簡単な雑学をご紹介いたしましたが、いかがだったでしょうか。

晴れても華やか、雨でも妖艶、曇天でも映える紫陽花、今年もちょっと見に行きたくなってきました。

それではごきげんよう。

皆さまこんにちは。スタッフHでございます。

全国的に夏日が続いておりますが、暑さはこれからが本番。長く続いたエルニーニョ現象も終息し、今年の夏は厳しい暑さになるようです。なんとか乗り切りたいものですね。

さて、本日6月１５日は「生姜の日」とされています。生姜と言えば冬の寒い時期に体を温めるための食材というイメージがありますが、実は熱中症の予防や夏バテ防止にも効果があると言われています。

熱中症予防のためには少しずつ体を暑さに慣れさせていく‘暑気順化’が有効だと言われ、運動などで汗をかいて体温コントロール機能を正常にすることを勧められますが、これが中々大変です。そこで手軽な方法として「生姜」を摂取するという方法があります。

「生の生姜」には発汗を促す「ジンゲロール」が豊富に含まれており、体を内側から温め、全身の血流をよくすることで汗をかきやすくしてくれる効果があります。また生姜の香りは食欲を増進させ、胃腸の消化、吸収を高めてくれる効果もあり、暑くて食が進まない時に、冷ややっこやそうめんの薬味としては最適です。

更に抗菌作用もあり食材を傷みにくくすることも可能だそうです。

また生ではなく、生姜を加熱したり干したりすると体を温める成分の「ショウガオール」が増えます。夏でも冷房で冷えた室内に長くいたり、冷たい飲み物ばかりを飲んでいると体が冷えて体調を崩しがちです。そんな時は生ではなく加熱した生姜を摂取するという方法もあり、いわゆる万能食材です。実際に漢方には欠かせない生薬で、葛根湯や桂枝湯など約８割の漢方薬に生姜が含まれているそうです。

最近ではショウガオールやジンゲロールは老化の原因となる活性酸素を除去する働きがあり、体内の酸化を防ぎ老化を遅らせる効果があるともいわれ、効能はまだまだ計り知れないようです。

ただ胃腸が弱い人が大量に摂取すると不調を引き起こすこともあり、摂り過ぎは禁物とのこと。何事もバランスが大事なのですね。

先ほど本日６月１５日は「生姜の日」とお伝えしましたが、こちらは石川県金沢市の波自加彌（はじかみ）神社で生姜を祀る「はじかみ大祭」が行われることに由来しているとされています。

波自加彌神社の名前の由来は、生姜やわさび、山椒などの「歯で噛んで辛いもの」の古語で「薑・椒（はじかみ）」が語源とされているようです。

奈良時代に加賀国で数カ月間雨が降らず、国造（くにのみやつこ）が雨乞いをするために波自加彌神社に参拝し、断食して祈願しました。３７日目に神社近くより水が湧き出たそうです。人々はお礼のお供えをするにも干ばつ続きで作物がなく、自生していた生姜を献じて感謝の祭りをしました。その日が６月１５日で「はじかみ大祭」の始まりだといわれています。参拝者に振る舞われる生姜湯はこの湧き出た水を使って作られています。

日本で唯一「香辛料」を祀る神社で、県内外から生姜を扱う生産者・業者が自社製品を献納し、会社の発展を祈願しているとのことです。

「はじかみ」と聞くと焼き魚などに添えられている紅白の葉生姜を思い浮かべます。こちらは「矢生姜（はじかみ）」と書くようで矢のような形をしていることに由来しているとのこと。

子供の頃、これは食べていいものなのかどうかと悩み、周囲の大人をちらちらと覗き見していました。矢生姜は料理の口直しの意味があり、マナーとしては魚をいただいた後に白くて柔らかい根の部分だけをいただきます。子供には少し辛すぎて、吐き出すこともできず無理やり飲み込んだような…。苦い思い出です。

それでは、また次の機会に。

Hello everyone. This is Staff H.

Summer days are continuing nationwide, but the heat is just beginning. The long-lasting El Niño phenomenon has ended, and this summer is expected to be very hot. I hope we can manage to get through it.

Today, June 15, is “Ginger Day. Ginger is often thought of as an ingredient to warm the body during the cold winter months, but in fact, it is said to be effective in preventing heat stroke and summer fatigue.

It is said that “heat acclimatization,” in which the body gradually becomes accustomed to the heat, is effective in preventing heat stroke, and it is recommended that the body temperature control function be normalized by sweating through exercise, etc. However, this can be quite difficult. However, this is not easy. One easy way is to consume ginger. Fresh ginger is rich in gingerol, which promotes perspiration, warms the body from the inside, and improves blood flow throughout the body, making it easier to sweat. The aroma of ginger also increases appetite and improves digestion and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, making it an ideal condiment for cold yakko or somen noodles when it is too hot to eat.

It also has antibacterial effects and can prevent food from being damaged.

When ginger is heated or dried instead of raw, the amount of gingerol, a component that warms the body, increases. Even in summer, if you stay in an air-conditioned room for a long time or drink only cold drinks, your body tends to get cold and you tend to get sick. In such cases, you can take heated ginger instead of raw ginger, which is a so-called versatile ingredient. In fact, ginger is an indispensable herbal medicine in Chinese medicine, and about 80% of Chinese herbal medicines, such as Kakkon-to and Katsurae-to, contain ginger.

Recently, gingerol and gingerol are said to eliminate active oxygen that causes aging, preventing oxidation in the body and delaying aging, and their efficacy is still immense.

However, people with weak gastrointestinal tracts should not take too much, as it may cause problems if taken in large quantities. It is important to keep a good balance in everything.

I mentioned earlier that today, June 15, is “Ginger Day,” which is said to derive from the “Hajikami Grand Festival” held at Hajikami Shrine in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, where ginger is enshrined.

The name of Hajikami Shrine is believed to be derived from “Hajikami,” an archaic word for ginger, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), sansho (Japanese pepper), and other “spicy foods chewed with the teeth.

During the Nara period (710-794), there was no rain for several months in Kaga Province, and the Kuninomiyatsuko (a local municipality) went to Hajikaya Shrine to pray for rain, fasting for several days. The people were unable to produce any crops due to the drought, so they offered ginger, which grew wild, as a festival of thanksgiving. That day, June 15, is said to be the beginning of the Hajikami Grand Festival. The ginger tea served to worshippers is made using water from this spring.

It is the only shrine in Japan dedicated to “spices,” and producers and traders of ginger from inside and outside the prefecture dedicate their products and pray for the development of their companies.

When I hear the word “Hajikami,” I think of the red and white leaf ginger served with grilled fish and other dishes. Hajikami is written as “arrow ginger (hajikami)” and is said to be derived from its arrow-like shape.

When I was a child, I used to glance at the adults around me, wondering if this was something I was allowed to eat. Arrow ginger is meant to cleanse the palate of the dish, and as a matter of etiquette, only the white, soft root part is taken after the fish is served. It was a little too spicy for children, and they could not spit it out, so they forced themselves to swallow it…. It is a bitter memory.

