皆さまこんにちは。スタッフＴでございます。

本日の名古屋はしっかり梅雨空です。先日のスタッフＹのブログにもありましたが、雨の音の心地よさ。確かにそうだなと、今日はすっかり寝過ごしました（笑）しばらく雨が続きそうですので、雨音を楽しみたいと思います。

楽しみと言えば、最近始めた“庭に埋めるだけコンポスト”。

コンポストとは、英語のcompostからきており、堆肥・堆肥にするという意味です。家庭からでる生ごみや落ち葉などの有機物を微生物の働きを活用して発酵・分解させ堆肥を作るという昔から伝承されてきた日本の大切な知恵のひとつです。

きっかけは子どもの家庭科の授業で、ごみ処理場へ見学に行く課外授業があったのですが、その時に教科書を読んでみたことです。

今の子供たちの教科書ってなかなか面白い。でも読めば読むほど、このままだとゴミを捨てる場所がなくなって、地球がゴミに埋もれてしまうんじゃないか？と思ってしまいました。

あまり深く考えたことはなかったゴミ問題でしたが、何か“簡単に”できることはないかなと考えるきっかけになりました。

とはいえ、単に毎日出る生ごみをいちいち袋に入れて捨てるのが「面倒くさい」ってことが始まりだったような気もします…。夏になると臭いやコバエ問題も出てきますし…。

そんな中、SNSで“庭に埋めるだけコンポスト”なるものがあることを知りました。

始め方はとっても簡単。文字通り、庭に穴を掘って、野菜くずなどを入れ、土とかき混ぜ、その上に土を被せて終了。あっという間です。

ズボラの私にぴったりではありませんか。

「とりあえず埋めてみたら分かる」とのことでしたので、とりあえずやってみて、失敗したらやめればいいかという気軽な感じで始めてみました。野菜くずたちは、いずれ土の中の生き物たちによって分解され、土に還るということなので、どれくらいで無くなるのか今から楽しみです。

ただ、臭いや虫が発生したり野生動物が寄ってくることもあるそうですですので、念のため魚や肉の骨など臭いが強く分解が遅そうなものは埋めずに様子を見ています。もし始めようという方がいましたら、その点ご留意ください。

ゴミを減らさなければ！と気負って生活はしませんが、野菜は皮ごと食べたり、ピーマンなどは種ごと食べたり、キャベツは芯まで食べるなど、それを意識するだけでぐんと生ゴミの量が減る気がします。

続くかどうかは分かりませんが、“庭に埋めるだけコンポスト”負担にならない程度に続けてみたいと思います。

ではでは、また。

Hello everyone. This is Staff T.

It’s a rainy season here in Nagoya today. As mentioned in Staff Y’s blog the other day, the sound of rain is pleasant. It seems like it will continue to rain for a while, so I would like to enjoy the sound of rain.

Speaking of enjoyment, I recently started “composting in the garden.

The word “compost” comes from the English word “compost,” meaning to compost. Composting is an important Japanese wisdom that has been handed down from generation to generation, in which household garbage, fallen leaves, and other organic materials are fermented and decomposed by microorganisms to make compost.

It all started when my children’s home economics class had an extracurricular field trip to a waste treatment plant, and I read the textbook.

Textbooks for today’s children are quite interesting. But the more I read it, the more I wondered if, at this rate, there would be no more places to dispose of garbage, and the earth would be buried under garbage. I thought.

I had never thought much about the garbage problem, but it made me think about what I can do “easily” to solve it.

However, I think it all started with the fact that it is a hassle to put all the daily garbage into bags and throw them away…. In the summer, we have to deal with the smell and fly problems.

Then I learned on social networking sites that there is a composting method called “just bury the compost in the garden.

It is very easy to start. Literally, dig a hole in the garden, put in vegetable scraps, mix with soil, cover with soil, and that’s it. It’s just a matter of a few minutes.

It’s perfect for me, a lazy person.

I was told, “Just try it and you’ll see,” so I decided to give it a try and if it didn’t work out, I could just quit. The vegetable scraps will eventually be decomposed by living things in the soil and returned to the soil, so I am looking forward to seeing how long it will take for them to disappear.

However, I have heard that there are some smells, insects, and wild animals that may come close to the scraps, so just to be safe, we are not burying fish or meat bones that have a strong smell and seem to be slow to decompose. If anyone is interested in starting this project, please keep this in mind.

We don’t live in the ministry of reducing garbage, but we feel that just by being aware of it, such as eating vegetables with their peels, eating peppers with their seeds, and eating cabbage down to the core, we can greatly reduce the amount of garbage we produce.

I don’t know if I will be able to continue with it, but I would like to continue “just burying compost in the garden” to the extent that it does not become a burden for me.

See you soon.

皆さまこんにちは。スタッフHでございます。

梅雨の晴れ間、皆様いかがお過ごしでしょうか。

湿気のせいか室内の空気がよどんでいる気がします。先日より香木について綴っているせいか家で眠っていた線香やアロマグッズなどを引っ張り出して使っております。気分がすっきりする気がいたします。

古の日本人も香りにはとても敏感だったようで、室町時代の終わりごろに生まれた「香道」は「茶道」「華道」と同様に日本の「三道」として今日まで継承されています。

香道には様々な流派が存在しますが、室町時代から続く武家の流派とも呼ばれ、道具も簡素なものが多い「志野流」と和歌などの華やかな公家の文化を背景とし、お道具も煌びやかな「御家流」が二大流派として認識されているようです。

香木の一片を燃やさずに温めて香りを立て、その微妙な香りを聞きとる「聞香」が基本です。「聞香」で複数の香木の香りを聞き分けることが、香りを当てる遊びのような形となり、香りで文学や季節を楽しむ「組香（くみこう）」と呼ばれる遊戯に発展しました。

