nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: Moreover, some Ekiben delicatessens sell the same commodity as Ekiben at a neighboring airport as Soraben (box lunch sold at airports).
Japanese: また、駅弁業者が駅弁と同一の商品を、近隣の空港で空弁（そらべん）として販売する例もある。
English: Toge no Kamameshi' (the kamameshi (rice boiled with various ingredients in a small pot) served at a mountain pass), which is sold at East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Shin'etsu (Main) Line, Yokokawa Station in Gunma Prefecture, typifies the new strategy of shifting the sales focus to roadside restaurants and rest areas.
Japanese: ドライブイン・サービスエリアでの販売に重点を移したものの代表例として東日本旅客鉄道信越本線横川駅(群馬県)の「峠の釜めし」がある。
English: Similarly, 'Ikameshi ' (boiled squid stuffed with steamed glutinous rice) sold at Hokkaido Railway Company (JR-Hokkaido), Hakodate Main Line, Mori Station in Hokkaido typifies the new strategy of shifting its sales focus to department stores and others.
Japanese: デパートなどでの販売に重点を移したものの代表例として北海道旅客鉄道函館本線森駅(北海道)の「いかめし」が挙げられる。
English: An event-- famous Ekiben nationwide are gathered and sold at department stores and supermarkets-- what is called 'an "Ekiben" fair,' is so popular that many Ekiben are sold out soon after their arrival.
Japanese: デパート・スーパーマーケットなどで全国の有名駅弁を集めて販売するイベント、いわゆる「駅弁大会」は人気が高く、入荷してから短時間に売り切れることが多い。
English: In Hakata Station and others, there are shops selling popular Ekiben of adjacent areas (shops in Hakata Station sell popular Ekiben of the whole area of the Kyushu) by having those Ekiben sent from each area.
Japanese: 博多駅のように、周辺地域（博多駅の場合は九州内全域）の人気駅弁を取り寄せて販売する売店がある。
English: Ekiben sold by 'Awajiya (Kobe Station)' in Kobe City in 1988 was a good illustration of a box lunch with a special device.
Japanese: 特殊な装置のある弁当の例としては、1988年に神戸市の「淡路屋(神戸駅)」があげられる。
English: With the installation of a heating device in the lunch box, which utilizes the heat generated by a chemical reaction between calcined lime and water, customers could eat hot Ekiben only by pulling a string coming out of the box.
Japanese: 生石灰と水の反応熱を使用した加熱装置を組み込み、食べる前に紐を引いて加熱する駅弁を売り出した例がある。
English: In an attempt to compete with the convenience store box lunches (box lunches sold at convenience stores), a new type of Ekiben was developed that were cooked and packed in foreign countries where the manufacturing costs were low, shipped to Japan after being frozen, and then sold after being defrosted.
Japanese: 弁当そのものを製造原価の安い海外で調製し、日本まで冷凍して運び解凍して販売することで、コンビニ弁当などと対抗することを目指した駅弁が開発されたことがある。
English: This Ekiben was 'O-bento' sold by NRE, an associated corporation of JR East, which enjoyed a large sale at the beginning.
Japanese: 東日本旅客鉄道関連会社の日本レストランエンタプライズが販売した「O-bento」がそれで、販売当初は売上げを伸ばした。
English: However, the sales slumped after the company was forced to give up producing and importing box lunch containing beef products due to the BSE affair, with the result that the company ended the sale after having sold out all stocked 'O-bento' by October, 2007.
Japanese: しかしBSE問題により牛肉関連弁当の製造、輸入中止に追い込まれてから、売上げが激減したため、2007年10月までに在庫切れ分で販売を終了している。
English: This 'O-bento' had a quite different style from the existing Ekiben.
Japanese: ただしこの「O-bento」は、既存の駅弁とは大きくスタイルの異なる商品である。
English: One group consists of Full-time Ekiben manufacturing companies, Japanese-style hotels producing Ekiben as a side job and others.
Japanese: 一方に、駅弁専業あるいは旅館などの内職として作られ続けてきた駅弁がある。
English: Ekiben whose manufacturing had been suspended in recent years were mostly made by the producers belonging to this group, as well as most of the producers that had closed their businesses recently also belonged to this group.
