Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

Fish and Seafood

　　Japan is an island country blessed with the riches of its many rivers and the sea that surrounds it on all sides. Warm and cold ocean currents flow along the coast of Japan and lots of fish can be captured where both currents meet. It is said that the kinds of fish reach up to 2000. Fish and seafood have been key parts of the Japanese diet since ancient times. Viewing the fact that lots of kinds of fishbones were discovered at the Sannai Maruyama Remains in Aomori Prefecture, the Japanese are thought to have been eating fish and seafood since at least more than 4000 years ago.
　　The techniques of processing fish and seafood developed and preserved food was made using salt and rice malt. This lead people in mountainous region to be able to eat the products from the sea. Additionally, in the Edo period, sushi became popular among ordinary people, which has developed into the primary Japanese cuisine culture.
　　According to the FAO's statistics, the yearly average consumption of fish and seafood in Japan is 70kg per person. It is 4 times more than the average of the world. The interest of the Japanese  in fish is strong, and lots of people enjoy fishing and having ornamental fish. There are more than 100 aquariums across the country. Over the centuries, various specialized fishing techniques have been developed. I'll show you the everyday Japanese dinner table.

FAO Official Website: http://www.fao.org/

　　The traditional pole-and-line method is used for catching the ocean fish katsuo skipjack. The fishermen wield their rods so deftly that the fish are caught in the blink of an eye. It's a centuries-old method of fishing that avoids causing any damage to the fish.
　　Cast nets are used to catch the freshwater ayu, sweetfish. Sweetfish are very sensitive, so first the current must be dammed with branches to prevent them from escaping. Then the fisherman must stand quietly in wait until a shoal of sweetfish arrives. As soon as the shoal arrives at the dam and wheels around, he casts the net with split-second timing. If the timing is not perfect, the fish will scatter and few will be caught in the net. It takes long years of experience for a fisherman to learn to judge the precise timing for casting his net.
　　Fishing techniques have been developed to suit each region and the kind of target fish. There are also various different ways to prepare and cook fish. You can enjoy distinctive seasonal fish and seafood delicacies such as sushi, tempura and hotpots.
　　Early summer is the season for katsuo skipjack. One of the classic ways to prepare the skipjack is a technique known as tataki. Fillets are lightly seared over a fire made from rice straw. The sliced fish is dipped in a soy-based sauce seasoned with spices.
　　Midsummer is the season for unagi, freshwater eel. The most common unagi dish is kabayaki. The unagi flesh is basted with a sweet savory soy sauce and broiled; its delectable aroma and melting texture are irresistible.
　　Autumn is the season fro sanma, Pacific saury. One of the most popular broiled fish dishes is sanma-no-shioyaki, sanma just rubbed with salt and broiled whole. It's usually served with grated daikon radish, soy sauce and a citrus juice.
　　There are plenty of excellent seafood dishes in winter too, especially snow crab hotpot and sashimi. In most areas, the crab-catching season opens in November. The crab's firm flesh and subtle flavor make them the ultimate delicacy of winter.
　　A rich variety of fish and seafood is available all year round.

