2012 ~ お茶の間留学

2012年12月28日金曜日

2012年12月28日金曜日 -

Tony - Christmas in Canada

This year my family will have two big holiday celebrations. Christmas in Canada and Japanese New Year. We had Christmas at my parent's house near Vancouver and it was great! My son, Max, is only eleven months old so it was his first Christmas. He loved the colored lights and brightly wrapped gifts but his favorite thing was the Christmas tree at his grandparents' house.

My most cherished and eagerly anticipated part of Christmas is the roast turkey dinner. My mother is an amazing cook and this year she made all of our favorites. Roast turkey with apple, sage and rosemary stuffing. Roast potatoes AND mashed potatoes! Cranberry sauce and gravy! It was so good that we almost didn't have enough room for dessert; my aunt's homemade apple pie. Some years she bakes pecan pie, other years it is pumpkin, but this year it was apple. Apple pie is one of my all time favorite foods, so it was fun to give Max his first taste, and he loved it! Smart kid!

It was hard to say goodbye, but we packed up our things and flew back to Osaka. To our surprise it was colder in Osaka than it was in Vancouver! It was freezing when we got off the plane! Brrrrr!!

My wife and I have a New Year tradition of ordering a different style of osechi-ryoori every year. Last year we had a very conventional one, which was great because we all love datemaki – sweet rolled omelet. This year my wife chose a Chinese food themed osechi-ryoori. I don't know what to expect, but it should be great! It will be a perfect New Year's Eve if my family is healthy and we can enjoy "Kōhaku Uta Gassen" together.

Happy Holidays!

Tony

cherished =大事にしている

eagerly anticipated = 待ち望んでいる

stuffing =詰め物

cranberry sauce = クランベリーソース

pecan =ペカンナッツ

...is one of my all time favorite ～=お気に入りの～の一つです

packed up = 荷造りした

freezing = 凍えるほど寒い

Brrrrr!! =ブルブルブル!!

tradition =長年の習慣

conventional =お決まりの

themed =テーマにした

2012年12月21日金曜日

2012年12月21日金曜日 -

Liz - Kakunodate, Akita

Liz

Last month, I went on a trip to Akita Prefecture. I along with around 20 international women visited Kakunodate which is a city famous for its old Samurai homes. Since we went in the Fall it was a bit chilly, but the city was beautiful. When we arrived we were taken to a Kimono house where they dressed each of us up in our own kimono. I always thought traditional Japanese clothing was pretty but I never thought it would look good on me. That was my first time wearing a real kimono, it was a fun experience but I feel I looked a bit strange. Walking around Kakunodate was definitely interesting.

I think it must have been the first time that 20 foreign women all dressed up in traditional Japanese garb walkedthrough the town. While in Kakunodate we visited a traditional tea house and participated in our own tea ceremony. It was the first time many of us tried traditional Japanese Tea, it was delicious! After visiting the tea house we went to many samurai homes and learned about how traditional families use to live in Japan. I had an amazing time and I will remember this trip for the rest of my life.

famous for : ～で有名な

chilly　：肌寒い

dressed up　：～の衣装を着せる

look good on me　：似合う

clothing　：衣服・服装

experience　：経験

a bit strange：違和感・変

definitely：　絶対に・本当に・間違いなく

garb ：服装

participated in ：参加する

for the rest of my life　：一生

Liz

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2012年12月14日金曜日

2012年12月14日金曜日 -

Darin - Gero Onsen, Gifu

　　　　　　　　 Darin

Last week, my wife and I went to Gero Onsen in Gifu prefecture. We caught an early morning bus from Shin Osaka and it took us about six hours to make it there. Our journey was unexpectedly delayed because of heavy snowfall, and our bus was forced stop on multiple occasions on the highway. We enjoyed watching the winter wonderland pass by, and were able to eat some rice balls, sandwiches and tea we had prepared the night before.