I will see you next time.

皆さまこんにちは。スタッフでＴございます。

さて、先日のブログは「宝石珊瑚」と一般的なサンゴ礁を形成する「造礁珊瑚」はまったくの別物というお話でした。

「宝石珊瑚」は人の手では到底届かない水深100mを超える深海で生きており、宝飾品などの素材となる骨軸の成長スピードは、なんと1年間で0.2mmほど。加工されるサイズになるまで大きいものになると数百年という厖大な時間が必要となります。

そんな希少価値の高い珊瑚ですが、宝石として使用される珊瑚は主に「血赤珊瑚」「赤珊瑚」「桃色珊瑚」「白珊瑚」と、大きく分けて4つに種別されます。本日のブログは4つに種別される珊瑚について調べてみました。

●血赤珊瑚（チアカサンゴ）

日本近海の小笠原列島や五島列島、奄美、沖縄、宮古島周辺で、水深100m～300mの海底から引き上げて採取されます。
血赤珊瑚とは、日本産・赤珊瑚の中でも、特に色の濃い一級品のものだけを指します。血赤とは、文字通り血のように赤い色。少し黒味がある位の赤が上質と言われています。色調が深いほど、価値が高いと評価され、中でも、高知県の土佐湾で採れる血赤珊瑚、通称「オックスブラッド」は世界的で一番、希少価値の高い最高の赤珊瑚とされています。
日本産・赤珊瑚の特徴は、「フ」と呼ばれる白っぽい筋を持っていることです。これは原木をカット・研磨すると、より如実に表れてくるもので、日本産赤珊瑚の特徴と言えます。ちなみに地中海産には見られないため、よく産地の区別のポイントとされます。

●赤珊瑚（アカサンゴ）

赤珊瑚は地中海沿岸の各国(イタリア・フランス・スペイン・チュニジア・アルジェリア・ユーゴ・ギリシャ)で採取されています。赤珊瑚は業界でサルディと呼ばれていますが、これはイタリア半島西方の地中海にうかぶ島の名前（サルディニア）のことで、昔から宝石珊瑚が採取される好魚場で名前がそのまま珊瑚の名前になっています。

日本では、別名「胡渡り(こわたり)」とも呼ばれ、これは胡（ペルシャ）をはじめ西方から伝来したという意味でつけられた名前です。

地中海産の珊瑚は日本産と比較して浅いところ(水深５０～２００メートル)に棲息しています。色合いは、単一で、日本産よりも、やや明るめ。他の珊瑚よりも、材質が柔らかく、内部の傷や、内包物が白濁として見られてしまったり、傷穴が多いという欠点があります。
日本産・赤珊瑚と、地中海産・赤珊瑚との大きな違いは、地中海産には、「フ」がないことです。そのため、珊瑚自体の色ムラが少なく、仕上がり自体は綺麗な珊瑚です。

●桃色珊瑚

桃色珊瑚は赤に近い色から白に近いピンク色まで色調は幅広く、宝石珊瑚の中で最も大きく成長します。日本産・血赤珊瑚と同じく日本近海（小笠原列島や五島列島、奄美、沖縄、宮古島周辺）で採取されます。水深200～500mの深い海底に棲息しています。
桃珊瑚は、赤っぽいものから、白っぽいピンク色まで、幅広くあります。桃珊瑚の中でも、薄いピンク色をした単一な色調のものを、海外では「エンジェルスキン」日本では、「本ボケ」と呼んでいます。エンジェルスキンは「幻の珊瑚」と呼ばれ、非常に高値で取引されています。
桃珊瑚の特徴は、珊瑚の中でも最大級の原木であること。高さ、幅ともに1mを超える巨大な原木も珍しくはありません。重量は何と40kgオーバー何てことも。粘り気のある材質が特徴です。日本産・赤珊瑚と同じく、桃珊瑚にも「フ」が存在します。

●白珊瑚

南シナ海、沖縄近海、五島列島から長崎沖、土佐湾など広範囲で採取されます。水深１００～４００メートルの海底に棲息しています。
実際の色味は、名前と異なり、薄い桃色～セピア色をしたものが多く、白珊瑚にはあまり価値がないとされますが、純白の白珊瑚は希少価値が高いとされます。
原木の表皮が、柿色で、加工（研磨）する前の状態は、桃色珊瑚に似ています。骨軸は白色のため、磨くと、白っぽくなります。ものによっては、骨軸を確認しないと、白珊瑚と識別困難なものもあります。

珊瑚は古くから、厄除けや魔除けやお守りとして考えられてきました。特に「産後のお守り」として有名です。そのため、女の子が生れると（血の道を思い）子供の幸せを願って珊瑚（サンゴ）を贈る習慣があります。また、結婚35周年の「珊瑚婚」の贈り物や、還暦のお祝いとしての赤い珊瑚など、プレゼントとしても人気がありますね。

1年にほんの少ししか成長しない珊瑚。珊瑚のことを少し知って、お手元にあるアクセサリーが身近に感じることができるかもしれません。

ではでは、また。

Hello everyone. This is T. Staff.

The other day, I wrote a blog about how jewelry corals and reef-building corals are two completely different things.
Jewelry corals live at depths of more than 100 meters, which is far beyond the reach of human hands, and their bone shafts, which are used to make jewelry, grow at a rate of about 0.2 mm per year. It takes several hundred years for a large piece of coral to reach a size where it can be processed.

Coral used as jewelry is classified into four main types: blood red coral, red coral, pink coral, and white coral. Today’s blog is a look at the four types of coral.

Blood-red corals
Blood red corals are collected from the seafloor at depths of 100 to 300 meters in the waters around the Ogasawara Islands, the Goto Islands, Amami, Okinawa, and Miyakojima in the seas around Japan.
Blood-red coral refers only to first-class Japanese red corals that are particularly dark in color. Blood red means literally blood red. A red coral with a slightly darker color is said to be of high quality. The deeper the color, the higher the value. Oxblood coral from Tosa Bay in Kochi Prefecture is considered the rarest and most valuable red coral in the world.
Japanese red coral is characterized by its whitish streaks, known as “fu. This is more apparent when the log is cut and polished, and is a characteristic of Japanese red coral. This is a characteristic of Japanese red coral, but is not found in Mediterranean coral, and is often used as a point of differentiation between the two.

Red coral
Red coral is found in Italy, France, Spain, Tunisia, Algeria, Yugoslavia, Greece, and other countries along the Mediterranean coast. Red corals are called “Sardi” in the industry, which is the name of an island (Sardinia) in the Mediterranean Sea west of the Italian Peninsula, which has long been a favorite fishing ground for gemstone corals.
In Japan, it is also called “kowatari,” which means “from the west,” meaning “from Persia.
Mediterranean corals live in shallower waters (50 to 200 meters deep) than Japanese corals. They have a single color and are slightly lighter than Japanese corals. It is softer than other corals and has the disadvantages of internal flaws, inclusions that appear as cloudiness, and many holes that are often scratched.
The major difference between Japanese red coral and Mediterranean red coral is that Mediterranean coral does not have a “f” in it. The Mediterranean red coral has no “porphyry.” This means that the coral itself is less unevenly colored, and the finish itself is more beautiful.