Japanese: 近年に廃止された駅弁・廃業となった業者のほとんどは、こちらのカテゴリーに属する。
English: Another group consists of producers that started and developed their businesses as a Ekiben delicatessen, and then have become one of the largest food companies in their own region.
Japanese: もう一方に、駅弁業者を発端として発展し、それぞれの地域で最大級の食品企業となっている調製元がある。
English: For instance, Manyo-ken Co., Ltd. in Chiba Station, Takasaki Bento Co., Ltd. in Takasaki Station, Kiyoken Co., Ltd. in Yokohama Station, Tokaiken Co., Ltd. in Shizuoka Station, Shioso Co., Ltd. in Tsuruga Station and Hiroshima-Eki-Bento Co., Ltd. in Hiroshima Station are included in the group.
Japanese: たとえば千葉駅の万葉軒・高崎駅の高崎弁当・横浜駅の崎陽軒・静岡駅の東海軒・敦賀駅の塩荘・広島駅の広島駅弁当などである。
English: Although these producers are retaining the producing lines for their original Ekiben, they are not in fact "Ekiben delicatessens" any more.
Japanese: これらの調製元は、出自として駅弁を守ってはいるものの、実体としてはすでに駅弁調製業者というのは不適切である。
English: Hiroshima-Eki-Bento Co., Ltd. has a business record that it supplied 48,000 box lunches in a past event.
Japanese: 広島駅弁当に至ってはイベントの際に日産48000食を供給したという実績を持っているほどである。
English: These companies are producing not only Ekiben but also convenience store box lunches or supermarket box lunches (box lunches sold at supermarkets) sold in their regions.
Japanese: これらの業者は、駅弁だけではなく、その地域のコンビニ弁当・スーパー弁当などにも進出している。
English: However, some convenience stores open stores within station precincts these days, selling 'convenience store box lunches.'
Japanese: しかし最近では、駅構内にコンビニエンスストアが出店し「コンビニ弁当」を発売していることがある。
English: It is difficult to draw a clear line between Ekiben and 'convenience store box lunches,' because some Ekiben delicatessens with long history sell comparatively cheap box lunches similar to 'convenience store box lunches' besides their traditional Ekiben.
Japanese: 旧来からの駅弁業者が、伝統的な駅弁のほかにコンビニ弁当に類似した比較的安価な弁当を販売している場合もあるため、厳密な定義は困難である。
English: (Not a few companies that have developed into large-scaled food companies, even if their origin was in the Ekiben delicatessen, undertake the cooking of the convenience store box lunches or side dishes sold in the areas.)
Japanese: （駅弁業者が出自であっても、その後大規模な食品会社に発展したところでは、その地域のコンビニ弁当やお惣菜商品の調理を一手に引き受けるているところも少なからず存在する）。
English: In the narrow sense, 'Ekiben' only indicates a box lunch satisfying the following conditions: "it contains cooked rice," "it was produced by a company joining the Central Committee of the Japanese Association of Railroad Station Concessionaires (hereafter, 'Center Committee'), " and "it is sold within station precincts."
Japanese: 狭義の意味では、「駅弁」とは、社団法人日本鉄道構内営業中央会（以下「中央会」と略す）に加盟している業者が調製し、駅構内で販売しており、なおかつ米飯が入っている弁当のみを指すこともある。
English: When Japan's railway system was managed by Japan National Railways (JNR), 'Ekiben' containing typical side dishes such as cooked rice, a broiled fish, meat dishes, deep-fried foods, a Japanese style omelet and kamaboko (steamed fish paste), namely a box lunch similar to Makunouchi-bento (box lunch including cooked rice and side dishes), was called "a normal box lunch," while other types of 'Ekiben' was called "a special box lunch."
Japanese: 日本国有鉄道（国鉄）時代には、白飯と焼き魚・肉料理・フライ・卵焼き・蒲鉾などの一般的な惣菜を使用した、いわゆる幕の内弁当の系列のものを普通弁当と称し、それ以外の弁当を特殊弁当と称している。
English: A box lunch without taking a typical style of the set of rice and side dishes, such as 'Oshi-zushi' (lightly-pressed piece of sushi topped with cooked ingredients), was classified into 'a special box lunch.'
