Because today falls on March 3^rdaccording to the old lunar calendar, I will put away Hinamatsuriornaments.

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今日は旧暦の３月３日。雛飾り関連を仕舞います。

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This is the task for today’s practice session.  We learned it means that if you make seven runs, take one break. I am afraid I have been keeping taking recesses for some time.

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今日のお稽古の課題。

７回走ったら、１回休憩せよ、ということらしいですが、何かしらこのところ休憩ばかりしているような気もします。

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The photo shows my work I created at someone’s request.

Knowing someone’s existence that highly appraises my calligraphy marks my supreme happiness.

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字を書いて欲しいとの依頼を受けて、書きました。

わたしの字を気に入ってくださる方がいるのは本当に嬉しいことです。

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Yesterday, for the first time in a long while, I went out in the evening to listen to lectures on tarots; their origin, history, various kinds…I enjoyed listening to the lecturers and agreed with one of them who attached weight on how their designs look fascinating.

O, cherry blossoms at night!/

It is only a hundred yeas/
Since I died/

Translation and calligraphy by Tomoko

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昨日は久しぶりに夜に外出しました。タロットカードについての講義を聴きに。タロットの起源や歴史や種類など、など・・・面白かったですし、講師の先生のおっしゃっていた通り、あの図柄って何故か心惹かれるものがあるのですよね。

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According to the old Japanese tradition, young women were allowed to wear clothing of cherry blossom color, however, women of middle aged or over shouldn’t wear the color of cherry blossom while the flowers were in full bloom and should be wearing the color after the period of their best was over.

Now I wonder what about I who am wearing pink color all year round.

I will dye my kimono deep cherry blossom color/

In order to make a reminder of the blossoms after they are gone/

Poem by Kino Aritomo

Calligraphy by Tomoko

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昔の日本の考え方では、桜の盛りの季節には、若い女性は桜色の着物を着てもいいけれども、中年以上の女性は花の盛りが過ぎてからでないと着るべきでないとされていたそうです。

年がら年中ピンクを着ている私はどうなるのでしょう？

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A couple of weeks ago, a good friend of mine came to my house, saying “tonight is our girls’ night!” with lots of good things to eat.

I had simply too much to eat because the food she brought was so good, however, somehow “drinking” too much would not happen to me.

At a girls’ night party/

A falcon of perfume/

Asking for happiness/

Translation and calligraphy by Tomoko

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少し前のこと。

「女子会をやろう！」と美味しいお料理をたくさん持参して来てくださった方がいました。

食べ過ぎました。美味し過ぎて。でも、私の場合、どういうものか、飲み過ぎ、というのはあまり起こらない。

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I have really been trying hard to escape from anything predictable, but just in vain. Ordinary layout. Lingering cold….

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枠からはみ出たいな、という気持ちはずっとあるのですが、出られない。平凡な散らし。去っていかない風邪。

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In the eastern world, calligraphy and paintings almost always have used portrait-oriented sheets of paper.

However, in order to match the taste of the people in Western world, we may try expressions on land-scale materials.

“Flower smiles” : Poetic expression of “Flower blooms”

“Fresh breeze”

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東洋の書画は昔から縦長の紙に書かれるのが常でした。

けれども、西洋の人たちに楽しんでもらうためには、横長に書くのがいいでしょうか。

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The task for today’s practice session was this.

Cleaning comes first:

Followed by piety.

Cleaning, especially wiping, will lessen your distresses, as they say, because it is almost impossible to worry about trifles while using a dustcloth or a map. However, among all kinds of household chores, I hate cleaning the most. My biggest trouble at the moment, I am afraid, is that it will certainly enlarge the volume of my distress.

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今日のお稽古の課題。

一に掃除。

二に信心。

掃除（取り分け拭き掃除）をすれば悩みもなくなる：悩みが気にならなくなる、ということらしいですが、私は家事の中で掃除が一番嫌い。余計に悩みが増えそうなのが悩みです。

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The task for today’s practice session was the very first part of the preface to Kokin Wakashu.

Although our teacher told us to write it as our own “creation”, you may notice my growing desperate a little.

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今日のお稽古の課題は古今和歌集の序文の、そのまたごく初めの部分。自分の「作品」にするように、とのことでしたが、ちょっとやけになっているのも感じられるかも知れません。

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In November last year, a heaven-sent opportunity enabled me to participate in a calligraphy exhibition in a foreign country far away from home.

I also got a new friend there. The photo shows my pieces I wrote by request from this new friend for her and her friend.

Being asked to make a calligraphy work is the greatest delight for me. I am principled to respond to this kind of request. I have never failed to.

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昨年１１月に願ってもないチャンスがあり、遠い異国での作品展に参加させてもらいました。

新しい友人にも恵まれ、彼女とそのお友達のために書きました。

「書いて欲しい」と言ってもらえるのは何よりも嬉しいです。書いて欲しいと頼まれれば、絶対に断りません。断ったことはありません。

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It is often pointed out that in Japan, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in a quite different manner from other countries.