Peach coral
Peach coral ranges in color from red to white pink, and is the largest of all gemstone corals. Like Japanese blood red coral, it is collected in the seas around Japan (Ogasawara Islands, Goto Islands, Amami, Okinawa, and Miyako Island). It lives on the deep sea floor at depths of 200 to 500 meters.
Peach corals range in color from reddish to whitish pink. Among peach corals, those with a single light pink color tone are called “angel skin” overseas and “honboke” in Japan. Angelskin corals are called “fantastic corals” and are sold at very high prices.
Peach coral is characterized by the fact that it is one of the largest logs of coral. It is not unusual to see huge logs that exceed 1 meter in both height and width. They can weigh over 40 kilograms. It is characterized by its sticky material. Like Japanese red coral, peach coral is also available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

White coral
White corals are collected from a wide range of areas, including the South China Sea, the waters around Okinawa, the Goto Islands, off the coast of Nagasaki, and Tosa Bay. It lives on the seafloor at depths of 100 to 400 meters.
Unlike its name, the actual color of the coral is often a light peach to sepia color. White coral is not considered to be very valuable, but pure white coral is considered to be rare.
The bark of the raw wood is persimmon-colored, and before processing (polishing), it resembles peach-colored coral. The bone shaft is white, so it becomes whitish when polished. Some coral is difficult to distinguish from white coral without checking the bone shaft.

Coral has long been thought of as an amulet or charm to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. It is especially famous as a “good luck charm after childbirth. Therefore, when a girl is born (thinking of the way of blood), there is a custom to give coral as a gift to wish the child happiness. It is also popular as a gift for “coral weddings” (35th wedding anniversary) and red coral as a gift to celebrate the 60th birthday.
Coral grows only a little per year. Knowing a little bit about coral, you may feel closer to the accessories you have at hand.

See you soon.

みなさまこんにちは、スタッフYでございます。

先日は、ご自宅やご実家にて刀剣を見つけてしまった際の取扱いや届け出などについてお伝えいたしました。かつては武器や賜りものなどとしての存在だった刀剣でありますが、現在の刀剣は主に鑑賞用でありましょうか。

博物館などを訪れた際に、もう少しその鑑賞のポイントを理解していくと、もっとその面白さや素晴らしさが理解できるんだろうな…と、思うこともあるのでは。本日は、その刀剣の鑑賞ポイントを綴ってまいりたいと思いますので、お手持ちの刀剣や美術館など、鑑賞をする際に是非参考にしてみてください。

1.姿(すがた)をみる。

日本刀の持つ、機能を追求し一切の無駄を省いた姿に美を感じる方は多いと思います。その姿や反り格好は、制作された歴史の中で、それぞれの必要性に応じて生まれ、その歴史や時代の思潮や様相を物語っています。

2.地鉄(じがね)をみる。

研ぎ澄まされた地鉄に美を見出し、その魅力に惹きつけられる方も多いことでしょう。日本刀は「折れず、曲がらず・よく切れる」という条件を満たすために、良質の玉鋼(たまはがね)を用いて何回も折り返し鍛錬し、炭素量の少ない心鉄(しんがね＝軟らかい鉄)を炭素量の多い皮鉄(かわがね＝硬い鉄)で包んで強靭な地鉄を作り出します。そのようにして現れる地鉄の模様は、樹木の木肌にたとえられ「板目肌」「柾目肌」「杢目肌」「綾杉(あやすぎ)肌」などと呼ばれ、様々な魅力を秘めています。

Hello everyone, this is Staff Y.

The other day, we reported on the handling and reporting of swords found at home or at your parents’ house. In the past, swords were used as weapons or gifts, but today’s swords are mainly for appreciation.

When you visit a museum, you may think that if you understand more about how to appreciate swords, you will be able to understand their interest and splendor more. Today, we would like to write about some of the points of sword appreciation, so please refer to them when viewing your swords or visiting museums.

1. Look at the shape of the sword.

Many people find beauty in the form of a Japanese sword, which pursues functionality and eliminates all waste. The shape and warp of a sword are born in response to the needs of each period in the history of the sword’s creation and tell the story of the history and the trends and aspects of that period.

2. Looking at the jitetsu (base iron).

Many people find beauty in the sharpened Jitetsu and are attracted to it. In order to satisfy the requirements of “no breakage, no bending, and good cutting,” Japanese swords are made of high-quality tama-hagane (tama-hagane) and forged over and over again to produce a strong hidetetsu (base iron). The pattern of the iron is called “itame-hada,” “masa-me-hada,” “mokume-hada,” “ayasugi-hada,” etc., and has a variety of attractive characteristics.

The most common type is itame-hada, which is often seen on Soshu swords (= swords made in the present Kanagawa Prefecture), which are famous for Masamune. The most common type is itame-hada, which is found in Soshu-mono (= swords made in today’s Kanagawa Prefecture), famous for Masamune. Ko-itame-hada, with well-deepened itame, is common among Yamashiro (= today’s Kyoto Prefecture) swordsmiths of the Kamakura period, and is called nashiji-hada when the grain is especially thin and clean.

The Aoe school in Bicchu (present-day Okayama Prefecture) is characterized by mokume, while masaime is a characteristic of Yamatomono (swords made in present-day Nara Prefecture). In addition, there is a case in which a white haze, like a shadow of the blade pattern, appears in the ground separately from the blade pattern, called “egori”. The most beautiful of these reflections is found on Bizen swords, and is a major highlight of this type of sword.

3. Look at the blade pattern.

The beauty of Japanese swords is not only in the shape and the iron of the blade, but also in the “hamon” (edge pattern). The haft pattern is a pattern produced by the quenching technique. The shape of the blade is determined by the way the clay called “yakiba-duchi” is applied to the blade with a spatula, and the shape of the blade is determined by the way it is applied, whether it is a straight edge or a midareba edge. This is called tsuchitori. When the clay from the tsuchitori has dried, the sword is placed in a furnace and then placed in a water tank to see how well the blade is burned. This is called “quenching,” and is said to be the most important process requiring the most skill.

The design of the blade pattern is a good indication of the period in which it was made, the lineage of the swordsmith, and the characteristics of the sword, and has an appeal that varies widely.

The blade is said to have “nie” (boiling) and “nioi” (smell), which are produced by the firing process.

The style with a lot of boiling in the blade is called nioi-deki, and is mainly seen in swords made in the early Kamakura period and in the Soshumono lineage. The “nioi-de” style is represented by Bizen-mono made after the middle of the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and Bichu-aoe-mono made in the Nanbokucho period (1392-1333). (Boiling is the coarse-grained part, which can be seen with the naked eye, while odor is the fine-grained part, which can only be seen under a microscope.