(Vocabulary)
preserved food  保存食品
rice malt  麹
ornamental  観賞用の, 装飾用の
lead sb to do sth　人に～させる
riches 《複数扱い》(特に文) 富, 財産; 豊富さ
pole-and-line method 一本釣り
skipjack (skipjack tunaとも) カツオ(魚)
wield 〈武器・道具〉を手にする, 持つ; 〈権力など〉を持つ, 握っている
deftly 器用に, 巧みに, 手際よく
cast net 投網
freshwater -- saltwater
sweetfish アユ
sensitive 警戒心の強い
lie in wait (for sb/sth) ～を待ち伏せている、（いやなことが）～を待ち受けている
shoal = school　魚の一群
wheel wi:l 反対側に急に向きを変える
wheel around 後ろを向く、振り返る
split-second  [形]《[名]の前でのみ》 瞬時の, 一瞬の
split second [名] 《常に単数形で》 ほんの一瞬
delicacy [C] ごちそう, 珍味/ [U] 慎重さ, 繊細さ, 細やかな心遣い
distinctive 独特の、個性豊かな
distinct 別個の、はっきりした
Japanese traditional nursery songs have distinctive melodies. 独特の旋律がある。
Japan has four distinct seasons. 四季がはっきりしています。
sear  [他] …を焦がす, 焼く/  [他] (強火で) 〈肉など〉 をさっと焼く
baste〈肉〉を焼き汁をかけながら焼く
delectable〈料理などが〉 おいしい, 美味な, 〈においなどが〉 おいしそうな
texture  触感, 手触り;  食感, 質感, テクスチャー
Pacific saury  サンマ
rub sth with sth  ＜…＞に＜…＞を塗る［擦り込む］
Rub the fish with salt. 魚に塩を擦り込みます．
snow crab　ズワイガニ
firm 身の引き締まった
subtle 繊細な

(和訳)
　日本は四方を海に囲まれた水の豊かな島国です。日本の近海には暖流(黒潮)と韓流(親潮)が流れ込み、さらにその２つがぶつかるエリアがあるので、２０００種類もの魚が獲れると言われています。太古の昔から日本人は魚介類を主な食料にしてきました。青森県三内丸山遺跡から多種の魚の骨が見つかっていることから、日本人は４０００年以上前から魚を食べてきたことがわかります。
　魚の加工技術が発達し、塩や麹を使った魚の保存食が作られ、山間に住む人々も魚介類を食べられるようになりました。江戸時代にはにぎり寿司が登場。日本を代表する食文化に育っていくのです。
　ＦＡＯによると、日本人の魚介類の消費量は一人あたり年間約７０キロ。世界平均の４倍以上に当たります。また、日本人の魚に対する関心は深く、多くの人が釣りや観賞用の魚の飼育を楽しみ、全国には１００以上の水族館があるとも言われます。そして長い時をかけて、様々な漁の方法が発達してきました。現代の日本人の食卓を紹介しましょう。
　こちらはカツオの一本釣りです。釣り竿一本で一匹のカツオを豪快に釣り上げます。この漁は、魚に傷をつけずに釣ることができる伝統的な方法です。
　こちらはアユを捕まえるための投網を使った漁です。逃げられないように川の流れをせき止め、群れが来るまで気配を消してじっと待ちます。アユの群れが泳いでくる一瞬のタイミングを計って投網を打ちます。このタイミングが合わないとアユは散ってしまい、うまく網にかかりません。長年の経験で、魚との間合いをうまく計るのです。
　川でも海でも、その地域や魚の種類に合わせた漁法が編み出されてきたのです。魚の料理法も様々です。すし、天ぷら、煮物・鍋料理など、四季折々の個性豊かな魚料理が楽しめます。
　初夏は、カツオの季節です。カツオの伝統的な料理法の一つ、たたき。節に切ったカツオの表面だけを、藁を燃やした火であぶります。薬味の入ったタレにつけていただきます。
　夏。７月下旬に食べるのがうなぎです。ウナギは甘いタレをつけて焼く蒲焼きが一般的です。焼き上げられた身は香ばしく独特の食感。
　秋の定番はサンマです。サンマの塩焼きは焼き魚の中でも広く親しまれている人気のメニュー。大根おろしと醤油、あるいはスダチなどの果汁をかけて食べます。
　冬も海の幸は豊富です。１１月に漁が解禁となるズワイガニ。鍋や刺身などでいただきます。引き締まった身が繊細な味わいです。冬の風物詩の一つです。
　一年を通じて魚介料理は日本人の食卓を賑わせています。

TV Program, "Trad Japan"

　　This program places an emphasis on how to express Japanese traditional things in English. It's not easy to describe the things in English that exist only in Japan. It requires the utmost care to avoid misunderstandings and inform foreigners of the precise information. This program seemed to be useful for me now. I will use lots of words and phrases from the program and do the presentation at the toastmaster meeting. At the same time, I'll memorize all my speech for the level-up of my English skills.

