御中元=ochugen, summer gifts are ready. Mei-Shun ordered special packages to 風流堂 as usual, asking a minor change in products. She had wondered why they never post English version for online shopping, emailed on this matter this time. Their reply was in a letter attached to the box for Master Mei-Shu: it seems they keep the job for their smart granddaughter who lived in the U.S. till recently, a WASEDA Univ. student.
Japanese culture
Japanese Culture@wkday
StandardWe have 夏至=geshi, the 4th of summer 二十四節気 today. The longest daytime in an year should serve for a romantic dinner in sunset for example, yet rainy season often prevents us from doing so. Well, good rainfall is indispensable for our good life. Mei-Shun’s proposal here is to go out with your favorite umbrella, raincoat and boots. How’s your idea, lovely little frog?
Japanese Culture@wkday
StandardToday we see 芒種=boshu, the 3rd of summer 二十四節気. “芒” sounds rare for Mei-Shun who searched this Chinese character read nogi. It expresses spikes in chaffs of rice, wheat, etc., which wait for 芒種 to be sown in fields. Not only to prepare for hot and humid season, she asked Shin to have lunch at a restaurant where tasty grilled eels are served.
Summer Delicacy
StandardMei-Shun met Shin at one of their favorite restaurants in Shinagawa for lunch after hair treatment. Served dishes did not feature seasonal ingredients like 初鰹=hatsu-gatsuo, year’s first bonito while desserts were changed from normal 善哉=zenzai, sweetened red bean soup with rice cake to 餡蜜=anmitsu, agar jelly with fruits, syrup and red bean paste.
Japanese Culture@wkday
StandardMei-Shun walked to the nearest shrine. She had few coins in the purse, was able to afford only one omikuji saying as follows:
The 14th A Little Lucky. For those who see this sacred lot, it would start from severity like digging deeply into a mountain to reach a gold mine. Just believe in the God, do the best, and they would be well rewarded.
Joy at Nara: 2
Standard六臂如意輪観音 sits elegantly in a dedicated building called 観音堂 of 橘寺. He/She has a gorgeous 光背=kohai, decorative metal structure set behind Buddhism statues to express light coming from sacred bodies, fully shown to public eyes when Mei-Shun and Shin visited him/her years ago. However, it was covered with square fabric this time, made him/her look much smaller. Or he/she might feel like playing hide-and-seek.
Japanese Culture@holiday
Standard熱川バナナワニ園 hangs Wani-Nobori, streamers with alligator printing. At the hospital Mei-Shun stayed 2 years before, you would find in the lobby a gorgeous arrangement of 五月人形=gogatsu-ningyo, samurai dolls to celebrate Children’s Day. When Mei-Shun was one of them, she has never seen it at boy classmates’ homes. Carp streamers outdoors looked more popular, yet shrinking economy might not be able to afford them.
Japanese Culture@holiday
StandardThey watered rice paddy at the beginning of this Golden Week. It seems to take a few days to calm down ground surface, because planting of young rice started from yesterday. Mei-Shun enjoys looking such process to grow our dietary staple, walking along a lane through baby greens. Oh, here comes a wild duck couple. A beautiful white egret as well, joining pheasants and swallows.
After 2Y + 3Wks
StandardGreat to see this date — two years have already passed since Mei-Shun had the operation. She has never seen the carp princess after leaving the hospital, while saw many in the air at Tokyo Tower on Saturday. We would be able to see them swim lively within Golden Week, 10-day leave this year including serial weekdays on May 1st and 2nd. Mei-Shun hopes it allows her to forget a phone call from Dr. A.
Japanese Culture@holiday
StandardYes, mom’s ohagi season has come. Mei-Shun would like to visit her, yet Shin’s hay disease shows the worst symptom, prevents them from doing so. And his preference is actually on another making of anko(=sweetened red bean paste) and mochi(=rice cake). Half-beaten rice ball plays the role of filling while anko of coating in ohagi. When they exchange each part, we would have 大福, daifuku, loved by everybody.
meishunkikunoe 