There is also a view called “working”. For example, the boiling in the blade is connected to form a thin line, which shines more brightly and appears to sparkle, and a slightly thicker and longer line is called “inazuma” (a kind of “lightning bolt”). Similar effects on the surface of the blade are called chikei, or tobiyaki, in which the boiling is concentrated in one area. Other notable features include the foot, leaf, and sandy flow that appear in the blade.

4. Look at the carving on the blade of the sword.

Carving on the blade of a sword has been practiced since the Heian period (794-1192). There are three types of carving: practical, religious, and decorative, and each type of carving has its own characteristics depending on the fashion and lineage of the period.

In addition to the guttering, many ancient swords were engraved with religious symbols such as Bonji, swords, Fudo Myoo, Kurikara, Sanko swords, Goma chopsticks, Hachiman Daibosatsu, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, etc. In newer swords, the decoration became more decorative. The newer swords are more decorative, with engravings of cranes and turtles, dragons above and below, pine, bamboo, and plum trees, and more.

What do you think? I hope you have come to appreciate swords….

The swords, especially those with inscriptions, remind us of the long history of the sword, and at times they were weapons, objects of faith, and symbols of authority…….

I think I am not the only one who is almost absorbed by the scenery of those shining blades when I appreciate the history of swords, which were made stronger, more beautiful, sharper and more soulful, as well as the history of swords passed down to the present day….

If you are interested in swords, please try to appreciate them with these points in mind.

Have a good day.

皆さまこんにちは。スタッフでHございます。

名古屋では昨日から日中の日差しが強くなり、じりじりとした暑さが続いております。それでも夜になると涼しい風が吹いてくれるので、ほっと一息つける時間がありがたいです。　いつまでこの夕涼みを楽しめるでしょうか。

さて、店内のガラス戸棚に陳列されていて、ずっと気にはなっていたのですが、得体がしれなくてスルーしていたお皿がございます。カシャン民窯、染付志那風小皿と記載されています。染付の白地の部分は青味がかっており、まさに志那風をイメージしてのびのびと描かれているといった感じがします。縁の点々も幅が不揃いで藍色が滲んでいたりして面白いです。

先日、北欧の某家具量販店にてラグマットの売り場に大きな地図が掛かっており、その中にカシャーンの文字が。思わず反応して「カシャーン！」と声に出してしまいました。絨毯の有名な産地でもあるのですね。

カシャーンは現在のイランの首都テヘランの南東に位置し、ペルシア時代の都市でもあり、砂漠と緑地帯に挟まれたオアシス都市で、シルクロードを旅する人々の憩いの地でもあり、また貿易の要所となっています。古くから工芸の街として知られ、陶器やタイル、絹織物が生産されていました。特に絨毯は名品が多く、「カシャーンからやって来た人」というのが最大の賛辞とされていたようです。

ペルシアと聞くと、ペルシア絨毯やペルシア猫など、響きも洒落た感じがあり高貴な香りのするものを思い浮かべてしまいます。ペルシアという文字を最初に目にしたのは教科書に写真が載っていた奈良・正倉院の宝物で、ペルシア伝来のガラス「白瑠璃碗（はくるりのわん）」でしょうか。シルクロードを通り長い旅をして日本に辿り着いたのだなと子供心に感動していました。

しかし学年が上がるにつれ、アケメネス朝ペルシア、ササン朝ペルシアなどの複雑な歴史やカタカナばかりの言葉の羅列に、世界史はお手上げ状態でした。今は動画配信などで、とても分かりやすく、面白おかしく歴史を知ることができます。学校の授業も暗記ばかりではなく、もっと興味を持たくれる内容だったなら。いや自分の努力不足を棚に上げてはいけませんね。

勉強不足のせいかペルシアと聞いてもなんだかぼんやりしたイメージしか湧いてきません。そもそも「ペルシア」という地名は西欧の人々から見た呼称で、古代ギリシャの歴史家がペルシア人が移住したイラン平原西南のファールス州の古名「パールス」にちなんでペルシアと呼んでいたようです。パールスの語源は「騎馬者」を意味し、元々は騎馬民族だったと考えられています。

日本でも西欧に倣い、ペルシャの漢字表記を「波斯」としました。時々見かける漢字ですが、ペルシアを指していたのですね。

しかし１９２５年レザー・シャー・パハラヴィーが即位した後、ペルシア国民の間でナショナリズムが高まると、ペルシアという呼称ではなく、歴史的、地理的、民族的により広い意味を持つ「イラン」を自称すべきとの考えが広がりました。イランとは「アーリア人の国」を語源とするようです。

ペルシアは「イラン」への国号の変更を各国に通告し、日本に対してもペルシャの外務省から「ペルシア」を廃して「イラン」を用いることを要請し、１９３５年に日本政府はこれを受け入れました。

ただ現在でもペルシアという言葉は文化や特産物、言語などに用いられています。

ペルシャ語など全く縁がないと思っていましたが。ペルシャ語が語源の言葉で身近なものがありました。「パジャマ」だそうです。「パエ」は「脚」、「ジャマ」は「衣服」を意味し、ペルシアやインドでは民族衣装としてゆったりしたズボンをはく習慣があったようです。やがて西洋に伝わり「パジャマ」となったとか。

様々なものが古から繋がっているのですね。歴史を毛嫌いしてはいけないと昔の自分に伝えたくなります。

それでは、また次の機会に。

Hello everyone. This is H, a member of our staff.

Since yesterday, the sun has been shining strongly during the daytime in Nagoya, and it has been very hot and humid. Even so, I am thankful for the cool breeze at night, which gives me time to take a breather.　I wonder how long I can enjoy this cool evening air.

There is a dish displayed in the glass cupboard in the store that has been on my mind for a long time, but I have been unable to find it because of its mysteriousness. It is described as “Kashan Mingyō, Shina-style small dish with blue underglaze blue. The white part of the underglaze blue is tinged with blue, and it looks as if it was drawn in the image of the Shina style. The dots on the rim are also interesting, with uneven width and indigo blotches.

The other day, I was at a furniture retailer in Scandinavia and saw a large map hanging in the rug section, with the word “Kashan” in it. I couldn’t help but react and say “Kashan! I couldn’t help but respond and shout out “Kashan! Kashan is also a famous carpet production area.

Located southeast of Tehran, the current capital of Iran, Kashan is an oasis city nestled between a desert and a green belt, a resting place for travelers along the Silk Road, and an important trading center. Known since ancient times as a city of crafts, pottery, tiles, and silk fabrics were produced here. Carpets, in particular, were renowned, and it seems that the greatest tribute was paid to “the man from Kashan.

When one hears the word “Persia,” one thinks of Persian carpets, Persian cats, and other things that sound fancy and have a noble scent. The first time I saw the word “Persia” was probably in a glass bowl called “Hakururi no wan,” which was imported from Persia and is a treasure in the Shosoin Repository in Nara, Japan, and whose picture appeared in a textbook. I was impressed in my child’s mind that it had reached Japan after a long journey through the Silk Road.

