電車に手を振る坊や A Little Boy Waving His Arms at a Train

電車に手を振る坊や

テレビの「クールジャパン」という番組で、ほろっとさせられる動画を見た。５歳ぐらいの少年が線路わきに立って、近づいてくる電車に両手を大きく振っていると、電車が少年のそばを通過する瞬間に警笛とか、電車によってはミュージックホーンを鳴らしていく。少年は「やったぁ！」と喜ぶ動画だ。少年は遥か遠くから近づいてくる小さな小さな電車に大きく両手を振っている。
番組によると、少年は三歳のときから同じ線路わきに立って手を振っていた(写真参照）。その坊やを父親が撮影したものだ。また、運転手さんたちは少年に気がついており、職場でも運転手仲間が少年のことを話題にしているとか。彼らは少年から力をもらっているとのこと。坊やが一生懸命に両手を振っている熱意に運転手さんも警笛で応えたのだ。
いい話ではないか。

A Little Boy Waving His Arms at a Train

I watched a heart-warming video during a TV program “Cool Japan” the other day. About a five-year-old boy standing near a railway track is waving his arms hard at an approaching train. The moment the train passes by him, it sounds a horn or music melody (depending on the train type) for him. Hearing the sound, he shouts with delight, “Hooray!” The boy starts waving his arms enthusiastically when he sees a  tiny tiny train far in the distance.

   According to the program, the boy began to wave at the trains three years ago when he was three years old (see photo). His father videotaped him. The train drivers are aware of him and sometimes talk about him when they get together in the station they work for. They say he gives source of energy to them. They respond to the boy’s enthusiastic waving by sounding horns.

What a nice episode!

歩くゴミ箱 A Walking Garbage Box

歩くゴミ箱

ある新聞の投書欄に次のような投書が載った。（要旨のみ）

私は８０歳の老人であるが、近所の遊歩道や公園をウオーキングするときにトングをもって空き缶や弁当の空箱を拾っている。この９年間やっている。ところが、通りすがりの人やベンチに座っている人が、私を歩くゴミ箱扱いして、「おじさん、ほら、そこにゴミ」とか「お父さん、そこにもあるわよ」と指図がましいことを言う。彼らはなぜ自分でゴミを拾ってゴミ箱に捨てずに、人に指図するのか。私は自主的にゴミを拾っているのに、「ゴミを拾うのはあんたの役目でしょ」と言わんばかりだ。私は「自分でやったらどうや。失礼と思わんか」と言ってやる。最近はこういう得手勝手な人が多い。腹が立つ。

　私もこの投書を読んで腹が立った。最近の若者は老人に席を譲らない。韓国に行ったとき、私と女房がバスに乗ると、座っていた二人の若者が即座に起立し、席を譲ってくれた。そういえば、つい先日も私が地下鉄の老人席に座っていると（私は白髪の後期高齢者）、杖を突いた老女が乗ってきて私の前に立った。電車が動くと、よろけないように杖で体を支えている。老人席に座っていた若者（複数）が誰も席を譲ろうとしない。私は老女を見上げて、（この席に座りませんか）とジェスチャで老女にサインを送った。老女は首を縦に振り、私は老女に席を譲った。

　老人席に座っていた若者たちはスマホを相変わらずいじっていた。腹が立った。日本の将来は暗い。

A Walking Garbage Box

A letter to the Letters to the Editor Column in the newspaper I subscribe said: (the following is the summary.) 

------------------------------

　 I am an 80-year-old man. I make it a rule to take a walk along the walkway or in the park near my house with tongs in my hand. While I am walking, I pick up garbage like empty cans and discarded lunch boxes. I have been doing this for the past nine years. To my irritation, however, the people passing by or sitting on the bench regard me as a walking garbage box and give me directions:

     “Hey, old man, some garbage over there,” or “Look, more garbage here.”

Why don’t they pick up the garbage and throw it into the garbage box? I am voluntarily picking up garbage, but they sound like saying, “It’s your duty to pick up garbage.” I want to say to them, “Why don’t you do it yourselves. You are very rude.” I deplore that there are too many selfish people today.

------------------------------

I became angry to read his letter. Recently many young people do not give up their seats to aged people. When my wife and I went to Korea a few years ago, two young people gave up their seats immediately after we got on a bus. The other day, when I was sitting in a priority seat in a subway train (I am 76 years old and deserve a priority seat), an old woman with a stick got on the subway train and stood in front of me. When the train started, she tried to stand firmly with the support of her stick, but she was staggering. None of the young people sitting in the propriety seats gave up their seats. Therefore, I looked up at her eyes and said to her by means of gestures, “Do you want to sit here?” She nodded an affirmative. I gave up my seat to her.

The young people were operating their smartphones. I got angry. The future of Japan is doomed.