組香を深く楽しむために様々な作法や決まり事が生まれ、源氏香、花月香、古今香、七夕香、月雨香など季節などの風情を取り込んだ様々な種類の競技が考え出されました。

例えば源氏香では５種類の香木を用意し、それぞれ５包つずの香包に包んで２５の包を用意します。その中から無作為に５包を選び香炉で焚いていきます。

香炉を参加者全員に順番に回し種類の香りを聞きます。紙に５本の縦線を書き、５種類のうち同じ香りだと思った香りは横線で結びます。出来上がる図柄は５２通りとなり（数学の「くみあわせ」を思い出す方もいるのではないしょうか）５２通りそれぞれに源氏物語の章の名前が当てはめられています。この図柄は着物の柄にも使われているようです。

源氏香フリー素材より

この図をみると当てるのはかなり難しそうですが、正解することよりも香に敬意を払いながら、香を味わうことに集中することが大切だと言われています。機会があればぜひ挑戦し、足利義政が体系化した「六国五味」をぜひ体験してみたいものです。

香を焚く作法は流派によって違いがあるようですが、基本的には香元（こうもと）が７種類の火道具である火筋（こじ）、灰押（はいおさえ・はいおし）、羽箒（はぼうき）、銀葉挟（ぎんようばさみ）、香筋（きょうじ）、香匙（こうさじ）、鶯（うぐいす）を使い聞香炉の灰を整え、その上に銀葉と呼ばれる雲母版を置き、さらに一片の香木を載せます。

正客から順番に香炉が回され、香炉を左手で水平に持ち右手で覆って３回ほど香りを聞き分け次の人へ回します。

静けさのなかで粛々と進んでいく席の空気は、座禅の瞑想の場にも近いものがあるような気がします。

香道の道具も流派によって違いがあるようですが、主なものとして香りを焚くために必要な道具をいれるお盆である「乱箱（みだればこ）」、香りを聞く「聞香炉」、組香で使う香木を包む「香包」、炭団の上にのせ、その上に香木をのせる「銀葉」、銀葉をのせるための台「銀用盤」、銀葉を入れるための箱「銀用箱」などがあります。

蒔絵が施された華やかなものもあるようですので、ぜひ探してみてください。

それでは、また次の機会に。

Hello everyone. This is Staff H.

How are you all doing during the rainy season?

I feel that the air in my room is stale due to the humidity. I have been writing about fragrant woods since the other day, so I pulled out some incense sticks and aroma goods that were sleeping at home and have been using them. I feel refreshed.

The ancient Japanese were also very sensitive to fragrance, and “Kodo,” or the way of incense, which was born around the end of the Muromachi period (1336-1573), has been handed down to this day as one of the “Three Ways” of Japan, along with “Chado” (tea ceremony) and “Kado” (flower arrangement).

There are various schools of Kodo, but the two major schools are the Shino school, which has been practiced by samurai families since the Muromachi period (1333-1573) and has simple tools, and the Oke school, which is based on the gorgeous culture of the court nobles, including waka poems, and has glittering tools.

The basic method is to warm a piece of fragrant wood without burning it to create an aroma, and listen to the subtle fragrance. The process of distinguishing the fragrance of multiple fragrant woods by listening to them became a form of guessing the fragrance, and developed into a game called kumiko, in which literature and seasons are enjoyed through fragrance.

In order to deeply enjoy Kumiko, various manners and rules were developed, and various types of competitions were devised to incorporate seasonal and other aspects, such as Genjiko, Kagetsukiko, Kokin Koko, Tanabatako, and Tsukuyu Koko.

For example, in Genji-ko, five kinds of fragrant woods are prepared, and each of them is wrapped in five incense wrappers, making a total of 25 wrappers. Five of these are randomly selected and burned in an incense burner.

The incense burner is passed around to each participant in turn, and the participants are asked to listen to the different fragrances. Five vertical lines are drawn on a piece of paper, and the five scents that are thought to be the same are connected by a horizontal line. The resulting pattern consists of 52 different patterns, each named after a chapter in the Tale of Genji (some of you may remember the mathematical game “Kumiawase”). This design is also used in kimono patterns.

It is said that it is more important to concentrate on tasting the incense while paying respect to it, rather than trying to guess the correct answer. If you have a chance, I would like you to try it and experience the “Six Provinces and Five Flavors” systematized by Ashikaga Yoshimasa.

Although the manner of burning incense seems to differ from school to school, basically, the kogen (master) uses seven types of fire tools: koji, haioshi, haibouki, ginyoubasami, kyoji, kousaji, and uguisu (bush warbler) to prepare the ashes for the furnace, On top of the ash, a mica plate called a ginga (silver leaf) is placed, and then a piece of fragrant wood is placed on top.

The incense burner is passed from one guest to the next, who holds it horizontally with his left hand and covers it with his right hand, listening to the fragrance three times before passing it on to the next person.

The atmosphere in the quiet and solemn sitting room is similar to that of Zen meditation.

The tools used in kodo also vary from school to school, but the main ones include a “midarebako,” which is a tray to hold the tools necessary for burning incense, an “kobo,” which is used to listen to the fragrance, an “kobo” to wrap the fragrant wood used in kumiko, a “ginba,” which is placed on top of the charcoal burner and on which the fragrant wood is placed, a “ginyoban,” or stand for placing the ginba, and a “ginyo-dan,” or box for holding the ginyobas. A “Ginyo-bako” (box for silver leaves), a stand for placing silver leaves, and a box for holding silver leaves.

Some of them are decorated with maki-e (gold or silver lacquer), so please look for them.

See you next time.