However, as the school year progressed, the complicated history of Achaemenid Persia, Sasanid Persia, etc., and the list of words that were all in katakana, made me feel overwhelmed with world history. Nowadays, with video streaming and other means, we can learn about history in a very easy-to-understand and entertaining way. I wish the lessons at school had been more interesting and less rote memorization. I should not put my lack of effort on the shelf.

Perhaps it is because of my lack of study, but when I hear the word “Persia,” I get only a vague image of it. To begin with, the name “Persia” is a name seen by people in the West, and it seems that ancient Greek historians called it Persia after the ancient name “Pars” of the province of Fars in the southwest of the Iranian plain, where Persians settled. The etymology of the word “Pars” means “horsemen,” and it is believed that they were originally horsemen.

In Japan, following Western Europe, the Chinese character for Persia was written as “波斯. This kanji is sometimes seen, but it was referring to Persia.

However, after the accession of Reza Shah Pahlavi to the throne in 1925, as nationalism grew among the Persian people, the idea spread that instead of calling themselves Persia, they should call themselves “Iran,” which had a broader historical, geographical, and ethnic meaning. The word “Iran” seems to be derived from “the land of the Aryans.

Persia notified other countries of the change of the country’s name to “Iran,” and the Persian Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested that Japan abolish “Persia” and use “Iran,” which the Japanese government accepted in 1935.

However, the word “Persia” is still used today for culture, local products, language, and so on.

I thought I had no connection to Persian at all. But I found a familiar word of Persian origin. It is “pajamas. Pajama” means ‘leg’ and ‘jama’ means ‘garment.’ In Persia and India, it was customary to wear loose-fitting trousers as national dress. It is said that the word “pajamas” was eventually introduced to the West and became “pajamas.

So many things are connected to each other from ancient times. I feel like telling my old self not to hate history.

See you next time.

皆さまこんにちは。スタッフでHございます。

今朝歩いていると、色々な種類の紫陽花（あじさい）が咲いている公園をみつけました。私のイメージする紫陽花はこんもりと丸いブーケのような形なのですが、花が周りにだけ咲いている紫陽花も時々みかけます。（この花だと思っていたものは実は花ではなかったのですが…）

先ほど、花に見えるものは花ではないそうで…と書きましたが、ガクアジサイの周囲を囲む４枚の花弁に見えるものは花ではなく「がく」だそうで「装飾花」と呼ばれます。「がく」とは花びらの外側にある花葉のことで、普通は葉と同じ緑色をしていますが、紫陽花は花のようにカラフルな色をしています。

中央の複数の小さな粒のようなものの一つ一つが花だということです。よく見ると青い紫陽花の中心はまだ蕾で、紫の紫陽花の中心の花は咲いているように見えます。水色のガクアジサイの「がく」は八重になっており、もう私には花にしか見えません！

ブーケのような紫陽花も４枚の花弁に見えるものは「がく」でその中心に小さな小さな花が一つ咲いています。控えめすぎるお花です。

色々と調べてみますと「アジサイ」の語源は「アジ」が小さいものが集まることを意味する「あづ」。「サイ」が藍色を意味する「真藍（さあい）」からきていると分かりました。

漢字の「紫陽花」は平安時代中期の歌人であり学者でもあった源順（みなもとの　したごう）という人物が中国の白楽天の詩に登場する「紫陽花」の花の特徴から、ガクアジサイを同じ花だと勘違いし、この漢字を当てたといわれています。あじさいは日本原産ですので中国の紫陽花とは同じ花ではないとされていますが、現代までこの漢字は受け継がれ、紫陽花という文字を見ると日本の梅雨の時期のしっとりとした情景が思い浮かびます。

ふと思い出したのですが、昔実家でトイレに紫陽花が逆さまに吊るされていた時期がありました。

昔の人は紫陽花には霊力が宿るとして魔除けに使っていたようで、紅白の水引で結んだものを軒先や玄関に吊るすのだそうですが、なぜトイレに？と不思議に思い調べると、トイレに吊るすと婦人病を防ぐという言い伝えがあるのだそうです。今朝も家の庭先に咲くたくさんの紫陽花を見ました。家を守るという意味合いもあるのかもしれませんね。

紫陽花の花の色は土壌の酸性度によって変化するようで、酸性に近ければ青色の花が咲き、アルカリ性に近ければピンクの花が咲くそうです。土壌が弱酸性の日本では青色の紫陽花が多く見られ、今朝見つけた公園でも水色や紫の紫陽花が咲いていました。今日は日差しが強くバテ気味でしたが、涼し気な色の紫陽花が一瞬暑さを忘れさせてくれ、元気をもらいました。

それでは、また次の機会に。

皆さまこんにちは。スタッフでＴございます。

さて本日のブログは、ご実家のお片付けや相続品の整理などでご相談を頂きます「珊瑚」についてです。

海の生物として知られる珊瑚ですが、装飾品としても実は高い人気があります。珊瑚はその色味、色ムラ、傷などによって価値が変わってきますが、その中でも血赤珊瑚と呼ばれるものは買取価格も非常に高額になってきます。

そもそも「珊瑚」とはどういったものなのでしょうか？

珊瑚というと珊瑚礁を形成するもの（条約等によって国際的に保護されている造礁サンゴと呼ばれるタイプ）を想像しがちですが、「宝石サンゴ」、「石サンゴ」、「軟質サンゴ」、「ヒドロサンゴ」など珊瑚自体が種類分けすることができ、例えば宝石として取り扱われる珊瑚は「宝石サンゴ」と呼ばれるものだけになります。そして、１７４２年に、珊瑚は動物であることが確認され、珊瑚虫は「刺胞動物：花虫類」に分類され「ポリプ」と言う種群であることが解明されました。

珊瑚虫が珊瑚礁か宝石サンゴかは、口の周囲にある触手の数によって見分ける事ができます。

珊瑚礁は､六放（ろっぽう）サンゴといわれ、口の周囲にある触手の数は６本、浅海に生息していてその成長も早いとされています。よく海岸で見かける「イソギンチャク」も実はサンゴ礁の種類に入ります。

一方で、宝石サンゴは､八放（はっぽう）サンゴといわれ、口の周囲にある触手の数が８本です。100ｍ以上もの深海に生息している為人の目に触れる事はなく、成長もわずか１ｃｍ成長するのに、数十年近くかかるかかるものもあり、これが大きく成長した原木は大変貴重です。サンゴの成長は、原木の周囲を泳いでいる珊瑚虫が、一定の大きさになると原木本体に吸着される事によって成長を続けていきます。

珊瑚虫の中でも、感覚機能を持ったもの、平衡機能を持ったもの、外敵に対して保護機能を持ったもの、磨耗に対する保護機能を持ったものというように、それぞれ役割を持って一つの原木に成長します。潮の流れが速いほど、非常に美しい枝を作る為、原木自体自然が生み出した深海の芸術品と言えるでしょう。