辻井さんのピアノ妨害 Noise during Tsujii's Piano Performance

辻井さんのピアノ妨害雑音

昨日、女房と豊田市コンサートホールで世界的に有名なピアニスト、辻井伸行さんのピアノを聴いてきた。彼のピアノは二回目で、一回目は2年ほど前に岐阜のサラマンカホールで聴いている。今回も期待にたがわず、素晴らしい演奏であったが、一つ怒れてきたことがあった。

コンサートホールの照明が暗くなると、辻井さんが拍手喝采を浴びて登場し、ピアノの前に着席した。ドビュッシーのアラベスクの曲が流れ始めた。うっとりとして聞いていると、鈍い雑音が近くから聞こえてきた。見ると、私の席のすぐ左斜め前の通路で録画技術者と思われる人が三脚足の大型録画機で辻井さんのピアノを録画している。録画の電源のモーターの音がするのである。ピアノが静かな旋律になるたびに、ジーという鈍い音が聞こえてくるのだ。次のベルガマスク組曲の「前奏曲」「メヌエット」「月の光」「パスピエ」も、それに続くすべての曲の演奏中に、録画中の雑音が聞こえてくる。また、会場の薄暗がりのなかで録画中の赤い豆ランプがピカピカ光っており、ピアノを楽しむどころではなかった。8500円も払って、わざわざ名古屋から来ているのにコンサート中いらいらしていた。やっと第一部が終わり、休憩時間になった。

   私は怒れてきて、会場案内の女性に文句を言い、カメラマンに「録画の音がやかましい」と抗議した。カメラマンは「ええっ、気がつきませんでした」という。私は、「カメラの位置を二階にあげるか、一番後ろに移動してほしい。コンサートが台無しだ」と強く抗議した。女房も加わり、会場係も来て、ようやくカメラを撤去することになった。第二部が始まる前に、会場責任者が来て謝ったが、全く無神経であきれた。スマホをマナーモードではなく電源を切れと言っておいて、主催者はコンサート中、雑音を流していた。

第二部が始まっても初めのうちは怒りがおさまらず、やっとアンコールに入るころに辻井さんのピアノを聞くことができた。

疲れた。

Noise during Tsujii's Piano Performance

I went to Toyota City Concert Hall with my wife to listen to a world-famous pianist, Nobuyuki Tsujii’s performance. That was the second time for me to listen to his piano, since I had been to his concert held in the Salamanca Hall in Gifu City about two years ago. This time I hardly enjoyed his piano,because I  was irritated all during the first half of his performance.

When the lights of the concert hall became dim, Tsujii appeared on the stage in the midst of loud applause, sat in front of the piano, and began to play Arabesque No.1 composed by Debussy. I was instantly charmed by the sound of his piano and was listening to the music enchantedly, when I heard a faint noise coming from somewhere nearby. I looked around in the dark and saw a cameraman recording the piano performance with a huge camera on the tripod in the aisle diagonally forward left from my seat. The recording machine was making a low continuous noise. The noise sounded louder especially when the pianist was playing a soft and quiet piece of melody.

The noise lasted all the while when Tsujii was playing “Prelude” “Menuet” “Clair De Lune” and  “Passepied” in his Suite Bergamasque and the following pieces of music. Moreover, I noticed a tiny red lamp blinking constantly at the bottom of the camera tripod in the dark. What with the noise and what with the red flashing lamp, I was so irritated that I failed to enjoy his piano. I came all the way from Nagoya to Toyota paying as much as 8,500 yen for the concert; the noise and red light damaged the concert. After an hour’s performance the first part at last ended and the intermission began.

Immediately I went to the nearest usher to complain about the noise. I also told the cameraman that he had been making a terrible noise all during the first half of the performance. He said, “Oh, I wasn’t aware of the noise.” Furious, I protested against him saying, “I insist you move the camera to the second floor or to the rear of the concert hall. Otherwise, the concert would be disastrous.” My wife also joined me. Soon the woman in charge of the concert hall came and in the end, she said she would remove the camera. She  apologized to me before the second part started. I told her that she was irresponsible because the audience were requested to switch off the smartphones so that they would not make any noise while the cameraman was making an irritating noise all during the concert.

My anger did not abate for 30 minutes or so even when the second part had started. The piano performance I really enjoyed at all was the encore.

I was exhausted.

Noise during Tsujii's Piano Performance

人、人、人の香嵐渓 Packed like Sardines

人、人、人の香嵐渓

２４日（日）、女房と香嵐渓に団体バスで行きましたが、驚きました。モミジの木は大きくなり、葉っぱは真っ赤に染まり綺麗でしたが、驚いたのは人の多さです。ひところは香嵐渓は地方の紅葉狩りの場所でしたのに、いつの間にやら全国区になり、駐車場からナントカ川に出るまでの通路には露店がひしめき、人混みで大混雑。やっと川に出て、ナントカ橋までも人、人、人で橋にたどり着けない。橋の上は帰ってくる人、これから行く人で大渋滞。身動きが取れない状態で、高度成長期の東京のプラットホームに「押し屋」がいましたが、あのようなpacked like sardinesで鰯のようにぎゅうぎゅう詰めの状態で、一インチずつ橋を、前進しました。疲れた。モミジを人混みの中で見て、駐車場に帰ったら、練馬ナンバーの西武バスや奈良交通のバスが停まっていました。奈良からワザワザ！　２０年か３０年前の香嵐渓は風流だったのに。今は中国語が飛び交い、露店がひしめき、恐ろしいところになり果てました。（写真の橋の上の人混みを見てください）

Packed like Sardines

My wife and I went on a group tour to Korankei to view the colorful red leaves by bus on Sunday, 24 in November. The maple trees were larger and the red leaves were more beautiful than I had expected. To my surprise, I saw an enormous number of tourists. Decades ago, Korankei used to be a local maple-viewing spot, but today it has become one of the most famous such spots in Japan.

