Shumeigiku

I read Shuhei Fujisawa 'Koken' (Shinchosha.)

It is the sequel of 'Yojinbo Jitsugetsusho.'

He went to Edo again for undercover mission.

Matahachiro beated the wanted person and his fated rival, Shizuma Otomi at Edo.

After fulfilling his duty, he returned home.

The shumeigiku begins to open up.

Kusagi

I read Shuhei Fujisawa 'Yojinbo Jitsugetsuho' (Shinchosha.)

Matahachiro Aoe was a samurai who belonged to a certain Tohoku domain.

He escaped from its clan for a reason and went to Edo for supporting himself.

He earned his living out of bodyguard. Fujisawa describes his daily life in Edo.

At last he allowed coming back to the domain.

The berry of kusagi is used as the dye stuff.

Hot pepper

I read Akira Yoshimura 'Aji wo tazunete' (Kawadeshoboshinsha.)

this is the collection of his food-related essays.

There is the story of Kasutera made by Fukusaya in Nagasaki.

I want to have Fukusaya's 'Kuzu' of 'Kasutera' and 'Mimi' of 'Kasutera.'

Some of hot pepper are already drying under the eaves.

Susuki

I read Akira Yoshimura 'Shogitai' (Asahishinbunsha.)

Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the last Edo Shogun returned political power to the emperor.

Yoshimura wrote about the story of change of power. He described some negotiators between Shogun and emperor. Rinojinomiya was one of them.

He was blue-blooded and the master of Kaneiji Temple that was the family temple of Tokugawa and was located at Ueno, Tokyo. He was guarded by Shogitai.

The spikes of susuki are growing.

Natsusuisen

I read Akira Yoshimura 'Daikokuya Kodayu' (Mainichishinbunsha.)

Kodayu is a ship's master in Edo Period.

He suffered shipwreck and landed on Russia with other fourteen crews.

this is their extraordinary odyssey in Russia for ten years till only tree including Kodayu returned home.

The natsusuisen opens up.

Fuyo

I read Akira Yoshimura 'Akatsuki no Tabitito' (Kosansha.)

This is the life story of Ryojun Matsumoto who was the first surgeon general of Japan.

He was the doctor of 'Shogun.'

He survived change of power at end of Edo period and became of high officials of Meiji government.

Yoshimura maintains matter-of-fact approach.

The takasago-fuyo has been blooming one after another since the end of July.

Susuki

I read Akira Yoshimura 'Sonohito no Omoide' (Kawadeshoboshinsha.)

It is the collection of his essays.

He wrote the stories by bringing back memories to whom he met and was impressed.

Among them 'Shufu denai Tsuma', The wife without domestic service is very interesting for me.

His wife is a novelist, Setsuko Tsumura. I feel sympathy for him.

The spikes of yahazususuki make me feel autumn.

Shoga

I read Ryuji Kinoshita 'Kindai Nipon no Shougaku Kyokasho' (Chuokoronshinsha.)

There are many pictures that copied from the original text book.

They offer us nostalgic and comfort. The figures in the text book looks conscientious and humble.

The shoga is growing.

Ｓusuki

I read Noriko Ibaragi 'Ippon no Kuki no Ue ni' (Chikumabunko.)

She says human face is a moment of flower that opens up on a stalk.

It means each person has its roots. She makes further reference to the theme of 'where he roots of Japanese people can be sought.'

The spikes of yahazu susuki begin to appear.

Omotenashi

Ｉ read 'Hiroshima wo Sekaini' (The Sprit of Hiroshima) (Hiroshimaheiwakinennkannshiryou.)

Sixty-six years has passed since atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

On March 11th, 2011, a large-scale radiation leak occurred at the Fukushima No.1 Power Plant .

We should know we could not control 'Nuclear Power.'

Please allow me to my deepest sympathy for the victims of 'Nuclear Power.'

We had Omotenashi supper yesterday.

Mikan

I read Fukazawa Tetsuzo 'Tokyo Nanmin' (Kobunsha.)

The lead character Osamu Tokeida is an average young man.