Paper crane

　　I think you know about the catastrophic disaster that occurred in eastern Japan on Mar. 11th. Lots of people lost not only their possessions, but also even the lives of loved ones. I don't know how to express the sorrow of the affected people even in my native language, Japanese.
　　By the way, I watched in a news item that a group of people were making 1000 paper cranes for the victims. The cranes were going to be sent to one of the evacuation shelters, but some might think they were insane. The sets of 1000 paper cranes are absolutely of no use in such conditions. What the tsunami victims needed was food, water and clothes or something to be able to avoid the chill of the night air. Eastern Japan is rather cold in March. They didn't have enough fuel to warm the shelters. However, I could understand paper-folding represented people's sincere sympathy.
　　What kind of relation is there between the victims and paper cranes? Some Japanese might not know the reason, but it is totally a mystery for foreigners. I'll explain the history of paper cranes and Origami, which has been a Japanese traditional amusement and is now in the English dictionary.
----------------------------
　　In Japan, most people do origami when they're children. No special equipment or tools are required - just a square of paper to fold. You don't even need scissors or glue. All kinds of things can be fashioned with origami. Here's an iris....a crane....and a paper balloon. From wild flowers to objects found around the house - with origami, a child's imagination can run free.
　　Since the old days in Japan, paper was not just something to write or paint on; it was a sacred object invested with spiritual meaning. An ancient custom involves cutting paper into the shape of a person and letting it float away down a stream. This is done as a symbolic way to get rid of impurity.
　　Paper has also long been important as a wrapping material for gifts. And about 600 years ago, strict rules of etiquette were established, governing the way paper was folded and wrapped. In this way, each method of gift wrapping was endowed with its own specific meaning. While folding the paper, people would bless it with their prayers, so that no impurities were transferred to the gift inside. Then, wrapped in the paper, the gift would be delivered to the recipient. The techniques used in gift wrapping eventually gave rise to the sophisticated craft that is called 'origami'.
　　This origami form is known as renzuru, meaning 'linked cranes'. With a few incisions, a single sheet of paper can be folded into numerous cranes, all connected. In the 18th and 19th centuries, origami techniques of this type were developed to a remarkable level of sophistication.
　　Origami cranes took on a special significance after Greater East Asian War. The Children's Peace Monument in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park depicts a girl lifting a paper crane towards the sky.
　　The girl who was the model for this statue was exposed to radiation in the bombing of Hiroshima when she was two years old. Nine years later, she developed leukemia. One day, lying in her hospital bed, she heard that folding 1000 paper cranes would make her wish come true. Her wish was to get well, so she began folding paper cranes using medicine wrappers and whatever paper she could find. But her wish did not come true, and she died at the age of 12.
　　The story of this girl became widely known, and later, people began to consider sets of 1000 cranes to be a special form of origami imbued with hopes and prayers.
　　For people in Japan, origami is more than just a leisure activity; it's a compact form of art reflecting people's thoughts and feelings.