Japanese: 飯とおかずというセットになっていないもの、たとえば「寿司押し寿司」などは「特殊弁当」に分類される。
English: Furthermore, as JNR defined that a box lunch without 'cooked rice' is not counted among Ekiben, 'Soba bento' (box lunch containing buckwheat noodle) sold at Oshamambe Station, 'Sandwiches' sold at Ofuna Station and others were not recognized as Ekiben until the last days of JNR's management.
Japanese: さらに国鉄が「米飯」がないものは駅弁ではない」としたために、長万部駅の「そば弁当」や大船駅の「サンドウィチ」などは国鉄末期まで駅弁として認められなかった。
English: A box lunch satisfying the conditions that 'a member company of the Center Committee produced it' and 'it contains rice' is allowed to put a common trademark called 'Ekiben mark' on the wrapping paper.
Japanese: この「中央会加盟業者が調整元である」「米を使っている」という条件に該当する弁当は包装紙に共通デザインの「駅弁マーク」と呼ばれる商標を入れ、
English: Moreover, such a box lunch is introduced in the margin of a JR schedule (only for large-sized schedule) published by Kotu-shinnbun-sha (literally, traffic news company).
Japanese: 交通新聞社発行のJR時刻表（大型版のみ）欄外に販売駅弁の記載があるのが特徴である。
English: The definition that only a box lunch with this 'Ekiben mark' is recognized as 'Ekiben' is supported among members of the Center Committee and some people.
Japanese: この「駅弁マーク」を有する弁当のみが「駅弁」であるという定義づけは、当の中央会や一部の人々の間で行われている。
English: Under the JNR management, only member companies of the Center Committee were permitted to sell box lunches within station precincts.
Japanese: かつての国鉄では、駅改札内での弁当の販売は中央会加盟業者に対してしか認めていなかった。
English: However, since JR started after the division and privatization of JNR, nonmember companies of the Center Committee were also allowed to sell box lunch within station precincts.
Japanese: しかし、国鉄分割民営化されJRとなって以降、中央会非加盟の業者にも駅構内での販売を認めるようになった。
English: Therefore, it became difficult to connect 'a box lunch sold within station precincts' with the 'Center Committee.'
Japanese: このことから「駅構内で販売される弁当」と「中央会」とが、必ずしも結びつかなくなった。
English: In addition to the newcomers, some former member companies continued to sell Ekiben within station precincts after leaving the Center Committee.
Japanese: 新規業者の参入のほか、既存の業者が中央会を脱退した上で引き続き駅構内での販売を行っている例もあり、
English: Accordingly, it became difficult to keep imposing the conditions that 'Ekiben is a box lunch produced by member companies of the Center Committee' and 'Ekiben is a box lunch with the Ekiben mark.'
Japanese: 「中央会に所属」「駅弁マークがついていること」は条件とはできなくなった。
English: This situation also resulted from various and strict requests made on the production process, etc. with the aim of preventing food poisoning, because the time lag from production to purchase and consumption is an inevitable aspect of Ekiben.
Japanese: これは、駅弁は調製から購入・消費までにタイムラグがあるため、食中毒の防止などを目的として、調製方法などにさまざまな厳しい要求があったこととも関係する。
English: The restriction that Ekiben must be sold out within four hours from the time of production remains even now.
Japanese: その中でも製造から4時間以内で売り切らねばならないという規制は現在も残っている。
English: The Center Committee has not been concerned with the sales of box lunches sold within the station precincts managed by private railway companies since the beginning.
Japanese: なお、もともと私鉄の駅構内で販売される弁当については中央会は関係ない。
English: They continue to sell Ekiben while using the "Ekiben mark" at only their own stores in front of stations.
Japanese: 駅前の自社店舗での販売のみとしながら、引き続き駅弁マーク入りの駅弁を販売する。
English: On the other hand, nonmember companies that established their stores in front of stations often produce their own box lunch, calling it 'Ekiben.'
Japanese: 一方、駅前に店舗を構える中央会非加盟の弁当業者が独自の弁当を作り、「駅弁」を名乗る例もある。
English: Although sold by member companies of the Central Committee within station precincts, some box lunches were not allowed to attach the 'Ekiben mark' because it lacks rice, which include "Chinese steamed meat dumpling" sold at Yokohama Station and Tosu Station and "Sandwich" (sandwich box lunch) sold at Ofuna Station.
