Bringing Music to J-House!
The language-house fellow are back after a two-year hiatus due the COVID pandemic! The Japanese Studies program is thrilled to welcome as fellow Ms. Junko Ishizu. Ishizu-san hails from the beautiful city of Kobe, in western Japan. A music lover, she received her B.A. in piano performance from the Osaka College of Music. She also holds an M.A. in language pedagogy from Columbia University, and has taught Japanese at several institutions, including the prestigious Inter-University Center, in Yokohama. We asked Ishizu-san about some of her favorite things; her responses are below, in Japanese and English.
私の趣味は、ピアノを弾くこと、読書、日米のドラマや映画を見ることです。ピアノでは、クラシックばかりでなく、いろいろなジャンルの曲を弾きます。最近読んで面白かった本は、谷崎潤一郎の「陰翳礼賛」です。日本の昔の家屋の光のあり方がいかに現在と違うかということがわかりました。ドラマや映画は、コメディが大好きです。
My pastimes include playing the piano, reading, and watching Japanese and American TV series and films. On piano, I enjoy playing not just classical, but works in various genres. As for reading, an interesting book I read recently is Tanizaki Jun’ichiro’s In Praise of Shadows; from it I learned that the light conditions in Japanese houses in the old days were very different from today. When it comes to TV and movies, I prefer comedies.
一日の中で好きな時間は、夕暮れ時です。日本では、毎日ベランダで近くの山に落ちる美しい夕日を見ながら、夕食を食べていました。こちらの夕日も素晴らしいです。
My favorite time of the day is twilight. In Japan, I would eat dinner each evening on my balcony while watching the beautiful sun set behind a nearby mountain. The evening light is lovely here in Virginia, too.
好きな歌については、藤井風の「帰ろう」という歌が最近のお気に入りです。6月に彼のコンサートに行って以来、益々ファンになりました。
As for music, a song that appeals to me recently is Kaze Fujii’s “Let’s Go Home.” Since attending his concert in June, I’ve become a big fan.
好きな食べ物は、うなぎと牛肉です。かなり疲れたなと感じた時は、食べるようにしています。必ず元気になります。
My favorite foods are eel and beef. I get a craving for them whenever I’m feeling very tired, and they always give me energy.
好きな俳優は、三浦春馬さんです。残念ながら、彼は約二年前に亡くなりましたが、彼のたゆまざる努力から作り出された極上の演技と透明感のある美しい瞳と姿は,今でも忘れられません。ノーベル賞作家、カズオ・イシグロ原作の「私を離さないで」というドラマは、内容は暗いものですが、特に彼の演技力と透明感が際立つドラマだと思います。
My favorite actor is Miura Haruma. Regrettably, he died two years ago. Even now, I can’t forget his brilliant acting, born of relentless effort; his beautiful, translucent eyes; or his appearance. The movie Never Let Me Go, based on the novel by Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro, tells a dark story, but in it, Miura’s acting ability and his translucent quality really shine.
