#they should have shichi-go-san

[koneko-chan-hai]

Shichi-go-san

I realize that I should have thought of these drawings last week, but better late than never I guess. Haruto is five here, and he’s having a blast being with both of his fathers, seeing the other children around the shrine, and eating chitose-ame. It’s also a milestone for both Hajime and Nagito, seeing how their boy has grown up, and that Nagito is there to see it too.

I hope you’re having a nice Saturday wherever you are, and that you’re all doing well. I’ll see you next week (hopefully with post-ch5-au)!

[putschki1969]

2023/11/10 Blog post by Wakana おしゃべりガーデン第３回目‼︎〜記憶喪失者続出の七五三〜

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Talk Garden #3!! ~Lost Memories of Shichi-Go-Sen~

The November podcast has been uploaded 😃♡ This time's talk topic is "Anecdotes of Shichi-Go-San"!! ️ Funnily enough, almost all the messages I received from everyone were full of "I don't remember". That made laugh🤣🤣I'm sorry, who am I to judge? I honestly don't remember a lot either, I guess we were all too young when we celebrated Shichi-Go-San 😂 I wonder if we should increase the age of celebration from 7(Shichi), 5(Go) and 3(San) to 12 and 15. *laughs* This way, it would be much more memorable 😂 Of course there were also some people who said that they remembered everything perfectly. Some of you mentioned that you remember crying a lot. Very relatable to be honest~ *laughs*

As a small gift to everyone whose message I read in the podcast, I made a handmade glass deco sticker of Shark-chan!\\٩( 'ω' )و // I had a vague idea that a sticker would be a good gift to give as a thank you, so after doing some research, I finally decided on these glass deco stickers! This is the completed set of my Shark-chan glass deco sticker🦈🦈🦈🦈💕A small gift! You can draw whatever picture you like on the film sheet by using the paint, then let it dry and it's done. It takes about 8 hours to dry the whole thing, but I let it dry for about two days just to be sure. Shark-chan is being mass-produced... (I also made one with some odd colouring.) When I tried sticking it on my Mac, the shark looked a bit wrinkled. But these are so much fun to make! 😳✨The glass deco paint is released by the same company that makes the popular Arabic Yamato glue. According to the official description, magical paint is a mixture of paint and glue that turns into colourful and shining stickers and looks like stained glass after drying😊 I didn't know about the existence of these stickers at all until I researched it but they seem to be quite popular😳When I went to Daiso, they also sold paint for this 😳From now on, I want to try more different kinds of drawings! ! \\٩( 'ω' )و // So, everyone whose message I read, please wait patiently for your Shark-chan sticker to arrive!

And I have some news! For the fan club event that will be held after the "Wakana Classics 2023 ~Winter Party~" on December 15th, we have decided to do a poll for the song that I will be singing during that particular section! I started my classical concerts back in 2020 with the "Wakana Covers ~Anime Classics~" album. I thought I would let everyone choose from a selection of songs from this album😉Click here for the poll! ・Yasashisa ni tsutsumareta nara ・Inochi no Namae ・Kimi no Todoke ・Get Wild ・Yume no Yukue

Please let me know which song you would like to hear! ! ! ♪♪♪＼(^o^)／♪♪♪ Lastly, here's a picture of my Gazania which bloomed again due to the abnormally warm temperatures(?)🌼It's blooming so beautifully 😳💕I'm so happy ♡

Well, I hope you enjoy the new episode! This time it's about 40 minutes long *laughs*Please relax and listen 😊

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

Wakana’s Talk Garden#3 「Anecdotes of Shichi-Go-San」

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❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ Do ❗NOT SHARE❗ on other sites ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

For this month, the topic is as follows =>

“Anecdotes of Shichi-Go-San”

For next month’s episode which is scheduled to air in December, the topic is "Things I should do before the end of they year but somehow, I turn a blind eye to it." The submission deadline is 11/30.

Wakana Winter Shark Festival Vol.#3 ~ Birthday Cross Talk Event ~

This year, there will once again be a fan club exclusive online streaming event to celebrate Wakana's birthday. This year, “Wakana Winter Shark Festival Vol.3 ~Birthday Crosstalk Event~” will be held on December 10th, the day of Wakana's birthday! Wakana will be joined by Yuuka Nanri, they will get together for the first time since spring. Everyone, let's celebrate Wakana's birthday together!! ‖Event details Wakana Winter Shark Festival Vol.3 ~Birthday Crosstalk Event~ Date: December 10, 2023 Time: 14:00~ Starring: Wakana& Yuuka Nanri(Guest) ‖Ticket details Ticket sales: Bitfan tickets Live streaming: Bitfan Live [Order period] November 11th 18:00 to December 16th 23:59 Event viewing ticket: ¥2,000 (tax included) *Ticket are limited to FC members *The archived video will be available for viewing December 18th.

[rbelle310]

Warning: Death and birthdays

As many people die as people are born in a single day, but death was no stranger to Matsukawa Issei.

Ojii-san liked to say that 'back in the day' there would always be an occupied coffin under their home.

Today, with the city providing venue and crematorium all in one, they now only had to help the bereaved make all the arrangements. Coffins had to be selected, a temple had to be contacted to schedule the necessary prayers and rituals.

There were no corpses under the Matsukawa home anymore, but death and mourning still pervaded.

Issei and his siblings were raised as their parents were: to laugh quietly and celebrate discreetly. One's joy should never be shown overtly lest it offend another's grief.

On very special years, like his grandparents' kanreki or shichi-go-san, a birthday became a somewhat rowdier affair: Hotels or ryokan were booked, special dinners were arranged.

There was a photo of Issei's fifth birthday at B*kkuri D*nkey in his room, when he got so over-excited, he ate so much hamburger steak and left no room for his own cake.

But for the most part, Issei remembered muted celebrations and soft singing so as to not interrupt any urgent calls that might be taken at the time. Death waits for no one, and certainly not for chocolate cake with a handful of candles.

Today would be the same as before, Issei thought as he washed up after practice, folded his sweaty gym clothes into a ziploc, and prepared to leave with a perfunctory "osaki ni".

He should've realised something was amiss as he stepped outside to put on his shoes only for his sock-clad feet to crinkle plastic tarp on cool concrete.

It hit him all at once. Literally. The cake in his face, a spray of confetti and a series of loud cracks as party-poppers went off at totally different timings alongside and assorted (and somewhat confused-sounding) shouts of "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATSUKAWA-SAN!".

As Hanamaki helped him wipe fresh cream out of his eyes, he blearily made out the scowling figure of Iwaizumi slapping Oikawa on the head, giving him scolding for not doing 'what we discussed'.

Various first years scrambled to salvage the ruined cake in their hands, Watari in particular, panicking as he looked from the smashed chiffon sponge to the mess of cream now tinged pink with strawberry juice.

"Matsukawa-senpai! Um... um... sorry! We didn't know he was going to do that!"

"I did." said Iwaizumi, although plainly having hoped against hope that his childhood friend would behave himself.

"So did I." Hanamaki added wryly, gently guiding another wet wipe along the contours of Issei's face to remove the last bits of cream.

There was nothing to be done about his uniform though, no amount of wet wipes would cleanly remove the speckles with crumbs and dairy. And his socks were ruined when he stumbled onto a blob of cream in his surprise.

Issei's lip twitched.

Gods, what even was this?

He sat down on the tarp, heedless of the mess and lifted his sticky foot. A broken square of white chocolate was stuck to it with a blurry "Happy birthday Mattsun!" piped in dark chocolate.

"I said we'll serve him the cake later, not serve the cake at him!" Iwaizumi continued his harangue in the background as Issei threw back his head and laughed louder than he ever had in years.

"I should've seen it coming." he chortled and then ducked as first year Yahaba, having finished with helping to clean up the gym, came out and received the next cake in the face.

The next year, on this very same day, as Issei prepared to step out of the gym, he brought an umbrella.

[tenjin-no-shinja]

Chapter 16: Children and Silk

According to Uesugi Gūji, who always seems to state matters succinctly, “These rites instill respect for the Kami as well as the feeling that the Kami is intimately involved in that child’s development, much as a kindly relative is.” Returning them to one of the opening themes of this book, these very public events in an individual’s life are two of the many ways that culture gets practiced via a Shinto-inspired orientation to the seasons and cycles one encounters in progressing through social and physical worlds. ②

—Pages 161-162

② From the Endnotes: “…again stress that while this book has been focusing on what happens at one shrine, the reader should not assume that the “loyalty” a family may feel to Suwa restricts its religious activities to Shinto ritual practices only. Many Buddhist temples perform their own versions of hatsumiyamairi and shichi-go-san festivals, again, like Shinto, emphasizing the importance of children receiving blessings from powerful deities.

An example of what the standard calendar would look like for a Shinto Shrine. On the left are major events based on ages, and the right are events on a monthly basis.

…I managed to say something about the importance of maintaining traditions in modern Japan, and that we wanted our son to participate in these traditions as well as receive blessings from the Suwa Kami. ③ My last comment… caused a bit of controversy at the private women’s college I was at the time employed by. Based upon the founding precepts of Presbyterian missionaries…the administrators found my comment “inappropriate” but of course chose to ignore the fact that many of the nonforeign faculty regularly attended school chapel, visited Suwa Shrine at New Year’s and had Buddhist altars in their homes to take care of their ancestors.

—Page 163, with the endnotes from page 249

It is immensely funny to see him talking about things like this, because it really does reflect the average Japanese person’s views towards religion, attending Christian Church, a Shinto Shrine and having Buddhist items in their homes, a true interfaith practice in my opinion.

…Matsumoto-san walks to the altar itself at the very back of the hall, and much to my surprise, removes the sacred gohei (also called heihaku) from its stand. Imagine a stout wooden pole, coated with beautifully gleaming black lacquer and inlaid with mother-of-pearl filigree, from the top of which two gold-leaf streamers but get stale if lightning bolts descend. ④

—Page 164

④ From the Endnotes: “While there are many variations in style, the gohei used in this ritual symbolizes, according to Uesugi Gūji, the earliest form of a Shinto shrine (himorogi), where at the center of a cleared, sacred space was a tree or bamboo used as a kind of lightning rod to attract and provide a place for the deity to alight upon. The zigzag cut of the gohei’s gilded streamers may show th influence of yin-yang philosophy as well as representing actual lightning bolts, said to be one of the most dramatic means used by the Kami to enact their will on earth. See Basic Terms of Shinto (1985).

Shinto rituals in particular offer no explanations and no resolutions and promise no results in ways that other religious activities do. And yet they do provide a vehicle whereby the individual, however small and insignificant he or she may be, can become a temporarily sanctified participant in a divine order. For children in particular, these early encounters with the Kami… provide points of reference about the possibility of forces beyond their comprehension that they must acknowledged and harmonize with if the challenges, hardships, and goals of their own endeavors are to be successfully resolved.