Japanese: 中央会加盟業者がJRの駅構内で販売している場合でも、横浜駅や鳥栖駅で売られている焼売や、大船駅で売られているサンドイッチ弁当のように、米飯が入っておらず「駅弁マーク」を付けることができなかったが、
English: For example, there is no Ekiben mark on 'Sandwich' sold at Ofuna Station, but the sentence 'SINCE 1898/ 日本デ最初ノ駅弁サンドウィッチ' (Our company produced the sandwich box lunch in 1898 for the first time in Japanese history) is printed on its wrapping paper.
Japanese: 大船駅の「サンドウィッチ」は、駅弁マークこそついていないが、包装紙には「SINCE1898／日本デ最初ノ駅弁サンドウィッチ」と明記されている。
English: (However, it is difficult to assert that sandwich box lunch had never been produced before 1898.)
Japanese: （ただし本当にこれより前にサンドイッチ駅弁が存在しなかったとは断言できない。
English: For instance, Tokaiken Co., Ltd. insists that it had already sold the sandwich box lunch in 1889.)
Japanese: たとえば、東海軒は1889年にサンドイッチ弁当を販売した、と述べている）。
English: Considering these situations, box lunch sold within station precincts or stores established by box lunch companies in front of stations are comprehensively called 'Ekiben' in most cases.
Japanese: 以上のような事情から、駅構内や駅前の弁当業者の店舗で販売される弁当を総合して「駅弁」と呼ぶ場合が多い。
English: Ekiben' exhibited in an "Ekiben fair" held at a department store, as well as 'Ekiben' mentioned in TV programs relating to travel, are box lunches that satisfy a broad range of conditions.
Japanese: デパートで催される駅弁大会に出品されたり、旅番組で取り上げられたりする「駅弁」もこのような広義の条件に該当する弁当である。
English: Some trains offering the service of sales in the train sell not only Ekiben but also box lunches limited to the train.
Japanese: 車内販売の行なわれる列車では駅弁のほか、列車内限定の弁当が販売されていることもある。
English: In an event train, box lunches limited to the event are sometimes sold.
Japanese: イベント列車などにおいては、そのイベント限定の弁当が販売されることもある。
English: Sencha (green tea of middle grade) sold along with Ekiben was sold by using a small ceramic bottle called "kisha dobin" (the earthen teapot used on the train) before.
Japanese: 駅弁とともに販売される煎茶は、かつては蓋付きの汽車土瓶と呼ばれる陶磁器の小瓶入りのものが売られた。
English: It is believed that the first tea was sold at Shizuoka Station in 1889, which was poured into an earthen teapot of Shigaraki-yaki Ware.
Japanese: 明治22年に静岡駅で信楽焼の土瓶にお茶を入れて販売したのが嚆矢と言われている。
English: However, as earthenware was heavy and fragile, a small bottle with a translucent, thick vinyl made body and a yellowish green-colored plastic made cap (a screw type lid) were introduced instead of a ceramic bottle in the late 1950s to the early 1960s.
Japanese: しかし陶器は重量があり破損しやすいため、昭和30年代からそれらに代わって、半透明の厚いビニールの本体部分に黄緑色のプラスチックのスクリューキャップ（ネジ式の蓋）の付いた小瓶が導入された。
English: A tea bag was put in a bottle made of elastic vinyl, therefore purchaser could adjust the strength of the tea by pressing the bottle.
Japanese: 弾力のあるビニールの小瓶にティーバッグが入っているため、購買者が瓶を揉むことで濃さを調節できる。
English: However, sencha in the vinyl made container has also declined due to the spread of oolong tea and green tea sold in a can or a plastic bottle since the end of the 1980s.
Japanese: しかし、ビニール容器入りの煎茶も、1980年代末期以降、缶入りやペットボトルの烏龍茶や緑茶が普及したため少なくなった。
English: At present, tea sold in a vinyl made container with Ekiben was mostly replaced by that sold in a can or a plastic bottle produced by major manufacturers.
Japanese: 現在では駅弁とともに売られるお茶は、ビニール容器入りから大手メーカーのペットボトルや缶入りのお茶にほぼ取って代わられたといえる。
English: However, some stations sold sencha poured into a small earthenware teapot with Ekiben in the form of reproduced version in recent years.
Japanese: 但し陶器の小瓶入りの煎茶は、近年でも復刻の形で駅弁とともに販売された駅がある。
English: In Taiwan, there is a box lunch called '鐡路飯盒' which is sold at railway stations in various areas, as well as sold on the train.
