Menu & Greetings献立・ご挨拶

大寒になり身に滲みるほど厳しく寒い日が続きます。
しかし冬至に比べれば陽も長くなり、朝も日ごとに明るくなってきます。
朝の空気は澄み、遠くの景色がいつもよりはっきりと目に映るようになります。
そうして寒が明け立春ともなると、寒々とした景色の中に春の景色が透けて見えてきます。
寒明けという言葉は、小寒、大寒が終わることを意味します。
示すことは立春と同じになりますが、明けるということからも、
暗と明にはっきりと区切りをつける意思が感じられます。
ようやく春を迎える安堵の気持ちが伝わって参ります。

立春の初めの七十二候に「東風解凍(こちこおりをとく)」とあります。
東風(こち)は春になり冬の気圧配置が崩れ、
太平洋上からやって来る柔らかく弱い東風(ひがしかぜ)のことです。
東風が吹き込むことで寒気も緩みます。
いつもながら季節の移ろいを感じとる古の人の感性の繊細さには驚かされます。

暫し厳しい余寒が続く日もある中、
ふと木々に目をやると梢に膨らみを見つけることができます。
人が気づかぬ間にも春は静かにゆっくりと、しかし確実に季節を進めているようです。

柏屋のお料理も一歩一歩進む春を表現いたしました。
食べ進むうちに移りゆく春を五感で感じていただけます。

Altough the nippy weather has continued around January 20th, the days are getting longer than the winter solstice and the sunlight in the morning is getting brighter day by day. The morning air becomes clearer so that we can see the farther than usual. The cold weather ends around the start of spring (Risshun)*, and the spring-like scenery gradually is found in the cold landscape.

The word “Kan-ake(寒明け)” means the end of greater cold* and is almost the same meaning as “Risshun.” Compared to “Risshun,” “Kan-ake” has more intention to make a clear distinction between dark and light. It conveys the feeling of relief that spring is finally coming.

At the beginning of Risshun, we use the word “東風解凍(literally, east wind melts the ice).” The winter weather pattern has changed to the spring, and a mild east wind blows from the Pacific Ocean. As the east winds blow in, the cold is starting to let up. “東風解凍” expresses this phenomenon. I am amazed at the sensitivity of the ancient people who sensed the changing of the seasons and created the word.

It is still strictly cold but you can find the buds on trees sometimes. Without noticing, it looks like spring comes closer slowly and certainly. Kashiwaya’s cuisine expresses the spring coming. You will experience the trasitioning seasons with your five senses at our restaurant.

*Greater Cold/ Start of Spring: The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms. “Greater Cold” is the 24th solar term and starts from January 20th. “Start of Spring” is the 1st solar term and starts from February 4th.