また、宝石サンゴは動物ですからそれぞれの個体に寿命があり、その寿命を迎えたサンゴはやがて朽ち果て、海底の砂となります。高価な宝石の一つとして世界的に知られる珊瑚は真珠とあわせて「海の二大宝石」と呼ばれ、養殖ができない希少性ある天然宝石として古来より重宝されています。

そんな珊瑚を採取して装飾品や祭祀の神具・護符として活用するようになったのは、なんと紀元前のこと。ドイツの旧石器時代の遺跡からは珊瑚が見つかっています。
日本に珊瑚が伝わったのは、奈良時代のこと。当時はシルクロードを通って伝わった外来品として重用されていたそうです。その後、明治時代になると日本近海にも珊瑚が生息していることが判明し、珊瑚漁が行われるようになりました。

珊瑚は世界各地で装飾品として愛されていますが、実は産地は限られています。
スペインやイタリア・ギリシャなどの地中海は、珊瑚の一大産地です。地中海産の珊瑚は、赤珊瑚と呼ばれ高いグレードがつけられています。このほか、北太平洋のハワイやミッドウェー島などでは、白珊瑚と呼ばれる淡い色をしたものが採取されています。
日本の場合は、高知県の土佐沖や沖縄や小笠原列島・五島列島・奄美などの近海が代表的です。

そして、宝石として使用される珊瑚は主に「血赤珊瑚」「赤珊瑚」「桃色珊瑚」「白珊瑚」と、大きく分けて4つに種別されます。次回はこれらの特徴についてお話できたらと思っております。

ではでは、また。

Hello everyone. This is T. Staff.

Today, I would like to write about “coral,” a topic that we are often consulted about when cleaning out family homes or sorting out inheritances.

Coral is known as a sea creature, but it is also very popular as a decorative item. The value of coral varies depending on its color, unevenness of color, scratches, etc. Coral is called “blood red coral” and its purchase price is very high.

What is “coral” in the first place?

When we think of coral, we tend to imagine coral that forms coral reefs (the type called reef-building coral, which is internationally protected by treaties, etc.), but coral itself can be classified into different types such as “jewelry coral,” “stone coral,” “soft coral,” and “hydro coral,” and for example coral that is treated as jewelry is called “jewelry coral. Coral that is treated as jewelry, for example, can only be called “gemstone coral. In 1742, it was confirmed that corals are animals, and coral worms were classified as “cnidarians: bryozoans,” a group of species called “polyps.

Coralline worms can be distinguished from coral reefs and jewel corals by the number of tentacles around their mouths.

Coral reefs are called roppo corals, which have six tentacles around their mouths, live in shallow waters, and grow quickly. Sea anemones, which are often seen on beaches, are actually a type of coral reef.

On the other hand, gemstone corals, which have eight tentacles around their mouths, live at depths of more than 100 meters and are not visible to the human eye. Coral growth is caused by coral insects that swim around the logs, and when they reach a certain size, they are absorbed by the log itself and continue to grow.

Among the coralline worms, those with sensory functions, those with equilibrium functions, those with protective functions against foreign enemies, and those with protective functions against abrasion, all grow into a single log. The faster the tides flow, the more beautiful the branches are, so the log itself is a deep-sea work of art created by nature.

Since gemstone corals are animals, each individual coral has its own life span, and when it reaches the end of its life span, it eventually decays and becomes sand on the ocean floor. Coral is one of the most expensive gemstones in the world, and together with pearls is known as one of the “two jewels of the sea,” and has been treasured since ancient times as a rare natural gemstone that cannot be cultivated.

Coral has been collected and used as ornaments, ritual implements, and amulets since the B.C. period. Coral has been found in Paleolithic remains in Germany.
Coral was introduced to Japan in the Nara period (710-794). At that time, coral was valued as a foreign product introduced via the Silk Road. Later, in the Meiji period (1868-1912), coral was found to inhabit the seas around Japan, and coral fishing began.

Coral is loved as an ornamental item in many parts of the world, but its origin is actually limited.
The Mediterranean Sea, including Spain, Italy, and Greece, is a major coral producing area. Mediterranean coral is called red coral and is highly graded. In addition, light-colored corals called white corals are collected from Hawaii and Midway Island in the North Pacific.
In Japan, the most representative areas are off the coast of Tosa in Kochi Prefecture and the waters around Okinawa, the Ogasawara Islands, the Goto Islands, and the Amami Islands.

Coral used as jewelry is classified into four main categories: blood red coral, red coral, peach coral, and white coral. In the next issue, I would like to talk about the characteristics of these types of coral.

皆さまこんにちは、スタッフYでございます。

弊店でもよく問い合わせがございます刀剣。

〝ご先祖が持っていた刀が､家で見つかったのですが、どうすればよろしいですか？〟
〝所有していた家族が亡くなり、持っていた刀はどうすればよいか教えてください〟
〝以前は興味がなかったのですが、最近、先祖が持っていた刀が家にあることが判り、今後、どのようにすれば所持できるのか教えてください〟

など、刀剣を見つけてしまった！、どうすればよいのか…などのご相談もございます。

刀剣を所持扱う際はルールがございますので、本日はそちらについて綴ってまいりますので、是非ご参考になさってみてください。

Hello everyone, this is Staff Y.

We often receive inquiries about swords.”I found a sword that belonged to my ancestor in my house, what should I do with it?”A family member who owned a sword has passed away, what should I do with the sword I had?
“I wasn’t interested before, but recently I found a sword that belonged to my ancestor in my house, please tell me how I can possess it in the future.I have found a sword, such as! What should I do with it?There are rules and regulations regarding the possession and handling of swords, so please take a look at them today.according to the “Law on Firearms and Swords Possession,” anyone is allowed to possess a Japanese sword that meets the criteria for registration by the “Firearms and Swords Registration Board” of each prefectural board of education and for which a “Firearms and Swords Registration Card” (registration certificate) has been issued.So, the first points to note are

1) Check to see if any “Japanese swords” (long or short, large or small) found or kept at home have a “Firearms and Swords Registration Card” (registration card) attached to them.

If you have the registration card, you may possess the sword as it is. However, you may need to report a change of ownership, so please call the person in charge of swords at the board of education listed on the registration certificate. Please call the representative of the local board of education and ask for the person in charge of swords (Japanese swords).
It is best to have your registration card ready at hand and provide the registration number. 2.

(2) If you cannot find your registration card.

In this case, too, please call the person in charge of swords at the local board of education and tell him or her about the situation.
We will be happy to consult with you. The important thing to remember is that the “Japanese sword” found should be left in its original state without being moved from its location. Please be careful not to move it without permission.

After that, you should proceed with the advice of the person in charge of swords at the Board of Education.

