Monday, February 26, 2018

Last Drinks in Tokyo at Pigalle / 東京最後の飲み 「ピガール」

My last night out drinking in Tokyo was with a co-worker of mine from my Costco days. His name is Hachimonji. He is also from Aomori Prefecture. His hometown is Mutsu which is located on the Shimokita Peninsula. Anyway, we went out for a couple of beers and food and then decided to hit one other place. A craft beer shop I had been aware of but had never been which was located in my neighborhood of Sangenjaya. The name of the place is Pigalle. As this would be my last week in Tokyo, I thought it would be a great excuse to check the place out.

東京最後の飲みはコストコ時代の同僚と一緒。同僚の名前は八文字(感じがあってるかどうか分かりません、ひらがな:はちもんじ)。八文字は青森県陸奥出身。彼は三軒茶屋まで来てくれて、軽く飲んで、軽く食べた。三茶にずーと前から気になる店もあって、この機会でお尋ねることにした。店の名前は「ピガール」。地ビールの専門店。







Some snacks at a nearby izakaya before heading to Pigalle.

ピガール行く前にちょっと軽く食べた。


Pigalle is a very small bar. Standing room only type of place.

ピガールの店内は凄い狭い。まるで立ち飲み屋です。


Interesting interior. You could tell the owner was a big fan of movies.

店内の雰囲気も良い感じ。壁に貼ってるあるポスターを見ると、店主は大の映画好きでわかる。




I can't remember what brand of beer I ordered, but it was the stout on the left. My co-worker had the Abbot Ale. As my co-worker had to work the next day, we only had one beer here before calling it a night.

なんの黒ビールを頼んだか覚えてないけど、やっぱり僕は黒ビールが好き。同僚がアボットエールを頼みました。同僚は明日も仕事だったので、一杯飲んで解散。












Wednesday, February 14, 2018

National Museum of Japanese History (Part 3) / 国立歴史民俗博物館 (パート3)

The third and final installment of my posts about the National Museum of Japanese History. It was a fun and interesting place. Something a bit different from other tourist attractions. And now it was lunch time, so we headed to the museum's restaurant and noticed an interesting item on their menu - curry made with ancient wild rice. I knew I had to try it. One of the others ordered the ancient wild hayashi rice.

国立歴史民俗博物館の最後のネタ。結構興味深いで面白い場所でした。丁度お腹空いたので、ミュージアムのレストランへ。メニューに気になるアイテムが載ってた。それが古代カレー。メニューによると中国で皇帝に献上していたという古代米の味わいを、スパイシーなチキンカレーが引き立たせます。価格もリーゾナブルの820円。

Checking out the museum pamphlet / 博物館のパンフレットチェック中


Curry with ancient wild rice / 古代カレー

Hayashi rice with ancient wild rice / 古代ハヤシ




Lets dig in!

いただきます!







Afterwards, Yukio and Reiko dropped the rest of us at the train station as we made our way home. Mikako and I would be movie to Aomori the following Thursday.

食べ終わったら、幸男たちは私たちを電車の駅まで送ってくれた。数日後、僕と僕の妻は東京を離れ、青森に引っ越す。


On the train / 電車の中





New adventures would awaiting us up north!!

東北で新たな冒険が始まる!!

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

National Museum of Japanese History (Part 2) / 国立歴史民俗博物館 (パート2)

Continuing our tour through the National Museum of Japanese History. I said we have reached the Showa era (1926-1989). I lived in Tokyo during the years 1969 through 1973.

国立歴史民俗博物館の探検が続いてます。丁度昭和時代の展示に来ました。自分昭和44年から48年まで東京に住んでました。

That's a pretty big bento box if you ask me.

結構大きめな弁当箱だ。








This looks like a model of an early American colonial home.

この模型はアメリカの古い時代の家みたですね。






This is a Type 38 rifle. It is displayed in such a way that you are encouraged to try lifting it. It weighs 3.9 kilograms (almost 9 lbs).