There were too many stalls alongside too narrow a road from the parking lot to the river (I don’t know its name). The road was too crowded to walk smoothly. I pushed and elbowed my way to the river but again I had a hard time to reach the red bridge (I don’t know its name) because the road along the river was too congested. After struggle, I reached the bridge, but it was the most crowded. Those who were coming back from the other side of the river crashed with those who were going there. The maple-viewers were packed like sardines. That reminded me of the crowd in a Tokyo station platform amid the high-growth period of the Japanese economy (from the mid-fifties through the sixties) where the station employees used to push the passengers into the crowded train so that they could get on it.

I advanced inch by inch on the bridge. I did not have time to enjoy the red-leaf scenery from the bridge. I was exhausted. After seeing the red leaves among the sardines, I returned to the parking lot.

I was surprised again to see a Seibu Bus from Tokyo with Nerima number and a Nara Tourist Bus in the parking lot. Why did it come all the way from Nara?

About 20 or 30 years ago, Korankei was a place to enjoy the quiet and

aesthetic nature, but nowadays it is an unpleasant place full of people, stalls, and Chinese people.
    (Look at the people on the bridge in the photograph.)

スマホのない光景 A Scene without Smartphones

昨日正午ごろ、地下鉄に乗って気がついたことだが、わたしの対面のベンチ式座席に座っていた七人と、私の左隣に座っていた女性の二人と、右隣の男性の二人がスマホを使っていなかった。周りを見たが誰も使っていない。いつもなら、乗客は全員と言っていいほどスマホをいじっているのに。なぜか。

乗客が全員老人だったから。彼らは（私も）たった今、名古屋市民大学講座（災害と歴史）が終わり、地下鉄の伝馬町駅で一斉に地下鉄に乗ったのだ。講座の出席者は800人以上いて、どの車両も老人だらけと言うわけだ。

　黙々とスマホに熱中している若者の光景と違って、地下鉄の中は老人が仲良くがやがや話しており、久しぶりにスマホのない光景を味わった。

Around noon yesterday, I got on a subway train, sat on a seat, and looked around. I noticed that all the seven people sitting on the bench seat in front of me, two women on my left side and two men on my right side were not using smartphones. I looked around again. Nobody was operating smartphones in the car. Usually almost all the passengers are absorbed in the gadgets. Why?

Because the passengers were all aged people. They (including me) attended The Nagoya Citizen University Class (Disasters in History). The number of the participants in the class was more than 800. After the class was over at 11:30, most of them went to Tenmacho Subway Station and got on the train. That was why the train was full of aged people.

Unlike the usual scene in the train where young people are handling smartphones, I saw people talking with each other friendly and loudly after a long absence.

日本人の若者と温泉旅館 Young Japanese and a hot-spring hotel

日本人の若者と温泉旅館

女房と10月31日から一泊二日で下呂と郡上八幡へ行ってきた。旅行中で驚いたこと三つ。

１．名古屋から高山行特急に乗ったが、私の乗っている車両の乗客は日本人より外国人（白人、中国人）が多くて、彼らは大きなスーツケースを列車の棚に上げていたが、棚にはスーツケースがずらりと並んでいた。まるで外国旅行に来ているみたいだった。

2．旅館の夕食の時にテーブルに食事を次々に運んできたのは二人の若い中国人であった。受付の女性も中国人であった。聞けば、旅館には20人ほど中国人の従業員がいるとのことであった。日本人の若者は旅館で働かないのか。

３．その日は木曜日で、休日ではないのに、平成生まれと思われる若い日本人（男女とも）が15人ぐらい宿泊していた。週日であるのに温泉に泊まりに来るとは、彼らは働いているのだろうか。それにしても、彼らは高級温泉旅館に泊まりに来るだけの金を稼いでいるのだろうか。中国人が一生懸命働いているのに。

Young Japanese and a hot-spring hotel

I went on a trip to Gero and Gujyo-hachiman with my wife from October 31 and November 1. Three things surprised me during the trip.

1.    There were a lot of foreign passengers, both European and Chinese, in the express train bound for Takayama from Nagoya. The number of the foreigners was larger than that of the Japanese. I saw an array of their huge baggage on the shelf. I felt as if I were in a foreign country.

2.    Two young Chinese were waiting us at the dinner table. The woman at the check-in desk was also a Chinese. I heard that there were more than 20 Chinese people working in the hotel. Young Japanese were not working in the hotel.

3.    We went to Gero on a weekday (Thursday), not on a holiday. However, I saw about 15 young Japanese men and women staying in the hotel. How can they afford to stay at a luxurious hotel in a hot-spring resort on a weekday? What are their occupations? Are they earning enough money to stay in an expensive hotel where Chinese people are working?