—Page 165

This quote in particular is super important to understanding Shinto. Shinto is not the cure all for every issue you have, it is not meant to magically provide you answers. It is a framework in which to understand the world around you, and live in harmony with it.

[maddieonthemovee]

May 22 - Imperial Palace and Kyoto National Museum

Before our class meeting this morning, my roommate and I stopped in Family Mart to grab a coffee and a quick bite to eat. First, our class went to the Kyoto Imperial Palace. We went on an English walking tour; it was pretty hot outside, but it was cool to actually be able to walk through the palace grounds. It definitely felt like the most touristy thing that I have done while in Tokyo, just because our walking tour was mostly foreigners and tourists. After the imperial palace, we went to the Kyoto National Museum. There, we walked around the three floors. Something that was different about this museum was that no phones were allowed, and therefore no photos. I brought around a notepad and a pen to write down the names of works that caught my attention. I bought a couple of souvenirs at the museum’s gift shop, but my favorite thing I got was a print. I usually get a print from every museum I visit, and since I did not find a print I wanted at the museum in Tokyo, I felt that I should buy a print here if I found one I liked. My friends and I reconvened at the gates of the museum, and we walked the route back to the train station in search of a lunch spot. Four of my friends and I ate at a ramen spot, and something I have found to be different here in Japan from America is that restaurants here are less likely to accommodate large parties. At this ramen spot, our group of five had to split into a pair and a group of three. Restaurants here are definitely less likely than places in America to do things like push tables together or pull up chairs to accommodate larger parties. For my meal, I had ramen and a Coke. The ramen was good and the Coke refreshed me after a hot day! My friends and I were planning on going to Hiroshima, but we ended up staying in Kyoto instead. We walked around Kyoto Station a little bit before walking to a nearby aquarium. Some of the animals, like the penguins and salamanders, looked like they were cramped which made me feel upset for them, but I enjoyed seeing all of the different kinds of jellyfish they had. At the aquarium café, my friends and I had Dippin Dots. Before we left the aquarium, we browsed around the gift shops and took pictures in a cute photo booth. For dinner, I got some things from Family Mart and the MOS Burger by our hotel. Tomorrow, I am going to the Ghibli Museum which I am really excited for!!

Academic Reflection:

The piece that stood out to me at the Kyoto National Museum was “First Shrine Visit”, by Katsukawa Shunsho, which was ink and colors on silk. It seemed to chronicle a story through its depiction of a sequence of events: a matchmaking meeting, wedding ceremony, childbirth, and the child’s first visit to a shrine. The piece was displayed like an unfurling scroll which added to the narrative feeling I felt looking at it. I learned that a child’s first visit to a shrine is significant in its commemoration of growth for them as they reach different age milestones. The practice is called shichi-go-san and is a lasting memory for a family in Japan, as it celebrates the child and the family’s bond. I was drawn to this piece by its storytelling in its display and separation of scenes as well as its emphasis of Japanese familial/cultural traditions and norms. 

At the Kyoto Imperial Palace, we were able to see where a corridor was removed from the palace grounds. In 1945, during World War II, many of the corridors connecting the different buildings/rooms of the palace were removed. The corridors were constructed so that the emperor’s feet would never touch the ground, but they put the entire palace at risk in cases of fire. In Morris’ “World Shining Prince”, I read that earthquakes and fires would occur relatively quickly, so I was able to draw this connection to the construction and renovation of the imperial palace. We were also able to see the shutters that separated the inside and outside of the palace. In the reading, these shutters were common in traditional Japanese architecture. These shutters were able to be rolled up in warm weather and then brought down in colder weather. This element of Japanese architecture reinforced my preconception of a strong connection between Japanese culture and nature.

[despair-to-future-arcs]

What happened next?

What happen next...? Well... I guess this be when Nagito attempted suicide, Hatomi stood up to our teacher and then... we became friends with Hiyoko.

Wait you be-friended Hiyoko? When did that happen...?

Well... I remember myself, Hatomi, Ibuki and Mikan were going for lunch and as we were going to eat, we bump into Hiyoko...

Which she wasn't dress in her kimono, in fact she look to be dress normally...

...

...

...

Date: March 2nd, 2011

*the 4 girls were walking together*

Hatomi... that seem like a bad idea, you really shouldn't have broke the teacher's hand.

Hm, really? If anything I was acting in self-defense since she was going to hit me.

Plus remember I do have the recording there of what she say to Akane and me which we can show the headmaster - besides if that bitch doesn't care if one of her students get a heart attack or commit suicide, why should I care what she says.

Bu-But you realize that you hurt a teacher! Your going to get expelled, shouldn't you be worried?!

But... she did lie to all of us, right? The teach told us things that honestly sound kinda dumb if you think about it.

Ex-Exactly, like how we couldn't visit Nekomaru at the hospital or how she to-told us we couldn't be friends unless it's talent related...

See? As say, if anything we should just ignore what that teacher of ours was saying and just be friends; I think we should all try to do that.

Hmm... I don't know, I guess your right... let's get some lunch then.

Ye-Yes of course, we should get something good to eat an-and we can all be fr-friends and-!

EEEK! *as then Mikan bumped into someone*

Wh-What the hell?!

Hey watched trashy skank! Are you that blind and not watching where your going!

I-I'm sorry, pl-please forgive meeee!

Wait... Hiyoko? Is that you?

Hm? Oh, it's you 4 - what are you 4 doing?

Going out for lunch? But... you look different, did you grow an inch?

No of course not you idiot, I just remove my kimono! I can finally wear some normal Japanese clothes for once, geez I thought being at Hope's Peak Academy meant I could have a vacation from home but instead I get to wear that stupid thing from morning to night for months and had to ask someone for help!

But that teacher was forcing me to wear it and I had to ask someone else to help me....it was annoying.

Wait so... the teacher was forcing you to wear your kimono? I could imagine how hard it is to run in that thing or move at all.

Yeah she was, she kept making me wear my kimono all day long to 'train for my talent' or whatever, I mean geez not even grandma wouldn't make me wear that thing for more then a week!

Oh so you don't wear your kimono all the time?

Well duh, you are all aware that kimonos are made of very important material, right? I only wear them at very special occasions like Shichi-Go-San, dance recitals, weddings, when visiting other countries and for the first day at school?

That's why I left the class; I went to change my clothes to something I feel more comfortable in, I can finally remove that damn thing and breath...

... (Huh? Seems Hiyoko was also suffering under the teacher too, but I suppose it does make sense why she was wearing something that she couldn't put on by herself...)

[cartoonnonsensegirl]

Fire Emblem Fates Headcanon

***This one contains a bit of what the folks around here call “The Feels™”***

Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura are all about 1-2 years apart in age. This actually created a pretty ideal situation back in their early childhood on one particular day, which happened to be November 15th. When Hinoka was 7, Takumi was 5, and Sakura was 3, all three were taken by Ryoma (he’s possibly 3-5 years older than Hinoka) and Queen Mikoto to the royal shrine to celebrate Shichi-Go-San (7-5-3 Day).

With Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura all dressed up in their very best kimonos and enjoying some delicious chitose-ame candy, and Ryoma helping his stepmother take pictures of his three siblings for the family photo album, it was a happy little day in the midst of a somber and troubling life. After enduring Queen Ikona’s passing, and the subsequent assassination of King Sumeragi along with the kidnapping of Princess Kamui (re-named “Corrin” by her Nohrian captors) over the span of two years, this special occasion helped the family forget all their troubles, if only for a fleeting moment.

[at-weeb96]

If it's ok for another art request, I hope you can draw this one. I headcanon that, before the Mushroom War, Elise once took a trip to Japan with Marceline, during the time of "Shichi-Go-San" (七五三, a rite of wishing the growth and well-being of young children). Being foreigners, Elise wanted her daughter to have fun, so Marceline wore kimono to join Shichi-Go-San. It actually works, as Marceline later becomes immortal. (I often think black-haired Marceline may look good in kimono.)

I'd hate to disappoint you but I don't think my art skills at this point would be able to do this justice, but you should check out this Japanese artist's AT fan art, who mostly draws the Abadeer family https://twitter.com/yrsn_yk

[seoafin]

since im still procrastinating here’s some fic ideas i’ve thought about writing

1) family au fluff with riko and the son’s (whose name i still have yet to come up with) shichi-go-san. riko and her brother have theirs at the same time (since they’re both five even though typically only boys go at five and girls at three or seven but riko refuses to be left out!!!) riko didn’t go at three because she was being too fussy. now that she’s five she refuses to wear a kimono because they’re too tight and ends up going in a western style dress. gojo despairs because he spent the entire morning trying to coax a grumpy riko into wearing the kimono he painstakingly picked out. just fluff and a hectic gojo household with a two year old and rip!mc being pregnant with child numero #4. gojo is not a dilf.

2) poly au where rip!mc tells stsg she’s surprise! pregnant. they are, in fact, very surprised. as if they haven’t been rawdogging it since they got the Ok. hilarity ensues. rip!mc wonders if she can put shoko’s name on the birth certificate somehow. shoko is the baby’s father.

3) geto drabble where geto is getting hit on but apologetically tells the girls that he’s happily taken (not really but a man can dream). the girls assume rip!mc is the girlfriend and geto says nothing to disprove them of the notion. geto gets to act out his bf fantasies for a day. rip!mc is understandably confused but goes along with it 😭 probably would become an offshoot of the drabble i wrote about the stsg april fools prank. rip!mc thinks geto is taking her on a potential date he could go on with gojo. geto says nothing to disprove rip!mc of the notion. geto takes what he can get.

4) megumi fic where mc and megumi go on a date and yuji and nobara follow them (more like nobara drags yuji). yuji and mc know each other??? cue awkward silence. nobara tells megumi she has absolutely no idea how a guy with a terrible personality could land a total babe like mc!!! she admits his face is half decent enough though excluding the fact that no man should have longer eyelashes than her. some angst but mostly fluff!!

[jasminesilk]

Hello! Firstly, I really appreciate you answering people's questions about Japanese culture since the release of Snowy Escape! I was wondering, would a kimono be something that would make sense for sims living in Mt. Komorebi to wear for their formal outfit? And for yukata, my impression was that they're more casual and often worn during summer festivals, but are there other situations they're worn as well? tysm if you answer this, again, I really appreciate it!! 💞✨

Hello there and thank you for the thoughtful ask! This is a very good question and one I've received before, so I'll do my best to answer this here.

