Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

Cosmos Viewing Event

　　The coronavirus pandemic is about to cease now and various kinds of events aiming to gather people began here and there in my neighborhood. I visited one of them; Miyanomae Park, along the bank of Niyodo River, was full of cosmos blooms and crowded with lots of visitors. The event was held under the moderate control of authorities, but I was able to enjoy a relaxing time. Along the river bed, joyous voices of lots of kids, who were playing in the water, capturing aquatic lives, or enjoying the barbecue with their family, were echoing.
　　Japan is this peaceful, but there are some areas in conflict on the globe. I recalled the condition of Ukraine and I couldn't help praying for an early end.

(Vocabulary)
gather 〈人が〉 集まる [自]; 〈人〉 を集める [他]
river bed 川床、河川敷（a dry river bed）
aquatic (動植物が) 水生の, 水中にすむ; 水上の, 水中の

Sauries

　　Sauries are common in Japan as a seasonal fish of autumn. I'm afraid its catch has been decreasing in recent years, but the price has kept relatively low. Sauries have been eaten since long ago and have been the food for commoners.
　　I'll tell you about a funny story descended from the Edo period. Sauries were thought to be food for ordinary people. One day, a shogun, a feudal lord, secretly went out for an inspection of the city. He was always concerned about how people's daily lives were. During the inspection, he found a cloud of smoke from a house with an appetizing smell and then he saw a saury for the first time. The shogun wanted to try one.
　　His subordinates were upset to hear that he wanted to eat one, because sauries were believed to be fish for lowly people. The taste, however, seemed to be supreme for him and he was so delighted. The place where he enjoyed it was "Meguro". After this happened, the shogun began to often say, "Meguro is the best place to eat sauries," though Meguro didn't have the sea in its area.
　　Even now, Meguro district in Tokyo hosts a "Sauries Festival" and offers lots of grilled sauries to citizens for free. This event apparently serves for accelerating the tourism business. The misunderstanding by the lord led to a big event now. What does he think about the "sauries festival"?
　　By the way, I grilled some sauries in my garden this evening. The weather was great for outside eating.

(Vocabulary)
saury 〘魚〙サンマ(科の魚)
catch [C] (魚の) 捕獲量, 漁獲物
lowly 身分［地位］の低い, 下層階級の

A SOCIAL GATHERING

　　I've long wanted to meet a journalist and attended a gathering in Tokyo in which his supporters got together and encouraged him. His name is Noriyuki Yamaguchi. I highly evaluate his intellectual ability.
　　After he had reported about the Korean brothels during the Vietnam War in 2015, the left-wing organizations started to slander him. He was a little poor at preventing his opponents from entrapping him, and he had been under heavy fire from Japan's society. However, lots of sincere people shored him up and he got back on his feet and now he is working as a journalist. I was able to chat with him over a drink. His story was very inspiring and I'd like to continue to support him from now on.
　　After this gathering, I saw a long friend after about 20 years. This day was a really good day.

(Vocabulary)
brothel 売春宿
slander [C,U] 中傷, 悪口; [他] 〈人〉を中傷する, の悪口を言う
entrap (フォーマル) …を陥れる, わなにかける;〈犯人〉 を（不法な）おとり捜査で捕まえる

Animal Memorial Service

　　My family used to have 2 dalmatians. We started to keep the first one for our youngest daughter, who wanted to become a vet, to be able to keep motivated. The dog was so friendly and clever that walking with him everyday became one of my best pastimes, but he died after only 6 years from an unknown cause. The vet did his best, but in vain.
　　We were wondering to have a second one, but we were afraid of our sense of emptiness or sadness when the dog dies on the other hand. I heard that another dalmatian was suspended to be accepted and I decided to welcome the one.
　　I noticed the possibility of the first dog having been almost deaf, because the second one was more sensitive to my voice than the first. Anyway, the second passed away also in about 6 years.
　　Both dogs are now in the same pet cemetery and the cemetery company planned to have a joint service for sleeping pets there. Buddhist priests prayed for them family by family in the meeting. I hung my head praying for their happiness in the place where they live.

WEDDING PARTY

　　I was nervous to become a focus of public attention when I walked with my daughter on the virgin road, but the wedding party was very relaxed. Many of my relatives got together after a long interval.
　　To my regret, however, my youngest daughter, who lives in the U.K. now, didn't join the party, because of the confusion of the immigration office of the U.K. To be precise, she was able to depart from the U.K., but it would take a long time to get the visa to re-enter the U.K. She was set to start her new career in the U.K. on Oct. 1st in a big hospital near Oxford. If she couldn't be back in the U.K. until that day, some problems might occur. The immigration office seems to be extraordinarily busy to handle lots of refugees from Ukraine. My daughter paid a priority fee to change her visa from a student's to a working visa within 5 days in July, but the procedure didn't finish even in September. I don't understand the visa system in the U.K., but my daughter told me, "Tier something doesn't work" ,,,or such a thing.
　　Anyway, I never thought that the present war in Ukraine had some influence on the likes of my family who live in a rural place in a small archipelago country in the far east.
　　The adorable kid in the center of the following picture is my first grandchild.