皆さまこんにちは、スタッフＹでございます。

本日ここ名古屋典型的な梅雨空でして、朝から雨がしっかり降っております。梅雨前線の活動が活発になっていますので土砂災害警報情報や大雨警報が発表されている地域もあるようですので、このあとも非常に激しい雨や激しい雨が降り、線状降水帯が発生し大雨の恐れもある地域もあるようですので注意して過ごしたいところです。

ところで、しばらくこのようなすっきりしないお天気が続くということですが、みなさまはこのうつうつとした時期、どのような過ごし方で少しでも快適に過ごすようにしていますでしょうか。

思い付きやすいところですと、どうしても室内での過ごし方になっていしまいますが、例えば部屋の模様替えをするとか、新しいおうちごはんやお菓子のレシピに挑戦するとか、まあトレーニングジムで汗を流すなどなど、はたまた逆手にとって、傘や長靴を新調するという方もいらっしゃるのでしょうか…。皆様のそれぞれの快適な過ごし方を教えてほしいものであります。

自分も髪の毛がまとまらない、食材が腐るなどなど悩みは尽きないのですが、実は雨の日はそんなに嫌ではありません。雨の日に室内や自宅にいると少しホッとしたりするのは自分だけでしょうか。

そんな中、雨の日のもう一つのいいところをみつけした。昨夜も夜から雨が降り出してきまして、夜寝つく際にぱらぱらぱらぱらと心地よい雨音でありました。連続的なぱらぱらという音にいつもより耳を傾け、ちょっと瞑想に近いのか？たまに屋根にポツンと落ちたり、急に雨音が激しくなったり。その強弱や降り続ける音に注意を傾けていますと、雨音の中に包まれる感じでふーっと寝静まる感覚でしょうか、（速攻）寝入っておりました。普通に意識もしなくても雨の日はどことなく眠いのですが、雨音に注意を傾けるとさらに速攻寝入るとは雨の音恐るべし笑。

速攻寝入りましたので、結果さほど雨音を聞いてはいなかったのですが笑。日々の騒々しさや情報に翻弄されお疲れの方は、雨の日の憂いを逆手にとって一旦すべてを置いておいて、いつもより雨音に注意を傾けるのはちょっとおススメです。試してみてください。

それではごきげんよう。

Hello everyone, this is Staff Y.

Today is a typical rainy season sky here in Nagoya, and it has been raining since this morning. The rainy season front is becoming more active, and there are areas where landslide disaster warnings and heavy rain warnings have been issued.

By the way, this kind of unsettled weather is expected to continue for a while, so how are you spending your time during this depressing period?

For example, redecorating your room, trying out new recipes for home cooking and sweets, working out at the gym, or even taking the opposite tack and buying a new umbrella and new boots… Or perhaps you are going to buy a new umbrella or new boots…. I would like to know how you spend your time comfortably.

I, too, have endless problems such as my hair not staying in place, food spoiling, etc., but I actually don’t mind rainy days that much. Is it just me who feels a little relieved when I am indoors or at home on a rainy day?

I found another good thing about rainy days. It started raining last night, and as I was falling asleep, I heard the pleasant sound of the rain. I listened to the continuous flapping sound more than usual, a bit like meditation? Sometimes it would fall on the roof, or the sound of rain would suddenly become more intense. As I was paying attention to the intensity of the sound and how it continued to fall, I fell asleep (quickly), feeling as if I was enveloped in the sound of the rain. As a result, I did not hear the rain so much. I am usually somewhat sleepy on rainy days even if I am not conscious of it, but the fact that I fell asleep so quickly after paying attention to the sound of the rain is a sign of the fearless sound of rain.

If you are busy with the daily noise and information, it is recommended to take advantage of the gloom of a rainy day, put everything aside, and pay more attention to the sound of the rain than usual. Give it a try.

Have a good day.

Hello everyone. This is Staff T.
The rainy season has begun, but the days without much rain are continuing. There are many ways to describe the sunny days in between the rainy season, such as “the clear skies of the rainy season,” “the May sunshine,” and “the clear skies of the rainy season,” but it feels as if we are being steamed and roasted with the dampness of the rainy season.

There is a breeze today, but many people I pass on this hot day have small fans in their hands. It was around 2017 that they became popular. As to why they became popular, it is said that it is actually due to the influence of K-Pop idols. It is said that K-pop idols started using them and girls who saw them and liked idols brought them out. Today, they are used by people of all ages and are now a common sight in Japan.

When they were all the rage, of course I got on board and bought one, but I felt a little embarrassed at myself for using it in the same way as the young people, and eventually it became a burden in my luggage when I went out and got in the way, so I had to go back to using a fan.
For some reason, I usually carry a heavy bag, so a lightweight fan was more convenient to carry and took up less space. It’s an afterthought, but it’s also eco-friendly (lol).

When opened quickly, a fan reveals beautifully patterned and glossy paper, and when closed, its dignified appearance is eye-catching. Originating in the Heian period (794-1185), fans are still valued in a variety of settings, including traditional performing arts, tea ceremonies, and daily use. It is one of the traditional crafts that Japan is proud of.

The history of the fan is long, dating back to the early Heian period (around the 8th century A.D.).
Instead of paper, which was precious at the time, fans were made by layering “mokkan,” thin wooden boards 2 to 3 cm wide, which were used as recording paper. It was called a “hiwogi” because it was mainly made of cypress wood. The shape was refined, and later various designs were painted on the surface of the fan, which became popular among women in the court service.
The oldest surviving fan is said to be a cypress fan inscribed with the date “Genkei 1 (877)” that was found in the arm of a statue of the Thousand-Armed Kannon at Toji Temple in Kyoto.

In the early days, hinoki fans were used by male aristocrats as a scepter (a long, thin sheet held in the right hand when wearing a sokutai) for official occasions, and they were also used as notepads for writing down complicated court etiquette. Eventually, the hinoki fan became more decorative, and the main part of the fan changed from paper twine to wooden nails, and it was reinforced with decorated metal fittings. The strings used to bind the wooden fan also became more decorative.
When pictures were drawn on the surface of the fan, it became popular among court ladies as a decorative item. The hinoki fans held by women were called nebu-fan (worn by women but worn by men), and were used not only as ornaments but also as tools for shielding one’s eyes from the gaze of others in an emergency.

Thus, the hinoki fan became a necessity for the aristocrats’ formal wear during the Heian period (794-1185), and was used not only for its original role as a fan, but also as a tool for courtesy, gift-giving, and communication.
The use of fans for writing waka poems or placing flowers on them as gifts is written in many literary works and historical books, such as The Tale of Genji and the Dragonfly Diary.