Normally, after the “report of discovery” process at the police department, the actual item and necessary documents are finally brought to the “Firearms and Swords Registration Board” of each prefectural board of education (*If you have a “report of discovery” instead of a registration certificate, you can bring the item to the board, which means you can bring it to the board), and if the item meets the criteria for registration, it will be issued a If the item meets the criteria for registration, a “Firearms and Swords Registration Certificate” (Registration Certificate) will be issued. Examination dates (once every one to three months) vary from board of education to board of education. Please contact the board of education for details.

How should swords and other items be handled? Here are a few points to consider

Do not send your swords to be sharpened until they have been examined for registration. If you find a sword, please leave it as it is. Please leave the swords as they are.

The following are points to keep in mind when handling a report of discovery (from the standpoint of the police, the following points should be noted).

1.Give due consideration to the handling of the sword so as not to cause unnecessary inconvenience to the person who notified of the discovery in good faith.

2. handle the presented swords with care, bearing in mind that they may be valuable works of art, and if it is difficult to remove the koshirae to check the blade length, eye nail holes, or inscription, do not attempt to do so by force.

3.With regard to requests for registration, respect the wishes of the notifier of the find and make no judgment as to whether or not the item is eligible for registration.

4. not to take temporary custody of the swords. However, this shall not apply when it is necessary and unavoidable.

5. It is acceptable for a responsible person who knows the circumstances of the discovery to report the discovery on behalf of the finder.

6. even swords that have been found and reported cannot be transferred to others without registration, and possession of swords for purposes other than registration is illegal, so the person who found or reported the discovery should be informed of this fact.

7. in cooperation with the Prefectural Board of Education, take necessary measures, such as confirming the intention to dispose of or donate to a public museum, etc., swords that have not undergone a registration examination after being discovered and notified or that have not been registered as a result of the registration examination.

Once you have completed the registration procedures and have been issued a “Firearms and Swords Registration Certificate” by the local board of education, please polish the sword to prevent rusting and keep it in a safe place. The registration certificate is also required when considering the sale of the sword, so please keep it in a safe place.

Although we have given a general explanation, we believe that each family has its own unique circumstances. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about handling, notification, purchase, etc.

皆さまこんにちは。スタッフでＴございます。

今朝ふと「そういえば昨日は令和6年6月6日だったな」と過ぎ去ってから気づきました。

なぜか数字が並ぶとテンションが少し上がりますが、みなさまはいかがですか？

気が付いたのが今日ですが、遅ればせながら少しＳＮＳを覗いてみましたら、皆さま熱く「6」集めされておりまして、「R6.6.6」がトレンド入りしておりました。

数字が揃うと、皆さん「もっと6を並べたい」と考えるようで、「6月6日6時6分6秒」に写真を撮影された方も多くおられました。そして、「6月6日6時6分6秒」に加えて湿度を「66％」に調整して撮影した人も。偶然ではなく、揃えるために早起きされたのでしょうか。朝が弱い私には尊敬しかありません。

なぜ数字が並ぶとこんなに嬉しいと思うのでしょう。人は同じ数字が並ぶと、縁起の良さと結びつけるため期待感が上がったり、気分が上がる人が多いような気がします。どうやら、この考え方は世界でも広く見られる共通の認識のようです。

数字の「6」については、時間の単位が6の倍数になっているので、割と接する機会が多い数字かもしれません。

時間の単位は、1年が12カ月、1カ月は（基本的に）30日、1日が24時間、1時間は60分、1分は60秒となっており、ここで現れてくる「12」、「24」、「30」、「60」は、全て6の倍数です。

「6」という数字は、縁起の良い数字、縁起の悪い数字どちらなのでしょうか。

日本では、とくに「6」という数字に「よい」意味はないようですが、中国では異なるようです。

中国で「6」は「8」（「発」（fa ファ）と同じ発音であることから転じて、発展、繁栄などの意味）や「9」（「久」（jiu ジウ）と同じ発音であることから転じて、永遠、長寿などの意味）の次に「いい数字」とされています。「六六大順」（順調、うまくいく）などの言葉もあり、好んで使われるようです。

さらに、ここ数年、Z世代の若者がネットで使ったことから、「666」が「超いいね！」「すごいね！」などの意味になり、若者だけでなく、幅広い世代の人々が、ネットの生中継などを見て「超いいね」と示したいときに「666」と押すようになったそうです。

一方で、キリスト教においては、「6」は不完全な数、「666」は獣の数字とされています。
聖書においては、神が人類を創造した「7」が聖なる数とされているのに対して、それに１つ足りない数字として、「6」は不完全な数字とされています。

また、「666」は、新約聖書の「ヨハネの黙示録」に記述されている１匹の怪物を表現するシンボルである「獣の数字」とされ、「悪魔の数字」ともいわれています。ヨハネの黙示録第15章16～18節には、「ここに知恵が必要である。思慮のある者は、獣の数字にどのような意味があるかを考えるがよい。その数字は人間を指している。そして、その数字は666である。」と記されており、長年にわたって「666」は悪魔や反キリスト教徒など、様々なものと関連付けられているようです。

私はと言えば、「666」と聞けば、アメリカのホラー映画『オーメン』（1976年）が頭に浮かびます。6月6日、午前6時に生まれた悪魔の子、ダミアンが引き起こす恐怖のストーリー。「666」と聞けば「不吉な数字」「悪い数字」のイメージが強いかもしれません。

とはいえ、同じ数字の並びが何度も目に入る、なんとなく気になる…そんな数字はエンジェルナンバーともいわれ、メッセージ性があるとも言われています。占いのように楽しみながら、自分自身を見つめるためのヒントを見つけられるかもしれませんね。

ではでは、また。

Hello everyone. This is T. Staff.

This morning I suddenly realized that yesterday was June 6, 2024.

For some reason, I get a little excited when I see numbers in a row.

Since I noticed it today, I took a look at some social networking sites and found that everyone was passionately collecting “6” and “R6.6.6.6” was trending.

It seems that everyone wants to line up more 6’s when the numbers are all lined up, and many people took a photo at “6:06:06 on June 6,” and then took a photo at “6:06:06 on June 6,” and then took a photo at “6:06:06 on June 6,” and so on. And there were also those who took pictures at “June 6, 6:06:06” and adjusted the humidity to “66%. I wonder if it was not by chance that they woke up early in order to take the same picture. I have nothing but respect for those who are weak in the morning.

Why do you feel so happy when the numbers line up? I feel that when people see the same number lined up, they associate it with good luck, and therefore their expectations rise and their moods are lifted. Apparently, this idea is a common perception that is widely shared around the world.

As for the number “6,” I feel that it is a number that we come into contact with rather frequently because the unit of time is a multiple of 6.

A year is 12 months, a month is (basically) 30 days, a day is 24 hours, an hour is 60 minutes, and a minute is 60 seconds, and the “12,” “24,” “30,” and “60” that appear here are all multiples of 6.

Is the number “6” a good or bad omen?

In Japan, the number “6” does not seem to have a particularly “good” meaning, but in China it seems to have a different meaning.

In China, the number “6” is considered to be the next best number after “8” (pronounced like “fa fa”, meaning development and prosperity) and “9” (pronounced like “jiu”, meaning eternity and longevity). It is also used in the Japanese language to express “good luck” and “good fortune”.