In today's Japan, kimono are really only worn on special occasions. Much like gowns (esp. wedding gowns) in the western world, most people simply rent kimonos for a day or for photos. Rarely do they actually own a kimono themselves, as they are expensive and can be bulky to store. Most Japanese people will only wear a kimono for one of the following reasons: a wedding (close family members and the bride and groom are the only ones that should be in a kimono if they so choose, other guests should wear appropriate dresses/suits), coming of age ceremony when you turn 20, at the ages of 7, 5, and 3 for children (this is called shichi-go-san and is a way to celebrate a child's health through their early years), funerals (muted kimonos in dark tones with no patterns), graduation from university, and photoshoots.

Kimono are not treated as simply formal attire - they are culturally significant and deeply important to us as a people. Wearing a kimono is not the same as wearing a fancy dress, so please be incredibly mindful when dressing your sims in one.

That being said, I think most Japanese people would agree with me when I say the race/ethnicity/background of the individual wearing the kimono is not important. Anyone can wear a kimono, they do not have to be Japanese. It is the situation in which the kimono is worn that is important. Is your sim attending the wedding of a close family relative (a sibling, even cousins is okay - I wore a kimono to my cousin's wedding)? My white father (I am biracial) wore a kimono to his wedding, for example. Or maybe your sim is in fact Japanese and is celebrating their coming of age ceremony? These are formal occasions in which the wearing of a kimono is appropriate.

You are correct about yukata! Yukata are basically summertime kimono and are much more casual. The average Japanese person will wear a yukata way more often in their lifetime in comparison to a kimono. We wear yukata multiple times throughout the summer, usually for firework festivals (which are super popular in Japan, we love fireworks lol) but sometimes just for fun as well. I believe Tokyo Disneyland even does a summertime campaign where if you and your friends wear a yukata to the park you can get a discount on entrance. I'm not sure if they still do this though.

I apologize for the super long answer but I hope this was helpful! If you or anyone else have further questions please let me know.♡

[shingia]

That would be very much appreciated if you did fnhesbdbjsj EVEN THO I JUST SPOKE TO MY TUTOR AND SAID SINCE I HAD EXAMS I FORGOT EVERYTHING SO CAN WE GO OVER IT ALL TOMMOROW

And he said yesssssss but I’m still going to go thru my textbooks and flashcards to atleast be more prepared. How do u stay motivated to learn a langauge ??

honestly it’s mostly thanks to consistency. if you practice a little big everyday then you won’t feel too overwhelmed. and personally i stay motivated by listening to songs/watching tv shows in the language that i’m learning bc i’m always like « ugh i can’t wait to understand everything without the subtitles » hahahaa

and here’s my translation, i can’t guarantee you that it’s 100% right tho hahaha :

住んでいます is basically the verb you use to talk about where you live, but you just forgot to add the particle « に » in your first sentence. so it should be « 私はイギリスに住んでいます » -> « i live in England »

then you have :

• My name is Empress (tho you wrote エンプレスと and i’m not sure why the と is for in that context sorry!).

• How is the weather in England? (イギリスの天気はどうですか). Today, it’s raining (今日は雨です).

• I am a student in middle school/junior high school (but be careful you forgot two hiraganas, it’s pronounced ちゅうがっこう)

• I study japanese (私は日本語を勉強しています)

• Tomorrow I’m going to Brazil (私は明日ブラジル行きます - but 明日 is pronounced あした and not あす)

• I like flowers (私は花が好きです). I don’t like insects (私は虫が嫌いです)

• Then 一二三四五六七八九十 are the numbers from 1 to 10 (ichi, ni, san, yon/shi, go, roku, nana/shichi, ha hi, kyuu, juu)

• 昨日 is yesterday

• Is that a pocket diary? It’s a notebook. (i’m not sure about the translation of 手帳)

• What do you like ? (何が好きですか) I like chocolate (チョコレートが好きです)

[ryuukia]

[Translation] Tsukiuta. 2nd Anniversary Round-Table Discussion ~Seniors version~

I’m a bit late but, happy birthday Shun! I started to translate this on his birthday but due to this interview being long, I only ended up finishing on 25th. This is an interview published in the AGF version of Tsukiuta Monthly Publication, meaning it’s 6 years old by now.

I should have translated the 1st anniversary interview, but this one really left me in shock. I mean.... SHUN HAS A KINK?????? I’M JUST????? TSUKIPRO?????

Anyway, that’s all I’m going to say for now, I hope I made you curious. Many thanks to Ryota and Chrome for assisting me and helping with the proofreading. Please don’t reuse/retranslate/repost my work. I mean, seriously.

Haru: The 2nd anniversary round-table discussion of the Tsukiuta. series, seniors version is…… starting!

Shun: Wah (claps)♪

Haru: That being said, this year had a lot of chaotic things in store for us, but somehow we managed to reach the second anniversary without any problems. We’re grateful for that, aren’t we?

Hajime: That’s right. Thank you for always supporting us.

Kai: Thank you. We will never forget this feeling of gratitude.

Shun: Ah, I remember it was during last year’s round-table talk… Ever since AGF finished, there were a lot of opportunities to organize different plans and fairs. We managed to expand our merchandise too, didn’t we?

Haru: Well, speaking of big things, we also had a corner with things for our fans, and then Haru no Fan Matsuri1 too……?

Kai: Then Super Comics, the artbook, the summer comics, the collaboration with Karatez-san, then the Full Moon Fair & Full Moon Cafe, and now we’re back to AGF.

Hajime: We had a big event about every two months and in addition to that, our duet CDs were being released monthly. Somehow it feels like we’ve been busy all year round. Good grief.

Haru: Right? But monthly progress is something fitting for Tsukiuta (smiles bitterly). Good job for now.

Kai: Good job~

Hajime: Good work.

Shun: Good work. This round-table discussion gives us the chance to take it easy and look back over what happened this year. Ever since last year’s events it feels like our talk has become a routine.

Hajime: Okay. Then without further delays…. Haru, bring the tea.

Shun: Ye~s. I want some too.

Haru: Really? That’s how we’re starting? (laughs)

Question: “Tell us about a situation that occurred during the production of the duet CDs.”

Kai: ......Well, until our spoiled leaders get their tea, we have our first topic. “A situation that happened during the production of our duet CDs” it says.

Haru: Hmph, hmph.

Kai: Each of us had to prepare two duets at a time, right? The ones Shun and I got were “Kimi ni hana o, kimi ni hoshi o” and “Celestite”.

Haru: Otherwise known as “Hana Hoshi” and “Kuro Ouji2”, right?

Kai: Yeah. “Hana Hoshi” is based on my image, while “Kuro Ouji” is based on......

Shun: Behold☆ My image!

Hajime & Haru: …...Aah (both see the light)

Shun: By the way, since the composers and the listeners both have their own impressions on the songs, the prompter is telling us to talk about some stuff that happened during the photoshoots for the CD jackets.

Haru: Roger (smiles bitterly). So, about those photoshoots…...

Shun: The Hana Hoshi photoshoot was fun. It was done somewhere in the north, on a vast field.

Hajime: Based on that description alone, it must have been cold.

Kai: We actually went there during the summer, so the cold air was pleasant. Underneath a sky covered by stars, we were sitting on a flower bed with bouquets in our hands. It felt so nice…… for us it was very relaxing.

Shun: Fufufu.  Because of the shade of my costume, at first glance it looked as if I had a ribbon on my bare chest. That created many confusions, you know?

Hajime: You sound glad about that.

Haru: Above your head was a complete starry sky, and you were holding flowers in your birthday suit (distant look)

Kai: …...You’ve just destroyed my precious memory…... 

Hajime: Now that you mention it, I’ve observed since long ago that many of the Procella duets have the word ‘flower’ in their titles. Is there a reason why?

Shun: Fufufu. You have good eyes, Hajime. It's a coincidence I'd like to call ‘fate’!

Kai: That was so blunt (laughs)! But it really was just a ‘coincidence’. Although we all have different producers, these kind of things happen once in a while. I guess you could call it proof of our unity?

Haru: Wow, you’re forcing your own conclusion~ (laughs bitterly)

Hajime: …...Haru, do we have something similar to that?

Haru: Don’t force me to compete with that, leader (laughs). Also, if you think about it, Celestite is not a ‘flower’.  

Kai: For that one, we went completely into Shun-sama’s world. Or should I call it the ‘Spirit World’?

Shun: Ahaha, Kai? Do you want a demonstration of my real powers? I’ll show you how hard I worked for the ‘Kuro Ouji’ concept.

Hajime: Indeed, it suited you. Both you, …...and Kai.

Kai: Me too?

Hajime: Yeah, it suited you…...I think. Kai, during TsukiRadio, you did something similar to a Demon Lord, right? The younger kids said you fit that image perfectly. I think so, too.

Shun: Kai’s physical build was perfect for this to begin with. Those black clothes brought a lot of impact to the surface. He was definitely cool-looking.

Kai: Eh, you think so? You two praising me makes me feel a bit embarrassed, but I’m happy. Thanks.

Hajime: On the other hand, we have ‘Koi wasuregusa’ and “Hajimari no haru”.

Haru: Yes.

Kai: I could feel Japanese vibes coming from both of you, and I’m talking about both the titles and the costumes.

Haru: Ahaha. Is it because of Hajime?

Hajime: ? What about me giving off that ‘traditional Japanese’ impression?

Shun: Your entire image is built that way, can’t you see, Hajime? Take your first stage outfit for example, it was heavily inspired by traditional elements.

Hajime: …...I see.

Shun: On the other hand, mine is inspired from the west.

Hajime: Even without you mentioning that, it can be seen that the duet costumes and many other costumes are made based on a western style.

Haru: Maybe the reason why Gravi’s and Procella’s own images are divided into ‘western’ and ‘traditional’ is exactly because of our leaders’ images.

Hajime: Our images...huh.

Kai: Though, the more you look at Koi Wasure, the more luxurious it looks. Are those costumes made from Nishijin silk fabrics3?

Shun: They look that way. I was watching them when the shoot happened, but the real thing looks even more impressive than in the photos. I think someone poured their soul into those outfits, and the final result is only proof of their skills.

Haru: Speaking of effort? On site, everyone was bursting with energy, but that shoot honestly made me all tensed up for the first time in a while. I rarely wear kimonos to begin with…… I mean I probably wore a kimono only for the Shichi-Go-San festival4 in the past and having to wear one again after so long felt like too much of a hurdle for me (smiles bitterly).

Hajime: Haru, has it really been that long since you've worn a kimono?

Haru: Ahaha, Hajime. Most people aren't even fated to wear a kimono in their entire lifetime. I’m one of them. I can’t get used to it, and if it wrinkles or looks dirty even the slightest bit, I become terrified. Not to mention they are also unbelievably expensive. ……Though, I think it might be difficult for Hajime here to understand that.

