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Broadcasting to an audience of three (and a goldfish)...
Comment, ramblings and musings... life through the eyes of a Japanologist...
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Sunday, January 12, 2003 |
 What I did today
Today, I...
- Went to the dezomeshiki for the Enoo Fire Brigade;
- Met Ozaki-kun, a friend from the next town, and went to Kamagari and Shimo-Kamagari;
- Went to Mejiro (finally!), intending to have just a couple of drinks;
- Left Mejiro six glasses (big glasses!) of shochu later, four of them having been bought for me by a lady whom I think I've spoken to only once before!
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 I was up early, despite it being Sunday, to go to the dezomeshiki- the New Year's fire-brigade review- in the ground of Etajima Elementary School. The first part of the review is fairly formal, with speeches and presentations of certificates, but then there is a parade, and demonstrations of firefighting techniques. Partly because I'd not been before, and partly because I wanted to use my video camera, I decided to go along, although because I'd arranged to meet Ozaki-kun to go for a drive at 10.30, I saw all of the speeches and presentations (in all their stultifying glory, it has to be said)... and had to leave as soon as the parade finished, in other words directly before the performance (the interesting bit!). Oh well- there's always next year...
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It was worth leaving the dezomeshiki early, though, because the drive to Kamagari and Shimo-Kamagari with Ozaki-kun was excellent. The scenery was great, and the conversation was amusing.
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 Japan A-Z
Dezomeshiki
Dezomeshiki is a special event with performances by the Fire Brigade, held at the beginning of the year. The origins of this event go back about 340 years, to the Edo period. In those days, fires that destroyed many houses were a not infrequent event; generally, all the firemen could do was to pull down the surrounding buildings to prevent the spread of the fire. In January 1657, a big fire referred to as Meireki no Taika destroyed a large part of Edo (Tokyo); prompting the Tokugawa Bakufu to organise four fire brigades, in 1659. These brigades exhibited their skills to the citizens of Edo in front of the Toshogu Shrine (in Ueno) on January 4th every year, in order to give the citizens confidence in their fire-fighting skills. The performances include hashigo-nori (ladder acrobatics), where tobi (steeple-jacks) do handstands, or lie on their backs or fronts, etc., at the top of a 6.5-metre high ladder.
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 J-List
Nanakusa (the seven herbs of spring)
- Seri (Japanese parsley)
- Nazuna (shepherd's purse)
- Ogyo (cottonweed)
- Hakobera (chickweed)
- Butsuza (lamium amplexicaule)
- Suzuna (turnip)
- Daikon (Japanese radish)
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Another entry from the sake book. Alcohol and Health: Q
Qualm: Qualm and worry trigger alcoholism in women.
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