Thanking through LINE/

Reflecting memories from long-lasting bonds/

On friendship chocolate/

I feel very happy to receive Valentine’s Day gifts of chocolate from female friends of long standing.

Every year, I spend a long time looking back at old school days and days in old workplaces.

Memories are fantastic, just because they don’t weigh or grow voluminous.

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旧い知り合いからの友チョコは嬉しいです。

学生時代のこと、旧い職場のこと、たくさんの思い出に想いを馳せながらいただきます。

思い出は、重くないし、嵩張らない。

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Tomorrow is a day of LOVE, after all.

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やはり明日は愛の日だと思うのです。

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Tomorrow is a day of LOVE, after all.

<yushokai.com>

やはり明日は愛の日だと思うのです。

<yushokai.com>

Today’s task was this; Time and tide wait for no man.

If literally translated, it would be something like “Years and months will not wait for people.”

That is THE difficulty.

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今日の課題はこれ。

歳月人を待たず。困るのですよね、それが。

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It is Risshun, beginning of spring today according to the old lunar calendar.

The phrase 立春大吉roughly means “Beginning of spring; Excellent fortune.” I read somewhere that all the letters in this phrase are symmetrical, which is supposed to bring good luck.

I am afraid my pretending to be a sort on avant-garde calligrapher has spoiled the effect, though.

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今日は立春ですが、字全部が左右対称なところがめでたいのだと何かで読んだように思います。

こんな風にしてしまったら台無しですけどね。

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“Solve your problems by yourself.”

For the first time in a long time, I drew out a book of examples my teacher gave me more than 40 years ago. The page I happened to open was this: “Solve your problems by yourself.”

I must say the message is so true!

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「自分の問題は自分で片づけよ」

４０年以上前に師からいただいた折手本を久しぶりに取り出して、ふと開けたところがこれ。

確かにそうなんですよね。

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“Calligraphy is amazing! It gives you wonderful relationship with others.”

I chose these words by my precious friend as a material for calligraphy today, if he kindly considers me as his friend, that is.

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書の縁を讃える、大切な友人の言葉を書きました。彼が私を友人だと思ってくれていれば、ですが。

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Combination of Chinese characters and kana characters, again.

On top of that, one is practicing copying classics; while the other is creation.　The idea is being one-sided is not interesting.

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漢字と仮名の組み合わせ、再び。

漢字と仮名というだけでなくて、片方は臨書、片方は創作、という対立。どちらかに偏ると面白くない、という考え方です。

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“Your uniqueness hasn’t been very prominent these days.　Your works should be more amusing and intriguing as before!” was my teacher’s comment in today’s practice session.

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「この頃貴女らしさが感じられない。以前のように、もっと面白く！」と言われてしまいました。

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Someone praised my work to the skies that I wrote for my first solo exhibition held in the beginning of 2009.　I have no idea how I could express my delight.

“It will take some more time for another flower to bloom.”

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２００９年初めに開いた初めての個展のために書いたものを大いに褒めてくれた人がいました。嬉しい！

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We had the first practice session of the year.

A combination of works; one, a kanji piece of a Zen words on old pine trees, the other, a kana piece of a waka on young pine trees.

Everyone in the class did a good job, which pleased our teacher.

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今日は稽古初めでした。

古い松の木についての禅語と若松を詠んだ和歌の組み合わせ作品。皆がいい作品を書いたので先生が喜んでおられました。

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At the start of the year, it is an established tradition to begin practicing calligraphy on January 2.

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1月2日ですから。

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I look forward to your continued support and friendship for the coming year.

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今年もよろしくお願い申し上げます。

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This should have been posted yesterday.

The photo shows two of my calligraphy works and the one composed of four Chinese characters is a kind of motto of the Winter Solstice, meaning swinging from the negative to the positive, because the days will certainly be longer with the midwinter day as a turning point.

The other one shows my haiku poem about “yuzu-yu”, or bath with Japanese citron.　In Japan, it is a traditional custom to put scentful yuzu (Japanese citron) fruits in the bath on the Winter Solstice.  People have believed it works to keep your good health during the cold season.

It is the soft steam/
That plays the leading role/
Bath on the Winter Solstice/

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昨日書けば良かったんですけどね。

「一陽来復」と柚子湯を詠んだ（つもりの）私の句です。

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Copying classics is difficult.　It is too difficult for me.　I would really like to be working on my own.

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臨書は難しい。難し過ぎる。好きな創作だけをしていたい。

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The task for today’s lesson was to write something on a 2018 calendar.　After all, time seems to pass quicker and quicker as growing older and older.

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今日は来年のカレンダーを書きました。やはり年をとると時間の過ぎるのが早い！

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In today’s lesson, we practiced characters symbolizing next year’s Oriental Zodiac, the dog.　Somehow time seems to pass quicker and quicker as growing older and older.