Following the hinoki fan, the “kawahori-ogi” (bat fan) appeared. This is a paper fan with one side covered with paper, but it is not known when it was created. The name “kawahori-ogi” is said to have originated from its shape resembling a bat or from a change in the sound of the word “kawahoshi” (paper fan).

The current common use of fans to keep cool became popular in the late Edo period (1603-1868), when the culture of the common people was flourishing. The original fan is Chinese, but the original fan is Japanese.
The fan is a wonderful item that is both compact and elegant for adults. As I researched, I found something else that caught my attention… I’ll continue the story another time.

See you soon.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

皆さまこんにちは、スタッフYでございます。

突然ですが何十年も生きてきて自分のことはよくわかっているはずなのに、この歳ににして自分の癖みたいなルーティンに最近気が付きまして。

気が付かなかったのですが、どうも朝に今日のテーマカラーを決めているようであります。朝の車通勤の中で決めていることが多いような気がしますが、今朝も信号待ちの際にバックミラーに目をやると、後ろの車の方がダッシュボードの上の埃を白い大きな毛ハタキで掃除する姿を目撃。

その白い毛ハタキの白が妙に目につき、さらに気が付くと周りの車が囲まれていたり…ということで「今日のテーマカラーは白」となりました。

何色に気をとられるはその日の気分なのですが、ぱっと目に入って気になった色がその日のテーマカラーのようであります。そして一日の終わりに「今日はあそことあそこで○○色に遭遇したな…。」などと、面白い○○色のものを発見しては振り返るだけの捕るに足らない何の生産性もないルーティンであります。

私のルーティンはさておき、調べてみますとかつての偉人たちにもそれぞれの癖やルーティンみたいなものがあるようでして、面白かったので少しご紹介いたしますね。

例えばレオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチ。彼は、彼のアイデアや観察をノートに記録する際、しばしばミラー（鏡）スクリプトという特殊な方法を用いました。これは左から右へではなく、右から左へと逆向きに書く技法で、一般的には鏡を使わないと読めないものです。この習慣は、彼の思考を秘密に保つのに役立っただけでなく、ダ・ヴィンチが常に異なる角度から物事を考えるよう努めていたことを示していたようで、彼のこの方法は、創造的な解決策を見つける際にも新たな視点をもたらします。

また、世界一位の大富豪と言われたマイクロソフトのビル・ゲイツ氏やアマゾンのジェフ・べゾス氏。実はこの二人が揃って行っているナイトルーティーンが、なんと「皿洗い」だそうです。

マイクロソフトのゲイツ氏は「毎晩、夕食後に皿を洗う。他の人が代わりにやると申し出ても譲らない。自分の皿洗いのやり方が大好きだ」と述べています。また、アマゾンのベゾス氏は｢私がすることの中で（お皿洗いは）最もセクシーなことだと、確信している｣と語っています。

彼らが皿洗いの効果を知ってか知らずかは知りませんが、皿洗いにはお皿が綺麗になるという達成感、お皿を洗うリズム感、水が流れる自然の音、水の冷たさなどなど、自律神経を整える効果があることが最近の研究で分かったそうです。

たぶん「これ、いいんじゃないかな。」という自覚や心地よさがあったからこそ続けているのでしょうね。

それに比べますと自分のルーティンは何の効果も意味のない、ただちょっとパズルのピースを何個か上手くはめれたくらいの程度の感覚なのですが、無意識にやってしまう理由は未だにわかりません。

そんなわけで、みなさまも今日からお皿が残っていたらチャンスと思って皿洗いをやってみてはいかがでしょうか？大富豪になれるやもしれませんよ。

それではごきげんよう。

Hello everyone, this is Staff Y.

Suddenly, I discovered a routine that seems to be a habit of mine at my age, even though I have lived for decades and should know myself well.

I had never noticed it before, but it seems that I have decided on a theme color for the day in the morning. This morning, as I was waiting at a traffic light, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a car behind me cleaning the dust off the dashboard with a large white brush.

The white color of the brush caught my attention, and when I noticed that the cars around me were surrounded by it, I decided to call it “white today.

It is my mood of the day as to what color I am caught up in, but the color that catches my eye quickly seems to be the theme color of the day. And at the end of the day, I would say to myself, “Today I saw XX color there and XX color there…” and so on. I just look back at all the interesting XX-colored things I found today, and it’s a routine that is not productive and not worth catching.

I did some research and found that some of the greats of the past had their own habits and routines, which I found interesting and would like to share with you.

Take Leonardo da Vinci, for example. He often used a special method called mirror script to record his ideas and observations in his notebooks. This is a technique of writing backwards, from right to left, rather than left to right, and is generally unreadable without the use of a mirror. This practice not only helped keep his thoughts secret, but also seems to indicate that da Vinci was always striving to think from different angles, and this method of his also brings new perspectives when finding creative solutions.

Also, Bill Gates of Microsoft and Jeff Bezos of Amazon, who are considered the richest people in the world. In fact, the nightly routine that both of these men perform together is washing dishes.

Microsoft’s Gates said, “I wash dishes every night after dinner. Even if someone else offers to do it for him, he doesn’t give in. I love the way I do the dishes. Amazon’s Bezos also said, “I am convinced that of all the things I do, [washing dishes] is the sexiest thing I do.

Whether they know it or not, recent studies have shown that washing dishes has an effect on the autonomic nervous system, including the sense of accomplishment of getting the dishes clean, the rhythm of washing dishes, the natural sound of running water, and the coolness of the water.

I don’t know if they were doing the routine with the expectation of these effects, but I am sure that they continued to do it because they were aware that “this must be good.” I don’t know if they were doing the routine because they expected it to work, but I am sure that they continued to do it because they were aware that it was good for them.