(Vocabulary)
chill [U], a/the ~ 冷たさ, 冷気, 寒さ
the chill of the night air  夜の冷気
represent [他] (人・状況など) を表現する, 描く
run (考えなど)が浮かぶ
invest sb/sth with sth
(フォーマル) ＜人・組織など＞に＜権限など＞を与える, 付与する
(フォーマル) ＜…＞に＜性質＞が備わっているように見せかける
Being the boss invested her with a certain glamor. 上司だということで彼女には何がしかの魅力が備わっているように見えた．
govern  [他] 〈規則・法律などが〉 〈制度・組織など〉 を管理［統制］する
endow (学校・病院など) に寄付する, (基金など) を寄付する
endow sb/sth with sth
＜人・施設＞に＜金＞を寄付する
(フォーマル) ＜…＞に＜…＞を授ける, 賦与する
sophistication 洗練されていること, 教養のあること / 精巧さ, 高度さ, 高性能
take on sth
(異なる性質・様相など)を見せ始める, 帯びる
Her face took on a fierce expression.  彼女の顔に荒々しい表情が浮かんだ．
(難しい仕事など)に取りかかる, (重要な事など)を引き受ける
wrapper  （紙・ビニール製の) 包装紙, 包み紙 / (新聞・雑誌用の) 帯封
imbue sb/sth with sth (フォーマル) ＜…＞に＜感情・性質など＞を吹き込む, 鼓吹する

(和訳) 

日本では多くの子どもが、一度は折り紙で遊んだことがあります。折り紙に道具は必要ありません。四角い紙を折るだけです。ハサミものりも使いません。折り紙は様々な形を生み出せます。こちらはアヤメ。鶴。紙風船。野に咲く草花から身近な生活用品まで。折り紙は、子どもたちの想像力をいっぱいにかきたててくれます。

古来、日本人にとって紙は、絵や文字を書くだけでなく、願いを込める神聖なものでした。これは人の形に切り取った紙を川に流し、心身の穢れを拭い去る風習です。

また、紙は贈り物を包むための大切な素材でした。今から６００年ほど前には、贈り物を包むための折り方が作法として定められ、折り方そのものに特別な意味を持たせるようにもなりました。穢れ（けがれ）が贈り物に移らないように祈りを込めて紙を折り、紙に包み、贈り物を大切な人に届けました。こうした折り方の技術が、やがて技巧をこらした折り紙へと発展していきました。

「連鶴」と呼ばれるこの折り紙。一枚の紙に切り込みを入れ、何羽も鶴が連なるように作られています。こうして折り紙の技巧は江戸時代後期に高度に発達していきました。そして戦後、鶴が日本人にとって特別なものになっていきます。広島の平和記念公園にある「原爆の子の像」。少女が折り鶴を高々と掲げています。

この像のモデルとなったのは、広島で被爆した一人の少女。わずか２歳で被爆した少女は、その９年後、白血病を発症します。病魔と闘う少女はある日、「鶴を千羽折ると願いが叶う」という言い伝えを耳にします。「元気になりたい」、そんな一心で薬の包み紙などありったけの紙を使って鶴を折りました。しかしその願いもむなしく、１２歳でこの世を去ったのです。

このエピソードは広く世に知れ渡り、千羽鶴は願いを込めて作る特別な折り紙になっていったのです。日本人にとって折り紙はただの娯楽ではなく、メッセージを映し出す小さなアートなのです。

Soy sauce

　　I've ever been to several countries. During the stay, I often visited local supermarkets to get local foods and drinks. At that time, I came across a certain Japanese product at every supermarket. Guess what? ..... It's "Soy Sauce", shouyu in Japanese. I'm talking about soy sauce this time.

