tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9086689852914881504.post7113023332694656206..comments2023-10-11T23:14:29.814+09:00Comments on Somedays: Hamamatsu ToshoguSomedaysSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07485017469544064676noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9086689852914881504.post-82293345383544405792012-07-12T14:16:19.411+09:002012-07-12T14:16:19.411+09:00I'm on my phone (which won't let me post l...I'm on my phone (which won't let me post links, grrrrr!) but I plunked "浜松 家康 酒" into Google-sensei and came up with a Rakuten listing for what looks like the same thing we bought - an aperitif that was apparently loved by Ieyasu (who is said to have loved his food, I read once somewhere that some tie his death to eating too much strange Portugeuse food - ie tempura! <br /><br />Your second link, for the bubbly urrrrrb alcohol isn't one I've seen before (and I think it looks vile!) but I think it is a cocktail version of the Chinese urrrrbal drink that they promote as a wonder drug for everything from tiredness to colds to being cold to aging!<br /><br />And I think the cat is just a decoration - I couldn't find the sparrow that is supposed to be depicted as the other half of the pair. Probably just a redepiction of popular imagery from Nikko. But I'll check tonight on when it was built as that might give us an idea... But the cat is in the roof, afterall, maybe it jumped up there to stay away from the water?! ;)SomedaysSarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07485017469544064676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9086689852914881504.post-65832575769146039162012-07-12T14:01:16.038+09:002012-07-12T14:01:16.038+09:00So of course yours truly went Googling. Here's...So of course yours truly went Googling. Here's a herbal sake that's made from <a href="http://item.rakuten.co.jp/herb-spirits/sen30gift/" rel="nofollow">mitsuba</a> or Japanese wild parsley, apparently to be used as a pre-dinner drink.<br /><br />I also stumbled across <a href="http://www.yomeishu.co.jp/megumi/index.html" rel="nofollow">this</a>, which seems to be a sparkling herby alcohol aimed at women? (Must confess, doesn't appeal to me at all.) Am I correct? My Japanese is very iffy.<br /><br />Back to the cat. It's interesting that he's above the 手水舎 rather than the shrine itself. Aren't cats scared of water? ^^Ruroushahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10638258526527895171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9086689852914881504.post-22295577465927246812012-07-12T08:16:37.733+09:002012-07-12T08:16:37.733+09:00It's a rather dusty and faded cat, but quite a...It's a rather dusty and faded cat, but quite adorable nonetheless! And lots fewer people to fight with while you enjoy it! (if it hadn't been so hot I would have tried for a better photo. <br /><br />The owner of the sake store seemed to be the neighbourhood elder. He said he had "inherited" the shrine's stamps and various other bits and pieces, but it was unclear as to whether it had been in his family or a neighbourhood rescue type of thing. It is really sad to see shrines go into disuse like that, but at least the neighbourhood comes together to clean and take care of the shrine physically as well as marking ceremonies or special occasions such as New Years. <br /><br />PS - it was referred to as 「ハーブのお酒」but I didn't try any so I don't know if it was a random type of alcohol or actual 日本酒. But yes, it contained "urrrrrbs"!! :DSomedaysSarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07485017469544064676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9086689852914881504.post-21507012355753489902012-07-11T21:40:20.857+09:002012-07-11T21:40:20.857+09:00Eeeeh! There's a cat! Look! A very cute cat! :...Eeeeh! There's a cat! Look! A very cute cat! :D<br /><br />I love the idea that you get shrine stamps at a sake shop. How very appropriate. ^^<br /><br />PS: Herb sake? You get urrrb sake? Didn't know that!Ruroushahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10638258526527895171noreply@blogger.com