Compared to that, my routine has no effect or meaning, just a little bit of a puzzle piece that I was able to fit together well, but I still don’t know why I do it unconsciously.

My strange routine aside, why don’t you take a chance and start washing dishes if there are any dishes left today? You may become a millionaire.

Have a good day.

―香文化の歴史―

飛鳥時代

香文化は仏教伝来と共に古墳時代の終わりから飛鳥時代にかけて中国から伝わったとされています。仏教儀式には欠かせないものとして東大寺や法隆寺などの大寺院で香が薫かれていました。また魔除け、厄除けなどの目的もあったようで奈良の正倉院には最古の香袋が収蔵されています。

平安時代

時を経て平安時代の貴族たちによって、香は宗教とは切り離され、日常を華やかに彩る「楽しむための香り」へと発展していきました。この時代に「練り香」が広まり、貴族たちは自ら香りを調合し自分だけの香りを作りました。練り香は沈香や白檀などの香木や丁子、貝香などを粉末状にし、密や梅肉などで丸薬状に練り固めたお香です。

衣服に香りを薫き染めることを「薫衣香（くのえこう）」、室内に香りを漂わせることを「空薫（そらだき）」と言いました。香りの優劣を争う「薫物合（たきものあわせ）」という遊びも流行し現代にも伝わる「六種の薫物（むくさのたきもの）」が生まれました。

端午の節句に薬玉（中に調合香を入れた球状のもの）が贈答に使われたり、また魔よけとしても利用したりと香は貴族たちの知性、感性、美意識を表現するものとして愛好されました。

鎌倉時代

平安時代末期より武士が台頭してくると、貴族たちが好んだ香料を調合した香りではなく、香木を焚くだけの「一木（いちぼく）の香り」が好まれるようになりました。香木の中でも「沈香」は爽やかな香りで鎮静効果に優れ、戦の前の高ぶる気持ちを鎮めるとして好まれました。

鎌倉時代末期から室町時代にかけて、武士の嗜好や美意識は香木の価値を高め、香木の香りを聞き分ける「闘香」という遊びが公家や武家の間で流行しました。現在の「香道」で行われている「聞香（もんこう）」や「組香（くみこう）」に繋がっていったと考えられています。

室町時代

室町時代は新たな文化へと変貌する時代でもありました。８代将軍の足利義政は東山山荘を拠点に花開いた東山文化の立役者として文化、芸術、建築など多くの日本文化を発展させました。後に芸道となる「香道」の体系づくりのため、香道の二代流派の祖である三条西実隆や志野宗信らに命じて香道の基礎となる一定の作法やルールを作りました。

それぞれの香木を分類整理し、香りを客観的に表現する「六国五味（りっこくごみ）」という香りの分類法もこの頃に体系づけられました。

六国とは香木を産出地名などから伽羅・羅国・真南蛮・真那伽・佐曽羅・寸門陀羅に分類したもので、さらにその香りを甘・辛・酸・苦・鹹（しおからい）という味で表現するものです。

三條西実隆は香道の「御家流（おいえりゅう）」の流祖で和歌や古典の貴族文化を発展させた人物です。そのためこちらの流派は貴族、公家の流儀とされています。

志野宗信は香道の「志野流」の流祖で、６代足利義教から８代足利義政まで仕えました。現在は愛知県尾張に居を構え、武家社会のしきたりを継承する「武家の流派」ともいわれ、香道を通して精神を鍛錬することに重きをおくとされています。

この「志野流」と「御家流」が二代流派として現代にまで受け継がれています。

江戸時代

太平の世が続く中、香は武士や大名貴族だけでなく、豪族や町人の間にも広まります。この時代に沈香の中でも最高品質の「伽羅」は極上品のとして人気を博しました。長崎の出島にオランダ船が入港する時は諸国の大名が上質の香木を求めたと伝えられています。

そして現代の「香道」における香作法の基礎がほぼ完成し武家社会に浸透していきました。家元制度も確立され１８世紀には香道を嗜む人口は急増していきました。

明治時代

明治維新の文明開化の流れの中で、香道は衰退する時期を迎えますが、幾多の戦火をくぐり抜け、日本独自の伝統文化として現代まで絶えることなく伝承されています。

現代の慌ただしい日常の中で、香りによる癒し効果を求め日常生活に取り入れる人々が増えています。日本人にはやはり昔ながらの「お香」の香りが馴染むのではないでしょうか。

最近では国際的でも「香道」が注目を集め香席のイベントが開催されているとのこと。

貴重な香木を用いて「香道」という芸道に昇華し伝承してきた日本文化に敬意を払い、次回は香道の作法やお道具について綴りたいと思います。よければお付き合いください。

それでは、また次の機会に。

Edo Period

As the peaceful times continued, incense spread not only among warriors, feudal lords and aristocrats, but also among powerful families and merchants. During this period, “Kyara”, the highest quality of agarwood, became popular as the finest. It is said that when Dutch ships arrived at Dejima Island in Nagasaki, feudal lords from all over the world sought the best quality fragrant wood.

The foundation of the modern “kodo” art of incense production was almost completed and penetrated into the samurai society. The Iemoto system was established, and by the 18th century, the number of people who enjoyed the art of kodo was rapidly increasing.

The Meiji Era

However, Kodo has survived the fires of war and has been handed down to the present day as a uniquely Japanese traditional culture.

In today’s hectic lifestyle, more and more people are seeking the healing effects of fragrance and incorporating it into their daily lives. Japanese people are probably more familiar with the traditional aroma of incense.

Recently, “Kodo” has been attracting attention internationally, and events for incense seating are being held.

In my next entry, I would like to write about the manners and tools of Kodo, paying respect to the Japanese culture that has sublimated and handed down the art of “Kodo” using precious fragrant woods. Please bear with me if you like.

Until next time.

