月別アーカイブ：2018年4月

Source: www.5-a-side.com

Lately I have started to go to karaoke more frequently. Karaoke in Japan is very different than what I was used to in America—for starters, the selection of English songs you’ll find at places like JOYSOUND is just as good (if not better) than back home.

Unlike the private rooms you rent with your friends in Japan, karaoke in America (and probably other Western nations) usually takes place at a public bar. This means you are singing mostly in front of people you don’t know, which makes many people nervous. Instead of using a tablet, signing up to sing a song is usually done with a karaoke DJ, who has a book listing the available songs and a paper to write your name and selection on. Having to wait for your turn to sing means that on a busy night you might only sing once or twice over the span of several hours!

While it can be fun to have strangers cheering for and singing along with you (when you sing well, that is), I think I prefer Japanese karaoke where you can sing many, many times throughout the night (and wear fun costumes, to boot).  

—Andrew

こんにちは、今日もアミックブログを訪れていただきありがとうございます！

桜の季節が終わり、次に来る行事ごとと言えば何でしょうか

「夏も近づく八十八夜～」を口ずさめば思い出すでしょうか・・・・・

そうです、お茶摘み（tea picking）

立春から88日目、時期としてはゴールデンウィークの「子供の日」の前後

のはずが、今年は暖かいのか例年より2週間も早く新芽が出てきました

ということで、早速先週末に実家の山でお茶摘みしてきました

新芽とは、↓の黄緑色した若葉のこと

新芽からとれるお茶をその年の一番茶として「新茶（shincha ；the first tea of the season）」と呼びますね。

上に伸びる新芽だけを、丁寧に一つ一つ手摘みしていきます。

こんな感じ↓

これを半日、大仕事です

さらに、摘んだその日のうちに持ち帰り、

新芽の部分のみを他の葉とより分け、次の大仕事「茶葉の焙煎」

お茶用の厚手の鉄鍋で焦げないよう炒ります。

茶葉がしんなりしたら鍋から出して、ゴザの上に茶葉を広げて冷まし、体重をかけて揉む。

この作業が結構大変なんです

これを最低でも2回繰り返して、天日に数日さらせば完成です

（今回は、この籠を約10杯分収穫）

今はここまでする家は減りましたが（とうかほぼいない・・）、

昔は畑を持っていた家では空いたスペースに茶を植えて皆自給していたそうです

私の家では、今でも1年分のお茶はこれでまかないます。

時間もかかるし大変だけど、一番茶の味は格別です

お茶は各食事毎に食卓に上がるので、とっても大事な行事なのです

英会話スクール

I first found the music of Aya Gloomy on the Soundcloud page of the legendary record store Big Love Records located in Harajuku, Tokyo (which also has a record label that releases Aya’s music). I instantly fell in love with her yearning but not overly emotional, almost spectral voice at the eye of the storm of swirling, intoxicating electronic composition. Last month I had the opportunity to stop by Big Love Records while visiting Tokyo and I bought Aya’s first short release on vinyl, but just yesterday her debut album 「陸の孤島」 was released. I ordered the album online today, so while I excitedly wait for it to be shipped to me I’ll have her single 「静かに消える」on repeat.

-Joe

Do you have a certain movie that you can watch over and over without getting tired of it? I really enjoy the movie “The Prestige”. The movie stars Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as rival magicians. The two men compete to be the best and most creative magicians in the world. The magicians will stop at nothing to be number one. They even risk their lives and hurt each others families to prove they are the best in their field. Even though I have seen the movie many times, the ending still surprises me each time I watch it. What about you? What movies do you like?