When he was a junior of the private university in Tokyo, He lost his financial assistance from his parents.

He was expelled from school for inability of paying tuition fees.

He started to work, but he has been poor states of economy and plumed the depth.

Mikans are dripping wet.

Eggplant

Ｉ read Ton Koyano 'Ukigumo' (Kawadeshoboshinsha.)

It is the modern translation of 'Ukigumo', by Tutabateishimei.

It's a reader friendly book.

I read it at one sitting.

The eggplant bears fruits repeatedly

Yuzu

I read Masahiro Sugiyama 'Kishokogaku Nyumon' (Nikkankogyoshinbunsha.)

IPCC targets the control of global warming within 2 degrees Celsius.

And it become increasingly harder.

It begins to talk that it will have to take measures of 4 degrees rising along with 2 degrees.

There are two ways to prevent global warming. One is light -reflecting. And the other is removal of carbon dioxide.

This book is one of the better introductions of geo-engineering.

The Yuzu is happy with rain drops.

Cooked leaves of togarashi

I read Makoto Wada '5.7.5 Koyuroku' (Hakusuisha.)

He works as an illustrator and an essayist.

When he was 6 ears old he wrote his first haiku. 'Fumikirono Maeninaranda Umibozu.'

He has been enjoyed haiku with his work fellows and friends.

He describes his wide circle of friends through haiku.

The leaves of the red hot pepper was boiled and seasoned.

Togarashi

Ｉ read Dominique Loreau 'L' art de la simpicite' ('Simple ni Kurasu') (Translated by Yoshie Sasane) (Chukeishuppan.)

She says food is the fundamentals to live a simple lifestyle and gives us joy of living.

This book teach how to live a simple lifestyle focusing form the standpoint of food, cooking, organized kitchen.

Togarashi is ready to be dried.

Goya

I read Akira Yamamoto 'Toseki Seikatsu 17nen' (Iwanaishoten.)

He is an editor of newspaper and lives on dialysis for 17 years.

He got a kidney transplant two years ago. The donor was his wife.

It is the story of his struggle with the disease.

The goya is still lusty.

Satoimo

I read Hannab Holmes 'The Secret Life of Dust' (Translated by Ayumi Kajiyama) (Kinokuniyashoten.)

The sub-title of this book is 'Trom the cosmos to the kitchen counter, the big consequences of little things.' We are living in the clouds of dusts. This book serves as a useful reference to the flow of radioactive materials from the disabled Fukushima nuclear plants.

The dry-up satoimo stocks water drops from blessed rain.

Dragonfly

I read Yoko Ogawa 'Neko wo daite Zo to Oyogu' (Bungeishinjyu.)

It is the story of chess player.

I feel his tender-heartedness.

I gets that the chess is deep hobby.

The dragonfly is on the leaves of hiradotsutsuji.

Tamanushi

Ｉ read Rachel Carson 'The Sense of Wonder' (Translated by Keiko Kamito) (Shinchosha.)

This story based on the life of Carson and her nephew's son, Roger.

They explore seashores and forests.

And they observes constellations and the sea in night.

This is her posthumous papers.

The tamamusi is on the leaves of the hot pepper.

Togan (冬瓜の青柚子風味）

Ｉ read Yoshiko Tatsumi ' Kateiryori no Sugata' (Bunkaashuppankyoku.)

In the book's preface Tatumi writes about 'Hyakuren Jitoku(百錬自得)' It means that practice makes perfect.

I her book, there is togan(冬瓜) dishes in season now. They are kuzubiki(葛引き） and amazuzuke(甘酢漬け.)

I had togan no aoyuzufumi(冬瓜の青柚子風味) at my house.

Hot pepper

I read Jungo Aoki 'Watakushi no inai Koko' (Kodansha.)

The high school in Chiba prefecture took in an exchange student.

She is the Canadian born in Brazil.

Aoki describes the event of school calendar focusing her home room teacher.

Ｈｏt peppers will be soon gathered and dried.

Shumeigiku

Ｉ read Noriko Ibaragi 'Yorikakaruzu' (Chikumashobo.)

