Wanaka A&P Show which is held in early March every year is one of the big events here. It was the 80th anniversary on the 10th & 11th March this year.
毎年3月上旬開催のWanaka A&P Show はワナカの一大イベントのひとつ。 A はAgricultural、P はPastoralの略で、直訳すると農業&牧羊の展覧会ですが、 毎年町中がお祭り騒ぎです。 今年は3月10日と11日で、80周年の記念開催でもありました。
Everyone can visit with paying the fee of $15(1day pass) or $20(2days pass). It's not easy to find the parking though. Full of various programs, competitions, trade stalls, all those gave us pleasure for these two days.
当日レノンが乗ることになったのは、 クロムウェルから来たバザー(Buzzer)、小さめの茶色い馬です。 何だか落ち着きがなさそうな馬だけど、大丈夫かな~ 馬との相性も大きな要素ですから。 Buzzer, a smallish brown horse came from Cromwell was the one Renon would get on on the day.
She participated 2 sections of Dressage and Trotting. Then she got the first prize on the Trotting!
Under the strong sunlight, I walked around for several hours without hat, also I forgot that I applied sunblock. After I came home, I was so surprised at myself in the mirror! Got sunburned awfully!
Harvest time of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay comes in mid to late of April. We got the notice of picking date from our neighbour Sandy and Ket this season again.
The grape looked nice and heavily with juice, under the sunlight! ピノ・ノワール種、ブドウが燦々と陽を浴びて、たわわに実っていました。 去年もピノの収穫に来ましたが、果実は今年のほうがずっと良いように見えました。 きっと美味しいワインになるでしょう。
Lunch time to celebrate the crop together. We enjoyed the glass of Hazledine wine, Ket's home-made cooking, and chatting with people.
CHARDONNAY picking day *****************************************************
11days later, we took our B&B guests, who were wine lovers from Japan, for the picking. In a beautiful autumn scene, they seemed to enjoy the work among local people.
My husband participated at his off time. 夫も休みだったので参加。
犬好き フロー(ここの犬)とも大の仲良し!
Harvest lunch time: We enjoyed, again, the glass of Hazledine wine, Ket's home-made cooking, and chatting with people. 作業終了後、お楽しみのハーベスト・ランチとワイン・テースティング。
Mr&Mrs Aoto who joined the work, with many thanks!
For their breakfast this morning, I cooked typical Japanese autumn dish "KURI GOHAN" (chestnut rice) . It took time in the preparation for the chestnuts last night, but there was the worth, and it was really delicious! 今朝のご出発前に栗ご飯、 なかなか美味しく炊けたのでUP!
本日朝食: (時計回りに) *栗ごはん、 *さつま揚げ・きゅうり・ワカメ の和え物 *フェイジョア (今が旬のフルーツ) *鶏肉のゆかり焼きと野菜 *梅干茶碗蒸し *マッスル(ムール貝)の お吸物 Japanese breakfast, this morning
Here is a place that we visited during Osaka stay. Our friend family brought us this wonderful place. My daughter, Renon of the ramen lover was delighted.
We can learn the history of the Instant noodles from the place where "Nisshin Food Products" the founder, Mr. Momofuku Ando, who invented the world's first instant noodles (1958).
For me, "Nissin Food Products" occurring "Cup Noodles". It was a shocking food which I watched on TV in a childfood (around 1973). Ramen in a portable cup! (not in a ramen bowl) Eating with a fork! (not with chopsticks) Cool !
When we entered it... Look at that! There were a lot of good old packages with the recognition, or new packages that I looked at the first time, on both the wall and the ceiling!
入場すると、見覚えのある懐かしいパッケージが壁にも天井にもいっぱい!
知ってるラーメン、知らないラーメン、 いろいろ・・・
*************************
The most popular attraction, "Making my own flavoured Cup Noodles" was lined and showed that it should be waiting for 90 minutes! However, we must do this since we came here! So we lined up.
An empty cup came out when I put 300 yen into a vending machine. After sterilizing our hands, we moved to the table where colour pens were, and draw some pictures or colouring to the cup.
Noodles flowed in sequence, we saw it through the glass window.
ガラス越しに、麺・麺・麺・・・・ 麺が次々と流れています。
After we chose a soup base among 3 kinds, we chose 4 kinds of favorite ingredients from many options, then they were put into the cup with dried noodles.