西の正倉院文学賞 Nishi no Shosoin Literary Contest

西の正倉院文学賞

西の正倉院文学賞に応募した。昨年応募した「月よ、高く昇れ」は佳作であったから、今年こそは優秀賞以上をと念願し、「月夜の竪琴」を応募した。百済の摩耶王妃の息子が王妃（母）とともに、新羅の追っ手を逃れて、九州、宮崎県、美郷村に逃れる話である。昨年よりは、エンディングは心を打つものを書いたつもりだ。
来年の三月に結果が発表される。待ち遠しい。　

Nishi no Shosoin Literary Contest

　　I submitted my story to the Nishi no Shosoin Literary Contest. The one I submitted last year titled “Tsuki yo Takaku Nobore” (The Moon, Rise High up in the Sky) got an honorable mention. This year I again submitted my work titled “Tsukiyo no Tatekoto” (The Harp in the Moonlight). The prince of Kudara Kingdom escapes the palace with his mother and reaches Misato Village in Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu. I believe the ending will move the readers.

　　I am looking forward to the announcement of the winners next March.


　

予約忘れ On Forgettint the Appointment

予約忘れ

　これで、確か三回目になる。昨日の午前１１時に歯医者の予約を入れておいたが、今日の午後になって、女房に言われて気がついた。歯医者に行かなかったのだ。三回も歯医者さんに迷惑をかけてしまった。年を取るとどんどん注意散漫になり、予約したことを忘れてしまう。月にめくりカレンダーにちゃんと「歯医者」と書いてあっても、よく見ていない。家に財布を忘れるとか、保険証を忘れて病院に行くとか、コンビニで釣銭を受け取らずに、商品だけ持ってカウンターを去ろうとすると、「お客さん、釣銭ですよ」と言われたりする。自分のことで注意されるのはいいが、他人様に迷惑をかけないようにしなければいけない。車をバックするとき、アクセルとブレーキを間違える老人を非難できなくなってきた。恐ろしいことだ。この先を考えると。

On Forgettint the Appointment

Probably this is the third time. I had an appointment to see the dentist at 11 o’clock yesterday morning, but it was only today that I realized that I had not gone to see the dentist when my wife mentioned it. So far, I have broken dental appointments at least three times. I am afraid the older I grow, the more forgetful I become. I wrote “See the Dentist” in the calendar, yet it was no use. Recently I forgot to bring my health insurance card with me when I went to a hospital. “Sir? You forgot to take the change,” a convenience store employee said to me the other day. It may be all right to forget them, but I have to be careful not to cause trouble to others. Some aged people hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, but I am not qualified to criticize them. Getting old is horrible.

転ばぬ先の杖 Look Before You Leap

転ばぬ先の杖　

先週、私の知人（８９歳）が歩行中に、つまづいて転倒し、目と鼻と腕に大怪我をした。先々週には８１歳の別の知人が自転車に乗っていて転倒し、その日の古武道の稽古を休んだが、３週間は休まなければならないそうだ。私の父は７６歳のとき自転車に乗っていて、お茶屋の前で転倒して起き上がることができなかったが、幸いお茶屋の奥さんが父を助け起こした怪我と聞いている。今、私は７６歳。他人ごとではない。転倒しないように注意しなければならない。しかし、どうしたら危険を避けられるのか。

Look Before You Leap

　　One of my friends aged 89 tripped and fell to the ground while walking and injured his eye, nose, and arm, and was hospitalized last week. In the previous week, another friend my mine aged 81, I guess, fell while he was riding a bicycle, and so, he was absent from the martial art training class. He said he would be absent from the class for three more weeks.
　　My father also fell while riding a bicycle at the age of 76 in front of a tea shop and injured. Fortunately, the tea shop owner helped him to stand up.
Now I am 76 years old and under these circumstances, I will have to be very careful not to fall. But how could I prevent such a danger?

様変わりの街並み The City Has Changed

様変わりの街並み

久しぶりに大垣の墓参りに行ってきた。タクシーで10分ぐらいであったが、帰りは、テクテクと大垣駅まで歩いた。清水町を通って、本町を抜け、郭町から大垣駅だ。途中で、少年時代に行っていた「清水湯」という風呂屋が駐車場に変わっていた。風呂屋の面影は何もない。清水湯の近くにあった茶褐色ののレンガ造りの、確か二階建てのA耳鼻咽喉科の病院を探したが、なかった。そのあとに、美術館か洒落たレストランのようなものが建っていた。なんと、A耳鼻科病院が古い建物を壊してモダンな病院に建て替えたのだ。重厚な病院が白いハイカラな病院に変わっていた。
A耳鼻科病院については、少年時代の思い出がある。病院の正面玄関の近くに猿の檻があった。檻は高さ二メートルぐらいで、直径１．２メートルぐらいの円柱形であった。檻には鉄の格子があった。ある日の夕方、父と清水湯に行くときサルの檻を見ていた。どういう状況だったか思い出せないが（おそらく私が履いていたゴム草履で檻を叩いたかも）、私が履いていたゴム草履を檻の向こうから猿が手でつかんだ。私は、びっくりして叫んだ。「草履を取られた！」とかなんとか。父が猿の手から、猿と格闘して、草履を取り戻してくれた。
怖かった。猿は恐ろしい、急に何をするかわからない。あのいきり立った猿の動きを思い出す。
新しい耳鼻科の駐車場の前に、当時の古い耳鼻科の正面玄関の門が、片方だけ残っていた。懐かしかった。手で触った。

The City Has Changed

　　I went to Ogaki to visit my ancestors' grave after one year’s absence. It took about 10 minutes to go to the grave from Ogaki Station by taxi. After I finished praying in front of the grave, I walked back to the station. While I was walking, I noticed that Shimizu Yu or Shimizu public bath had disappeared and instead, there was a parking lot at the same place. There was no trace of the bath at all. After that, I looked for the ontological hospital, a two-storied brown brick building which I used to pass on my way and back from the bath, but I couldn’t find it. I saw a modern building resembling an art museum or an elegant restaurant at the site where the hospital had stood. To my surprise, however, the modern building was the renewed hospital. The old building had been demolished and rebuilt. The gloomy, dark, huge building covered by ivy had turned into a bright, white hospital. 

