Tsutomu Mizukami’s “Gobancho Yugirirou” is a tragic love story of both a prostitute, Yuko, who came out of Tango to support her family and a student monk, Seijun, who was her childhood friend and was turned away from everyone due to a stutter disorder. Following after Seijun who set fire on the temple and killed himself, Yuko killed herself under the Hyakujitsuko that was blooming in the temple of her hometown. It is a novel and a movie that reminds me every time I see Hyakujitsuko. Every person lives with one or two lumps of heart. And, to a certain degree, we are alive with accepting the bad and the good. Therefore, we seek for relaxation and healing for the flowers that bloom every season.

A toast to the Hyakunen Beni, which blooms and bears fruit while surviving a hot summer day!

水上勉の『五番町夕霧楼』は、家族を養う為に丹後から出てきた遊女と、その幼馴染みで吃音で人から疎まれる学生僧の悲恋物語りです。寺に放火し自らの命を絶った正順の後を追って、夕子は生まれ故郷のお寺に咲く百日紅の下で命を断ちます。百日紅を見る度に思い出す小説であり映画です。人は皆、一つや二つの心のしこりを持って生きているものです。そして、程度の差こそあれ、清濁併呑して生きています。それ故に、私達は四季折々に咲く花々に憩いを求め、癒しを求めます。

猛暑日に耐え凌ぎつつ咲き切って実を付けた百日紅に乾杯！