皆さまこんにちは、スタッフＴでございます。

夏至と同時に梅雨入りした名古屋。毎年夏至の頃は梅雨真っ盛りな気がしていましたが、今年は例年より2週間以上も遅い梅雨入りでした。梅雨明けも遅くなるのかなと思いましたが、気象予報士さん曰く、梅雨明けの時期はあまり変わらないのだそうで、梅雨の時期が少し短くなるようです。じめじめした梅雨は苦手ですが、梅雨入りが遅くて枯れ始めも見られるという紫陽花にはようやく恵みの雨ですね。やはり紫陽花には雨が良く似合う気がします。

そもそもなぜわざわざ「梅雨入り」「梅雨明け」を発表するのかというと、ただ単に季節のお知らせのようなものかと思っていましたら、じつは「防災上の注意喚起」が目的でした。

歴史的には、1964年から気象庁が梅雨入りや梅雨明けを「おしらせ」として発表を始めて、1986年からは「梅雨の入り・明けに関する地方気象情報」を気象情報として発表することになったそうです。

季節現象である「梅雨入り」を、気象庁がわざわざ発表している理由は、雨の季節が始まると大雨なども起こりやすいため、大雨に備えてくださいという防災的な意味あいがあるからだそうです。

ちなみに、この梅雨入りのアナウンスは、梅雨入り「宣言」ではなく「発表」です。
「今日から梅雨に入りました！」と高らかに宣言するようなものではなく「本日、〇〇地方が梅雨入りしたとみられる」というような、なんだか歯切れの悪い言い回しです。

それもそのはず、梅雨入りを発表する基準というのは「天気図では梅雨前線がこの地方にかかっているので梅雨入りです！」というような、見てすぐにわかるものではないからだそうです。「どうも梅雨前線がこの地方からなかなか動かなくて、雨や曇りの日が続き、その後もしばらく似たような天気が続きそうだなあ」という総合的な判断をもとに発表されるのだそうですよ。

ちなみに、「梅雨」の語源は、梅の実が熟す時期だからという説があります。また、湿度が高くカビが生えやすい時期のため「黴雨（ばいう）」から「梅雨」に転じたという説や、「毎」日のように雨が降るので「梅」という字が使われたとも言われています。

そういえば、昨日は満月でした。「ストロベリームーン」が見られるはずだったのですが、残念ながら梅雨の名古屋でそれを見るのは難しく、しばらくは星空を眺めるのは我慢の日々です。

雨が続くと家事仕事をする人にとっては、乾かない洗濯物に悩まされる日々でもありますね。じめじめに堪えられずエアコンの使うようになったので、洗濯機の乾燥機能も使うようになったら、電気代がどれほどになるのか。今年の電気代はいったいどうなるのか、私は今からその請求代に怯えています。

ではでは、また。

Hello everyone, this is Staff T.

The rainy season started at the same time as the summer solstice in Nagoya. Every year around the time of the summer solstice, it seems like the rainy season is in full swing, but this year the rainy season started more than two weeks later than usual. I wondered if the end of the rainy season would also be later, but the weather forecaster said that the end of the rainy season will not change much and the rainy season will be a little shorter. I am not fond of the dreary rainy season, but the rain is finally a blessing for hydrangeas, which are beginning to wither because of the late onset of the rainy season. I think rain suits hydrangeas well.

I had thought that the purpose of announcing the beginning and the end of the rainy season was simply to announce the season, but in fact, the purpose was to warn people to be careful in case of disasters.

Historically, the Japan Meteorological Agency began announcing the beginning and end of the rainy season in 1964 as “oshisu” (announcements), and in 1986 it began announcing “local weather information on the onset and end of the rainy season” as weather information.

The reason why the JMA announces the “start of the rainy season,” which is a seasonal phenomenon, is because heavy rains are likely to occur at the beginning of the rainy season, so the information is meant as a disaster prevention measure to prepare for heavy rains.

Incidentally, the announcement of the beginning of the rainy season is not a “declaration” of the beginning of the rainy season, but an “announcement.
It is not like a high-handed declaration of “The rainy season has started today! It is not like a high-handed declaration, “The rainy season has begun today!

The standard for announcing the start of the rainy season is a rather clumsy phrase like, “The weather map shows a rainy season front over this area, so the rainy season has begun! It is said that the standard for announcing the start of the rainy season is not something that is immediately obvious. It is announced based on the overall judgment that “the rainy season front does not move easily from this area, and rainy and cloudy days continue, and it seems that similar weather will continue for a while afterwards.

Incidentally, there is a theory that the etymology of the word “rainy season” comes from the time when the ume (Japanese apricot) fruit ripens. It is also said that the word “ume” was changed from “moldy rain (ba-ui)” to “rainy season” because of the high humidity, which makes it easy for mold to grow, or that the character “ume” was used because it rains “every” day.

By the way, yesterday was a full moon. We were supposed to be able to see the “Strawberry Moon,” but unfortunately it is difficult to see it in Nagoya during the rainy season, so we will have to be patient with star gazing for a while.

As the rains continue, those who do housework are also plagued by laundry that won’t dry. I can’t stand the dampness, so I have started using the air conditioner, and I wonder how much my electricity bill will be if I start using the dryer function of the washing machine as well. I wonder what this year’s electricity bill will be, and I am now dreading the bill.

See you later.

みなさまこんにちは、スタッフYでございます。

ここ名古屋梅雨入りまして、この湿度でいよいよエアコン生活が始まりました。つけたら最後、もうなしではいられなくなってきまして。なんだか消した途端「不快」が襲ってきます。もう少し我慢した方がよかったのか…。と、ちょっと悩みましたが、もうONしてしまいましたので、後戻りはできませんね笑。しばらくお世話になることに致しましょう。

そんなくだらない自分の話はおいておいて、最近、古美術を深堀るシリーズを始めているのですが、本日からはここ店舗にも数点あり、個人的にも大好きな【七宝焼】を深堀ってみたいと思います。

どうぞお付き合いくださいませ。

１．七宝焼とは

本日は、七宝焼の歴史などについて簡単に述べてまいりました。

次回は、その技法へと深堀していきたいと思っております。

それではごきげんよう。

Hello everyone, this is Staff Y.