Kai: I know what you mean. I definitely do, Haru. That common sense is something I agree with on a spiritual level.

Hajime: Hmm……. So that’s how it is.

Shun: We’re quite familiar with household events, aren’t we?

Hajime: Yeah. At each turning point in life, our relatives would gather for events and wearing full formal dress was a custom.

Haru & Kai: (We’re witnessing a conversation between two real young masters)

Hajime: …...Though if you look at the results, I think it suited you well enough, Haru.

Haru: Ooh, my king is bestowing me with words of praise.

Hajime: C’mon, look at this shot, you look like a young playboy husband or like a beguiling king. (chuckles)

Haru: Correction, it wasn’t praise. They randomly started to call me beguiling recently and I keep wondering why, Kai. 

Kai: Don’t mind it, Haru (laughs). Well, wasn’t the concept of that jacket cover the ‘bewitching, traditional Japanese rock style’? In that case, the beguiling king concept was a huge success in a way. Good job, Haru.

Haru: Oh, geez.

Kai: Finally, ‘Hajimari no Haru’. You had the same ‘traditional’ theme, but it was the complete opposite of the previous CD and felt more formal. The military uniforms gave a nice, cool feeling.

Haru: Correct. The costumes were made to represent military outfits. You can tell that just by looking (laughs).

Shun: Hajime! This includes Haru as well, but Hajime looked sooo good! It suited you so well, I end up wanting to crawl! I want to go down on all fours and be stepped on by you! I want to see you cast that cold glare onto me! 

Kai: …...Shun, Hajime’s backing away slowly. Haru and I, too...

Question: “What event left a strong impression on you?”

Haru: Shall we answer at the same time?

Kai: Ooh, a curve ball was thrown. ‘Kay, let’s do it. I’ll bring the notebooks and markers then. Everyone, write~.

Hajime: I’m done.

Shun: Me too.

Kai: Then, three, two…... one!

Haru: ‘Haru no Fan Matsuri’

Hajime: ‘Haru no Fan Matsuri’

Shun: ‘Full Moon Fair’

Kai: ‘Full Moon Fair’

Haru: Ooh, we got half and half (laughs). My answer is without a doubt ‘Haru no Fan Matsuri’. It has my name in it too, but it’s also because I worked on every special benefit up until the smallest detail.

Hajime: Aah, indeed, like the little bunny plate that came as a bonus or the rubber strap that came with the DVD and stuff. I chose our first independent event because it left an impression. Unfortunately, my schedule didn’t match with it so I was only able to participate via video feed.

Kai: As expected, you went for ‘Haru’ (laughs)? On the other hand, I chose the Full Moon Fair which incidentally ended not long ago~. It was our first nationwide Animate fair, after all. And the Animate storefront even made it on the ‘Kyarabii5’ cover, right? The fact that they were given that important cover space made me so happy.

Haru: It was the first time in a while when all of us were featured in a photo.

Shun: We were so lively (chuckles). In one set we were wearing casual clothes, and in the other yukatas.

Haru: That one also ended up being the cover of the calendar this year.

Kai: The fans’ reaction was more than what we were all expecting, so the staff was left in awe at the power of the yukatas and some hair arrangements.

Haru: Hajime, you also let your hair down, right?

Hajime: You’re the one who messed with my hair. I wish I had done something about that back then.

Haru: Ahaha, that’s true. That was the result of me talking with the hair and make-up artists and how we agreed that not teasing your hair up was better since the yukata was so fitting on you.

Hajime: I admit they complimented my hair, young master.

Shun: Ah, yes, yes. Me too. They said I looked like the prodigal son of a rich family. Kakeru and I happened to be shot side-by-side, and they were saying from all directions that we looked like ‘the apprentice and the prodigal son’. Ahaha.

All of them: (Because that’s exactly how it looked like)

Hajime: Our first solo event, and our first national fair. This year we had a lot of ‘first times’ once again as a series.

Shun: That’s what we would call some of our many progresses. Thank you very much.

Question: “Tell us about other work situations if there are any.”

Shun: This year, a lot of new opportunities arose for me and to top it all off, I’m really, reaaaaally happy that I got to experience being paired in the leaders group. I think it was very fun. (softly)

Kai: The twelve of us look like some kind of family (lol). We barely had space for everyone to fit in at the same time, but even with the limited room by picking out the right camera exposure levels, the two leaders didn't look unnatural. Of course, there's the tiniest bit of post-production as well.

Haru: Wow, that’s a very vivid story you got there!

Shun: Geez, Kai~ I’m trying to be grateful here so please don’t bring up business here.

Kai: Ahaha, my bad, my bad.

Hajime: ……. I’ve been thinking about that too.

Shun: Yes?

Hajime: Your…... ‘that’ thing you do, Shun…...Being my fan I mean. I started to think about it only recently, but half of that thing is a joke, isn’t it? I’m not wrong about that, am I?

Shun: ーーー!?

Kai: Ah, his shock is easy to understand for once.

Haru: It really is. …...I can’t ignore how pitiful Shun looks now so I’ll back him up. Listen Hajime, anyone can tell that Shun's very serious about ‘that thing’, you know?

Hajime: …...Really?

Kai: Yeah. And what I’m about to add might sound strange…… but I can confirm he’s been seriously devoting himself to his fan activities and supporting you since the beginning and until now. From the start he rarely, er, sometimes, no, always was noisy about it, but well, he can be pretty entertaining if you feel like listening to him.

Haru: He never changed (laughs)

Hajime: Is that so……? …...I see. I’m sorry, Shun. Thank you for always supporting me.

Haru: Ah, here’s the heartfelt fan interaction. (laughs)

Shun: ーー!! That "I see" just now! That gives me legal authority to accompany you from now on, right!? In that case there’s no problem! I don’t mind it! It just means I didn’t put my heart enough into it. From now on I'll work hard on my fervor for Hajime so that my love will be conveyed! L O V E Hajime LOVE!! WASSHOI! (grabs Hajime and clings to him)

Hajime: ……

Shun: Hajime~, Hajime~♪ Fufufu no fu (snuggles)

Hajime: ……

Kai: (whispering) Hajime’s definitely trying his best not to send Shun flying across the room.

Haru: (whispering) He’s really putting up with him (laughs). Let’s not forget that apology from earlier. It’s a good thing our leaders are on good terms with each other. A really good thing.

Kai: Right~? The leaders’ work kept increasing, but on the other hand, we are still considered…… uhh, ‘advisers’? We also received more and more jobs in pairs like this one and they’re always fun.

Haru: Ahaha, you’re right.

Hajime: ……

Haru: …...Anyway, I think that’s enough, Shun (laughs bitterly). Our king is a cat after all. You can hug him however much you want, but he won’t get used to it. He’s already turning into stone, so can you release him? 

Hajime: Who are you calling a cat, Haru? (sigh)

Kai: You say that but it's so easy to tell that you're relieved (laughs). Good work, Hajime.

Question: “Leave a message for your fans.”

Hajime: It’s been exactly one year since the last AGF. Due to everyone’s support, it feels as if we were able to go a few levels up. Thanks. This is more or less all I wanted to say.

Shun: Fufufu, indeed. The things I want to say as Procella’s leader and the things I want to convey myself, too, are exactly the same as the ones Gravi’s leader, Hajime, just said. …...Thank you, everyone.

Haru: You switched from fan mode to leader mode (laughs).

Kai: I’m always amazed when he does that switch (laughs).

Haru: I think now’s the time for the advisers to show their gratitude too. And we'd be happy to receive your support for more of the merchandise promotions we do together in the future.

Kai: And don’t forget about the youngers either! Their growth is remarkable even from our point of view, so don’t miss out any of that. 

Shun: You pulled that off perfectly. As expected from our reliable partners.

Hajime: …...Right? I trust both of them too.

Kai: Ahaha, thanks. Among our unit members, the senior group aspire to be the ‘most steady’. Let’s continue doing things in our comfortable rhythm and without pushing ourselves. 

Haru: The younger ones will be able to walk ahead without worries if we build them a solid foundation, won’t they? 

Shun: Even more than that, we are both their foundation and their guides. The two of us should pave the path for them, don’t you think so, Hajime? A path everyone would stroll on happily as they head for joyful days.

Hajime: Yeah. …...Indeed. As the ones who walk ahead of everyone, you and me have that role.

Haru: If you two get tired, don’t hesitate to tell us, okay?

Kai: I don’t mind if I’m being relied on even without them being tired. 

Hajime: Then I want a second helping.

Kai: Of tea? …..Well, I'll guess I'll pour it for you then (chuckle).

Shun: Me too, me too~.

Haru: I want some too!

Kai: Everyone's taking advantage of me (laughs).......Fine, I get it. I’ll be taking your requests~. Do you want Japanese tea? Black tea? Or coffee? 

(And so the end transitioned into a leisurely tea party.)

T/N:

Haru no Fan Matsuri (translated 'The spring fan festival') was an event held back in 2014. The guests were Masuda Toshiki (Kisaragi Koi), Aoi Shota (Minaduki Rui), Kanemoto Hisako (Hijiri Kurisu), Uesaka Sumire (Tendouin Tsubaki), Mamiya Yasuhiro (Kurotsuki Dai) and Yamanaka Masahiro (Tsukishiro Kanade). You can buy the DVD here

Kuro Ouji means 'Black Prince'. Shun reveals in his duet SS that according to the song concept, he's the black (imperial) prince. I'll get to it more when I translate that SS.

The Nishijin silk fabrics are high quality silk fabrics originating from Kyoto.

The Shichi-Go-San Festival (translated 'Seven-Five-Three Festival) is an event held on 15th of November for girls who are 3 or 7 years old and for boys who are 5 years old. On that day they celebrate the growth and well-being of young children.

Kyarabii is a magazine from Japan.

If you like my work and you want to support me, you can now buy me a coffee by clicking right [here]. I also started taking commissions, more details are right [here]. Thank you~

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Z 272

Last time, Majin Buu turned Vegito into candy, which means there’s no one left to fight him..... except Krillin and Yamcha.  See, King Kai had the same idea as King Yemma with Vegeta, and the Elder Kai had with Goku.  Except all King Kai has is Krillin and Yamcha, and no magic power-up items to let them use.  You’d think he would at least try to contact the Elder Kai and score some more Potara earrings. 

Failing that, what is Krillin supposed to do that he didn’t already try the first time he fought Buu?   That fight lasted like two seconds.

Hell, Yamcha didn’t even get to fight.  He got hit with the candy beam while trying to find cover.  Now that he’s dead, he just wants to chill out and train, and take a relaxing shower after his workout.  