Japanese: 台湾では、「」と呼ばれる、各地の鉄道駅や列車の車内販売で販売される弁当がある。
English: As shown in 排骨飯 (dish cooked with boned rib of pork is put on rice) with egg dish, box lunch sold in Taiwan generally consists of rice, meat dish and egg dish.
Japanese: ばら肉（骨付きの豚ばら肉）の料理が白飯の上に載ったもの（）に鶏卵料理を添えたものなど、飯と肉料理、卵料理による弁当が一般的である。
English: The box lunch containing sushi like Inari-zushi (stuffed sushi) and Nori-maki (vinegary rice rolled in dried laver seaweed) is also sold, because Taiwanese food culture is influenced by the Japanese food culture.
Japanese: ほかには、日本の食文化の影響で、稲荷寿司や海苔巻といった寿司による弁当も販売されている。
English: Purchasers enjoy comparatively standardized box lunches, without finding big differences among stations.
Japanese: このような弁当は駅により多少の違いはあるが、どの駅でも大きな差異はなく比較的画一的である。
English: In Republic of Korea, box lunches similar to Makunouchi-bento containing rice, the main dish Bulgogi (Korean style grilled beef) and other side dishes, Makunouchi-bento-like box lunches containing rice and some side dishes, as well as box lunches of Nori-maki, are sold within station precincts or on the train.
Japanese: 大韓民国でも駅構内や車内販売で、飯にプルコギを主体とする惣菜を合わせた幕の内弁当のような弁当、その他の飯と数種の惣菜による幕の内弁当のような弁当、海苔巻の弁当が販売されている。
English: In the People's Republic of China, passengers can buy a box lunch of rice topped with side dishes like meat dish, which are cooked in the kitchen of dining cars and served hot through the service of sales in the train.
Japanese: 中華人民共和国では食堂車の営業する列車の車内販売で、飯の上に肉料理など惣菜の載った弁当が食堂車で調製され、熱いままの状態で販売される。
English: As for Southeast Asia and South Asia, a box lunch of rice topped with meat dish and a sunny-side up, a box lunch of cooked rice with added ingredients and other types of box lunch are sold with a chirirenge (ceramic spoon) within station precincts or on the train in Kingdom of Thailand.
Japanese: 東南アジア・南アジアの鉄道駅構内や車内販売では、タイ王国では飯の上に肉料理と目玉焼きの載ったもの、混ぜご飯などの弁当が小さな散蓮華を付けて販売されている。
English: In Vietnam, chimaki (a rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves) are sold, and in India, a set of meal consists of curry and rice or bread like nan bread are sold at railway stations.
Japanese: ベトナムでもちまきなどが販売され、インドでもカレーに飯やナンなどのパン類を合わせた食事セットが鉄道駅で販売される。
English: However, unlike 'Ekiben' in Japan, none of them have a culture or sense to pay special attention to these box lunch.
Japanese: しかしいずれの国でも日本のようにこれらを「駅弁」として特別視する文化・意識は特にないようである。
English: In Europe, some railway stations in northern and middle Italy sell a set of meal consists of meat dish, vegetable, pasta, bread or sandwich, and a small bottle of wine.
Japanese: ヨーロッパではイタリア北部・中部の各地で、肉料理に野菜、パスタ、パンかサンドウィッチ、小瓶のワインを合わせた食事セットが販売される鉄道駅がある。
English: In railway routes connecting European cities, many passengers needed a meal twice or more, because they used to stay on a train for a long time.
Japanese: そもそも、ヨーロッパの路線は乗車時間が長く食事が2回以上必要な場合が多かった。
English: Therefore, even if they carried cooked meals with them on the train, those meals could not be eaten for the second meal.
Japanese: そのため、調理された食料を持ち込んでも2度目の食事には食べられない。
English: Moreover, a buffet car was usually attached to such a train traveling long distance, boasting various menus and delicious dishes.
Japanese: その上、大抵の長距離路線では日本よりはメニューが豊かで味がいい料理が出るビュフェが連結されている。
English: The culture and sense defining the box lunch sold within station precincts, etc. and limited to the station as 'Ekiben' is peculiar to Japan.