The initial vending machine of the Cup Noodles was displayed. Boiling water comes out from the attached hot water supply device. The noodles can be cooked immediately after the purchase, then it can be eaten on the spot.
An old film flowed aside. Cup Noodles were so popular among young people. They were eating it walking around in Ginza (center of Tokyo). A trendy state of the time (1971~1972).
あ、その横に懐かしい映像が! 銀座でカップヌードルの歩き食べ!
Also I learnt about Mr. Momofuku Ando of the founder, about his study and development products. His messages displayed in the hall affected my heart deeply. I took them in my camera and they still make me think whenever I see the images. His reversal idea, keeping believing in the product, etc.
そのうちのひとつ、安藤百福語録から: one of his words: There is no border in the taste of food. However, it doesn't go over the border if we don't understand the difference in the culture, custom, or climate in the country.
I think... we can say the same thing to a human being as well as the Cup Noodles, when a Japan native goes overseas. 日本生まれのものが海を越えるとき。 それはカップヌードルに限らず、人間もそうなのかもしれない。
世界各国のカップヌードル、こんなに種類がありました。 Cup Noodles in each country which it assimilates by blending the taste of the country, and are loved by the local.
海を渡ったカップヌードルは、その国々の伝統の味に 同化して世界中で愛されているんですね。 The "Cup Noodles" which was created in Japan became the world food.
By the way, I ate "My Cup Noodles" which I made in the museum, during my stay in Japan. I enjoyed the taste and took it with Mr. Momofuku's words into my soul.
YAMAHA is widely known to the world as one of the first-class maker of the piano production. I booked the factory tour, and visited it in Shizuoka prefecture with my daughter during this stay in Japan.
We transfer at "Kakegawa" Station of Shinkansen-line to the local line, then got off at "Sakuragi" Station. Quiet... there was no staff in the station. We then entered a Ramen shop which was in front of the station, to ask how to get there.
FACTORY TOUR ******************************************** (English speaking guide is also available there.) After we saw a pleasant film about the piano structure, we advanced to the factory. Because the rustle of the machine greatly sounded in the building, we all attached an earphone to hear explanation of guide.
Production of the part creating that outer form of the grand piano, installation of the internal part, adjustment for the details such as tuning, toning, keyboard's action, etc., and the final inspection. We observed the process sequentially. Expert engineers did the all of work carefully.
We got a pretty present! The key ring of hammer which is a part that really used in the inside of the piano. The hammer head is covered with compressed wool. It beats against the string, then a sound comes out.
********************************************************************************************* After the factory tour, We enjoyed the sounds of each piano which was in the showroom. They were all special models !!
Hybrid Piano: AvantGrand N3 "The new piano" which a traditional technique and the latest digital technology produced is possible for a silence performance. A sound does not leak around while a player enjoys an authentic sound. We can devote ourselves to practice without minding people.
Greatest Russian pianist, Sviatoslav T. Richter (1915~1997) loved YAMAHA piano deeply. The model CF (left) which he played at Japan World Exposition in Osaka (1970) The model DFIIIS (right) which he played at his last concert in Japan (1994).
********************************************************************************************** Founder: Mr. Torakusu Yamaha Although Torakusu was an engineer of medical equipment, he was asked for the repair of an organ which was contributed by a company of U.S. to elementary school in Hamamatsu. It was an opportunity that he began his organ production (1887). Ten years later (1897), he established "Nippon Gakki Seizo K.K." (later renamed to YAMAHA corporation).
Episode: Torakusu elaborated an organ of the first domestic production. To ask Mr.S.Izawa at Tokyo institute of Music for judgement of the organ, he carried it over his shoulder on a carrying pole for 250km to Tokyo. The organ, however, was criticised harshly for its poor tuning. Then, starting from zero, he began studying music theory and tuning. Without failing, he accomplished to create the second one and took it to Tokyo again, which was approved with high evaluation.
We enjoyed such a wonderful opportunity at the showroom for a while... but stayed too long! We missed the train which we should have got on. "The next is 40 minutes later. Are we in time to get on the bus that we booked?"
We ran, and it was in time tightly, then heading to Tokyo. 3 hours and a half in the bus...
I thought thoroughly about Mr.T.Yamaha who carried his organ on his shoulder for this distance to Tokyo 128 years ago. Unlike this road, it should be a fierce distance over mountain and valleys at the time.