Gero was constructed on the banks of the Hida River, and situated in a deep valley surrounded by picturesque mountains. After we checked into our hotel, we decided to go exploring around the town to see if we could find anything interesting. The town itself is quite dense, with many hotels and hot springs located in a central area on either side of the crystal clear waters of the river.

　　　　　　Gero Frog

The motif in Gero Onsen is a frog, and you can see many frogs in shops, restaurants and on the streets. I enjoyed taking some photos and we found some interesting souvenirs to take home with us. But I decided not to buy the seasoned grasshopper snack I found in one souvenir shop! We bought some locally brewed craft beer, and returned to the hotel for some karaoke before dinner.

After walking around the snow-covered streets and enduring the cold air, the hot spring was very warm and relaxing. And after a good soak, we enjoyed a delicious dinner which included Hida beef and fresh crab from the Sea of Japan.

to make it there = たどり着くのに

unexpectedly = 予想に反して

delayed = 遅れました

forced = 強制的に

multiple occasions =　複数回

winter wonderland = 素敵な冬景色

constructed = ～に築かれた

situated = （特別な場所に）位置している

picturesque = 絵のような

dense = 密集している

located = 位置している

crystal clear = 澄み切った

motif = モチーフ

souvenirs = お土産

seasoned grasshopper = イナゴの佃煮

locally brewed = 地元で醸造された

craft beer = クラフトビール

snow-covered = 雪に覆われた

enduring = 耐える
good soak = 気持ちよくお湯に浸かる

　　　　　　Gero Mountains

2012年12月7日金曜日

2012年12月7日金曜日 -

Kaya - Todai-ji, Nara

Kaya

On Tuesday, I went to Nara, with some friends. Although we planned to leave around 10am, we spent the first 20 minutes in Namba Station lost and unable to find each other. After finally meeting up, we hopped on the express train to Nara on the Kintesu line and arrived at our destination in a mere thirty minutes! Our first stop was the Kofuku-ji temple. Though the five-story pagoda was impressive, it did not compare to what we saw next… the magnificent Todai-ji . The Daibustu-den was truly breathtaking. Standing against a backdrop of vibrant blue skies and gorgeous autumn leaves, I and about fifty other tourists, eagerly snapped photos of the enormous wooden structure. As we walked down the path leading to the building’s entrance, we were greeted by many hungry deer, all which were peculiarly accustomed to humans. After some more awestruck moments inside the Daibutsu-den, we hiked through Nara Park, enjoying the fresh air and scenery. Eventually, our stomachs began to growl and we headed back towards the train station for some ramen noodles and gyoza. On our way, we were stopped by a group of elementary school students who wanted to practice their English on foreigners. The children, in their uniforms and adorable matching red caps, asked us for our names and where we were from. When asked what we thought of Nara, we all confidently answered, “we LOVE Nara!”.

around 10am = 10時前後

hopped = 飛び乗った

destination = 行き先

mere = たったの

the five-story pagoda = 五重の塔

magnificent = 壮大な

breathtaking = 息を呑むような

vibrant = 鮮やかな

eagerly = 熱心に

enormous = 巨大な

peculiarly = 妙に

accustomed = 慣れている

awestruck = 威厳に打たれた

stomachs began to growl = お腹がグーグー鳴り始めた

adorable = 愛らしい

confidently = 自信を持って

Daibutsu-den

2012年11月30日金曜日

2012年11月30日金曜日 -

Bob - Bishamon-Do Temple

Bob enjoying the autumn colors in Kyoto

Ever since I arrived in Japan, I have enjoyed visiting shrines, temples and gardens with my wife. In the Kansai area, in late November and early December, it’s a good time to see the autumn colors and especially the red leaves of the Japanese Maple tree. Like many Japanese people, I like to take photographs. When I show them to my friends and family back home, they are amazed at the range of colors.
On Sunday 25 November, we went to Bishamon-Do Temple in Yamashina near Kyoto. It’s quite a small temple tucked into the mountainside. It’s surrounded by many Japanese Maple trees and there was a huge array of colors from bright yellow, through orange to deep red. It was very beautiful and I wasn’t the only person taking photos! My favorite spot was the garden with a pond at the back of the temple.
After visiting the temple, we walked along the path beside the Lake Biwa Canal that flows from Lake Biwa to Kyoto. The canal follows the contours around the mountainside and the water is clear and flows briskly. Here also, there were some gorgeous autumn colors! We found a place in the sun to have a picnic. It was tranquil and nice to escape the crowds sightseeing at the temple.

