無形文化遺産 和食 WASHOKU JAPANESE TRADITIONAL CUISINE

無形文化遺産　和食　

　母がまな板をたたく音を思い出す。湯気の立つ味噌汁のにおいと白いご飯に漬けもの。決して高価ではないが、季節の魚と野菜。
　そのちゃぶ台を一家で囲んだ少年のころが懐かしい。＜和食　日本人の伝統的な食文化＞が国連教育・科学・文化機関（ユネスコ）の無形文化遺産になった。
　これが何も贅を尽くした日本料理などにかぎった話でないのがいい。地域ごとの多様性、正月など年中行事と密接に関連して発展、家族や地域の絆を強めてきたことなどが評価された。
　いささか大仰に言えば、日本人それぞれのおふくろの味も含め日本の食の質が世界に認められたと胸を張りたい。＜読売新聞（12月６日）＞

以下は英訳したもの。

The following is my translation of an article about "washoku" in Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 6).

WASHOKU JAPANESE TRADITIONAL CUISINE

I remember the sound of the kitchen knife hitting the cutting board as my mother was preparing meals; the smell of steaming miso soup and white rice with pickles, and seasonal fish and vegetables—they were not too expensive considering they are considered delicacies in Japan.

I feel a pang of nostalgia to remember the days when I sat at the table with my family in my boyhood. The Japanese traditional cuisine or “washoku” has recently been added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.   

It is nice that the honor has been given to “washoku” not only because it is beautiful to look at and rich in seasonal ingredients but also because it has longstanding conventions: its abundant variety of cuisine depending on the locality, its ages-old close tie to annual rituals such as New Year’s celebrations, and its contribution to strengthening familial and community bonds.

It may sound exaggerated, but I am proud that the quality of the Japanese traditional cuisine, varying in tastes according to each family, was globally appreciated.

キャプテン・フィリップス Captain Phillips

キャプテン・フィリップス

Tom Hanks主演の映画「キャプテン　フィリップス」を見た。息を付かせぬ展開でハラハラドキドキのしっぱなしであった。ソマリア人が海賊をしなければならない貧困さも描いてあり、一概にソマリア人を悪者にしていない。しかし、貨物船に発砲してくる海賊に対して、貨物船は単に消防放水だけで応戦するとは馬鹿げている。なぜ、貨物船の船員は自衛のために鉄砲を撃つことができないのだろうか。敵に対して発砲できるのは軍艦だけなのだろうか。貨物船や商船は武器を使って応戦してはいけないという規制があるのだろうか。

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

I saw “Captain Phillips” starring Tom Hanks. The film was exciting and thrilling from the beginning to the last. It explaiins how Somalia’s poverty drives men to rob ships off the coast of Somalia; I think the director does not blame the Somalians 100 percent. (Poverty is evil.)

In the movie, Captain Phillip’s huge cargo ship is assaulted by several armed Somalians on board a tiny boat. They relentlessly shoot the ship, but to my surprise, the cargo ship’s crew do not shoot back. All they do is to discharge water in all directions around the ship. It is ridiculous. Why don’t they shoot at the pirates? They have the right use guns to defend themselves. Do only the warships have the right to shoot guns and cannons? Is there any law against the use of guns by cargo ship crew?

プロレスラーのサンプル A SAMPLE OF A PROFESSINAL WRESTLER

 

A SAMPLE OF A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER

 

While browsing the Internet, the King of XYZ Star came across a professional wrestling match and was enchanted by it. He wanted to watch the matches live. He ordered his servant to fly to the earth and collect some samples of wrestlers. The servant, disguised as a man, is carrying a sample to the spaceship.

プロレスラーのサンプル

XYZ星の王がインタネットをブラウズしていて、偶然プロレスの試合を見て魅了されてしまった。王はプロレスを目の前で見たいと思い、部下に地球に飛んで、プロレスラーのサンプルを集めてくるように命令した。部下は、男性の姿になって、今サンプルを宇宙船に運んでいるところ。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(CNN ENGLISH EXPRESS 一月号　最優秀）