page31 - 週刊NY生活デジタル版

（31）
［English Edition］
VOICES From
THE NEW YORKERS
Zazen
(Life Is Suffering)
Masuo Ichida
This past June,
I had the rare and
wonderful chance
to participate in a
Zen meditation at
Jogan-ji,
a
Buddhist temple
in the heart of
Tokyo with high
school students from the Frederick
Douglass Academy in Harlem.
Arriving at the temple, the head
monk, Kobayashi-sensei, asked us
to remove our shoes, take a zafu
(cushion), and step up to a tatami
mat. Our first lesson was harder
than any of us expected. The correct posture is sitting on the cushion cross-legged with both soles
of the feet facing upward. This
was impossible for us, so
Kobayashi-sensei offered sitting
in a simple cross-legged stance. A
few of us could not even sit this
way, so Kobayashi-sensei offered
the easiest way, kneeling with
both feet underneath our behinds.
It was critical to maintain correct
posture throughout the meditation
(no fidgeting or scratching).
Kobayashi-sensei said that
while the Zazen session is a short
moment in our long lives, he
hoped it would last a lifetime. He
advised us to cherish all memories
and appreciate all experiences.
With that, he struck the bell twice
and our Zazen began.
As my body ached, I recalled
that our teacher said that overcoming the pain is part of meditation.
Clearing my mind was impossible; trying to think of nothing had
me thinking about trying to think
of nothing. I focused on staying
still while my knees stung and
back cramped. Sweat poured from
my forehead and I lost all sense of
time. I was in complete agony.
After what felt like hours, I finally
heard the bell, signaling the end to
the Zazen session. Ten minutes
had passed. (Masuo Ichida is a
freelance writer and illustrator for
NY Seijiki; find him at
ichida@tokyoartssalon.org)
週刊NY生活　SHUKAN NEW YORK SEIKATSU
NYクール日本
COOL JAPAN from New Yorkers’ Viewpoints
Shinzo Abe
Might Be Japan's
Man of Steel
Shinzo Abe flies on The
Economist's May 18th cover. The
caption reads "Is it a bird? Is it a
plane? No…It’s Japan!" Mr. Abe,
Japan's Prime Minister, flies fistforward like Superman and wears
a red jacket over a blue and yellow T-shirt adorned with a yen
symbol.
The story is titled "Abe’s Master
Plan," and focuses on Mr. Abe's
economic strategy. "Abe-nomics,"
James Walski
"To Broadway!" Says Theater
Veteran Makoto Deguchi
"Trip of Love,"
A Musical on
America's 1960s
the article says, is "a mix of reflation, government spending and a
growth strategy designed to jolt
the economy out of the suspended
animation that has gripped it for
more than two decades." The article posits that Mr. Abe need only
be half successful to rank high
among Japan's leaders.
The article mentions the
strained relations between China
and Japan and notes that Abenomics is not just economics, but
part of national security as well.
In the end, the article questions if
Mr. Abe will muddy "national
pride with a destructive and
backward-looking nationalism."
(Asami Kato; Translated by
Chikako Iwasaki)
On May 16, the Friends of
Rinri-Kenkyusho of New York
welcomed Makoto Deguchi to a
spring luncheon at the Shinbashi
restaurant in Midtown. There Mr.
Deguchi told inside stories about
Broadway and spoke about "Trip
of Love," his dance musical with
1960s hit songs.
After graduating from Kyoto
University of Foreign Studies,
Mr. Deguchi joined the Shiki
Theater Company and worked as
an actor. He moved to New York
in 1987 and produced "Blue Man
Group Tubes" in 1991, which
won the Drama Desk Award.
The "Trip of Love" plot starts
with Caroline, a young woman,
arriving at the theater. She is
pulled into a journey through the
turbulent 1960s: the civil rights
movement, the drug culture, the
student movement, and the dawn
of the psychedelic and hippie era.
She experiences love in a dream
and a painful separation in the
Vietnam War.
As there is no dialogue, the
songs help to carry the story, and
there is a scene for each song. She
finally realizes the importance of
love and returns to her seat in the
audience.
"Trip of Love" debuted in
Osaka. The 26 songs used are all
top 10 Billboard songs from 1960
to 1969. (Ryoichi Miura;
Translated by Masami Haruyama)
2013年（平成25年）7月6日（土）
Takara Sake Wins
10th Gold Award
(and Yes, It’s Imported)
The sake of Shirakabe Gura, a
brewery for Takara Sake, won the
gold prize at the national sake
appraisal this year. This marks
Takara sake’s tenth-consecutive
gold since the 2003 brewing year,
a feat matched only by three other
breweries.
The national sake
appraisal is sponsored
by
the
National Research
Institute
of
Brewing and the
Japan Sake and
Shochu Makers
Association. It
judges
seishu
(refined sake).
Each brewery
can submit one
item for review.
Excellent
sake
receive an award
and the best win a
gold award.
This year the appraisal was held
by the National Research Institute
of Brewing. The preliminary
examinations started in April and
the final evaluation took place on
May 8 and 9, examining each
brand of sake. Out of the 864
entries, 426 won awards and 233
received the gold award.
Takara Sake imports and distributes the special Shirakabe
Gura “Nama” Junmai (sake with
no added alcohol or sugar), the
Shirakabe Gura Tokubetsu
Junmai, and Mio, a sparkling sake
brewed by Shirakabe Gura-Sho
Chiku Bai.(Ryoichi Miura;
Translated by Hiroko Makabe)
---CORRECTION: In the June 22
paper, SNYS misprinted The
Kitano's address. The hotel is at
66 Park Avenue (East 38th St).
NY COOL JAPAN is the English Edition of SHUKAN NY SEIKATSU
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Editor in Chief: Ryoichi Miura, Associate Editor: Paul Benson, Editor: Makiko Kinoto
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