shrines: 神社

temples: 寺

autumn colors: 紅葉

tucked: 奥まった場所に隠された

surrounded: 囲まれた

array: ずらりと並んだもの

beside: ～に沿って
canal: 運河

flows: 流れる

contours: 外周

briskly: 勢いよく

tranquil: 穏やかな

Lake Biwa Canal

2012年11月21日水曜日

2012年11月21日水曜日 -

Okonomiaki

Sarah - The Takarazuka Review!

Sarah

Just recently, I went to see a play at the Takarazuka Grand Theater with some friends. It was my first time to visit Takarazuka or see a play there, but I remember studying about it in university, so I was very excited.

We arrived at Takarazuka around noon and took a nice scenic walk towards the theater. The weather was excellent and the view was beautiful, so we took our time. We stopped for coffee and sandwiches at a nearby cafe and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Finally it was time for the play and it certainly didn't disappoint!

The story and the music were entrancing. I couldn't believe some of the costumes we saw in the Review. I couldn't take my eyes off the stage! I've never seen so much sparkle in my life!

Afterwards we headed back to Umeda for some okonomiyaki and karaoke.

It was the first time for me to eat okonomiyaki so I was really excited. The restaurant looked very traditional. We sat on tatami mats and all the tables had little hotplates in the middle.

The service was out of this world! We didn’t have to wait long and everyone was really friendly. The waiter actually cooked the meal for us at our table. Now that’s service!

I had the standard pork okonomiyaki and my friend had shrimp. I think next time I will be a little more adventurous with my toppings.

Takarazuka Grand Theater

scenic = 景色のよい
took our time = のんびりしました

atmosphere = 雰囲気

entrancing = うっとりさせる

couldn't take my eyes off = 目が離せませんでした

sparkle = きらきら

head back = 引き返す

traditional = 伝統的な

out of this world = 信じられないくらいすてき

standard = 定番の

more adventurous = 冒険する

Sarah's Introduction Video

2012年11月21日水曜日 -

William - The Monkeys in Minoh

Buildings alongside the first half of the trail to Mino Waterfall

This weekend, I went hiking with my friends in Minoh, Osaka. It was the first time for me to go hiking in Japan so naturally I was very excited. We arrived in Minoh around 9am. It was already very hot and I was starting to regret wearing such a thick top. There are plenty of shops at Minoh station so we stocked up on some rice balls and water. I was pleasantly surprised how easy the hike was. It was more like a leisurely stroll along the river of a picturesque town. We walked past some beautiful old teashops and quaint old toyshops from yesteryear. It was all very nostalgic.

At the base of the mountain the trees start to overhang the path. It reminded me of a Tim Burton movie.

I was surprised to see lots of cheeky monkeys hiding in the trees. Although the monkeys didn’t approach us nor do anything mischievous I was wary of them the whole hike.

At the end of the trail there was a beautiful waterfall! The spray from the pool cooled us all down. We sat for a while taking in the views and enjoying our rice balls and a much deserved beer.

regret = 後悔する

stocked up ＝買出しする

pleasantly surprised　＝いい意味でびっくりする

stroll　＝ぶらぶらする

picturesque　=絵になる

quaint　＝古風な趣のある

yesteryear　=昔風の

nostalgic　＝ノスタルジックな

cheeky ＝やんちゃな

mischievous　＝いたずら好きな

weary ＝用心深い

spray ＝細かい水しぶき

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