This article is continued from the previous one, Silver Mine Kingdom; IWAMI, trip to Shimane. And it’s a foodie travelogue.
島根石見銀山への旅の続編で、こちらの記事は食紀行になります。
One of the biggest delight of traveling around your country or abroad is to eat the local cuisines. This time, on the way to Shimane prefecture, we came across a lot of delicious foods. We didn’t use high ways and went along local roads. Went by Sanin area and dropped at an eat local market in Yamaguchi and had Okonomi-Yaki for lunch. Two gentle lovely old ladies were running the diner, and the Okonomi-Yaki was Hiroshima style. The lady owner had a training in Hiroshima, she said. Watching through the cooking procedures, all the steps were done meticulously and I became so sure that it must be so very good. For topping, I ordered kimchi, pork, and shrimps.
国内でも海外でも、旅行の大きな楽しみは、土地の美味しいものを食べること。今回も島根県へ向かう旅路の途中で、多くの美味しい味に出会いました。高速道路を使わずに、ずっと下道で山陰地方を走り抜け、途中の山口の道の駅では、昼ごはんにお好み焼きを頂きました。とても優しい良いお顔をされた、お婆さん達がされているお店です。広島風のお好み焼きで焼きそばが入っていますが、わざわざ広島で修行をされて来たというだけあって、丁寧に作られる手順をジッと見つめていると、ああ、これは間違いないと強く確信。私は具材にキムチと豚と海老を入れてもらいました。
Ahhhhh, it’s so tasty! We’ve been driving from the early morning, so the lovely old ladies’ Okonomi-Yaki filled with much affection was such a comfort. Promised them that I would introduce it on the blog and kept on driving up to Shimane.
う、う、う、美味しい！早朝からずっと走りっぱなしだったので、お婆さんたちの愛情が詰まったお好み焼きが、空きっ腹に染み渡りました。ブログで紹介しますと約束をして、また一路島根を目指します。
Before sunset around 4 p.m. we arrived at the destination, Iwami Silver Mine. Strolled around the miraculously beautiful hidden treasure. Didn’t expect it but I got busy with shopping and it was getting dark before I knew. Drove to the night’s inn with much anticipation for the gorgeous seafood dinner. I was so excited since I love seafoods more than anything, and on top of that, I ordered Shimane speciality fish Nodoguro beforehand.
夕方4時頃に目的地である石見銀山について、奇跡的に美しいままに残っている秘境をそぞろ歩き。まさかのお買い物熱に火がついたりして、すぐに夕暮れに。夕ご飯を心待ちにしてお宿に向かいます。夜は魚尽くし、島根の名物ノドグロも頼んでいます。私は海の幸が大好物なので、ウキウキしながら向かいました。
Look at the top picture of the sashimi raw fish. And there came fabulous dishes one after another. It was way much more gorgeous than I had expected. In 2020, everything was affected by COVID outbreak and I couldn’t go out much, and had to refrain from eating out which is my favorite pastime. And the fantastic seafood course was like a feast from Japanese folk tail, Dragon’s Palace of Urashima Taro. We were utterly overjoyed. Fukuoka, Kyushu where we live is famous for delicious foods, but the seafoods of Shimane that are so lean but meaty due to the rough waves of the Japan Sea were more delicious than that of Kyushu.
一番上の魚姿造りの写真をご覧ください。そこでは、出てくる出てくる素晴らしいお料理の数々。全くの予想以上の展開で、コロナ禍に明け暮れた2020年は、ずっと外出が出来ずに、大好きな外食も出来ずに我慢のし通しだったので、浦島太郎が竜宮城で食べた鯛やアワビの舞い踊りもかくあらんという程のおご馳走に、舌鼓を打ちながら大喜び。私達が住む九州福岡も美味しいものが多いと評判ですが、日本海の荒波に揉まれた魚は、身がより引き締まっていて、プリップリで九州の魚よりも美味しかったです。
The Japan Sea is opposite side of the Pacific Ocean, facing with Russia, China, North Korea, and Korea. The waves are so wild and rough. While eating the seafoods, I was thinking not only fish but also human who went through tough environment would become lean and strong, both mentally and physically. Personally, I experienced overwhelming trials consecutively since starting of this blog. So I do hope that the agonies and the bitter tears would turn into something powerful that would influence on the blog positively, so that I can reach out many people.
日本海とは、太平洋とは逆側の、ロシア、中国、北朝鮮、韓国に面した海で、海流が激しく荒くれる海です。魚だけでなく人間も、厳しい環境を経験すると無駄なものが削ぎ落とされて、より心身共にしまっていくのだと妙に納得したりもしました。私自身、このブログを始めてからずっと、非常に大きな試練の連続だったので、その苦しさや流した悔し涙がこのブログの充実と成長に繋がっていればいいなぁ、と魚を食べながら考えていました。そうすれば多くの人々にこのブログが届くのだと。
We visited Iwami Silver Mine again the next day. The landscape of Shimane is like a movie of Hayao Miyazaki. I felt as if I was in a film of “Spirited Away”. Even though public transportations are not well advanced, I think sheerly mesmerizing charms of Japan are hidden in deep countries and in deep mountains. Iwami Silver Mine is UNESCO world heritage site, so the city development is not done, therefore you can soak into the ancient atmosphere as much as you wish.
