Kyoto 京都市

Kyoto 

surrounded by mountains

when the full moon floats

it seems that I run into the Bamboo Prince

chattering wood-flip-flops

the wearing of Kimonos

He lives in an eel house to avoid summer heat

that has summer breezes running through

He is looking at the inside-garden 

hearing a bamboo-pipe receive flowing water 

making sounds against a hand-washed-stone-pot

colorful maple leaves fall onto him as he is

caught in a Fox's wedding on a sunny cold winter day

eating herring-soba to keep up his protein

He enjoys Spring covered in the pink

Of cherry blossom

Traditional life ideas bearing something new, here in Kyoto

in cuisine, attire and life-style

for eyes, ears, nose and mouth 

- wabi sabi

The Tragedy of Naruto / Keisei Awa no Naruto / 傾城阿波の鳴門 / Tokushima 徳島県

A grown man #movedtotears by a #puppetplay at the Awa Jurobe Yashiki #theatre ---"The Tragedy of Naruto" / "Keisei Awa no Naruto" / 傾城阿波の鳴門 / also known as "The Infant Pilgrim" in English ...#tokushima #japan and #japaneseart #theatre continue to teach and move an old man like me --- the art of the #marionnette #burattini #marionetta #操り人形 #ayatsuri ningyō #徳島 #日本 #劇場#gekijo #awajurobeyashiki — in Tokushima, Tokushima.

"My father’s name is Jûrobê, my mother is Oyumi…" are the famous lines uttered by Otsuru, "the infant pilgrim" from this puppet play still performed in the city of Tokushima on Shikoku over two hundred years after its first performance. The play, consists of 10 sections and premiered in 1768 at Takemoto-za theater in Osaka. Today, only the 8th section called ‘Jûrobê Sumika: Junrei-uta no dan (a section of ''The Pilgrimage song")’ is played.

Here we see Otsuru (unknowingly) coming across her mother by chance after a long and dangerous search as a child pilgrim across Shikoku and all the way to Osaka. Oyumi cannot reveal her identity out of shame for her action even though she recognises her child and desperately wants to reunite with her. Oyumi’s emotional turmoil moves the audience to tears. A bizarre twist involving Otsuru's father who has turned to crime for a living informs the tragedy.

Getting to see this section of the play live in Tokushima was one of the highlights of my first trip to Japan.

Japanese Verbs / Doshi / 動詞

100 important Japanese Verbs (Romanji / Kanji / audio / examples) 

masu form affirmative	tabemasu
masu form negative	tabemasen
masu past affirmative	tabemashita
masu past negative	tabemasendeshita

Examples

Basic Structure

[ subject ]

wa

[ something ]

o

tabemasu

1.

Watashi wa ban-gohan o tabemasu.

I (will) eat dinner.

2.

Watashi wa niku o tabemasen.

I don't eat meat.

3.

Watashi wa kinoo Karee o tabemashita.

I ate curry yesterday.

4.

Watashi wa kinoo Ginza de Furansu ryoori o tabemashita.

I ate French food at Ginza yesterday.

5.

Watashi wa kesa asa-gohan o tabemasendeshita.

I didn't eat breakfast this morning.

My sentences from class ...

Raishu Sydney ni ikimasu = Next week I (will go/ am going) to Sydney

Kyo gakko ni o ikimashita = Today I went to chool

Maiasa asoghan ni nani o nomimasu ka? = What do you drink every morning for breakfast?

Ashita nihon ni o tobimasu = Tomorrow I am flying to Japan

Nanno shigoto wa shimasu ka? = What type of work (shigoto) do you do?

Time Phrases

Kyo = today
Ashita = tomorrow

Kino = yesterday
mainichi = everyday
maiasa = every morning

maiban = every evening

masu form affirmative	shimasu
masu form negative	shimasen
masu past affirmative	shimashita
masu past negative	shimasendeshita

Basic Structure

[ subject ]

wa

[ something ]

o

shimasu

1.

Watashi wa tenisu o shimasu.

I (will) play tennis.

2.

Watashi wa gorufu o shimasen.

I don't play golf.

3.

Watashi wa kinoo Ginza de kaimono o shimashita.

I did my shopping at Ginza yesterday.

	4.	Watashi wa Nihongo no benkyoo o shimasu.
		Watashi wa Nihongo o benkyoo shimasu.

I (will) study Japanese.

Utada Hikaru 宇多田 ヒカル Michi 道

Beyond the black waves, I feel a hint of morning
The unfading stars start shining in my heart
Even sad songs will someday become nostalgic ones
An unseen scar colors my soul

黒い波の向こうに朝の気配がする
消えない星が私の胸に輝き出す
悲しい歌もいつか懐かしい歌になる
見えない傷が私の魂彩る

I discovered Hikaru Utada on Japanese TV by chance while in Kyoto last September. Hikaru holds the record for having the largest selling album in Japanese history but in recent years disappeared off the scene. That night on NHK was the first time she had appeared in public for some years and on further investigation I learnt about her professional and personal struggles, most notably, coming to terms with the death of her mother, Keiko Fuji (also one of Japan's most popular singers). Keiko took her own life in 2013.  Many of the songs explore themes of loss, grief, rejection and death although there are also notes of love (Hikaru remarried in 2014 and gave birth to a son a year later). 

So this song "Michi" (Road) has a poignant edge. The song is from her album "Fantôme" 

Find out more about Hikaru and listen to excerpts from her most recent album here

Watashi wa kono kyoku ga dai suki desu


Michi from taorpiest 3 on Vimeo.