The rainy season has started here in Nagoya, and with the humidity here, we have finally started to live with air conditioners. Once I turn on the air conditioner, I can no longer live without it. As soon as I turn it off, I feel “uncomfortable”. I wondered if I should have held out a little longer…. I was a little worried, but now that I have turned it on, there is no turning back. I will turn it on without hesitation.

Putting such trivial talk about myself aside, I have recently started a series of articles on antiques, and from today, I would like to delve deeper into cloisonne enamel ware, which we have several of here at the store and which I also personally love.

Please bear with me.

What is cloisonne enamel ware?

Cloisonne enamel ware is a worldwide traditional craft that originated in ancient Egypt in B.C., and it is believed that modern techniques were introduced to Japan around the Nara period (710-794). It is made of gold, silver, copper, iron, and other metals, coated with glaze, and fired at 750 to 950℃.

Enameled kitchen vats, pots, bats, and other cooking utensils and tableware are also used for signboards, road signs, etc. In fact, they are also used for signboards and road signs, etc.

2. What is cloisonne enamel ware?

The meaning of the word “cloisonne” in cloisonne enamel ware is thought to have changed over time since cloisonne enamel ware was introduced to Japan.

The term “cloisonne” is derived from the seven treasures of the seven treasures mentioned in Buddhist scriptures and represents the seven treasures of gold, silver, agate (ore with beautiful patterns), coral, lapis lazuli (blue gemstone), boli hari (crystal), and giant clam shell (shell of the giant clam), and refers to pottery that is as beautiful as these seven treasures, The name “cloisonne enamel ware” has taken root because the pottery is as beautiful as these seven treasures.

3. the charm of cloisonne enamel ware

The charm of cloisonne enamel ware lies in its vivid patterns and the shimmering texture created by firing the glaze.

Famously, the cloisonne enamel ware technique was used in ancient Egypt for the crown of Tutankhamen’s golden mask. Today, cloisonne enamel ware has a wide range of history and uses, including vases, brooches, pendants, earrings, and other accessories.

Another characteristic of cloisonne enamel ware is that its surface is covered with what is called enamel, a glassy substance, which makes it easy to preserve. Unglazed pottery and ironware have preservation problems such as surface scratches and mold growth, but cloisonne enamel ware is resistant to these problems and the texture will always Cloisonne ware, however, is resistant to such problems and has a stable texture that does not change over time.

However, since cloisonne enamel ware is made of glass, it is important to be careful of cracks caused by shocks.

History of Cloisonne ware

As mentioned earlier, cloisonne enamel ware is said to have originated in ancient Egypt in B.C., and the manufacturing technique was born in the Middle East. Later, the technique was introduced to China via the Silk Road, and in China, cloisonne enamel ware is written as “enamel” and read as “farang. It seems that “enamel” came from here.

Cloisonne enamel ware made in China after the 1450s is called “Jing Tai Lan” and is highly regarded as a Chinese craft, and it is known that cloisonne enamel ware has existed in the West since BC. Cloisonne enamel ware has developed from there as well as in China and Japan.

It is interesting to note that although the names of the Western, Chinese, and Japanese techniques differ, the same techniques have been handed down from one generation to the next.

History of Cloisonne ware in Japan

Cloisonne enamel ware in Japan has a gilt-bronze saddle clasps as a secondary burial object excavated from the Fujinoki Tumulus in Ikaruga-cho, Ikoma-gun, Nara Prefecture, which appears to date from the Kofun period, indicating that primitive cloisonne enamel ware was made even before the technique was introduced to Japan. It seems that the time of its introduction to Japan is older than we had imagined.

However, it was surprisingly in modern times that the technique of cloisonne enamel ware in Japan was refined. In 1833, Tsunekichi Kaji, a potter in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, discovered the cloisonne enamel ware technique, and it is said that the technique spread rapidly mainly in Aichi Prefecture.

Furthermore, Japanese cloisonne enamel ware first became known to the world in 1867 when it was exhibited at the World Exposition in Paris, and many Japanese artists received awards, bringing Japanese cloisonne enamel ware to the attention of the world.

In 1995, Owari cloisonne enamel ware was designated as a traditional Japanese craft by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and in 2002, Tokyo cloisonne enamel ware was selected as one of the 41 traditional crafts in Tokyo designated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Today, I have briefly described the history of cloisonne enamel ware.

Next time, I would like to go deeper into the techniques of cloisonne enamel ware.

Good bye.

皆さまこんにちは、スタッフＴでございます。

前回の珊瑚の種類に続き、本日はお持ちの珊瑚の見分け方とお手入れ方法のポイントについていくつか挙げていきたいと思います。

みなさま、珊瑚を持っていると気になるのが天然か偽物かということではないでしょうか？

珊瑚は昔から非常に希少価値の高い宝石だとして重宝されていることから、その分偽物も多く出回っています。また、天然であったとしても、希少価値の低い珊瑚を使って加工していたりする場合もあります。

珊瑚は不透明であることから素人目には価値を判断しにくい宝石だとも言われています。珊瑚の価値を知るには、最終的には鑑定士のところに持って行くのが一番ですが、ある程度はご自身で判定することも可能ですので、そのポイントをいくつか挙げていきます。

珊瑚を見分けるポイントは前回のブログでもご紹介した通り、ずばり「色」です。

珊瑚の種類は「赤」「白」「桃」「黒」と色で分けられているように、単純に色味によって珊瑚の種類は見分けることができます。白珊瑚や黒珊瑚は簡単に見分けることができますし、桃珊瑚も色味で見分けることができます。しかし、「血赤珊瑚」と「赤珊瑚」となると見分ける為にはもう少し詳しく知る必要があります。

赤珊瑚と血赤珊瑚の見分け方のポイントは「カラーグレードによって見分ける」ということです。
赤珊瑚のカラーグレードは「色味・色ムラ・ヒ・フ・白濁・キズ」などの点を、5段階で評価します。Sを最上級とし、S＞A＞B＞C＞Dの順にランク分けされます。一般的に「血赤珊瑚」は5～4までのカラーのことを指します。

