Today, on the 15th, it seems that the first spring gust blew in the Kanto and Hokuriku regions. Last year, the first spring gust in the Kanto region occurred on March 1, making it 14 days earlier than last year. The term ‘first spring gust’ refers to the warm and strong south wind that blows for the first time over a wide area between around February 4, the beginning of spring, and around March 20, the vernal equinox, according to the definition of the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The name originated from an incident on February 13, 1859, when a fishing boat in Gonoura Town, Iki District, Nagasaki Prefecture, capsized due to a strong wind from the south, resulting in 53 deaths. Since then, the strong south wind known among fishermen as ‘Haruichi’ came to be called ‘Haruichiban’ (first spring gust). It is said that this wind was traditionally associated with the Hina dolls festival, and although this year’s ‘Usui’ (rainwater) is on the 19th, usually, the first spring gust often blows around this time.
Whether in the mountains or by the sea, the signs of spring seem unusually early this year. I sincerely hope that everyone in Noto can recover as soon as possible, and pray from the bottom of my heart that there will be no further disasters this year.

きょう15日、関東地方や北陸地方で春一番が吹いたそうです。昨年関東地方で春一番が吹いたのは3月1日で、昨年より14日早くなりました。「春一番」とは、気象庁の定義では、2月4日ごろの立春から3月20日ごろの春分までの間に、広い範囲で初めて吹く暖かく強い南風のことをいいます。
名前の由来は、1859年2月13日に長崎県壱岐郡郷ノ浦町の漁船が、南よりの強風によって転覆し、53人の死者を出したことがきっかけと言われています。それ以来、漁師の間で「春一」と呼ばれていた強い南風を「春一番」と呼ぶようになったようです。雛飾りに良いとされる「雨水」が今年は19日ですが、例年ならこの日を過ぎた頃に「春一番」が吹くことが多い様です。
山に海に、春を告げる事象が例年になく早い様ですが、能登の皆さんにはどうぞ一日も早く立ち直っていただく様に、そして今年こそこれ以上の災害が起こりません様に心から祈るばかりです。