　　 I have an unpleasant memory about the hospital which took place when I was a boy about 5 or 6 years old. There was a circular-cylinder-shape monkey cage, about two meters high and 1.2 meters in diameter. The cage had iron bars covered with a net. One evening my father and I stopped in front of the cage to watch the monkey on our way to Shimizu Yu. While I was watching the monkey, it grabbed my rubber slipper probably because I hit the iron bar with it to tease the animal and was trying to pull it into the cage.

“My slipper!” I screamed half crying.

 　　My father fought with the monkey for several minutes and took it back. I was scared. I still remember how frantically the money was screaming.

　　 There was a remain of the gate of the old building (the picture above). I touched it feeling nostalgic.                  

サツマイモの生命力 A Sweet Potato's Vitality

サツマイモの生命力 

台所で、切ったサツマイモが目を出してきたので、小皿に入れて観察していると、芽がだんだん大きくなり、小さな小さな葉っぱをつけた。水を時々やりながら、さらに観察していると、写真のように、いくつか葉っぱをつけてきた。あんな切り口から、このような立派な葉がいくつか成長するとは、驚きだ。畑で芋を育てたことがないので（芋に限らず野菜全般）、その生命力に感動している。芋はこのようにして大きくなり、サツマイモを作るのだ。

A Sweet Potato's Vitality

Because a few sprouts came out from the surfaces of the pieces of a sweet potato in the kitchen, I put them in a small dish and continued to watch them, sometimes giving a few drops of water to them. Soon, the sprouts turned into tiny, tiny green leaves as are shown in the picture. I was amazed to see such wonderful leaves that grew from such insignificant pieces of a sweet potato. Since I have never grown vegetables including sweet potatoes, I was moved by their vitality. They produce new sweet potatoes in this way!             

美女の夢 A Dream of a Beautiful Woman

美人の夢

昨夜、夢の中で、美人歌手が舞台を下りて、聴衆の中の私のところに来て、私の手を握り、「はやく一緒になりましょうよ」と言った。このような夢を見たのは初めてだ。いつも見る夢は学校の授業の悪夢ばかりで、数学を教える羽目になったり、教室が分からなかったり、小テストの用紙がなかったり、授業時間に大幅に遅れたり……。

昨夜の夢に現れた美女は「ハーネス、ハーネス」と言っていたが、なんだろう。「しっかり結びつける」“to tie together”という意味がある。こんな夢なら毎晩見てもいい。

つらつら思うに、昨日、豊田美術館でクリムト展を見たからか。クリムトはいつも女性に囲まれていたそうだが、ほとんどが女性の裸体画ばかりであった。「ユディット」の恍惚とした顔が印象的だったが、そのせいだろうか。

「宝船」の絵を敷いて寝たあくる日は、いい夢を見るというが、「ユディット」を敷こうか。

A  Dream of a Beautiful Woman

Last night I saw a dream in which a beautiful singer stepped down onto the floor, walked through the audience to me, and said clasping my hand:

“Let’s get married as soon as possible.”

I had never dreamed such a wonderful dream. Usually, I had had bad dreams: I had to teach mathematics (I am an English teacher); I couldn’t reach the classroom; I couldn’t find test papers; or I was very late for the class.

The beautiful woman in my dream said, “Harness, harness.” Why did she say so? It means to tie together. I always welcome such dreams.

 I wondered why I saw such a dream. Yesterday I went to Toyota Art Museum to see Klimt’s paintings. He seems to have been always surrounded by women. He painted a lot of their nude pictures. Judith’s face in Judith and the Head of Holofernes was so ecstatic that it impressed me strongly. That is probably why a beautiful woman appeared in my dream.

 It is said that if you put a picture of a treasure ship under your pillow, you will dream a wonderful dream. I should put Judith’s picture under my pillow tonight.