Japanese: 駅構内等で販売され販売駅等に限定とされる弁当を、「駅弁」と定義する文化・意識は、ほとんど日本固有のものである。
English: Although there are cultures and senses similar to Japan in Taiwan and South Korea, they have not taken root as much as those in Japan.
Japanese: 台湾と韓国には多少そのような文化・意識があるとはいえ、日本ほどには確立されていない。
English: In astronomy the Shubun is defined as being the moment the sun transits the autumn equinoctial point, namely, the very moment that the sun is considered to be positioned at 180 degree celestial longitude.
Japanese: 天文学では、太陽が秋分点を通過した瞬間、すなわち太陽の視位置黄経が180度となった瞬間を秋分と定義する。
English: Because dawn or sunset is defined as the very moment when the top edge of the sun is aligned with the horizon
Japanese: 太陽の上端が地平線と一致した時刻を日出あるいは日没と定義しているため
English: Accordingly, the length of daytime at Shubun is approximately 12 hours 7 minutes and, the night approximately 11 hours 53 minutes long.
Japanese: したがって、秋分の日の昼の長さは約12時間7分、夜の長さは約11時間53分である。
English: Also, actually the day when the variance between day and night is substantially smaller occurs approximately 4 days after the autumnal equinox.
Japanese: そして、実際に昼夜の長さの差が最も小さくなる日は秋分の4日程度後になる。
English: If a person makes observations at the North or South Pole, the Autumnal Equinox sun will appear to be moving right along the horizon; not rising or sinking.
Japanese: 北極点または南極点の観測者から見ると、秋分の太陽はちょうど地平線と重なるようにして動き、上ることも沈むこともない。
English: The Japanese Cabinet decides upon Shubun No Hi based on the astronomical Autumnal Equinox calculated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and, an announcement of the decision is officially gazetted in February the previous year.
Japanese: 秋分の日は、国立天文台の算出する天文学的秋分日を元にして閣議決定され、前年2月に官報で告示される。
English: Thunder sounds: Thunder sounds and reverberates (Japan/China)
Japanese: 雷乃収声（らいすなわちこえをおさむ）：雷が鳴り響かなくなる（日本・中国）
English: Hibernating insects: Insects enter and seal the holes they have burrowed (Japan/China)
Japanese: 蟄虫坏戸（ちっちゅうこをはいす）：虫が土中に掘った穴をふさぐ（日本・中国）
English: Doyo no ushi no hi' is the Ox day (based on the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac) during the "doyo" (the period of about 18 days at each end of four seasons).
Japanese: 土用の丑の日（どようのうしのひ）は、土用の間で日の十二支が丑である日のこと。
English: It is customary for Japanese to eat an eel on the Ox day during doyo of summer, in order to take nourishment and overcome the heat.
Japanese: 夏の土用の丑の日は、暑い時期を乗り切る栄養をつける為に、ウナギを食べる習慣がある。
English: Generally speaking, the Ox day during the doyo indicates the summer one, but as the doyo comes around four times in a year, the day also comes around several times in a year.
Japanese: 一般には土用の丑の日といえば夏を指すが、土用は春、夏、秋、冬の年4回あり、土用の丑の日は年に数回ある事になる。
English: Recently, a campaign to eat eel on doyo in winter has been run in mainly Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture, which ranks high in per-capita eel consumption.
Japanese: 近年、ウナギの人口当たり消費量上位に位置する長野県岡谷市を中心として寒の土用の丑の日にも鰻を食べようというキャンペーンが展開されている。
English: With 'Heiki-ho' (the method of placing the 24 traditional seasonal divisions of a year by making equal time intervals), the doyo days of summer are calculated as the 18 days before 'risshu' (the first day of autumn), and with the recently popular 'Teiki-ho' (the method of placing the 24 traditional seasonal divisions of a year by equally dividing the ecliptic into 24 parts, calculating the date when the sun passes each of those parts and setting the seasonal divisions into the date), the doyo days of summer fall on the dates the sun passes the obliquity of 117°to 135°, and they are calculated as approximately 18 days around risshu.
Japanese: 夏の土用は平気法では立秋の前の18日間、近年用いられている定気法では黄道座標が117度から135度までと定義され、約18日間ということになる。
English: Provided that the doyo has 18 days, the Ox day comes around twice when the first Ox day comes within 6 days from the first day of the doyo, in other words, when the first day of the doyo falls on the day of the Monkey, Cock, Dog, Boar, Rat or Ox (based on the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac).