As far as he’s concerned, life on the Grand Kai Planet is better than Earth anyway, so why bother fighting Buu?   His only complaint is that there’s no hot chicks on this planet, which irritates me.   There’s no girl warriors who got the honor of keeping their body to train on the Grand Kai Planet?  That’s not even true, because we saw a few in the crowd at the Otherworld Tournament.    Maybe none of them are Yamcha’s type.

Anyway, don’t count Vegito out just yet, because Buu seems to be having a little trouble following through on his plan to eat the guy.

Yeah, turns out VEGITO CAN STILL FIGHT IN CANDY FORM.    He can talk too, which is pretty messed up.

Everyone watching is like “Whaaaaa?“

Buu isn’t convinced that this is a problem.   Even if Vegito has all his original power, he can still eat the guy.  

Only, no, he can’t.   Turns out fighting Candy Vegito is like trying to swat a fly with all the powers of Vegito.   Buu can’t even catch the guy, while Vegito can zip around in any direction and slam into him like a bullet.

When Buu can’t grab hold of the thing, he can’t actually do anything to him, because Vegito’s strong enough to keep moving in spite of being in Buu’s grip.   You know, he should have just lured Vegito underwater, and hoped that the sea would dissolve him.   Then again, maybe that would turn Vegito into an ocean, and he’d be able to kick Buu’s ass even harder that way.

At one point, Vegito even flies straight into Buu’s mouth and shoots out the other side, shearing off his head tentacle again.  So even if Buu could get the thing in his mouth, how could he possibly swallow him?

So Buu does the only sensible thing and changes Vegito back to normal.   But it’s not like Vegito was any easier to beat this way.

This is the thing that always bugged me about the Candy Beam in the video games.   First, it’s only temporary, which I guess is a concession to the game mechanics, but okay.   But it seems to me that there should be a thing where if you use it on Vegito, he should damage the user instead.   I guess the same should apply to anyone as strong or stronger than Vegito. 

Anyway, Vegito does his Happy Dance, while the Elder Kai reaaaaaalllllly wishes Vegito would just hurry up and finish this fight.

Then we get this flashback to when King Yemma got Vegeta to agree to return to Earth to fight Buu.   The first time I saw this scene, I was grateful, because they kept talking about it for several episodes, but it seemed kind of convenient.  There’s some plot holes to some of these King Yemma scenes we’ve seen, because he probably would have been busy preparing Vegeta for this, but instead he was stressing out over all the paperwork for Buu’s victims.    

Anyway, the story isn’t all that complicated, and now that I know what happened, this scene seems a bit gratuitous, but no more so than any other filler.

In a nutshell, King Yemma isn’t supposed to give shady characters like Vegeta their bodies back, but he did it this time because he needs him to go down and help fight Buu.  Furthermore, he informs Vegeta that his self-destruct attack on Majin Buu failed, which means his death was meaningless, “no more than a dog’s death”. 

Then we have a flashback within a flashback, which is weird, but we probably needed this, since Episode 237 was a while ago. 

So this upsets Vegeta and he powers up-- I can’t tell if he’s Super Saiyan with this weird color palette-- but he wrecks the decor in Yemma’s room.   Nevertheless, he agrees to cooperate, but Vegeta probably would have done that anyway, so that crack about the “dog’s death” was probably overdoing it.

So this is another plot hole.  We’ve seen Yemma’s place a few times during the last thirty episodes, but this is the first time we’ve seen all this damage to the walls.  Yemma hopes that King Kai will help him out with the repair bills.   Wait, King Kai has money?   I doubt he’d share any, since he’s homeless and all.

Back on Earth, Buu still won’t admit he’s outclassed, so Vegito starts really laying into him.   Only now, Buu can’t pull himself back together as easily.

And he just keeps hitting him.   That really scary music from the OST plays.   Let me see if I can find it...

Okay, so turns out it’s from the Movie 11 score, which you can find on this track from the DBZ Complete BGM album, about 5:03 in. 

Anyway, Buu gets totalled here, and when he puts himself back together, he insists that it didn’t hurt....

Except he failed to regenerate the hole in his stomach on the first try. 

Vegito is satisfied that Buu’s regeneration powers have reached their limit.   From here, even if Buu continues fighting, he’ll just get weaker and weaker until he gives out completely.  So he declares that he’ll now put Buu out of his misery.

Buu objects, but Vegito shoves a Spirit Sword through his face.   Oh, okay, so that’s why this is his finisher in the video games.

Vegito announces that he’ll give Buu a ten-count before killing him.   That’ll give him time to pray or make peace with his demise or whatever.   If he wants to die sooner, Vegito invites him to attack him one more time.

So, to follow up on a reply from @mach13elephantexplosion back in Episode 268, I went back and checked, and Buu was indeed counting to five using the “hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu“ Japanese counting system.   Vegito, on the other hand, is using “ichi, ni, san...”  

In particular, Vegito’s  using the word “shi” for 4 and “shichi” for 7.   Those were the words I learned a long time ago whenever I learned to count to ten in Japanese, and it always frustrates me whenever I hear actual Japanese speakers use “yon” and “nanna” instead.  I mean, it’s their language, they can use it as they please, of course.   Really, what annoys me is that wherever I learned the words for Japanese numbers neglected to consider which words are actually used in regular speech.   The Japanese avoid “shi” because it’s a homonym for their word for “death”.    Same deal with “shichi” for 7, because it has “shi” in it.   Apparently “ku” for 9 is a similar issue, because it’s a homonym for “agony”, which I guess is how “kyu” became a thing.    But ku and kyu sound similar enough that I can’t pick up the difference.

The point I’m making here is that Vegito ain’t fuckin’ around.     “One!   Two!  Three!  DEATH!  Five!   Six!  DEATH-chi!  Eight!   AGONY!   Ten!”   This is CZW.

As Vegito counts, Buu realizes that his only chance is to absorb Vegito like he did with the others, but how can he do it without being noticed?   

Then he notices the head tentacle, which Vegito lopped off a few minutes ago.  

And as he mentally summons it to sneak up on Vegito, we see that this is exactly what Vegito was waiting for.   I think it’s safe to say that most of Vegito’s hot-dogging in this fight was for the sole purpose of forcing Buu to use up all of his other options until he had no choice but to try this.  

Even so, Vegito seems a bit nervous that his plan may not work.   

But the die is cast.  As Vegito reaches ten, Buu springs his trap...

And Vegito uses a ki force field to protect himself.

And that’s it.   Buu merges with the piece of himself, just like every other absorption, although he never actually changes appearance, like he did with the others.   But he’s so happy to be rid of Vegito that he doesn’t notice.

Mr. Satan barely understands what’s happened, while Dende is horrified.  With Goku and Vegeta gone, there’s no one left to save the Earth.

An observation shared by the Supreme Kais.

Meanwhile, Buu let’s Vegito know that he’s number one.

[yamamuragaku]

Yamato Nikaido [Summer Memories] RabbitChat

Part 2-5

Read translations for Part 1 here [external link, not by me].

Part 2: Yamato and Nagi

Yamato: Manager, sorry for earlier.

Yamato: If Tama’s souvenir is noisy, you can release it outside….

Tsumugi: It’s alright, since it is in the president’s office!

Tsumugi: So he caught a cicada.

Yamato: That Tama, he caught it in a convenience store bag.

Yamato: Nagi heard they were rare so he wanted to see it.

Yamato: There aren’t any in his country. He thought it sounded like construction noises.

Tsumugi: Is that so?! Did Nagi-san like it?

Yamato: At first.

Yamato: Afterward he called it “a devil’s siren.”

Yamato: So, Tama became sulky and put it in the office.

Yamato: When I told Nagi cicadas could only live for 7 days, he was kind of sad.

Tsumugi: They die in no time, don’t they….

Tsumugi: Nagi-san and Yamato-san, so you also have those sorts of conversations.

Option 1

Tsumugi: What relationship do you have with Nagi-san?

Yamato: Since he’s suffering from the summer heat, he’s quiet so I’m fond of him right now, but when he’s in high spirits, more than 5 minutes with him is impossible.

Yamato: He pointed and introduced it as “the devil’s siren.”

That’s how he usually is.

Option 2

Tsumugi: What do you like about Nagi-san?

Yamato: He’s direct about his love for his friends.

Yamato: He’s like the sun, so when directly basking in his presence, a human like onii-san gets embarrassed.

Option 3

Tsumugi: What don’t you like about Nagi-san?

Yamato: Once in a while he’s perceptive.

Tsumugi: Somehow, I think you’re very close…!

Tsumugi: Earlier, Nagi-san was pleased that you made shaved ice for him, Yamato-san!

Yamato: The polar bear shaved ice?

Yamato: It looks like he’s getting depressed about the cicada’s life span, so I’ll make it for him again.

Yamato: Well, I’m going to go make it.

Tsumugi: Yes! Good luck!

Part 3: The First Big Fight?!

Tsumugi: Yamato-san, thanks for your work.

Umm, did you really fight with Mitsuki-san…?

Yamato: Yeah. Just now, we were in danger of breaking up.

Tsumugi: Eh

Tsumugi: W-wait! What happened?!

Yamato: While we were drinking beer and lolling around in the room watching TV

Yamato: That bastard kept saying, “Ossan, look,” “Ossan ossan ossan,”

Yamato: “How did I get here? This is the dorm of a talent agency so I can’t go in. What happened to my randsel?” (1)

Yamato: While scratching his head

Tsumugi: Woah…

Yamato: Then he did a flying kick

Tsumugi: Uwahh…

Yamato: In the confusion, the other guys came.

Yamato: That Tama, he’s like a dog that starts barking when another dog in the neighborhood barks.

Yamato: Finally he broke the door in a rage.

Tsumugi: D-did anyone get hurt?

Yamato: We’re fine.

Is what I want to say, but Sou got hurt.

Yamato: It’s my bad, but unfortunately, those guys are bad at handling things….

Tsumugi: Isn’t this really bad?!!

Yamato: I properly apologized.

Well, because of that we’re disagreeing over who will pay the repair cost.

Tsumugi: It’s covered under the agency’s expenses!

I’ll discuss it with the president!

Yamato: No no.

It’s my responsibility, so Yamato-san isn’t backing out is what he said.

Yamato: He didn’t have to say it, that shichi-go-san.

Tsumugi: Y-you shouldn’t call him a shichi-go-san!

Yamato: As long as he calls me a “glasses geezer”, I’ll call him an “eternal shichi-go-san”. (2)

Option 1

Tsumugi: Please make up!

Yamato: If that kindergartner quits it

Option 2

Tsumugi: So you guys get along well enough to fight!