　　Soy sauce is a multi-purpose condiment essential to Japanese cooking. Sushi and sashimi are dipped in soy sauce before eating. Sukiyaki meat smells and tastes great because it's seasoned with soy sauce.
　　There are many kinds of soy sauce. The Koikuchi variety is the most common one. It's dark in color and has a strong aroma. The Usukuchi variety is pale. It's perfect for accentuating the tastes and colors of the natural ingredients. Do you know the traditional way of making soy sauce?
　　First you need steamed soybeans and roasted wheat. A type of mold, called kojikin, is added to them, and the ingredients are carefully mixed. Left for a few days, the mold breeds, and the culture is now called koji.
　　Next, a solution of salt in water is added to the koji. The resulting mixture, called moromi, will turn into soy sauce. When left in vats for a few months, the moromi undergoes the chemical change known as fermentation.
　　The mold breaks down the protein in the soybeans to make amino acids, which are responsible for producing umami. There are many fermented food products in Japan, such as miso, natto, and sake -- and soy sauce is one of them.
　　Some soy sauce producers let their moromi mature for as long as 5 years. Making soy sauce requires a lot of labor as well. For instance, the moromi needs to be stirred thoroughly to let oxygen penetrate evenly. This promotes fermentation. When the maturation process is complete, the moromi is strained through cloth. What comes out is soy sauce. A great deal of time and effort goes into making delicious soy sauce.
　　These days, the use of soy sauce is not limited to Japanese cuisine. In French cuisine, for example, it's used to add flavor to certain dishes. In the U.S., it's a key ingredient of teriyaki sauce.
　　A traditional condiment in Japan, soy sauce has crossed national borders and is now an essential element in many cuisine around the world.

(From comments)
mainstay  (経済・文化などの) 柱（となるもの）, 支え /  (集団・組織の) 精神的支柱, 大黒柱
catch on  気づく, わかる / 人気が出る, 流行する

(和訳)
和食に欠かせない万能調味料、しょうゆ。
寿司や刺身は、そのままつけて食べます。すき焼きの肉に香ばしい風味を添えるのも、しょうゆです。
しょうゆには、多くの種類があります。一般的によく使われるのが、濃い口です。色が濃く、香りも強いしょうゆです。薄口は色が淡く、食材が持つ味と色合いを生かすときに使います。
しょうゆを使い分けることで、料理の味と美しさがより引き立ちます。
伝統的なしょうゆ作りの行程を見てみましょう。

原料となるのは、蒸した大豆と炒った小麦。ここに麹菌と呼ばれるカビの一種を加え、丁寧に混ぜ合わせます。数日経つと麹菌が繁殖します。この状態を麹と呼びます。そこに塩水を加えると、しょうゆのもととなる「もろみ」の出来上がりです。

これを桶に入れて数ヶ月おくと、発酵と呼ばれる化学変化が起きます。麹菌が大豆のタンパク質を分解し、うまみ成分となるアミノ酸を作り出すのです。みそ、納豆、日本酒など、多くの日本の食品は発酵を利用して作られます。しょうゆもそうした食品の一つです。

作り手によっては５年もかけて、じっくりと熟成させていきます。さらに、人の手間も欠かせません。桶の底までかき回すことでまんべんなく酸素を送り、発酵を促します。熟成が終わったものを布でこすと、ようやくしょうゆの完成です。長い時間と人の労力。手間暇をかけることで、おいしいしょうゆが出来上がるのです。

最近、しょうゆは和食以外でも使われています。フランス料理では隠し味として活用され、アメリカではテリヤキソースの元として親しまれています。

日本の伝統的な調味料、しょうゆは、今や国境を越えた味となっています。

 

Toastmaster

　　One of my acquaintances told me about an unofficial toastmaster meeting that has been held three times a month in my hometown. It was the first time that I heard about the toastmaster meeting. I checked the official website of Toastmasters International (http://www.toastmasters.org/) out. I skimmed through the website and decided to attend the meeting. It seemed interesting to me. Several foreigners who live in my city and want to brush up on their Japanese skills, and Japanese who want to acquire a good knowledge of English are collaborating with each other. The meeting is held in Japanese one of three times, and in English the rest of the three times.
　　May 9th was the first day for me. I was just an observer then, but I tried to give a speech on 23rd. I chose "Soy sauce" as my topic. The evaluation was not bad, however I'd like to step it up further.
　　I hope I'll be able to describe many cultural aspects of Japan in English. I'm going to choose various items from Japan as my topics in the meeting just like professional singers increase their repertoire.
　　I'm thinking of the set of a thousand cranes in origami as the next topic of my speech. The drafts of my speeches will be uploaded here categorized by Toastmaster. They might be fun for foreigners.