Japanese: 18日間として考えると土用入りの日から6日以内に丑の日があると（すなわち土用入りの日が申から丑の間の場合）もう一度丑の日が巡って来る。
English: There are various theories regarding the origin of the custom of eating eel on the Ox day during the summer doyo, but the best known of them is that the idea was devised by Gennai HIRAGA, who came from Sanuki Province.
Japanese: 鰻を食べる習慣についての由来には諸説あり、讃岐国出身の平賀源内が発案したという説が最もよく知られている。
English: This story is included in "Meiwa-shi" (a book about food customs in the time around the Meiwa era), which was written by Hakuho AOYAMA in 1822.
Japanese: これは文政5年（1822年）の、当時の話題を集めた『明和誌』（青山白峰著）に収められている。
English: The owner of an eel restaurant, having few customers, went to Gennai's home to consult about how to sell eel during summer, the sluggish season for his business.
Japanese: 商売がうまく行かない鰻屋が、夏に売れない鰻を何とか売るため源内の所に相談に行った。
English: Getting a hint from the folklore that "one could overcome the summer heat by eating something that had the Japanese syllable of 'u' at the head of its name, such as an eel (in Japanese, 'unagi') on the Ox day," Gennai recommended that the owner attach a poster to the shop door stating, "Today is the Ox day."
Japanese: 源内は、「丑の日に『う』の字が附く物を食べると夏負けしない」という民間伝承からヒントを得て、「本日丑の日」と書いて店先に貼ることを勧めた。
English: So the owner followed Gennai's advice, and greatly prospered, because people came to eat trusting Gennai, who was well known for being knowledgeable.
Japanese: すると、物知りとして有名な源内の言うことならということで、その鰻屋は大変繁盛した。
English: And so, other eel restaurants followed suit, and the custom took root.
Japanese: その後、他の鰻屋もそれを真似るようになり、土用の丑の日に鰻を食べる風習が定着したという。
English: If the folklore is the rationale for the custom, the food to eat on the Ox day during the doyo could be 'udon' (Japanese wheat noodle) or 'udo' (Aralia cordata), since every food other than eel is possible when it has the Japanese syllable "u" at the head of its name.
Japanese: この民間伝承を根拠とするならば、土用の丑の日に食べるものは鰻でなく「う」の付くものでいいのだから、うどんでもうどでもいいことになる。
English: The custom became popular, but it has no certain history or origin and could be called the product of what we now call commercialism; like chocolate on St. Valentine's Day, or 'eho-maki' (rolled sushi that is said to bring luck when eaten in 'eho' [the lucky direction]) on 'Setsubun' (February 3).
Japanese: 鰻を食べるのが主流となったのは確固とした由緒由来が有るわけではなく、バレンタインデーのチョコレートや節分の恵方巻きなどと同様、現代でいうコマーシャリズムの産物といえよう。
English: Eel, however, is rich in Vitamin B, so one can prevent summer fatigue and loss of appetite by eating it.
Japanese: ただし鰻にはビタミンB類が豊富に含まれているため、夏バテ、食欲減退防止の効果が期待できる。
English: Considering this, the old custom of eating eel in summer can be said to make sense.
Japanese: そういった面から鑑みると、当時夏の時期に鰻を食べたのは理に適った習慣であるともいえる。
English: The Zenbei HARUKIYA origin theory: According to "Edo kaimono hitori annai" (the shopping guide of Edo) compiled in the same Bunsei era (1818-1829) as the above, Zenbei HARUKIYA, an eel restaurant owner received a large order for 'kabayaki' (eel split, grilled and basted with a sweet sauce) during the doyo, so he grilled eel on the day of the Rat, Ox and Tiger consecutively and kept it in earthenware pots;
Japanese: 春木屋善兵衛説-同じ文政年間（1818-1829）の『江戸買物独案内』によると、土用に大量の蒲焼の注文を受けた鰻屋、春木屋善兵衛が、子の日、丑の日、寅の日の3日間で作って土甕に入れて保存しておいた。
English: of these eels, only the ones grilled on the Ox day retained their good flavor, so this gave rise to the custom, the guide states.
Japanese: そのうち、丑の日に作った物だけが悪くなっていなかったから、という説。