父親の思い出 Memories of My Father

昨日、高校の同窓会があった。みんな７６歳か７７歳である。私の隣に座った男と戦争のことを話していたら、このようなことを言った。
「私は、父親の思い出がない。というのは、私が赤ん坊のとき、父は中国で戦死したからだ。湖南省の衡陽市というところだ。父は徴兵検査の時に甲種合格で入隊した。入隊後、近衛兵に選ばれた。近衛兵に選ばれるのは、県下で一人か二人だ。体格が良くて、特に優秀なものが選ばれた」

彼は、県下で一人か二人ということを、何度も繰り返し、父親の自慢話に変わっていった。「俺の父親、家系は偉いんだ、お前らのとは違う」と言いたげである。私は適当に相づちをうって、いやいや聞いていた。
私の父は、体が小さくて、丙種だった。丙種の者は戦争に行かずに国民兵役についた。父は体格が貧弱であったおかげで、８２歳まで生きた。私には父親の思い出がいっぱいある。

Memories of My Father

I attended my high school reunion yesterday. The participants were all either 76 or 77 years old. When I was talking about WWII with my neighbor at the table, he said: “I don’t have any memory about my father, because I was a baby when he was killed during the battle in China—in Koyo City in Hunan. He passed the physical examination as a first-grade coscript and entered the army. Soon he was chosen as a member of the Palace Guard. Only a few men were chosen from each prefecture as the palace guardsmen. They had superior brains and strongly-built bodies.”

He repeated the words “only a few men were chosen” and sounded as if he wanted to say, “My father and my family are superior to your father and your family.” I felt frustrated and just pretended to be listening to him.

Since my father was small, he was ranked as a third-grade man in the body check. Because of that he was not assigned to battlefields aboard and lived to be 82 years old. I have a lot of his memories.

アルキメデスの大戦 The Great War of The Great War of Archimedes

アルキメデスの大戦

「アルキメデスの大戦」を見た。戦艦を作るか、航空母艦を作るかの論争で、結局は戦艦、それも世界最大級の戦艦大和を建造するという話である。

　話の展開が、模範的な起承転結型であった。オープニングシーンで観衆をひきつけ、戦艦か空母かの話が続き、戦艦建造計画のずさんさを解明する場面となり、決着する会議で、ずさんさが証明されるが（転）、結局は、空母ではなく戦艦を作ることになる。特に結での二転三転のどんでん返しは見事だ。

邪魔か必要か An Obstacle or a Must

邪魔か必須か

　7月22日、名古屋能楽堂のバックステージ・ツアーに参加した。40名の参加者は白足袋を履くように言われた。

まず、能楽堂の簡単な説明があった。なんでも名古屋能楽堂は日本で一番大きな能楽堂という。というのは舞台手前左の柱の内側から、舞台手前右の柱の内側まで３間あるそうだ。次に、囃子演奏者、シテ、ワキ役者のそれぞれの控室、大道具の部屋を見学した。最後に、橋掛かりを歩き、舞台に入った。

　興味を持ったのは揚幕（あげまく）と目付柱（めつけばしら）である。揚幕とは能楽師が舞台に出るとき揚げる幕のことである。私は幕は紐で引かれて揚がると思っていたが、二本の竹竿が幕の上部の両端につけられていて、竿を持ち上げて揚げられるのであった。（写真参照）

次に目付柱であるが、この柱は能鑑賞者の視界をさえぎるから邪魔だと思っていたが（大相撲では四本の柱は廃止されている）、能楽師にとっては必須のものであることが分かった。なぜなら能楽師は能面を着けるから視界が制限され、舞台の距離感は目付柱に頼るほかないからである。目付柱がないと舞台から落ちることもあるらしい。

　ある人にとっての邪魔は、他の人にとっての必須。

An Obstacle or a Must

I joined the Back Stage Tour of the Nagoya Nhogaku-do on July 22. Forty people participated in the tour. They were requested to wear Shirotabi or Japanese white socks.

First, a brief lecture on Nohgaku-do was given. According to the lecturer, the Nagoya Nhogaku-do was the largest in Japan, for there are three ken (5.4 meters) of inner measure from the downstage right pillar to the downstage left pillar. Then we visited the greenrooms for stage musicians, main actors, and sub-actors, a room for stage properties. And finally, we walked along Hashigakari (the passage to the main stage) and entered butai or the main stage.

What attracted me most were two: agemaki (entrance curtain for actors) and metsuke-bashira (guiding pillar). As for agemaki, when you look at a Noh performance, actors enter hashigakari when the curtain is lifted. I had thought that the curtain was pulled up with strings, but it is raised by two bamboo sticks attached to either top side of the curtain. Look at the picture.

Next, when you look at a Noh play, the downstage right pillar or metsuke-bashira blocks the audience’s view of the stage. I had thought it was not necessary. (The four pillars in Ohzumo were abolished because they interfere with the audience’s view.) However, the pillar is a must for Noh actors because a Noh actor wearing a mask has very limited sight and the pillar helps him to position himself at the right place on the stage. Without metuke-bashira, he could fall from the stage.

One man’s obstacle is another man’s must.

映画パピオン新作と旧作 Two "Papillion" Films

上映中

１９７３年版

映画「パピオン」新作と旧作 

パピヨンの映画を二作見た。一つは上映中のでチャーリー・ハナムとラミ・マレックス出演、もう一つは１９７３年制作でダスティン・ホフマンとスチーブ・マックイーン出演。昨日映画館で見て、本日は旧作をヴィデオで見た。両者とも同じ原作を映画化したので荒筋はだいたい同じ。テーマは脱獄。

旧作の方が良かった。ここぞというときに美しいテーマ音楽が流れるし、蝶をとったり、ワニを捕獲する場面がありで、面白い。また、エンディングでパピがココナツの袋の上に仰向けになって海に浮かび、「馬鹿野郎！ 俺は生きてるぜ」で終わる。印象的なエンディングだ。新作ではパピが編集者に記録日誌を渡すところで終わるが、心を揺すられない。