そして翌日は再び石見銀山へ。宮崎駿の映画の舞台にもなりそうな島根の風景。千と千尋の神隠しのアニメの中に、自分がいる様な気がして来ます。交通の便は悪いけれど、日本の奥深い魅力は大都市よりも、山深い田舎の方に隠されていると思います。石見銀山はユネスコ世界遺産となっているので、その近郊も開発はされておらず、美しきいにしえの姿を今に伝えています。
The lovely village was like from a fairy tale, and we also climbed up the silver mine and learned the history for 3 hours, trekking with a local guide. Felt fatigue after getting wet from rain, then we took a break at a cafe.
石見銀山の集落を過ぎて銀山へも実際に登り、合計3時間ほどガイドさんについて歩いて歴史の勉強を沢山しました。雨にも濡れて、身体も疲れたので、カフェへ行きしばし休憩。
This GUNGENDO cafe boutique was truly an exquisite cafe, a plasterer (carpenter) remodeled the old residence taking 20 years. The atmosphere was filled with something so snug and cozy, I was just grateful being at the place. I introduced myself with a business card to the cafe clerk and told about this blog and was able to learn about the shop. Scrap woods of an old elementary school gym were used for the floor, water pipes were turned to be clothes racks, and an elementary school science class cabinet and church chairs were reused. Things abandoned and believed to be worthless were reborn with new sparkle. Truly one and only, the cafe was emitting precious light warmly.
群言堂のカフェブティックは、左官さんが古いお屋敷を二十年かけて改装をされたという、とても味わい深い、その空間に自分が身を置いているというだけで幸せな気持ちになれるカフェでした。お店の方に私の名刺を渡し、このブログのことを伝えて、色んな話を聞かせて頂きました。小学校の体育館の床だった廃材を床にしていたり、水道管を洋服をかけるラックにしていたり、小学校の理科室の棚や教会の椅子を再利用していたりと、古く捨てられてしまいそうなものに、いとおしむ様に命を再び吹き込まれた、世界にただ一つだけの暖かな光を放つカフェです。
It takes time to create something decent. You pick up materials that people won’t pay attention to, and recompose them uniquely with much patience. Adding up special meanings, and you create brand new value. I was able to learn the lesson from the GUNGENDO cafe boutique, it’s good to remember to have the attitude when making something with all your heart.
良いものを作るには時間がかかる。人が気にも留めない様な素材を拾い上げて、丹念に意味を込めて独自の方法で再構築して行き、新しい価値を創り出す。郡言堂のカフェブティックから、モノを作る上での大切な心構えを教えてもらった様に思います。
Thanks to the blessing form the crystal clear mountain water, the black bean coffee, homemade fig and walnut tart, and pear sherbet were all so delicate and tasty every sip and every bite. Moreover, along the journey it was so impressive that we were able to meet and talk with beautiful ladies who were so kind, helpful, and diligent. Working diligently with all your heart might be basic working ethic, but it’s a difficult working philosophy to carry on always. You go traveling and put yourself in a place different from usual, and you come to learn something new by visiting something old. So thankful this time and the opportunity.
カフェで頂いた黒豆コーヒー、自家製スイーツであるイチジクとクルミのタルトと、梨のシャーベットは、清らかな山水の恵みのお陰か、キリリと澄み切った繊細な味で、一口ごとにそれは美味しかった。また、この旅で出会って話をさせて頂いた女性達が皆とても美しく、一生懸命に心を込めて仕事をされていたのが、強く印象に残りました。一生懸命に心を込めて仕事をする。これは働く上での基本なのかもしれなけれど、いつも実行するのは難しい仕事哲学でもあるのだと。旅をして普段とは違う景色に身を置くと、温故知新の様に、古きを訪ねて新しきを知る時間が与えられたことを感謝します。
It is midst of COVID and the world is facing with a critical situation, however please do come visit Japan after everything got back to normal. You are sure to encounter beautiful and one of a kind time, people, and landscape. And you will enjoy delicious meals for sure.
今は世界中がコロナ禍で非常に厳しい状況にありますが、またコロナが開けたら、ぜひ日本に遊びに来て下さい。そこでは、美しい時間、美しい人、美しい風景、そして美味しい味に出会える喜びがきっと待っています。
Although we’re in a desperate era, abundant blessings to you all!
大変な時代となりましたが、皆様に多くの祝福があります様に！