Yamato: This young lady is saying embarrassing things…

Option 3

Tsumugi: Even though you usually get along so well…

Yamato: What can I say? Aren’t human bonds such fragile things?

Yamato: Ah, the eternal shichi-go-san came.

Tsumugi: Is it a reconciliation present?

Yamato: It’s not something so cute. I’m opening the door.

Tsumugi: Got it!

Yamato: Annoying!! He has the nerve to hand me spectacles!!!

Part 4: After the Fight…

Tsumugi: Yamato-san, I look forward to working with you on the gravure photo shoot tomorrow!

It’s good that you made up with Mitsuki-san afterwards!

Yamato: Yeah. We split the repair costs.

Tsumugi: Yamato-san and Mitsuki-san are IDOLiSH7’s emotional support!

Tsumugi: So the others were also really relieved.

Tsumugi: What was your reason for making up?

Yamato: Mitsu and I were called over by Sou, and were requested to bow and make up.

Yamato: It had an atmosphere like we’d have to commit seppuku if we refused, so I shook hands with Mitsu immediately.

Yamato: Why is he so damn serious….

Tsumugi: Sougo-san was worried.

Tsumugi: Since he also relies on Yamato-san and Mitsuki-san.

Yamato: If we weren’t here, that guy alone would become the advisor, huh.

Yamato: When I think of Nagi, Tama, Riku, and Ichi handling different opinions alone, it’s truly pitiful….

Tsumugi: But, I’m relieved that you settled it!

Since the members will get troubled and anxious…

Tsumugi: If something happened again in the future…,

Option 1

Tsumugi: Who would you hate to see fight with each other?

Yamato: Mitsu and Tama would cause a lot of physical damage.

Yamato: The noise would be terrible if it were Nagi and Riku.

Yamato: Ah, this, what should we do… is what it’d be like if it were Ichi and Sou.

Option 2

Tsumugi: Who would you hate fighting with?

Yamato: Riku, Riku.

Yamato: Riku is pure.

Yamato: Fighting with him, if he got mad at me I feel like I could never recover.

Option 3

Tsumugi: Who often fights?

Yamato: Isn’t it Riku and Ichi?

Yamato: It’s cute when they fight.

Yamato: In any case, I’m sorry for the trouble.

Yamato: Thanks to me getting called ossan ossan, I got encouraged to work out.

Yamato: And whenever I undress.

Tsumugi: I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s photo shoot!

Yamato: I’m sorry for causing you trouble. After the location shoot, do you want to go to the festival?

Tsumugi: Eh? With me…?

Yamato: Yeah

Part 5: Lingering Feelings of the Summer Festival

Tsumugi: Yamato-san, thank you for today!

Tsumugi: I’ll cherish the stuffed frog doll you won at the shooting range.

Yamato: Aw shucks

Tsumugi: Now, it’s decorating the desk in my room!

Tsumugi: Somehow it resembles you, Yamato-san.

Yamato: Well it must have a bad personality.

Tsumugi: You’re saying that again!

Tsumugi: I had a lot of fun! I made an amazing memory.

Yamato: I also had fun.

Since I haven’t gone on a date with a girl in a long time.

Yamato: But, well, let’s not go where there are large crowds next time.

Option 1

Tsumugi: It’d be bad towards Yamato-san’s fans

Yamato: You’re also saying unnecessary things like that, Tsumugi?

It’s different.

Option 2

Tsumugi: There’s a next time?

Yamato: Is it better if there isn’t?

Option 3

Tsumugi: This is for the best

Yamato: Yeah.

As expected of manager. You’re right.

Tsumugi: It would’ve been nice if I took your picture, Yamato-san..

Yamato: Didn’t I take enough? At the gravure photo shoot.

Tsumugi: No. A picture on my phone.

Yamato: It’s unnecessary.

Yamato: That guy on your desk smiles more honestly than me.

Part 5 screenshots courtesy of @plain-sandwiches.

(1) A randsel is a type of backpack worn by Japanese elementary schoolers.

(2) Shichi-go-san is a holiday that celebrates children age 7, 5, and 3.

[zapthecactus]

Ultimate Japanese – Lesson 3

Hatsuon

Vowel Clusters

When two identical vowels [aa, ii, ee, uu, oo] are together, they are held for twice as long as normal.

Examples:

kado [corner] vs. kaado [card]

chizu [map] vs. chiizu [cheese]

su [nest] vs. suu [number]

beru [bell] vs. beeru [veil]

hoshi [star] vs. hooshi [service]

Whereas, if there are two different vowels together, they are each pronounced for the same length of time.

Examples:

ue [top, up, above]

akai [red]

aoi [blue]

baiu [rainy season]

koe [voice]

Ei is an exception and is often pronounced as ee.

keiko [practice]

eiga [movie]

Bunpoo to yoohoo

Numbers

0 zero, rei

1 ichi 一

2 ni　二

3 san　三

4 yon, shi　四

5 go　五

6 roku　六

7 nana, shichi　七

8 hachi　八

9 ku, kyuu　九

10 juu　十

For 11 - 19, simply add the corresponding number behind 10.

11 juuichi [10 + 1]

12 juuni [10 + 2]

For tens, multiply it by 10.

20 nijuu [2*10] 二十

100 hyaku　百

200 nihyaku [2*100]　二百

1000 sen, issen 千

2000 nisen [2*1000]　二千

The Japanese currency is pronounced as en, rather than yen [¥].

ichien [1¥]

juuen [10¥]

hyakuen [100¥]

hyakuen desu. [It is 100¥.]

kore wa sen’en desu. [This is 1000¥.]

kore wa niseen’en desu ka. [Is this 2000¥?]

Nouns plus copula in the past affirmative

Desu ➡️ deshita

watashi wa kutsu wa tatta nisen’en deshita. [My shoes were only 2000¥.]

kasa wa sen’en deshita. [The umbrella was 1000¥.]

Desu [present affirmative] vs. ja arimasen [present negative] vs. deshita [past affirmative]

watashi wa gakusei desu. [I am a student.]

watashi wa gakuesi ja arimasen. [I’m not a student.]

watashi wa gakusei deshita. [I was a student.]

I-Adjectives

There are two types of adjectives: i- and na-.

takai [expensive]

yasui [inexpensive]

ii or yoi [good, nice, fine, okay]

warui [bad]

The final i in an i-adj. is proceded by a, i, u, o, but never e. They also change based on tense and if their affirmative or negative.

ii desu [it is good]

ookii desu [it is big]

warui desu [it is bad]

chiisai desu [it is small]

takai desu [it is expensive]

akarui desu [it is bright]

yasui desu [it is inexpensive]

kurai desu [it is dark]

shimadaya no kutsu wa yasui desu. [Shimadaya’s shoe are inexpensive]

Sometimes you can add n between the adj. and desu to mean “the fact is that...” or “indeed”.

yasui n desu [(the fact is that) it is inexpensive]

hanabishi no kutsu wa taki n desu [(indeed) Hanabishi’s shoes are expensive.]

Question Words

Nani [what] - followed by o, as nani is the direct object.

nani o shimashoo ka [what should we do?]

nani o tabemasu ka [what will you eat?]

udon o tabemasu [I will eat noodles.]

nani o kaimashoo ka [what should we buy?]

pan to jamu o kaimashoo [let’s buy bread and jam]

Doko [where] - followed by e, de, no.

doko e ikimashoo ka [where should we go?]

hanabishi e ikimashoo [let’s go to hanabishi]

ashita doko de asagohan to hirugohan o tabemasu ka [where will you have breakfast and lunch tomorrow?]

uchi de tabemasu [I will eat at home]

doko no mise desu ka [which store is it?]

shinjuku no mise desu [it is a store in shinjuku]

Dono [which, out of 3+ choices] – used before the noun.

dono sakana o tabemashoo ka [which fish should we eat?]

maguro o tabemashoo [let’s eat tuna]

dono hana o kaimashoo ka [which flowers should we buy?]

bara o kaimashoo [let’s buy roses]

dono depaato de (kaimashita ka) [at which department store?]

Dono no – indicates location

doko no deppato de [at which department store?]

Particles

Yo – implies giving new information [you know, certainly]

shimadaya no kutsu wa yasui desu yo [Shimadaya’s shoes are certainly inexpensive]

suzuki-san wa depaato e ikimashita yo [Ms. Suzuki went to the department store, you know?]

tatta sen’en deshita yo [it was only 1000¥, you know]

Kedo [but]

watashi no ketsu wa tatta nisen’en deshita kedo kookyuuhin desu [My shoes were only 2000¥, but they are high-quality merchandise]

hanabishi no kutsu wa takai desu kedo yoofuku wa yasui desu [shoes are hanabishi are expensive, but their apparel is inexpensive]

suzuki-san wa dekakemasu kedo watashi wa dekakemasen [Ms. Suzuki is going out, but I am not]

Demo [but] – a conjugation used at the beginning of a sentence.

maguro wa yasui desu kedo unagi wa takai desu [the tuna is inexpensive, but the eel is expensive]

VS. maguru wa yasui desu. demo unagi wa takai desu [the tuna is inexpensive. however, the eel is expensive]

Deletion of the direct object

doko de kutsu o kaimasu ka [where are you going to buy shoes?]

shimadaya de kaimasu [i am going to buy (them) at shimadaya]

kinoo booshi o kaimashita [i bought a hat yesterday]

watashi mo kaimashita yo [i bought (one), too]

Tango to hyoogen

mise [store]

depaato [department store]

kutsu [shoes]

booshi [hat, cap]

pan [bread]

jamu [jam]

sakana [fish]

maguro [tuna]

unagi [eel]

hana [flower]

bara [rose]

asagohan [breakfast]

hirugohan [lunch]

yoofuku [clothes]

kookyuuhin [quality goods]

shimasu [to do]

dekakemasu [to go out]

ii, yoi [good, nice, fine, okay]

warui [bad]

takai [expensive]

yasui [inexpensive]

ookii [big]

chiisai [ small]

akarui [bright]

kurai [dark]

tatta [only]

totemo [very]

tokidoki [sometimes]

demo [but]

tokoro de [by the way]

itsi ka [sometime, someday]

nani [what]

doki [where]

dono [which]

[chanoyu-to-wa]

Nampō Roku, Book 2 (43):  (1587) Seventh Month, Seventh Day, Beginning at the Hour of the Monkey.

43) Seventh Month, Seventh Day¹; beginning in the hour of the Monkey².

◦ 4.5-mat [room]³.

◦ [Guests:]  Omuro-gosho [小室御所]⁴, Konoe dono [近衛殿]⁵, Ryōshitsu [良叱]⁶, Ryōmu [了無]⁷.

Sho [初]⁸.

