Weekly Topics/Archive
June 2012
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As I was asked to hang a blind on the lattice outside a window in the
kitchen by my wife,
so I did that before returning home in Kusatsu.
She says that she want to keep summer sun out to save power in her home
as much as possible.
A campaign to save electricity at home will run for a little over 2 monthes
starting from July 2nd
this summer, between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekday at the request
of the goverment.
The operation of all nuclear power plants in the nation except the Oi
nuclear plant in Fukui
Prefecture is expected to be suspended.
Therefore, it will run within the jurisdiction of the almost electric power
companies.
In Kansai area, a pamphlet titled “The requests for electric power saving at homes” has been
distributed to each household from KEPCO.
Bamboo blinds or reed blinds had been used by many families until the 1970s.
After that, we haven't really seen much of them lately with the popularization
of air conditioner.
At this point, however, many people have been reconsidering the value of
them, which are
traditional Japanese things for keeping summer sun out, due to electricity
shortage since
last year.
Electricity consumption on an summer day
(2pm, average for houshold where someone is at home)
[References]Menu for Electricity Saving at homes;
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, May2011
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According to Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, at 2 p.m. on an
average summerday,
air conditioners accounts for more than 50 % of total power consumption
by use of electrical appliances in average houshold where someone is at
home.
According to Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, in the daytime (around
2 p.m.)
in summer, the power consumption of air conditioner accounts for more than
50 % of total
power consumption by use of electric equipment at home.
If this blind could keep summer sun out, the temperature in the room would drop.
As a result, the power consumption of air conditioner could be decreased.
It may be the most efficient method for energy saving.
As to this blind, “Omi sudare” from Shiga Prefecture is famous in the country.
In the past, it was made of reeds in Lake Biwa and near rivers.
But now, their production volumes significantly reduced and most of them
depend on imports
from China or substituting goods, I heard.
A reed blinds my wife bought was labeled “Tenshin sudare” for small window.
According to its quality label, materials are reed and bamboo.
It was made of real reeds.
But just as I expected, it was made in Chaina just as the product name.
That's all right.
[Note] blind ；日除け, reed blind ； よしず(葦 簾)
lattice outside a window； 窓格子, save power in one's home；家で節電する
keep summer sun out； 夏の日射しを遮る, a little over 〜monthes ；〜ケ月強
run for 〜 monthes starting from ~ ；~から 〜ケ月間にわたり続く(実施される)
Oi nuclear plant ； 大飯原発, within the jurisdiction of 〜； 〜の管内に
electric power saving； 節電、 KEPCO ； Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc ( 関西電力)
until the 1970s ； 1970 年代までは, bamboo blind ； すだれ
with the popularization of 〜； 〜の普及でreconsider ； 見直す
electricity shortage； 電力不足
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy； 資源エネルギ−庁
account for 〜 % of −； −の 〜 % を占める, Omi sudare； 近江すだれ、 significantly； 著しく
Japanese Diary / No.455−2012.06.27 / 「すだれ」
I participated in the yacht race of SMYC(Sunrise Marina Yacht Club).
It's my first sailing and race in this season.
So, I'm getting so excited.
I got up at 5:30 a.m. and got to Atami from Yokohama by JR train.
It was 8 a.m. when I got tamma-san to pick me up.
A cloudy sky was forecast, but luckily the weather has changed for the better and we see
the patches of blue sky.
Here in marina is in strong sunlight and so I feel the heat of early summer.
Our yacht AIOI leaving the marina
(Photo by tamma-san) |
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The signs of early summer have already appeared
in the marina. |
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The number of our crew members is 6 including Captain Tada.
The race follows a course that starts and finishes on a line linking a yellow buoy and
headquarters jury boat on the sea and sail around Hatsushima Island clockwise.
The yachts warming up before starting (Photo by tamma-san) |
At just 10 a.m., all the yachts started at the signal of a flag and a whistle from jury boat of
headquarters.
Today 14 yachts participated in the race.
Our yacht, AIOI was incapable of avoiding the crowds at the start line of the race and so started
a few minutes late.
It was greatly distanced from 8 rival's yacht running fast before it.
The rival's yachts ahead 4 minutes and 30 seconds after starting
(At this time, AIOI was in nineth place among 14 yachts) (Photo by tamma-san) |
We had a can of beer and took a break after the dust settled.
Even though I only act as a mobile weight, a cold beer I have while sailing
is really nice.
After that, the AIOI also was runnin fast with southern winds and jumped
to 4th place 30 minutes later.
The AIOI that jumped to 4th place about 30 minutes after starting ( 9 yachts
sailing from behind)
(Photo by tamma-san) |
It is expected the wind would be getting weaker on the sea behind the island.
So, we rigged further with a gennaker as a measure against breeze.
I heard a week ago some of our crew members trained for setting it well.
They were fully prepared for it.
The AIOI under gennaker (Photo by T.Kawashima-san) |
In the breeze, the AIOI maintained a speed with the wind collected efficiently on the gennaker.
This operation has succeeded thanks to Bruce-san's skill on the trimming,
isn't it?
Air volume we can collect on the gennekar depends on how well we can operate
it and therefore make a decisive influence on race results, I knew.
In the latter half of the race, we lifted a gennaker again and finished in 3rd place.
For a while, we are sailing to watch the race.
The L Parnasse from Atami marina was in a close race near the goal.
The party after race was held at Izubeer's restaurnt in Marin Town near the marina as usual.
As you can see, it was full of the participants of the race.
SMYC RACE RESULTS |
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We quite enjoyed local beer, izubeer and wine which
we can drink as much as we want.
Please click the picture to see a full-size version.
The race results were announced from the SMYC headquarters.
Our AIOI was in seventh place on an adjusted basis.
Things like this sometimes do happen!
I enjoyed my first yacht race in a while.
[Note] get excited ； うきうきする，ワクワクする、 get 〜 to −； 〜に−してもらう
have changed for the better； 好転した、 patches of blue sky； 晴れ間
headquarters jury boat ； 本部審判艇、 buoy ； ブイ(浮標)
a line linking A and B ； A とB を結ぶライン、 clockwise； 時計回りに、 incapable of 〜； 〜ができない
be distanced from 〜； 〜から引き離される、 after the dust settle； 一段落したら
mobile weight； 移動錘、 act as 〜； 〜の役をする, jump to 4th place ； 4 位に躍進する
rig with 〜；〜(船)に〜を装備する, gennaker； ジェネカ−(ヨットの帆の一種)
as a measure against 〜； 〜対策として、 train for 〜； (〜に備えて)訓練する
finish in 〜 place；〜位でゴ−ルする, be in a close race； 接戦中である、
thanks to 〜；〜のおかげで therefore；それゆえに，その結果
make a decisive influence on 〜；〜に決定的な影響を与える、on an adjusted basis；修正ベ−スで
first 〜in a while ；久しぶりの〜
Japanese Diary / No.452−2012.06.10 / 「SMYC ヨットレース」
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