三八式歩兵銃。サインに”持ち上げてみよう”と書かれてる。1905(明治38)年に制式化されたためこの名がある。その後、太平洋戦争期にいたるまで長く使用された。重さは3.95キログラムです。


This is a replica of meals in the barracks. 

昭和初期、兵舎内での食事を再現。


Replica of the barracks during the early Showa years.

昭和初期の兵舎。





Hanging scroll depicting life precepts in the final stages of the war (1944).

「戦時生活人生画訓」(昭和19)年。

Gas mask for air defense.

防空用防毒面。






I think these may be scenes of Occupied Japan.

上記の写真はもしかして総合国軍占領下の日本の時代を表してる。






More American goods were coming into the country after Japan lost the war. That Dagwood sandwich looks really good! I could go for one of those. It is from the comic strip [Blondie]. 

日本が戦争に負けて、アメリカのものが段々国に入ってるくる。あのサンドはダッグウッドサンドウィッチだ。漫画「ブロンディ」の登場人物のダグウッドが冷蔵庫からたくさんの素材を出して作る大きなサンドウィッチは、豊かなアメリカの物資生活に対するあこがれの象徴となった。

The modernization of Japan after the war.

日本も戦争後から景気に力を入れて段々モダンになってゆく。




One of Japan's most famous exports that was created during the Showa era. This model was the 1984 model of Godzilla which was based on the original 1954 model. 

世界で一番有名な輸出品じゃないかな?これは1984年版のゴジラ。1954年初代ゴジラへの原点回帰を目的に作られたものです。


Action figures of some of the hero characters I grew up with during my elementary years. From left to right is Tiger Mask, Ultra 7, Ultraman, and Mirror Man. My brother and I used to watch a lot of these shows on tv back then.

あっ、自分が小学校時代の憧れのヒーローたちだ。左から右はタイガーマスク、ウルトラ・セブン、ウルトラマン、とミラーマンだ。その当時のヒーロー番組を良く見てた。


More cool stuff. I still have a lot of my pictures of Ultraman and the Masked Rider and other heroes which my brother and I mostly bought from a shop called "Sakura" that was located right outside of the main gate of the military housing annex where we lived.

や~、懐かしいね。僕と僕の兄は当時「さくら」という駄菓子屋で良くこいう写真も買ったな。今でも大切に保管しております。

It was an interesting trip through the history of Japan. Now it is time for lunch. We decided to eat at the restaurant here at the museum before making our way back home. My wife and I would have to make our final check of our apartment and other things before our move away from Tokyo. Still, I had a grand time in Tokyo for the last twenty years. The next twenty up north should be just as interesting.

日本の歴史はやっぱり面白い。昼食の時間になり、博物館にあるレストランで食べることにした。食べ終わったら、帰って引越しの最終チェックをしなきゃいけない。ま、20年も東京で生活したわけなので、これからの20年は雪国の東北で生活する。大冒険になるのは違いない。

Saturday, February 3, 2018

National Museum of Japanese History (Part 1) / 国立歴史民俗博物館 (パート1)

Our final weekend in Tokyo led us to the National Museum of Japanese History. It seemed like a fun thing to do before moving on to colder pastures.

東京最終の週末は友達と国立歴史民俗博物館まで行ってきました。朝から出発。

Sort of a tight fit in the car.

車が6人にとってちょっと狭かった。


And here we are at the National Museum of Japanese History.

国立歴史民俗博物館に到着。


We got here a little before noon. We would check out the museum and also have lunch here as well.

あとちょっとで昼になる頃だった。博物館を探検してあと、ミュージアムのレストランでランチを食べることにした。


The museum is located in Chiba Prefecture in a town called Sakura. It is commonly known as the "Reki Haku". According to Wikipedia, the museum was founded in 1981 as an inter-university research consortium and was opened to the public in 1983. 