旧作を見たのは３０歳ごろだったので、ほとんどのシーンは忘れていたが、パピが薄暗い牢獄で虫を捕まえて食べるシーンは覚えていた。

Two "Papillion” Films 

I saw two  "Papillion" films: one currently showing, starring Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malex, and the other made in 1973 starring Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen. I saw the new one yesterday and the old one on DVD today. Because both are based on the same story, they develop almost the same way under the theme of prison escape attempts.
I prefer the old one because it has beautiful background theme music and some amusing scenes such as catching butterflies and a crocodile. Also, it has a moving ending where Papi is floating on a bag of coconuts in the sea, crying, “Hay, you. I'm still here!” The new one, however, ends with Papi handing over his memoir documents to an editor. That is not moving.
I was 30 years old when I saw the old one. I have noticed after seeing the old one that I had forgoten all the scenes except the one where Papi tries to catch a worm in a dark prison.

小説を応募 Submission of My Novels

拙作を応募

今月は二つ小説を応募した。一つは「オール読物新人賞」で、応募作は「カエサルに屈しなかった男」、原稿用紙換算７６ページ。もう一つは「さきがけ文学賞」で、応募作は「運慶の邪念」、同じく１４２ページ。前者の締め切りが６月２２日で、後者が６月３０日であった。この一か月は馬車馬のように朝から晩まで、晩から朝まで原稿に取り組んでいた。推敲に推敲を重ねて全精力を使い果たした感じだ。
このブログ読んでいる人で、応募作を読みたい方、メールください。お送りします。メルアド: mhiroshi62@yahoo.co.jp

Submission of My Novels

I applied my two Japanese novels: one titled “The Man Who Did Not Succumb to Caesar”  (77 pages of 400-character manuscript paper) to All Yomimono Literary Prize, the other titled “Sculptor, Unkei’s Envious Mind” (142 pages) to Sakigake Literary Prize. The deadline for the former was June 22 and that for the latter was June 30. Therefore, I worked very hard from morning till night, devoting myself to improving the manuscript.

If anyone who is interested in reading my stories, please contact me. I will mail them to you. (Beware that they are written in Japanese)

Mail address: mhiroshi62@yahoo.co.jp.

交番 KOBAN

交番

私の家の近くに素晴らしい交番ができた。どこから見ても交番には見えない。まるでバーかカラオケ屋かゲームセンターのようだ。写真にパトカーが写っていなかったら、交番を探している通行人は通り過ぎてしまうだろう。正面の壁に桜の花びらがしつらえてあるのは、この交番名が「桜交番」だからだ。ちなみに、近所は「桜」にちなんだ名前が多い。例えば、地下鉄「桜本町」「小桜幼稚園」「桜台高校」など。
このような親しみのある交番は大歓迎だ。

Koban or Police Box

A wonderful new police box has been built near my house. It doesn’t look like a police box. It rather looks like a bar, a karaoke shop, or a game center. If a patrol car is not shown in this photo, a pedestrian looking for a police box will pass it. The front wall of the police box is decorated with cherry blossoms because the name of the police box is Sakura Koban or Cherry Blossom Police Box. Incidentally, there are several cherry-blossom-related names around here: Sakura Honmachi subway station, Kozakura Kindergarten, and Sakuradai High School.

I welcome such friendly-looking police boxes.

南山同窓会 Atending Nanzan Reunion

南山同窓会

６月１５日、南山の教え子の同窓会に出席した。皆６５歳の高齢者であった。全部で４０人ぐらい。亡くなったものが数名いた。招待された先生は私を入れて５人。体育のI先生、国語のM先生、英語のA先生、数学のW先生であった。東京や台湾から出席したものもいた。
先生が順にあいさつしたが、一番驚いたのはI先生だ。彼は９１歳であった。腰が曲がらず、元気に、しっかりした口調で挨拶された。いろいろ大病されたようだが、今は元気ということであった。
私は７６歳だからあと１５年ある。１５年後も教え子の前に元気な姿で顔を出したいものだ。

Attending Nanzan Reunion

I attended Nanzan High School ex-students’ reunion on June 15 at

Tokyo Daiichi Hotel in Sakae, Nagoya. There were about 40 ex-students, all 65 years old. Some came to the meeting all the way from Tokyo and Taiwan. Sad to say, several students had already died.  

Five former teachers including me attended it: Mr. I, PE teacher, Mr. M, a Japanese language teacher, Mr. A, an English teacher, and Mr. W, a math teacher.

   At the beginning of the party, each teacher made a brief talk on the stage one by one. What surprised me most was Mr. I. He said he was 91 years old. His back was not bent, his voice clear and cheerful. He said he had had serious diseases ten years before, but he had recovered.

I am 76 years old. I have 15 more years before I become 91. I would like to appear at the reunion 15 years later in a cheerful manner like Mr. I.

名古屋歌舞伎ファンクラブ会長離任の挨拶 Farewell Speech by the President of the Nagoya Kabuki Club

名古屋歌舞伎ファンクラブ会長離任の挨拶（架空）

 Farewell Speech by the President of the Nagoya Kabuki Club（fiction)

Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you very much for coming. I am honored to see so many kabuki fans here. Today, I am going to retire from the position of the president of the Nagoya Kabuki Fan Club, which has lasted for nearly 20 years.