﹆ In a [hanging] basket [籠], yūgao-no-hana [夕カホノ花]⁹.

◦ Small ito-me kama [絲目小釜], [suspended] on a [bamboo] jizai [自在]¹⁰.

◦ On the Sairō-dana [城樓棚]¹¹:     ◦ above, habōki [羽帚]¹²;     ◦ below, mizusashi tarai [水指 タライ] ・ hikkiri [引切]¹³.

Su [ス]¹⁴.

▵ Suimono [吸物]¹⁵.

▵ Two rounds of sake [酒]¹⁶.

▵ Senbei ・ iri-kaya ・ shiitake [センヘイ ・ イリカヤ ・ 椎茸]¹⁷.

Go [後]¹⁸ -- [the guests] entered [after] night[fall]¹⁹.

◦ The toko:  [after] the hanaire was taken in[to the katte]²⁰, a tanzako-bako [短尺箱] was [displayed on the floor of the toko]²¹.

◦ On the Sairō-dana:     ◦ above, on a tray, ﹆kōro [香爐], usu-gumo [薄雲] [in the] kōgō guri-guri [香合 クリ〰], with the kyōji [香箸] stacked on top²².     ◦ middle, hishaku [ヒシヤク]²³;     ◦ below, mizusashi, as in the beginning ・  futaoki, as in the beginning²⁴.

◦ Chaire ryūgo [茶入 リウコ]²⁵.

◦ Chawan Ko-mamori [茶碗 木守]²⁶.

    After tea was finished, incense [was appreciated]²⁷.

_________________________

¹Shichi-gatsu nanoka [七月七日].

    The date was August 10, 1587, in the Gregorian calendar.

    This day was also the Festival of Tanabata [七夕] (tanabata no sekku [七夕節句]:  Festival of the Stars; Festival of the Weaver; and so forth), which celebrates the once-a-year meeting of the celestial deities Orihime [織姫] (the Weaver:  the star Vega) and Hikoboshi [彦星] (the Cowherd:  the star Altair).  According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Lunar Month.  Tanabata is celebrated in all of the countries within the classical Chinese cultural sphere (including Korea, Japan, and Vietnam).

    Because the idea is that the two stars meet across the Milky Way, it has been traditional (apparently since the time of Jōō) for the irori to be used on chakai given on this date, so that the host and the guests will be able to face each other across the ro.

²Saru-no-toki yori [申ノ時より].

    There were twelve traditional hours in each day, though each was equivalent to two Western hours (i.e., 120 minutes) only on the equinoctes.

    The Hour of the Monkey lasts roughly from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.  The chakai, therefore, began in the late afternoon.

³Yojō-han [四疊半].

    This would have been the 4.5-mat room in Rikyū's official residence.

⁴Omuro-gosho [小室御所].

    Rikyū has made a clerical error here:  the title should be written Omuro-gosho [御室御所].

    Omuro-gosho [御室御所] is another name for the Ninna-ji [仁和寺], the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon [真言] (True Word) Sect of Buddhism.  And, when used as a personal epithet, as here, it refers to the Abbot of the Ninna-ji [仁和寺], who was an Imperial Prince (a custom that persisted until the end of the Edo period).

    In this case, the sobriquet refers to Ninnaji-no-miya Shurihō shinnō [仁和寺宮守理法親王; 1558 ~ ?], a son of Prince Kunisuke (Fushimi-no-miya Kunisuke shinnō [伏見宮邦輔親王; 1513 ~ 1563], who was adopted by the Emperor Ōgimachi [正親町天皇; 1517 ~ 1593].  Prince Shurihō entered the Ninna-ji in Eiroku 8 [永禄八年] (1565), as a disciple of another Imperial Prince, Ninjo nyūdō shinnō [任助入道親王; 1525 ~ 1584].

⁵Konoe dono [近衛殿].

    This was Lord Konoe Sakihisa [近衛前久; 1536 ~ 1612], a high court noble (he held the junior grade of the First Rank), who served as kanpaku [関白]*, Minister of the Left (sa-daijin [左大臣]), Chancellor (daijō-daijin [太政大臣]), and, after he left that office, he was further honored as jū-san-gū [准三宮]†.

    Lord Sakihisa was close to both Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi -- Hideyoshi adopted Sakihisa's daughter Sakiko [前子; 1575 ~ 1630], who was given by him as a consort to the Emperor Go-Yōzei; she gave birth to the Emperor’s son, who became Emperor Go-Mizunoo.

    Furthermore, in 1585, Lord Sakihisa (whose family represented one of the major branches of the ancient Fujiwara house) adopted Hideyoshi himself, which gave Hideyoshi the necessary entrée to become kanpaku in his turn. __________ *Chief civil adviser to the Emperor.

†An honorary rank meaning that Lord Sakihisa was accorded honors similar to those of the Great Empress Dowager (theoretically the Emperor's grandmother), the Emperess Dowager (in theory, the Emperor's mother), and the Empress (the Emperor's principal wife).  The title translates “quazi-Three Empresses.”

⁶Ryōshitsu [良叱].

    This refers to Ishibashi Ryōshitsu [石橋良叱; his dates of birth and death are not known], a machi-shū of Sakai, chajin, and one of Rikyū's sons-in-law (musume-muko [娘婿], the husband of one of Rikyū's daughters).

    His name first appears in an entry dated to the Tenshō 10 in the Tsuda Sōkyū Chanoyu Nikki [津田宗及茶湯日記], when Ryōshitsu participated in a chakai together with Yamanoue Sōji and Tsuda Sōkyū.

    While some scholars argue that Ryōshitsu must have been one of Rikyū's disciples, the Chajin Kei-den Zenshū [茶人係傳全集], published in Tenpō 8 [天保8年] (1837), states that he was initiated into the practice of chanoyu by Jōō (which seems more likely, since it appears that Rikyū married his daughters to men of his own generation). __________ *The title translates “the Complete Collected Transmitted Lineages of the Tea Masters.”

⁷Ryōmu [了無].

    Unidentified.  His name is also mentioned as being one of the guests at the previous chakai (which Rikyu hosted on the bank of the Kamo-gawa in the evening of the last day of the Sixth Month, after the conclusion of the lustration known as the Minazuki-barae [水無月祓]).

⁸Sho [初].

    The shoza.

    In terms of kane-wari, since this chakai began in the late afternoon, and continued until well after dark, the shoza should be yang, while the goza should be yin.

- The tokonoma contained the chabana, but suspended on the minor pillar attached to the outer wall (so that it would be illuminated by the fading light entering through the bokuseki-mado [墨跡窓] -- which would not reach the chabana if it were hung in the middle of the toko), so that the toko was chō [調];

- the room had the kama in the ro, and so was han [半];

- and the tana held the haboki (on the ten-ita), and the mizusashi and futaoki (on the ji-ita), and so was chō [調].

    Chō + han + chō is han.

⁹Kago ni yūgao-no-hana [籠ニ　夕カホノ花].

    The kago was probably the Katsura-kawa kago [桂川籠], so that the chabana could project away from the pillar on which it was suspended, and so catch the rays of the late afternoon sun coming in through the bokuseki-mado [墨跡窓]*.

    The word yūgao [夕顔] refers to the flower of the calabash, a type of elongated bottle-gourd (Lagenaria siceraria var. hispida) -- whose simple, white flowers open in the late afternoon.

__________ *Which, in Rikyū's tearooms, was always located behind the shōkyaku's shoulder, just outside of the toko itself.  The bokuseki-mado was on the west side of the room.

¹⁰Ito-me ko-gama jizai ni [絲目小釜 自在ニ].

    This was another old Temmyō kama [古天妙釜], though likely repaired by Yojirō [與次郎], Rikyū's kama-shi [釜師].

    It is not really such a "small kama" (it was probably made as a kiri-kake kama for use with a large kimen-buro on the o-chanoyu-dana*); but it is definitely much smaller than Jōō's large ito-me kama (which Rikyū also owned -- and used during the first three chakai documented in Book Two of the Nampō Roku).

    The rather flat shape of the kama suggests that it was probably suspended low in the ro (so that the mouth was 6- or 7-bu below the level of the ro-buchi).  This would have made the fire in the ro seem more distant, thus appearing “cooler” to the eyes of the guests.

    The kama was suspended on a susu-dake jizai [煤竹自在] (a jizai made from a length of oil-stained bamboo, taken from the ceiling of a farmhouse kitchen), using Rikyū’s bronze kan and tsuru (above).

    The word ito-me [絲目] means thread-lines.  The pattern on the kama, then, can also be taken as an allusion to Orihime [織姫] (which means the Weaver-princess), one of the stars being celebrated on Tanabata. __________ *The kama was probably repaired -- with a rounded bottom -- on Rikyū's orders.

¹¹Sairō-dana [城樓棚].

    This was another tana created by Tsuda Sōkyū.  In this case, it was based directly on the fukuro-dana, and features the compartment for the mizusashi, the naka-dana, and (half of the) ten-ita.

    I have found no photographs of this rarely seen tana.  However, the Enkaku-ji does have one; and their Sairō-dana has panels on three sides of the compartment in which the mizusashi is placed (if I recall correctly, the panels have openwork, and they do not quite reach the tana above and below -- in other words, there is a roughly 1-sun wide opening above and below the panel; all three panels were the same, and, I believe, featured the design shown above, which is called a kōzama-sukashi [香挾間透])*.

    According to Tanaka Senshō, this tana was created to represent the right half of the fukuro-dana.  Consequently, it is supposed to be placed on the utensil mat so that it occupies its original place.  When Sōkyū first made the Sairō-dana, the right side of the tana was placed on top of the right heri (just as Jōō said the fukuro-dana should be oriented†); but by the time of this chakai, since the fukuro-dana was now being centered on the utensil mat (at Hideyoshi’s behest), so this tana, too, is placed so that the left side touches the central kane‡. ___________ *While this does not match the way things are done today (even, it seems, by the Nampō-ryū), Kanshū o-shō-sama once told me that, if it is difficult to dip the water from the mizusashi if it is in the middle of the ji-ita (on account of the shape or size of the mizusashi), then the mizusashi should be lifted forward (so that the front edge of the foot is near the front of the shelf -- the way the mizusashi is moved forward when using the Jōō-dana [紹鷗棚]) -- as below.

    Furthermore (and not only if the mizusashi is moved forward), he added that if it is difficult to lean the lid of the mizusashi against its left side, then the lid should be leaned against the left side of the tana, as shown above.

†This was done so that the mizusashi would occupy the same spot that it would if it were resting on the shin-daisu -- which was the only way chanoyu had been performed before then.  (The fukuro-dana represented the first departure from the tea of the daisu, and so Jōō was still constrained by its teachings.)