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もう来年の干支のお稽古をしました。年をとると時間の過ぎるのが早い！

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In today’s lesson, we all had a fulfilling time.　However, that means we were all exhausted at the end.

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今日のお稽古は、充実していましたが、その分疲れました。

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In today’s lesson, I realized how poor I am at planning ahead a number of times.

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今日のお稽古では、何度も自分の計画性の無さを感じました。

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The phrase says this is about the time chrysanthemums bloom.

Now, I remember my late father was pretty pleased with my flower arrangement of only chrysanthemums displayed at our entrance when I was young and practicing Japanese style flower arrangement, Ikebana, like many other Japanese young women.　And I was extremely surprised, because my father was a kind of person who would not notice flowers or any other decorations, if there were any.　I realized then the flowers had a big presence.

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若かった頃のこと、お花のお稽古で習った菊だけの盛り花を玄関に飾っておいたら、普段は花があるのかないのかにも気づかない亡父が喜んでくれたのを覚えています。存在感のある花なのだと思いました。

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I tried this task several times.　However, unfortunately, this maybe the best I can do now.

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何度か書いてみましたが、今のところ、こんな感じにしか書けません。

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“The moon” is a seasonal word for autumn in haiku composing.　The photo shows my work of six or seven years ago.　The third letter from the last represents “the moon”.　The last three letters are “the moon”, “near” and “the people”.

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月は秋の季語のようですから、月が出てくるものを探しました。６〜７年前に書きましたが、最後の３文字は、月が人の近くにあると言っているかなと思います。

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One is a hanging scroll with a haiku written in kana or a calligraphy style with Japanese alphabet, and the other is a scroll to be spread on a table with kanji or Chinese characters work. Will these serve as samples to show to the people in the Western World?

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壁に吊り下げる軸装で仮名のものと、テーブルに置く巻子で漢字のもの。西洋の人たちに見てもらう見本はこれでいいかな、と考え中です。

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Both have same motif, a tanka poem <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka> with a dash of grotesqueness by Chūya Nakahara. < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chūya_Nakahara

>

For the yellow paper, I used a brush with a batch of longer tissues than normal ones, while for the white paper, I used a normal type of brush.

As you may be aware, it is difficult to handle a brush with long hair skillfully.　But if you succeed, it can create interesting lines, and I like using those brushes.

When I open my eyes on a winter night/

I fancy an apparition of a girl with silver eyes/

Stands in the darkness/

Translation and calligraphy by Tomoko

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ちょっと怪奇趣味の中原中也の短歌です。黄色い紙のは長鋒で、白い方は一般的な長さの筆を使いました。

長鋒を使いこなすのはとても難しいですが、うまくすると面白い線が書けるから好きです。

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We learned that the phrase meant “taking a walk cheerfully and leisurely under the blue sky”.　However, unfortunately I haven’t enjoyed that kind of feeling these several months.

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青空の下、朗らかに、且つのんびりと散歩するといった意味らしいですが、この数ヶ月間、そういう気分ではありませんでした。

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I was inspired by e-mail and posting on SNS by my friends and　enjoyed writing haiku for the first time in a long time.

Wafting/

To a different dimension/

Sweet osmanthus/

Passion flower/

In the morning/

After awaken from a dream of Dali/

Translation and calligraphy by Tomoko

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久しぶりに俳句を楽しんで書きました。それぞれ友人からのメールやSNSへの投稿からヒントを得ました。

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I like the kanji for “dance” 舞.　And I wrote the one used nowadays in light black ink first, and then, I placed three ancient letters for “dance” on it.　I hear dancing originally was offering to deity.　However, as this one looks a little eerie, I wonder if this one was a kind of magical dancing.

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「舞」は好きな字です。それで、背景に現代使われている字を薄墨で書いて、その上に、古代文字を濃い墨で載せました。舞は元々神聖に捧げるものだったと聞きますが、これはちょっと不気味な感じになってしまったので、呪術的な舞かな、と思いました。

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It is often said that all expressionists, including fashion designers and people in the film industry should be able to imagine and express a different season from the reality.

I wrote the one in the photo in the beginning of September when it was still the lingering summer heat was intense, expecting it to be presented in November.　I think I did a reasonably good work.　However, I have to admit it has a kind of stifling summer feel, although its motif is a haiku about the Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve deepens/

Earth is filled with/

People’s prayers/

Translation and calligraphy by Tomoko

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ファッションデザイナーや映画関係者などを、表現者は実際の季節とは異なる時候を想像して表現できなければならない、とはよく聞きます。

これは９月の初めの残暑が厳しかった頃に、１１月に発表することを念頭に書きました。出来としてはまあまあかと思いますが、聖夜の俳句にしては余りにも暑苦しい雰囲気で・・・。

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