(Vocabulary)
nervous 緊張した, びくびくした, 不安な

Needless Fear

　　According to reports, the typhoon was furious in the Kyushu area, but my hometown didn't get damaged heavily even though it had been in the strong wind zone of the typhoon for a whole day. My hometown had long been less affected by natural disasters, but I was prepared for the worst. Luckily, however, casualties were only a few people. This fact might be due to the fruitful measures which have been done for these 60 years.

(Vocabulary)
needless fear 杞憂

SHIN'YOU (Rocking The Ocean)

　　During World War 2, which is called "The Great Asian War" in Japan, Kamikaze Special Attack Team provoked fear among the U.S. military ships. This fact is well known to the world. The aircrafts bearing a big bomb stormed into military vessels - this is the known typical example of a suicide attack. However, there were other versions of suicide attacks using small submarines and boats. You can see the small submarine here(link). When I toured Hachijojima island in 2014, I happened to find a monument commemorating soldiers who had thrown their own lives to protect Japan near the former special attack base on the island(link).
　　Today, I unintentionally found another monument on the seashore of Kochi prefecture. I joined my hands in prayer.

特攻潜水艇回天　https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2013/06/kaiten-kamikaze-submarine.html
八丈島の震洋基地慰霊碑　https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2014/03/2nd-day-in-hachijojima.html

Dual-mode vehicle

　　　　I came across a dual-mode vehicle. I don't know if this word can be correctly understood by native English speakers, but it's actually used in Japan. You can see it here(link). How about "Two-way vehicle" for it?
　　Anyway, I knew about it through news reports, but it was the first time to see it directly. Take a close look at the following picture. The Chinese letter means "Asa Coast Railways". Railways!! To tell the truth, this bus can run on the rail. You'll notice a section of wheels under the floor of the back of the bus. The word "dual" indicates "bus" and "train" at the same time.

https://asatetu.com/archives/156/

LIGHTLY ROASTED BONITO

　　I came to the adjacent Kochi Prefecture on business. The speciality of the prefecture is lightly roasted bonito. As I hit a restaurant next to my hotel and took my seat at the counter, the chef just started to grill bonito for other customers. He used a straw-fired power to aromatize bonito. Seeing the chef's maneuver, I became unable to reject my feeling and ordered one. It was great.

(Vocabulary)
lightly roasted bonito カツオのたたき
aromatize　～に芳香を付ける

Oriental Machu Picchu

　　I'll write about the Besshi copper mine which is situated in my prefecture and is well-known for its huge deposits of copper. This mine had been essential for the modern development of Japan. The deposits were found in the late 16th century and the copper had been dug out for three centuries. The copper was truly a gift from nature, but the process of refining produced air pollution by sulfur oxide. The poisonous gas turned the mountains covered with green trees into bare mountains. The mine was closed a few decades ago due to the depletion of copper. Since then, the mine company started planting trees and the mountains are currently recovering their former normal glory.
　　If you go for a hike through these mountains, you would be surprised to recognize the ruins here and there which indicate that humans truly had lived there. This forest has been compared to Machu Picchu in Peru for its image of the disappearance of people. This former copper mine area is now called "Oriental Machu Picchu" and became a popular hiking route for good walkers.
　　I enjoyed trekking in the forest with my co-workers and recalled the harsh living circumstances of those days. The following picture shows the eco-friendly toilet. After the business, you have to work out for your excrement treatment.

(Vocabulary)
Besshi copper mine　別子銅山
deposit　 (鉱石・金属などの) 鉱床; (物質の) 堆積(たいせき)した層, 堆積物, 沈殿物
huge deposits of copper 　銅の巨大な鉱床
refinery 　(石油・砂糖などの) 精製所, (金属の) 精錬所
bare mountain 　はげ山
good walker 健脚
excrement 排せつ物, 糞便
restore sth to its former glory ＜建造物など＞を元の状態に復元する