‡Nowadays this teaching, too, seems to have been forgotten.  Even in the Enkaku-ji, the tana is centered in the middle of the mat when used with the ro.

¹²Ue habōki [上 羽帚].

    The habōki -- made from feathers between 9-sun and 1-shaku long -- was placed on the ten-ita of the Sairō-dana.  It is not possible to speculate on the kind of feathers that would have been used.

    The naka-dana was left empty during the shoza.

¹³Shita mizusashi tarai ・ hikkiri [下 水指 タライ ・ 引切].

    This mizusashi was mentioned before in Book Two of the Nampō Roku, in the description of the chakai that Rikyū hosted on the 17th day of the Eleventh Month.  In that entry, the mizusashi is referred to as a hando [ハント] (meaning a handō [飯胴], a sort of bronze container in which rice was served in a temple).

    According to Book Six of the Nampō Roku, Rikyū owned two such containers, which he used as mizusashi, in succession.  The first was 1-shaku 5-bu by 7-sun 5-bu, and had large round kan on the left and right sides.  But he gave (or sold) this mizusashi to the daimyō Arima Noriyori [有馬則頼; 1533 ~ 1602].   Rikyū subsequently acquired a second container (which he calls a tarai [タライ = 盥], which means a basin such as used when washing the hands).  This second container was round, and 8-sun in diameter.  It also lacked handles. The color of this second container (according to the passage in Book Six of the Nampō Roku) was even more splendid than [the first].

    The first-mentioned piece was too large to be placed on the Sairō-dana.  Thus it must have been the second mizusashi that Rikyū used on this occasion.  (The actual piece has not been identified; the photo, above, is of a similar kind of sawari mizusashi.)

    Hikkiri [引切] refers to the futaoki -- one of Rikyū's take-wa [竹輪].

¹⁴Su [ス].

    The section introduced by the word su [ス]* usually refers to utensils brought out from the katte at the beginning of the sumi-temae.

    However, here it is curiously followed by the menu of the abbreviated kaiseki. __________ *Which is shorthand for the kanji mata [又], meaning “and again.”

¹⁵Suimono [吸物].

    Suimono [吸物] means a clear soup, usually with small pieces of food included*.

    Because Tanabata was a national holiday, the shōkyaku and ji-kyaku (if not the others†) would have had their fill of rich food over the course of the day at the Imperial court. __________ *Unlike nimono [煮物], here it is the soup that forms the bulk of the dish, with the solid food (sometimes just a couple of leaves, or mushrooms) added as a sort of garnish.

†The other two guests (who seem to have been among Rikyū's intimates) may have been charged with taking on the role of attendants, arranged by Rikyū to assist the two noblemen who occupied the first two places among the guests.

¹⁶Sake ni kaeshi [酒二返].

    Two rounds of sake were served.  The host usually joined his guests in drinking.

¹⁷Senbei ・ iri-kaya ・ shiitake [センヘイ ・ イリカヤ ・ 椎茸].

    These were the kashi.

    Senbei [煎餅] are rice crackers.  Since they were a common gift given by the guests to the host, perhaps one of the noblemen had brought a box of fine senbei to Rikyū -- who decided to share them with everyone.

    Iri-kaya [煎り榧] are the roasted nuts of the Japanese allspice tree (which is also known as the Japanese nutmeg yew, Torreya nucifera).

    And the shiitake [椎茸] were most likely also roasted, on skewers, over a charcoal fire, dusted lightly with crushed salt as they were cooking.

¹⁸Go [後].

    The goza.

    With respect to the kane-wari:

- the toko had a tanzaku-bako [短冊箱] displayed on the floor, with a tankei [短檠] (a wooden stand supporting an oil-lamp) off to one side (the side closest to the toko-bashira)*, making it chō [調];

- the room had the kama in the ro, making it also han [半];

- and the tana had the tray of incense utensils on the ten-ita, the hishaku on the naka-dana, and the mizusashi and futaoki on the ji-ita, making it han [半].

   Chō + han + han is chō, which is appropriate for the goza of a gathering that extends into the night. __________ *Though Rikyū did not mention it in the kaiki, a tankei would have been necessary, since he notes that the guests did not return to the tearoom until after it was completely dark.

    During the goza, the tankei is placed in the tokonoma, to give light to the room in general.  Additional lighting would have been provided by candles, which would be brought out from the katte at the beginning of the temae.

¹⁹Yoru ni iri [夜ニ入].

    The guests returned to the room for chanoyu after it became dark.  Perhaps they had been sitting in the koshi-kake, watching the sky grow dark and the stars come into focus*, chatting quietly, and perhaps reciting impromptu, seasonal poems. __________ *Tanabata celebrates the once-a-year meeting of the stars Vega (Orihime [織姫], the Weaver) and Altair (Hikoboshi [彦星], the Cowherd).  It is said that they can meet only if the sky is clear.

²⁰Toko hanaire tori-irete [床 花入取入テ].

    The chabana was removed from the toko during the (prolonged) nakadachi -- since the flowers would not be easy to see after the room became dark (since the source of light would be below and on the left, making the flowers either nearly invisible, or obscured by grotesque shadows).

²¹Tanzaku-bako [短尺箱].

    Rikyū has made another clerical error.  The word should be tanzaku-bako [短冊箱] -- a box in which a collection of long poetry cards* were kept.

__________ *The cards could be blank (perhaps with paintings hand-sketched on them), or they might have seasonally-appropriate poems written on them.  Rikyū's collection, on this occasion, probably included both kinds -- since, after reading the poems and sniffing the incense, the guests might be moved to write their own verses on the blank cards.

²²Ue, bon ni ﹆kōro, usu-gumo kōgō guri-guri, kasane-kyōji [上、盆ニ ﹆香爐、薄雲 香合 クリ〰、重香箸].

    This entry, in the Enkaku-ji manuscript, is very confusing -- since Jitsuzan seems to have redistributed the different elements in a way that really does not make any sense.

    A tray (Rikyū does not specify what kind, but it was probably 1-shaku across or a little larger) was placed on the ten-ita of the tana, on which were arranged the incense utensils:

◦ Rikyū's ido-kōro [井戸香爐]*;

◦ Rikyū's guri-guri kōgō [ぐりぐり香合], containing the kyara known as Usu-gumo [薄雲] (placed in a small envelope made of gold-foil-backed donsu), and several gin-yō [銀葉]†;

◦ and, apparently, with the pair of ebony kyōji [香箸] either stacked on top of the kōgō, or perhaps stacked one on top of the other (though this would look odd).

    “Usu-gumo” [薄雲] was the name of Rikyū's personal variety of treasured kyara [伽羅] incense wood‡. __________ *While Rikyū also seems to have owned (or at least had access to) the famous celadon Chidori kōro [千鳥香爐] that had been one of Jōō's particular treasures, celadon does not look good under artificial illumination.  Thus Rikyū's ido-koro (which is a deep beige color) would have looked much better at night.

    The kōro is marked with a red spot in the Enkaku-ji manuscript, indicating that it was an object of special consideration (though whether for Rikyū, when organizing the arrangement, or for the delectation of the guests, is not clear).

†Gin-yō [銀葉] are pieces of mica approximately 1-sun square, usually with an applied silver edge.  The kyara is placed on the gin-yō to burn.  This keeps the ash clean and uncontaminated (the resins in the kyara melt as it is heated), and allows the host to discard the used incense easily (by throwing it away together with the gin-yō to which it is fused).

‡That is, he owned the entire branch or log.  Teamen of the period preferred to own the entire piece, if they could afford it, rather than buying a fragment.

    In the manuscript consulted by Tanaka Senshō (which was the copy that Tachibana Jitsuzan made with the Shū-un-an documents in front of him), the word Usu-gumo [薄雲] is clearly associated with the word kōgō, not the kōro, and the entry reads as I have described it above.  In the Enkaku-ji version, however, “Usu-gumo” appears to be the name of the kōro (though no such piece has ever been identified); and the kōgō, meanwhile, seems to be a jū-kōgō [重香合], which is a set of two or three little boxes that sit one atop the other, in which the kyara incense, new gin-yō, and the discarded gin-yō (with a burned-out piece of kyara fused to each) are kept (the lowest box is lined with metal to prevent the hot gin-yō from damaging the lacquer).  While such boxes were known even in the early days, there is no indication that Rikyū ever owned one.  Neither has a guri-guri jū-kōgō ever been found.

    Precisely why Jitsuzan changed the associations when making the copy that he intended to present to the Enkaku-ji is not known.  Probably the easiest explanation is that he copied the original in a hurry, and did not trust his eyes when he came to making the copy -- letting his imagination change things to suit his seventeenth century prejudices.

²³Naka hishaku [中 ヒシヤク].

    The hishaku was placed on the naka-dana.

²⁴Shita mizusashi moto no ・ futaoki moto no [下 水指 元ノ ・ 蓋置 元ノ].

    And the mizusashi and futaoki remained as they were, on the ji-ita of the tana.

²⁵Chaire ryūgo [茶入 リウコ].

    Rikyū has used this chaire several times before in the series of chakai documented in Book Two of the Nampō Roku -- usually on festive occasions -- but scholars are divided regarding the precise piece in question.

    Most seem to lean toward a drum-shaped chaire (originally a gift container for medicinal liqueur), in which case the word would be ryūgo [立鼓].

    Shibayama Fugen (and those scholars who follow his lead), however, prefers a container that was originally used as a ceremonial wine-cup (this would be especially appropriate, since it, too, was used on festive occasions), called a ryūgo [立觚], and example of which is shown below.

²⁶Chawan Ko-mamori [茶碗 木守].

    This was a red chawan made by Chōjirō [長次郎].  Over the course of his life (as documented in his surviving kaiki), Rikyū used this chawan more often than any of the others.  So, if any of the bowls can be considered to approach Rikyū’s ideal, this one must come closest.

    The original chawan was destroyed during the great earthquake in the early part of the 20th century.  What is shown is an Edo period copy, made when the original was still extant.

    In addition to the above things, Rikyū would have used an ori-tame [折撓] of his own making as the chashaku.  And, most probably, a mentsū [面桶], as the koboshi.

²⁷Cha sugite kō ari [茶過テ香アリ].

    After Rikyū finished serving tea, the party turned to the appreciation of kyara [伽羅] incense.  In addition to the kind prepared by Rikyū (which he had named “Usu-gumo” [薄雲]), noblemen usually carried a little of their own favorite kyara on their person, which they often shared with the others on occasions such as this.

    The guests (and host) would have passed the night sniffing incense and composing poems, to honor the meeting of the stars; and the party probably did not break up until the first light separated the lovers in the heavens for another year.