そんな珊瑚は、きちんとお手入れすることも大切です。特に買取の際には、天然か偽物かであることだけでなく、日頃のお手入れの有無、コンディションも査定価格に影響してきます。天然珊瑚は一度変色してしまうと元に戻すことはできません。いくら希少価値の高い珊瑚であっても、人工的な傷や汚れは、その価値を一気に下げてしまいますので、ご注意ください。

お風呂や温泉、プール、調理時は、珊瑚ジュエリーを必ず外しましょう。珊瑚の主成分は「炭酸カルシウム」という成分で、硬度にすれば3.5程度、人間の歯の硬さと同じくらいです。簡単に傷がつきますので、扱うときには落としたり、ぶつけたり、こすったりしないように注意が必要です。お手入れの時もきれいな布や柔らかい素材のもので、表面のほこりや脂を拭う程度にするのが良いでしょう。

また、水や脂、熱の変化にも注意が必要です。

もともと海の生き物であった珊瑚ですから、水は平気とお考えの方もいるかもしれませんが、あまりおすすめできません。
珊瑚には小さな穴が無数に空いています。大きいものは「むし孔」と呼ばれ、見方によれば本物の珊瑚の証明でもありますが、この隙間に水分や脂が染み込んだままになりますと、変色や変質の原因となります。
水や手の脂など余計なものがついた時は、乾いた柔らかい布で優しく拭き取るのが良いでしょう。

また、過度な熱や急な温度の変化もよくありません。保管する際は日が当たる場所を避け、温度変化が少ない安定したところが適しています。
水そのものに触れるのはおすすめできませんが、保管のときに乾燥しすぎると劣化やヒビの原因になるので注意が必要です。

もし珊瑚だと思われる古いお品がありましたら、専門の鑑定士がいる骨董品店や買取店で査定してもらうことをおススメします。
もしかしたら、びっくりするほどのお宝かもしれませんよ。

ではでは、また。

Hello everyone, this is Staff T.

Following the previous article on coral types, today we would like to discuss how to identify and care for your coral.

If you have coral, you may be wondering whether it is natural or fake.

Coral has long been valued as an extremely rare and valuable gemstone, which is why there are so many fakes on the market. Even if the coral is natural, it may have been processed using less rare coral.

Coral is also said to be an opaque gemstone, making it difficult for the untrained eye to determine its value. The best way to know the value of coral is to take it to an appraiser in the end, but to some extent you can also determine the value yourself.

As mentioned in the previous blog, the key to identifying coral is simply its color.

As corals are classified by color as “red,” “white,” “peach,” and “black,” it is possible to distinguish types of corals simply by their color. White and black corals can be easily distinguished, and peach corals can also be distinguished by color. However, to distinguish between blood red coral and red coral, you need to know a little more about them.

The key to distinguishing between red coral and blood red coral is to distinguish them by color grade.
The color grade of red coral is evaluated on a five-point scale, with S being the highest grade and S>A>B>C>D. In general, “blood-red coral” refers to colors from 5 to 4.

S】No scratches or uneven coloration, and no defects on the luster side can be seen with the naked eye.
A] Slightly scratched, unevenly colored, or otherwise flawed, but not easily visible to the naked eye.
B] Defects such as scratches and color irregularities are visible to the naked eye.
C] Cracks are slightly noticeable. C] Cracks that are somewhat conspicuous, and flaws such as scratches and color irregularities that can be seen with the naked eye.
D] Cracks, uneven coloration, scratches and other defects are clearly visible.

Coral is considered to be more beautiful and valuable when it has a single color tone and is free from “flaws” and unevenness in color. Therefore, coral that is cloudy or has a marbled pattern tends to be difficult to obtain a high price.

By the way, what do the unfamiliar “fu” and “hi” mean?

The “hu” refers to the white spots and patterns found on Japanese red coral, and the “hu” corresponds to the bone part of the coral. The more even the color is, the more beautiful the coral is, so when the coral is round, a hole is made in the “rim” so that the “rim” is not visible on the surface when it is processed into jewelry. The “rim” is found only in Japanese red coral and not in Mediterranean red coral. This is why it is considered a sign of Japanese red coral and is used as a standard to distinguish it from Mediterranean red coral. Japanese blood red coral without “f” is considered to be of the highest quality.

A “fissure” is a crack. When corals are pulled up from the bottom of the deep sea, the difference in water pressure causes them to crack during collection.

Coral like this is also important to take good care of properly. Especially when purchasing coral, not only whether it is natural or fake, but also the daily care and condition of the coral will affect the appraisal price. Once natural coral is discolored, it cannot be restored. Please note that no matter how rare and valuable coral may be, artificial scratches or stains can quickly reduce its value.

Always remove your coral jewelry when bathing, bathing in hot springs, swimming pools, or cooking. The main ingredient of coral is calcium carbonate, which has a hardness of about 3.5, or about the same as the hardness of human teeth. It is easily scratched, so be careful not to drop, bump, or rub it when handling it. When caring for it, it is best to use a clean cloth or soft material to wipe off dust and grease on the surface.

Care should also be taken to avoid changes in water, grease, and heat.

Some people may think that since corals were originally sea creatures, water is not a problem, but this is not recommended.
Corals have numerous small holes in them. If moisture or oil seeps into these holes, it can cause discoloration and tarnishing.
When excess water or hand grease gets on the coral, it is best to gently wipe it off with a soft, dry cloth.

Excessive heat or sudden changes in temperature are also not good. When storing, avoid places exposed to the sun, and a stable place with little temperature fluctuation is suitable.
Exposure to water itself is not recommended, but too much dryness during storage can cause deterioration and cracks.

If you have an old item that you think is coral, please have it appraised at an antique store or a store where there are professional appraisers.
You may be surprised at what a treasure it could be.

See you soon.