DOLLS AS A TOKEN OF WISH FOR A HEALTHY GROWTH

　　I'll write about an old practice of Japan. I don't know when this custom started, but the maternal grandparents give a newly-born girl a set of dolls on the first March 3rd after her birth as a token of wish for a baby girl's healthy growth. This practice is called the Girls' Festival or the Doll's Festival in English. My first granddaughter was born on March 5th last year and March 3rd this year falls on the first Doll's Festival Day for her.
　　In most cases, baby's parents and maternal grandparents choose one at the doll's shop, but several restrictions due to the pandemic prevented us from going out for shopping. We could just send some money for it.
　　The following picture is the one which was given to my first daughter from my parents-in-law, that is, maternal grandparents for my daughters. The set of dolls is supposedly carried with the daughter to her new home when she gets married, but my daughter lives in a small apartment in the metropolitan area and hasn't enough room for strage for the dolls and she asked us to temporarily keep it in my house.
　　We displayed it today for airing. It reminded us of the old days when my daughters were small and our four parents were vigorous about 30 years ago. I wondered what life should I spend from now.

(Vocabulary)
the Girls' Festival, the Doll's Festival 桃の節句
maternal 《[名]の前でのみ》 母方の
his maternal grandmother 彼の母方の祖母

JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY

　　The coming Feb.11th is Japan's Foundation Day, which is defined in Japan's mythology. Japan's mythology had been taught in the regular class of elementary school until the end of the Great East Asian War, but the U.S. prohibited to teach it during their occupation. They had difficulty with Japanese toughness in the war and plotted to take the backbone out of Japanese.
　　One of my grandfathers was a Buddhist priest. Another was a locally noted educator, who gave his grandchildren nicknames after the name of a god from Japanese mythology. I wasn't able to understand my nickname at that time, but the incomprehensible word was deeply carved in my mind. I unexpectedly remembered my nickname when I was 10 years old or so, and studied the meaning of my nickname. From then on, I learned about mythology, but it was scrappy.
　　I recently got an introductory book about Japan's mythology and I started learning it. I just wonder why my grandfather nicknamed us with a god's name. As mythology education was formally prohibited, he might want us to learn the mythology some day in the future by ourselves. He might get away with it for us, grandchildren.
　　The recent archeological research revealed that a considerable part of the mythology is based on fact. Researchers are struggling to draw a line between the fantasy and historical facts.
　　Do you know that the present Ten-noh is the 126th and if you date back his ancestors, it reaches to a god. It's a great mystery till when it's imaginary and after when it's actual.

(Vocabulary)
toughness (肉体的・精神的な) たくましさ,粘り強さ
scrappy (英) まとまりのない, 乱雑な

New Year's Eve

　　Today is the eve of the New Year Day. My family used to get together in the living room and spend time over unusual and special dishes. The TV broadcasts special programs and we have an option on Netflix, but I feel a little lonely this year. Two daughters of three left home and they have their family respectively now. The youngest one is in Oxford and I expected that she would come back to Japan temporarily, but COVID-19 became an obstacle.
　　The Japanese Government requested us, citizens to stay home during the vacation and refrain from attending meeting people whom you don't see on a daily basis. I hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will end soon in the coming year.

VISIT TO MY FRIEND

　　I went to Okayama City on business, where I had lived during my university days for 6 years. I strolled around some nostalgic places where I used to go in those days. At last, I visited my friend's grave. His ashes had been placed in his family's grave at his death, but something unhappy happened and his soul was moved to the communal memorial tower to be able to get services performed in perpetuity by the Buddhist temple for the repose of his soul.
　　Only 40 years ago, we shared the same time as medical students, chatting over much stuff facetiously, as if not knowing that life is limited. I became overwhelmed with grief. I told him in front of the memorial tower that I'd go to your place in not such a long time and to wait for me until then.

(Vocabulary)
services performed in perpetuity by a Buddhist temple for the repose of a departed soul 永代供養
in perpetuity (法) 永久に
facetiously ふざけて

Rurikoji Temple

　　We dropped in at the famous temple of Rurikoji. My wife visited it for the first time and was enthralled with the beauty of the Five-Storied Pagoda, which was designated a national treasure. It was built 600 years ago and survived several times from earthquakes and indiscriminate bombing by the U.S. It had a 5-layered roof and its reflection on the pond in front of the pagoda was really beautiful.

(Vocabulary)
enthralled by/with 魅了されて, 心を奪われて
indiscriminate 〈攻撃・殺人・暴行などが〉 無差別の, 手当たり次第の; 〈人が〉 見境のない, 思慮に欠けた

Nakahara Chuuya Museum

　　I visited Nakahara Chuya Museum in Yamaguchi City. I knew the presence of this museum the last time I visited this city. I'd wanted to visit the museum at that time, but as I was not alone, I gave up visiting. I was so sorry then, but I could tour the museum this time. He is well-known but to the few as a poet and translator.
　　A teacher of my junior high school days was a fan of him. That's why I knew about him. His active period was only 3, 4 years because he died at 30 years-old due to tubercular encephalomeningitis. I'd never read his works, but I learned about his life from his chronological record and it stirred me to read his works.