I remember the day when our club started with only five members. Though the number was small, our love for kabuki was as passionate as the love between Okaru and Kanpei. Fortunately, the number of the fans gradually increased, and now it boasts more than 100.

Our club has supported Misonoza Theater mainly in three ways. First, we have been publishing the Misonoza Newsletter. It introduces what to see in the coming kabuki performances, covers interviews with kabuki actors and jyoruri chanters. It also includes opinions of the fan club members.

Secondly, we have solicited donations for Misonoza from companies in Tokai area. Seven years ago, Misonoza was immersed in a financial crises, and was near-bankrupt, but thanks to the desperate efforts of the fans and the donations from companies and businesses, Misonoza weathered through it.

I cried for joy when I knew that Misonoza, not only overcame the crisis, but would be reconstructed. During the five years when Misonoza was being reconstructed, we were just like fish out of water, unable to see kabuki plays, but last April the construction was completed, and kabuki resumed.

Thirdly, we have visited high schools in Nagoya to ask the principals to let the students see kabuki. Today N, H, and K high school students come to Misonoza and see kabuki every autumn. Kabuki is not only for middle and elderly people. It is also for young people. By increasing the number of kabuki fans among young people, I hope our fan club will prosper.

The only regret I have in retiring the office is the decrease of the kabuki audience in Nagoya. One of the reasons for this may be the expensive prices of kabuki seats. I recently discussed this problem with the president of Misonoza. I also advised him to introduce cheap standing-room-only tickets.

Lastly, I am going to walk down the hanamachi runway to the exit and pass the torch of the presidency to Mr. Ryuta Kaitani. I believe he will do his best to continue our activity and increase young kabuki fans, and ultimately prosper Misonoza Theater.

Thank you all and goodbye.

綱を切る Cutting a Rope

綱を切る

　最近二人の高校生が道路にロープを張ったためにミニバイクに乗った女性が大怪我をした。そのため高校生が逮捕された。私は70年前のことを思い出した。

ある晩、たぶん私が四歳ころ、道路の上、約八十センチのところに綱が張ってあった。私は綱が交通の邪魔になると思って、家から包丁を持ってきて綱を切った。いいことしたと思った。

　ところが、翌日の朝食の時、父が「自転車が川に落ちて怪我をした。綱に気がつかなかったのかな」と言った。

　私は驚いた。川が工事中で、通行人が落ちないように綱が張ってあったのだ。私は知らん顔をして朝飯を食べていた。

ごめんなさい

今頃遅いが

天国の人

Cutting a Rope

     Recently two high school boys were arrested for stretching a rope across a street, causing a minibike driver to fall and seriously injure herself. This reminded me of an incident that took place about 70 years ago.
     One evening when I was around four years old, I happened to see a rope stretched across a street about 80 centimeters above the ground. I thought it would interfere with the traffic, went to my house, fetched a kitchen knife, and cut it. I thought I did something good.
     However, during the breakfast the next morning, my father said,
     “A biker fell into the ditch and injured himself. I wonder why he didn’t notice the rope.”
     I was surprised to hear what he said. That’s why the rope was stretched across the street. It prevented the passenger from falling into the ditch which was under construction. I kept silent but kept eating breakfast concealing my embarrassment.

he must have died

by now

a big apology

信州旅行 A Trip to Shinshu

信州旅行

花フェスタ 松本

水芭蕉 鬼無里きなさ

信州旅行

五月１２日から１４日まで女房と信州旅行をしてきた。訪れたところは松本の

花フェスタ、安曇野のちひろ美術館、白馬、鬼無里の水芭蕉湿原、上高地など。１２と１３日は好天気だったが、１４日は曇りのち雨であった。

いつもは5千歩か6千歩しか歩いていないので、鬼無里の湿原散策の時は1万5千歩ほど歩き、階段に換算すると８階分上ったことになる。（スマホの万歩計の写真）

おかげで、１４日は腰が痛くなってしまい、今日１５日はマッサージを受け（３０分、３２４０円）たが、あまり効き目がない。湿布剤を貼った。それでも治らない。体を曲げたり、寝ていて起き上がるときに苦労する。早く回復したいが、三日で治れば御の字だ。

A Trip to Shinshu

I visited several sightseeing spots in Nagano Prefecture with my wife from May 12 to May 14. They included “Flower Festival” in Matsumoto, Chihiro Art Museum in Azumino, Mizubasho or Asian skunk-cabbage moor in Kinasa, and Kamikochi.

The weather was fine on both May 12 and 13, but it was cloudy in the morning and began to rain in the afternoon in Kamikochi.
I walked about 15000 steps or more than 10 kilometers on May 13 while walking Kinasa’s mizubasho moor. It was hard work because I usually walk only about 5,000 to 6,000 steps a day. Therefore, I had severe pain in my back on the morning of May 14. Today (May15), I felt pain in my back whenever I bent my body. So, I got a message for 30 minutes. It cost 3,240 yen. However, the message did not cure the pain as I had expected. I hope I can recover soon. I would be glad if I could recover in three days.