It is the collection of her poems

There is the poem titled 'Warau Noryoku' (Capacity to Laugh)

I read it and I laughed.

I am glad that I can laugh.

The shumeigiku has its flower buds.

Kirigirisu

I read Tsuguo ando 'Nihon Yakimono Ryoko Ⅰ (Shigaragi, Iga, Bizen, Tanba)' (Heibonsha.)

The quality of soil gives life to the pottery. The crafts men call high quality soil 'Tai no Sashimi.'

Shizutani school in Okayama has glowing fire color of Bizen.

(From the caption on the picture of this book.)

Kirigirisu is on the leaves of pepper plant.

Persimmon

I read Jonathan Littell 'LES BIENVEILLANTES' (Itsukushimi no Megamitachi)(Translated Masaaki Kanno, etc)(Shueisha.)

The story has the formality of the commentaries of Shutzstaffe(SS).

What is the war? What does it mean for human beings to kill or to be killed in the war?

The author draws our mind to think about these themes.

It's a bulky book. The novel is based upon historical facts.

The persimmon grows steadily.

Yaburan

I read Setuko Tsumura 'Nihon Yakimono Ryoko Ⅱ(Masuko, Kasama, Aizu, Sado, Tugaru) (Heibonsha.)

Mumyoiyaki appears on Tsumura's book 'Tsuchikoi.' It is produced in Sadogashima and its bright red color pottery is special. I confirmed it on the picture of this book.

I knew Obayashiyaki in Iida, Shinshu for the first time by this book. I am impressed the picture of massive heavy kiln.

Yaburan grows thickly.

Ｔhe anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing

I read Yo Henmi 'Mizuno Toshi Gaho' (Kyodo News.)

This is the collection of Hemni's essys.

'Sarusuberi wa naze Kowai noka' is one of them.

Its subtitle is 'Hiroshima no Sozetu to Fuhaku.'

He refers to the devastation of Hisorhima and he angers its spontaneous forgetting.

An atomic bomb was dropped and exploded 580 meters above ground on Hiroshima 66 years ago today.

Yuzu

I read Seiji Fujishiro & Hikari Ota 'Ehon Maboroshino Tori' (Kodansha.)

The Fujishiro'spicture of the wizard and his bird made me feel that they were going out from the book. It is wonderful picture.

I already wrote about the story before. So I will skip the rest this time.

Aoyuzu is good for cooking.

Ｈassaku

I read Yuji Mizoguchi 'Afuriadetanjyoushita Junruiga Nihonjinninrumade' (Softbankshinsho.)

The Japanese comes from African ape-man.

How African ape-men evolved through a period of the seas of time?

And which path did they tread to Japan?

It's a sprawling story and he describes it with Q&A.

Hassaku fruits are growing steadily.

Ogurama

I read Avi Steinberg 'RUNNING THE BOOKS' (Keimusho Toshokan no Hitobito.) (Translated by Mizuhito Knehara & Kaori Nozawa) (Kashiwa shobou.)

He works at the jail as librarian. He depicts the human communication between the librarian and prisoners. He depicts the subtleties of human interaction.

The oguruma grow in abundance.

Sarusuberi

I read Taro Yamada 'Kansensho to Bunmei' (Iwanamishinsho.)

He notes measles in his instruction of the book.

Danish Dr. Panum observed the measles on the Farce Island in 1985.

Yamada presents a brief description of Dr.Panum's report.

We can see what infectious disease are only by reading the preface of the book.

'Enten no Chijou Hana ari Sarusuberi.' (Takahama Kyoshi)

Takasago Fuyo

I read Masayuki Tamaki 'Ouzumoyhaochohihann wo warau' (Asakashinsho.)

Ouzumo has longer history than democracy or modern rationalism.

Ouzumo should not be criticized in the name of modern sports.

He says they go into drive on fixed fight of Ozumo.

Ouzumo should have the membrane of true and false.

He quoted and old saying that cure is worse than the disease, 'Tsuno wo tamete ushi wo korosu.'

Takasogo Fuyo is in full bloom. (File photo 7/29)