English Essay by Brian Southwick, Niigata City ALT

59 A Trip to Sado Island: Part 2 ＲＥＡＤＩＮＧ (slow) (fast)

My friend and I were tired and hungry when we got to Matsugazaki, so we went to a nice park by the sea to have a snack and to rest. Matsugazaki is the village where Nichiren, the founder of Nichiren Buddhism, landed when he was sent to Sado hundreds of years ago. Another famous person sent to Sado long ago was Zeami, the father of Noh drama. These famous men were used to life in Japan’s big cities and had many friends and followers when they had to leave for Sado. I tried to imagine life for them on Sado Island, far from their homes.

After Matsugazaki the next stop was Akadomari. Near the busy port of Akadomari is an old sake company. I was quite surprised to learn that the company has a famous fan. A few years ago an American movie star visited Akadomari and tried some of the rice wine. He was quite impressed and decided to serve the sake in his Japanese restaurants in the USA. There were photos in the gift shop of the actor and company staff. Thanks to the actor the sake from Akadomari is known to people in America, thousands of miles from Sado Island.

About 30 minutes from Akadomari is Ogi, the largest town in southern Sado. Every year in August thousands of people from Japan and around the world visit Ogi for the outdoor concert called Earth Celebration, but on the day I visited, Ogi was a peaceful town. Ogi is known for taraibune, called “tub boats” in English. Tub boats are used to fish for awabi and sazae. There were several tour buses by the bay, and many tourists were enjoying a ride in the boats.
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Shukunegi is a short ride from Ogi. Before we arrived in Shukunegi my friend and I visited the Sado Folklore and Ship Museum. The museum has a full-size model of a sengokubune, a large wooden ship common long ago in Japan. During the Edo era the ship was used to take gold from Sado to Echigo, so it was very important to the life of the island. There were many other interesting things to see in the museum, and I could learn a lot about Sado’s history.

The little village of Shukunegi was our last stop. It was late afternoon when we arrived there to explore Shukunegi’s narrow streets and admire its old wooden houses with stones on their roofs. If you visit the village you will feel that you have traveled back in time. In fact, Shukunegi is sometimes used as a location for making movies and TV dramas about Meiji era Japan. My friend and I felt that the village was the most interesting place on Sado, and we were sad to leave after just a few minutes to ride our bicycles back to Ryotsu for the 7:30 ferry.

＜注＞
got to＜〜に着いた＞，the founder of Nichiren Buddhism＜日蓮宗の創始者＞
was sent to＜〜に送られた，流された＞，the father of Noh drama＜能の父（のような存在の）＞
followers＜支持者達＞，had to leave for＜〜に向けて出発しなければならなかった＞
an old sake company＜古い酒蔵＞，was quite surprised to＜〜して本当に驚いた＞
the rice wine＜日本酒＞，decided to serve＜提供する（出す）ことに決めた＞
Thanks to＜〜のおかげで＞，is known to＜〜で知られている＞
the outdoor concert called Earth Celebration＜アースセレブレーションと呼ばれる野外コンサート＞
a ride in the boats＜乗船＞，the Sado Folklore and Ship Museum＜佐渡民族博物館＞
a large wooden ship common long ago in Japan＜昔の日本で一般的であった大きな木造の船＞
the Edo era＜江戸時代＞，explore＜探検する＞，narrow＜狭い＞，admire＜賞賛する＞
In fact＜実際＞，Location＜野外撮影地，ロケ＞





Questions and Answers: Answer the questions in a complete sentence in English.


Q1.Who landed in Matsugazaki hundreds of years ago?
A1.

Q2. Why do thousands of people visit Ogi every year in August?
A2.

Q3. What did sengokubune carry from Sado to Echigo?
A3.

Q4. How did Brian and his friend feel when they visited Shukunegi?
A4.

Q5. What time did the ferry leave Ryotsu for Niigata City?
A5.




＜解答例＞

A1.　Nichiren did.

A2. Because they visit there for the outdoor concert called Earth Celebration.

A3. They carried gold.

A4. They felt that it was the most interesting place on Sado.

A5. It left there at 7:30.