(Vocabulary)
well-known but to the few　知る人ぞ知る
a chronological record 《of somebody's career, of the development of an event》 年譜
chronological 年代順の, 年代順に配列した
stir [他]〈人〉を駆り立てる
stir somebody to/into action ＜人＞を行動に駆り立てる
stir somebody to do something ＜人＞を駆り立てて＜…＞させる
[同意] stir up

The Doigahama Site Anthropological Museum

　　The Doigahama Site Anthropological Museum is designated as a historic spot by the government, which is a graveyard ruin of the Yayoi Period (10th or 4th century B.C. to 3rd century A.D.). By the elaborate works of excavating, human bones of 300 Yayoi-period people and lots of burial accessories like items made of seashells were found. The museum's main attraction was the Doigahama Dome. I was able to see how the site had been at the time of excavating there. After all the genuine human bones were recovered, the detailed replicas of them were crafted and returned to their original place for exhibition. The following pictures seem to show human bones, but they are imitations and don't worry. However, those bones were so real that it felt uncanny. The bodies were set to the direction of the sea. Did they want their spirits to come back to their original place? I remembered the scene which I saw in the Hirota Site (LINK). This burial form was just the same as that in the Hirota Site.
　　A few imaginary human robots were exhibited in the main hall of the museum. Their faces have been investigated using various scientific techniques. Their faces were so human-like and I received a sense of uncanny recognition. I wondered what they ate, wore, and enjoyed. What scenery did they view around the site. I imagined their lives for a short time.

(Vocabulary)
anthropology 人類学; 文化人類学; 人間学
historic spot 史跡
site 遺跡
uncanny 不可思議な, 気味の悪い
The uncanny valley is a term used to describe the relationship between the human-like appearance of a robotic object and the emotional response it evokes. In this phenomenon, people feel a sense of unease or even revulsion in response to humanoid robots that are highly realistic.

Tsunoshima Island

　　Tsunoshima island is known for its beautiful bridge connecting the island and the mainland. Several TV commercials have been shot on the bridge. We crossed the bridge and pulled off at the opposite end of the bridge. There was a monument and its description surprised me, which was written about the recent archeological research on ancient physical distribution.
　　According to the description, 1843 pieces of mokkann wooden plates along with lots of earthenwares were discovered from the former sites of Heijo-kyo in fall 1963. "Mokkann" is a narrow strip of wood on which an official message is written and used in the Nara period(710-784). Heijo-kyo was located in present Nara city and it was the capital of Japan at that time. Seven Ten-nohs (the 43th to the 49th) reigned there. By the way, one of the mokkanns was an invoice attached to the cargos which were sent from this island to the imperial palace. It had the sender's name and the shipping date of Mar. 29th in 746 (converted to the western calendar). The material was wakame seaweed (Undaria). That is to say, people on this island had paid wakame seaweed as the tax 1200 years ago. The noble people in the palace would love the seaweed from this island. This historical fact would be an honor for the inhabitants.

(Vocabulary)
physical distribution 物流
earthenware 陶器、土器

A Reverberatory Furnace

　　A reverberatory furnace was preserved as it used to be on a hill and we dropped in at the site. The furnace had been researched by the Hagi clan. They couldn't accomplish the plan, but their motivation should be highly evaluated.
　　Japan had long adopted its restricted trade policy until the latter half of the 19th century. This was a contributing factor to about 250 years of the peaceful period. On the other hand, Japan's military power didn't develop due to the peaceful days. Japan didn't need to develop arms.
　　The condition had completely changed when several military ships showed up around Japan in the 19th century. People of integrity in this area collected various information from other countries and knew that Japan had been on the brink of being invaded. They started to research and develop the technology of casting and forging. Three furnaces of those people are preserved in Japan and I've visited one of them before(link). Viewing the incomplete furnace, I thought that I'd like to visit last one some day.

(Vocabulary)
reverberatory （炉が）反射式の

Hagi Castle Ruins

　　We strolled around the Hagi Castle Ruins and then the old castle town. The town was well-preserved. There were several houses along the street related to heros, like Takasugi Shinsaku, Kido Takayoshi and so on, of the Meiji Restoration. I learned much in the museum of the city and felt the breath of the Meiji Restoration. Next, we visited Shoukason-juku, a private school run by Yoshida Shoin. Lots of young men learned at this juku (school) and some of them became the leaders of Japan. I was overwhelmed by its poorness and forgot to take pictures.