日本のウィキペディアによると国立歴史民俗博物館(通称 歴博)は千葉県佐倉市城内町にある大学共同利用期間法人人間文化研究機構が運営する博物館。日本の古学、歴史、民俗について総合的に研究・展示する博物館である。

At the entrance before we even started to see the displays, we checked out the large model replicas of some temples at the entrance. This is a model of the Taho Pagoda of Negorodera Temple in Wakayama Prefecture.

博物館の中の展示品を見るまえに入口で大きな模型が展示されてるものを見ました。これは和歌山県にある根来寺多宝塔模型。




The pictures above are models of the main gate of Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto.

上記にある写真は京都の東福寺三文模型。


Shinden-zukuri, the architectural style adapted from the layout of the Imperial Palace.

東三条殿(ひがしさんじょうどの)


This is called a michodai. It is a bed used by the emperor, queen, regent, etc. 

貴族の生活にあった御帳台(みちょうだい)。天皇や貴族が寝るときに寒さや人目を防ぐために用いた組み立て式の寝室。






This is a model of the interior of an aristocratic mansion.

寝殿の室内。


Everyday garment worn by nobles.

中世武士の水干姿。

Representative Warrior Residence of Eastern Japan : 13th-14th century.

武士の館。


The Asakura's residence in Echizen Province (now Fukui).

朝倉館復元模型。(16世紀)

I just love all these models. I could have spent all day just looking at the details but there was still quite a bit to explore.

この模型が凄い好き。ずーと見られる感じ。でもまだまだ見るところがいっぱいあるので、前に進むしかない。








Display of old weapons. I know one of my friends in the U.S. would enjoy this section of the museum. He might not want to leave this area.

昔の武器の展示。アメリカの友達の一人は絶対この部屋から出なくなるくらい興味を持ちそう。



If I remember correctly, these armors were called yoroi.

自分の記録が確かならば、これは鎧というものです。


This was the start of a market street event in our old neighborhood of Setagaya. It apparently started in 1578 and continues to this day.

おう、私たちが近くに住んでた世田谷のボロ市の始まりだ。大正6年(1578ねん)から始まって、今でも続いてます。


Housou Jizo / 疱瘡地蔵

Dutch ship calling on Japanese ports in the mid 17th century.

17世紀中頃、オランダの船の模型。


Feudal Japan farmer's clothes.

中世農民衣装。



Seller of decoction products which is the action or process of extracting the essence of something. Yes, I had to look up the workd "detoction"!

煎じ物売り。

Feudal Japan merchant.

中世商人。


Old Japanese currency / 日本の古い通貨




Women such as these were called katsurame that sold sweetfish to people in Feudal Japan.

桂女(かつらめ)は中世に町の川でとられた鮎を販売してた女性です。


Feudal Japanese carpenters.

中世の大工さんたちですね。


The item the person in front is holding is called a binnzara, which is a musical instrument which is used in folk songs, rural dances, and kabuki theater.

前に立てる人が手に持ってるのは日本の楽器の拍板(びんざさら)。




This is where I would be working if I lived in Feudal Japan - the bookstore!!

自分が中世の日本に住んでたら、ここで働いてる。もちろん本屋です!

The illustrated book shop was called an ezoshiya.

これは絵双紙屋(えぞうしや)というです。


Strange but cool art piece made with seashells.

貝殻から出来た面白いアート。


This was just bizarre! I didn't know what to make of it.

これは不思議過ぎて、作者はなにを伝えようとしてるのかな?






It appears like my friend Gan-chan has become part of the display.

あれ、友達の岩ちゃんが展示物になったかも。


Time slipping back to Edo.

江戸にタイムスリップ。




This is a water wheel. It was used to irrigate fields. However, it was powered by using your feet.

足踏式水車。水路から田に水を入れる道具。



Old Japanese mechanical doll.

からくり人形。








Our next stop will be into the Showa era. Our museum adventure will continue...

これからは昭和時代に入ります。博物館の探検は続きます。