Category Archives: blog

Thinking about lives

According to 9th June’s Asahi morning paper, in India at senior high school, the students of the third grade must take the unity test, which will decide their future. After the announcement of the result of the tests, many students who had failured in tests have committed suicide every year.

In Japan, there is a sign board which stands on the cliff from where many people jumped to their death. It says, “Just a moment. To die is too early for you. You have many years ahead. If you die now, you will get nothing from life.” I want to give this word to the youth in despair in India.

Popular flower in June in Japan

Popular flower in June in Japan

I believe in the existence of the soul after death but I don’t agree with suicides at all. Dr.Hinohara says, “Your life exists in now.”. I think if you live hard in this world, you will go to heaven peacefully. The opposite attitude of living hard is to compare oneself to others and have nagative feelings or decide one’s life accepting other’s expectations.

I want to say this to the youth in India. You should make your life by yourself. You don’t know when and how expectations  of society for you  will change.Let’s live gracefully and strongly the life you are given.

Clearing off the table at once

I borrowed a book from Ms.Y. but I was concerned   that I might make the book dirty. “Don’t worry about that.”, she said. “I lend you books insted of throwing them away. I don’t want to have books I have already read at home. I always want to clear out my place.”

Hearing what she said, Mr.Y. said to me “Oh! Her character is the opposite of you. You have many things at home and there are many books and papers on the table.” as he had visited my house and seen the room before, he touchd a sore spot.

The beauty of Japanese tidy room

The beauty of Japanese tidy room

I contradicted him saying  “Not only I but my family should take the blame for messing. There are four people in my family, so I will take a quater of the resposibility for it and if you are worried about things on the table, would you help me to tidy it?”  “Yes.”, he said, “What shall I do?” I answered, “Please take two corners of the table-cloth. I will have the other two corners of it and let’s take it with the contents to the next room. That will clean it.”

Mr.Y. was amazed to hear that. No to worry. I am sure to clean the room and things on the table… someday.

The changes of clothes

Since the 11th March 2011, I have seldom seen women wearing skirts. Most of them wore slacks. The colour of them was either black or grayish, in other words, rather dark.

When I saw people’s dark clothes in the train, I sighed, but these days, the appearance of clothes has changed gradually.  I began to see especially the young wearing skirts. Some are wearing mini skirts. The colour is not showy, but gentle bright colours like pastel colours.

Seeing these made me happy and I thought I want to wear skirts or a dress also. At first I must buy a slip. So I went to three shops to buy it. But every saleswoman said, “We have no slips, but there are petticoats.”  I said, “I was very surprised to hear that. The times have changed?”  A saleswoman said feeling pity for me, “Many women like you said the same thing as you.”

I was relieved to hear that, knowing that there are other Urashima Hnako the same as me.

What’s the meaning of “Reading a poem aloud”?

The class of Reading Poems Aloud by Dorian Sukekawa has finished today. I have fully enjoyed the world of poems. It’s been a long time since I last read them.

He taught me that  reading a poem aloud is to tell your image of  it to the audience and to picture the poem in your mind is very important for persuading them to let them know your image.

If I read the poem, I can understand the real state of the poet. When I play the piano, I enter into a composer’s heart through  hands. When I read a poem aloud, I conjure the writer’s spirit through my voice.

An impressive excursion

I went on an excursion to Izu area. I and my companions visited our teacher’s house. In his garden, I saw a teahouse, many trees, a small fall and even a natural river. It was for the first time that I saw the river runninng through the private garden. I felt the breath of every living thing there.

And we went to the old Japanese traditional dancing hall. There, we saw many  beautiful Japanese women (so called Geisha), who were wearing kimonos gorgeously dancing. They were dancing gracefully, sometimes comically. I want to recommend you strongly to see them.

 

 

 

 

 

Kimono class

To my sadness, I seldom see women who wear a Kimono these days. In old days, I saw many women wearing a Kimono here and there. Actually, my mother used to wear a Kimono everyday. As for me, I wear a Kimono 2or 3 times a month at most.  I worry that the Japanese Kimono culture may be dying out.

So, I want to  make a Kimono class and have a Kimono group. Sometimes we will go out wearing a Kimono together. You, especially foreigners, will be fascinated by our graceful figures.

I thank Mr.T. &Mr.Y. for helping me

Today I was taught how to make an English website and handbills by Teacher T. and Mr.Y.. They know very well about computers and as does Ms.Y., who manages an English school.  While Mr.Y and Ms.Y were talking about PC’s, I was reading a comic because I felt as if they were speaking in a foreign language. Anyway, I am very happy to know those people who are capable of handling PC’s.

国立の気功教室

今日は本当の国立の第一回目。風邪や急用で欠席の方が二人いて、六人でのスタートとなった。教室で教えていると終わった後、凄く自分も元気になっていることがわかる。Yさんも「気功をした後はなんかすっきりして、頭が冴えているんだよね」というようなことをおっしゃっていた。膝が軽くなった方がいて、皆さんと喜びあうことができた。

華麗な盆栽

華麗な盆栽

気功と気功教室をしていてよかった、と思う。この年で自分で何かを作って進めていくというのは大変だけれど、ある年からもう勤めることは無理だと思って自分ができることを手放さずにきた。気功教室では気を確かめながら、皆さんと気の空間を作り上げていく楽しさがある。KIRAKUの気功師になってくださる方が沢山でて、一緒にいい仕事をしていくのが夢でもあり目標だ。

突然の訃報

大事な友達が今日明け方亡くなっていたことが午後わかりました。富士でその方に「私の心はいつもあなたに寄り添っています。」とお手紙書いてお土産も買い、送ろうとして(近所だから持っていこう)と思い直して、今日持っていって知りました。ぼう然とする私に、お嬢さんが「母は冨田さんに会いたかったから呼んだのですね」と言われました。

「私のためだけにピアノを弾いてほしい。『エリーゼのために』を。それから『月の砂漠』も歌って。」と言われ三年前のクリスマスの日にお嬢さんと来て頂きました。ささやかな音楽会を開き、お茶を飲んだりケーキも食べて「嬉しかった。又やって」と言われたのにそのままになってしまいました。ごめんね。ピアノを弾く時は「この曲はあなたのためだけに弾くから聞いていてね。」と時々言いますね。私もいずれ逝くわけだから、又そちらで会いましょう。よく頑張って生きてこられました。安らかにお眠りください。  合掌。

富士へ

一泊二日で富士へ(富士山ではない)行ってきた。午後用事があったのでどう考えても日帰りができたのに、富士山の近くにいたくて一泊した。けれど心掛けが悪かったのか二日とも7合目位から下しか姿を見せてくれなかった。でも午前中、富士市立博物館と歴史民俗博物館、屋外の移築した建物や古墳を見ることができ、新緑の中広い敷地を歩き回れたのはそれなりに楽しかった。

今年は色々な花が一度に咲いた

今年は色々な花が一度に咲いた

午後は講演会に出席した。気功とも関係あるもので、私の中では楽しみというより仕事の一つなのだが、家族は「一人で遊んできた」という雰囲気。気功が世間で本当の理解がえられるのは遥か先と感じているけれど、家族が気功を私の仕事として認めるのはそれよりもっと先だろう、と覚悟した。主婦はこうあるべき、という思い込みは恐ろしい。そういう枠にはまることが出来ない私を見ている家族も、結構しんどいかもしれない。