In addition, in the past few years, the use of “666” on the Internet by young people of Generation Z has led to the use of words such as “Super nice! That’s great!” and so on. Not only young people but also people of all ages now press “666” when they want to show “super nice” when they watch live broadcasts on the Internet.

On the other hand, in Christianity, “6” is an imperfect number and “666” is the number of the beast.
In the Bible, “6” is considered an imperfect number as it is one short of “7,” the number God created mankind with, while “7” is considered a holy number.

Also, “666” is considered the “number of the beast,” a symbol representing one monster described in the New Testament’s “Revelation of John,” and is also known as the “number of the devil. Revelation 15:16-18 says, “Herein is the need of wisdom. Let him who is wise consider what the number of the beast means. That number refers to man. And that number is 666.”
It is written, and over the years “666” seems to have been associated with many things, including the devil and anti-Christians.

As for me, when I hear “666,” I think of the American horror film “The Omen” (1976), about the terror caused by Damien, a child of the devil born on June 6 at 6:00 a.m. The film was made in the United States in 1976. The number “666” may conjure up images of “bad luck” and “bad numbers.

Nevertheless, if you see the same sequence of numbers over and over again, or are somehow curious about them… such numbers are also known as angel numbers and are said to have a message. While enjoying it like fortune-telling, you may be able to find hints to help you look at yourself.

See you soon.

皆さまこんにちは、スタッフYでございます。

ここ名古屋、本日はなんだかどんよりとしたお天気であります。この曇天のせいか、曇天のおかげでか、街中の紫陽花の花が際立って目に入ってきます。今朝も様々な紫陽花を眺めながら勝手に品評会をしておりました。あ、でも私の中ではどの紫陽花も「最優秀賞」ですが。

また、そろそろ梅雨のお知らせも入ってきそうです。花粉もひと段落したこの時期はご自宅ご実家のお片付けなど、個人的にはおすすめの季節ではあります。

さてさて、そんな紫陽花を横目に、先日偶然にも名古屋市昭和区にて豊臣秀吉の母（大政所）宅跡ではないか？はたまたここで太閤秀吉を生んだのではないか？と、言われる場所を発見いたしました。

え？ここ？と言われそうなところだったのですが、屋敷跡のものであろう古木が。

どうやら母宅ではないかといわれる「御器所屋敷」と呼ばれるお屋敷がこの辺りにあったようでして、劇やドラマでは貧しい足軽からスタートだった秀吉も、実はお坊ちゃまだったのではなかろうか？と、思っていまったのですが、真実はどうなのでしょうね。

そこはまた別の機会に深掘るとして、ここ愛知県（尾張・三河）近辺は戦国三英傑を輩出したこともあり、このように「歴史的偉人の母」のストーリーや史跡が所々残っております。

かの徳川家康の母、於大の方も愛知県東浦町が出生の地であり、こちらは町内に於大の方にちなんだ寺院や史跡が多数残っているのですが、こちらは町をあげて「於大の方」を推しております。

とまあ現在の生母たちの存在は様々なのですが、史実や歴史を追っていきましても、どの偉人の母もご多分にもれず偉人本人同様、素晴らしい母であることはみなさま周知の事実。

それと同時に、偉人の生母のストーリーは聖母マリアやエジソンの母ではありませんが、全世界にもあったりと、「偉人がなぜ偉人になりえたのか、そのルーツは何なのか。」などとといったことは、今も昔もお国も問わず気にはなるところではあるようですね。

そんな自分も一児（もう大人）の母なのですが、たまに見かける超天才児や特別な才能を持ったお子さんをみると、何が違うのかなぁ…、先天的な遺伝子レベルなのか、後天的な育て方なのか、はたまた他の要因なのかなど…、などと気にはなりながら子育てをしておりました。

これは世の母たちの永遠に気にはなるテーマなのでしょうが、我が家の場合、凡人の子はどうも凡人だな…ということが薄っすらわかってまいりまして、私が偉人の生母でないことは確かではあります笑。

それではごきげんよう。

Hello everyone, this is Staff Y.

Here in Nagoya, the weather today is somewhat gloomy. Perhaps it is because of this cloudy weather, or perhaps it is because of the cloudy weather, but the hydrangea flowers in the city stand out. This morning, as I looked at the various hydrangeas, I was having my own evaluation contest. But in my mind, all the hydrangeas won the “best of the best” award, lol.

It seems that the rainy season is just around the corner, and I personally recommend this time of year for cleaning up your home and parents’ house after the pollen count has subsided.

With such hydrangeas by my side, the other day I happened to visit the site of Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s mother’s (Oyosho) house in Showa Ward, Nagoya City, and wondered if it might be the site of Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s mother’s house. Or perhaps this is where Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born? We found the place where Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI’s mother (Omasasho) lived in Showa Ward, Nagoya City.
What? Here? but there was an old tree that might have been the remains of the house.

It seems that there was a mansion called “Gokisho Yashiki” around here, which is said to be his mother’s house, and Hideyoshi, who started out as a poor foot soldier in plays and dramas, may have actually been a monk. I was wondering if Hideyoshi, who started out as a poor foot soldier in the plays and TV dramas, might have actually been a monk.

I will dig deeper into this another time, but here in Aichi Prefecture (Owari and Mikawa), which produced the three great heroes of the Warring States period, there are many stories and historical sites of “mothers of historical figures” like this.

The mother of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Oodai, was also born in Higashiura Town, Aichi Prefecture, and there are many temples and historical sites associated with her in the town.
The “Oodai-no-michi,” a 2-kilometer path on both banks of the Myotokuji River from National Highway 366 to Kengonin, is a historical walking trail, and in spring, the Oodai Festival is held with great fanfare. Along the path, 600 double-flowered cherry trees of about 20 varieties are planted, and monuments with motifs of the nightgowns worn by the Oda people are placed along the path.
In the midst of all this, “Odai-chan,” Higashiura Town’s tourism mascot, was born in April 2012. (Of course, “Oodai-no-Kata” is the model.) Her age is eternal 5 years old! Odai-chan, whose charm point is her cherry-colored cheeks, was also issued a special certificate of residence on April 1, 2013, the following year.

The mothers of the great men and women of the past are as well known as the mothers of the great men themselves.

At the same time, the stories of the birth mothers of great people are not the Virgin Mary or Edison’s mother, but they are found all over the world, and people still wonder why great people became great people and what their roots are. I guess people are interested in such things now and in the past, no matter what country they are from.

I myself am a mother of a child (now an adult), and when I see a child who is a super genius or has special talents, I wonder what the difference is…whether it is congenital at the genetic level, acquired in the way of upbringing, or some other factor. I was raising my child while wondering if it was a congenital genetic level, acquired upbringing, or other factors.

I am sure this is a theme that is forever on the minds of mothers around the world, but in the case of our family, we have come to realize that the children of ordinary people are very ordinary………………………….

I wish you all the best.