さくら さくら

Sakura, Sakura　　　cherry blossom, cherry blossom

さくら　さくら　やよいの空は　見わたすかぎり　かすみか雲か
匂いぞ出ずる　いざや　いざや　見にゆかん

This is a song, and it is so beautiful.  I wish you could hear it.  Even though it is not cherry blossom season... actually WINTER is just now forcing us to pull the scarves tight around our necks, I was lucky enough to hear the song, Sakura, Sakura, two times in the last few days.

Above is Ms. Yumiko Nagayama, who is playing the Irish Harp for the Tokyo American Club Women's Group December Brunch.  Not only was her music lovely, but this lady has such a pleasant, funny, cute personality.  Quite the entertainer!  My supurb Japanese teacher and friend, Matsui-san, went to the brunch with me, and we had such a good time.  We sat at an all Japanese speaking table.  Actually, everyone could speak English as well, but they humored me and spoke Japanese.  I understood 20 to 50 %, but what really matters is taking the chance.  Go here for pix of the FOOD and more HARP.

And last week, I took Rebecca, and we went to Tomoko-san's English Salon Christmas Party.  Well!!  This was quite an experience.  We met many new friends, and had so much fun.  Everyone was wearing polka-dots, and playing games, and talking English and Japanese.  We were the honored guests, because we were the native English Speakers, but really we felt very lucky to be included.  Tomoko-san is a very talented lady, and puts together quite a program.  I'm looking forward to working with her more next year.  While there, we enjoyed listening to Mariko-san play several tunes on the traditional Japanese Koto, and we got to sing along to Sakura Sakura.  A FEW PARTY PIX

今天気が寒くなっているけど、最近私はさくらさくらという春の歌を聞きました。その歌はとてもすばらしいです。やさしい日本語の先生と友達、松井さんとTACの女性のグループのブランチに行きました。食べ物はおいしかったですし、プログラムはとても面白かったです。ハープの人はきれいで可笑しかったです。　それはら、友達とともこさんの英語のサロンのクリスマスのパーティに行きました。ともこさんはきれいで、とても利口な女性と思います。そこで琴を聞きました。両方のイベントでさくらさくらの歌を楽しみました。　

Comments

[Pamela]

Unbelievably ironic. Tonight, Jonah was practicing his trumpet, and though it's hard to recognize any tunes (he's really new at this) I noticed he was playing Sakura, Sakura! It's everywhere. I guess we are all missing Spring.
びっくりした。今夜ジョナはトランペットをした時、さくらさくらの歌を聞けました。それはどこもです。たぶん、寒くなったから、皆さんは春を寂しい。