新年会
先週一週間は新年会が目白押し。7日間で４回もの新年会が入っていた。胃腸にはすまなく思うが、これも浮世の責め、自重しながらつとめなければと思っている。
先ず最初が、天風会の新年会。その席で新年講話を務めて頂いたのが、東福寺の元宗務総長、青木謙整住職。講師紹介で私は「今東光」を彷彿とさせる人と、青木住職を紹介したが、その弁に偽りはなく、1時間半の講話が一瞬に感じられるほどの素晴らしいものであった。講話の中身は、自らの修行を振り返ってのものであったが、感じさせられるものが多く、天風会の新年講話に相応しいものとなった。本当にありがとうございました。
翌火曜日は船場ロータリーの新年会。場所は会社の近く、北区西天満の高級料亭「芝苑」であった。一つ星の懐石料理は流石に美味しく、つい酒が進んでしまった。
2日後の金曜日は島根経済倶楽部の新年互礼会。場所は大阪のリーガーロイヤルホテル、講演は「100円のコヒーを1000円で売るほう」の著者であったが、超アナログ人間の私には今一つピンと来なかったが、なるほどと気づかされるところも多々あり、大いに商売の参考になった。懇親会には、島根県知事他県庁の役職者が多く参加され、県との交流を深める事ができた。
そして翌土曜日は我が故郷、西ノ島町の出郷者の会、「國賀会」の新年会。場所は難波の國賀家（居酒屋）。何といってもこの会が一番である。同郷の人というのは不思議なもので、なにがどうなのか判らないが、集まっているだけで楽しくなるのだ。人に加え、國賀家の料理がまた懐かしい。大半が隠岐の島産の魚介類で、サザエ、アワビ、ブリ、ハマチ、ナマコ、焼き飯（握り飯）等々・・・。普通こうした会は2時間で中締めと称し、終わるものであるが、この会だけは3時間たっても何処からも中締めの声は出ない。店主も同郷故、文句ひとつ言わない。何時果てるとも判らない会ゆえ、お疲れ気味の小生は3時間を過ぎた頃に、隠れるようにしてそっと逃げ出した。
それにしても今場所の隠岐の海は凄い。３役返り咲きも夢ではない。ただ、詰めが甘いというか、土俵際もさることながら後半が今一つ。しかし今場所はちょっと違うような気がするが・・・。とにかくガンバレ。
The past week has been a blur of New Year’s parties, four in seven days. I feel sorry for my stomach and intestines, but I also feel that I have to do my best while taking the blame for the ukiyoe.
First of all, we had a New Year’s party at the Tenpukai. It was at this time that Kenzo Aoki, former head priest of Tofukuji Temple, delivered the New Year’s sermon. In the introduction of the lecturer, I introduced him to someone who reminded me of “Ima-To-Ko” and to the priest Aoki, and he was true to his word. The content of the sermon was a reflection on his own practice, but there were many things that made me feel, and it was appropriate for the New Year’s sermon of the Tenpukai. Thank you very much.
The following Tuesday was a New Year’s party at Funaba Rotary. The place was “Shibaen”, a high-class restaurant in Nishitenma, Kita-ku, near the company. The kaiseki cuisine of one star was as good as it could be, and the sake went on with it.
Two days later, on Friday, the Shimane Economic Club’s New Year’s Reciprocal Meeting. The lecture was given by the author of “How to sell 100 yen coffee for 1,000 yen”. The reception was attended by the Governor of Shimane Prefecture and many other officials of the prefectural government, and we were able to deepen our exchange with the prefecture.
The next Saturday was the New Year’s party of the “Kokuga-kai”, a group of people from my hometown, Nishinoshima. The place is Kunigaya (izakaya) in Namba. After all, this meeting is the best. I don’t know what it is about people from my hometown, but just getting together with them makes it fun. In addition to the people, I miss the cuisine of the Kuniga family again. Most of them are seafood from Oki Island, such as turban shells, abalone, yellowtail, yellowtail, sea cucumber, fried rice (nigiri rice), etc… Normally, such a meeting ends after two hours, but for this one, even after three hours, there was no call for the end of the meeting. The owner never complains because he is from the same town. Because of the unpredictable nature of the meeting, I, who was feeling tired, ran away to hide after three hours.
It’s not a dream to return to 3 roles. However, I felt that I didn’t have enough time to finish the game. But I feel like this place is a little different… Anyway, go for it.
