 nationwide ； 全国的に
might have to 〜 ； 〜しなくてはならないかもしれない、 deal with 〜 ； 〜に対処(対応)する
suffer from heat exhaustion ； 熱中症にかかる、 fluid ； 水分
Japanese Diary / No.287−2010.08.02 / 「暑気払い2010」
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