I received a photo from my third-grade grandson who lives in Shanghai. According to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, the start of the rainy season in Shanghai this year was June 10th (Thursday), which is nearly a week earlier than usual. The rainy season usually lasts for about 23 days, so it is likely to end in early July. Looking at past examples, in 1936, the rainy season started on May 22nd, and in 1954, it lasted for 58 days. There were also cases like “Kūbai,” where the rainy season lasted only two days, in 1897 and 1965. Shanghai has also experienced a lot of difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s “Zero COVID Policy.” Now, there is an opposite reaction, and it is said that people are overflowing everywhere in Shanghai. Currently, there are not many Chinese tourists visiting Japan as before, but it seems that there are many people who are eager to go to Japan. From around this summer vacation, not only Chinese people but also tourists from all over the world are likely to come. It is a joyous thing. If people can get to know Japan, a country of 和 (wa, harmony), the world will surely become more peaceful.

上海に住む小学三年生の孫から写真を送ってきました。上海気象台によりますと、今年の上海の梅雨の入りは６月10日（木）で、例年よりも１週間近く早いそうです。梅雨の日数はだいたい23日間前後だということですから、７月早々には梅雨明けということになりますが、どうでしょう。過去の例を見ますと、1936年には５月22日に梅雨入りしたり、54年には梅雨の期間が58日間だったり、1897年と1965年には梅雨期間が２日間のみの〝空梅〟だったりする例があるそうです。上海もコロナ禍のもと、政府の「ゼロコロナ政策」で大変な思いをしたそうで、今はその反動で、上海中どこも人が溢れかえっているといいます。今はまだひところの様に来日中国人観光客は多くありませんが、日本に行きたくてウズウズしている人達がたくさんいるそうです。この夏休みあたりから、中国人はもちろん、世界中から多くの観光客がやって来そうですね。嬉しいことです。和の国、日本を知ってもらえば、世界はきっと平和になります。

The elegant swimming of colorful koi fish in the pond, as if passing through water lilies blooming in a highly transparent spring, resembles Monet’s famous work ‘Water Lilies.’ The unnamed pond at Nemichi Shrine in Itatori, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture has come to be called ‘Monet’s Pond’ by people over time. In 1999, the pond was overgrown with weeds, but Mr. Satomaro Kobayashi, the owner of Flower Park Itatori, a nearby flower seedling production and sales company, cleared the weeds and planted water lilies and kouhone. Local residents then brought koi fish that they could no longer keep at home and set free them to the pond. Originally, the pond was created by the spring water from the nearby Itatori River, and it quickly transformed into ‘Monet’s Pond.’ Before long, the information spread rapidly through newspapers, TV shows, and even national broadcasts on NHK, and it became a major tourist attraction with 3.36 million visitors in 2016, seven years later.

透明度の高い湧水に咲く睡蓮をくぐる様に、池の中を優雅に錦鯉が泳ぐ姿はまるでモネの代表作「睡蓮」のよう。岐阜県関市板取の根道神社の名もなき池はいつの間にか人が「モネの池」と呼ぶ様になりました。1999年、池は雑草が生い茂っていましたが、近くで花苗の生産販売をする「フラワーパーク板取」の経営者、小林佐富朗氏が除草を行い、スイレンやコウホネを植えました。そこに地元住民が自宅で飼えなくなって錦鯉持ち込みました。元々、近くを流れる板取川の湧水でできた池でしたので、瞬く間に「モネの池」に変身したのです。いつしか新聞や情報番組、さらにはNHKテレビの全国放送にも取り上げれるにおよんで情報が一気に拡散、７年後の2016年には336万人もの観光客が訪れる一大観光スポットになったのです。

I encountered a rare flower. Its name is Jaco Aoi. It is a perennial herb native to the central and southern parts of Europe and is said to have been introduced to Japan for ornamental purposes during the Meiji era, so it has been quite some time since it arrived in Japan. As it is a plant that prefers cold regions, it may not be commonly seen in the Kansai region. The Japanese name of musk mallow is said to be because it has a slightly musky smell. Its English name is “musk mallow,” with “musk” referring to “Jaco” and “mallow” referring to “Aoi,” making “Jaco Aoi” a suitable translation. The petals of the flower range from white to pink, and the diameter of the flower is about 5 cm, resembling the flowers of hollyhocks. It is said to have been used as an herb in Europe since ancient times. Both the flowers, leaves, and roots are said to have medicinal properties and are also used in salads. While Japan’s tachiaoi (hollyhock) is dignified and impressive, the gentle appearance of Jaco Aoi’s flowers is also beautiful.

珍しい花に出会いました。その名をジャコウアオイと言います。ヨーロッパ中南部原産の多年草であり、日本には明治時代に観賞用に導入された言いますから、日本に来てからもう随分になるわけです。寒冷地を好む植物ですから、関西ではあまりお目に掛からないのかもしれません。ジャコウアオイの和名はわずかに麝香臭があるからとのこと。英名はmusk mallowですから、 muskはジャコウ、mallowはアオイで、まさにジャコウアオイがその訳になるわけです。花弁の色は白色から桃色、花の直径は5cmほどで、アオイ(タチアオイ)の花とそっくりです。ヨーロッパでは昔からハーブとして利用されているそうです。花も葉も根も薬用になるそうで、サラダにも使われるそうです。日本の立葵も凛々しくていいですが、ジャコウアオイの優しそうな花姿もいいですね。

Plumeria has become well-known in Japan, but in its native regions of Mexico to Panama in Central and South America, it is a considerably large tree that can grow to a height of 7 to 8 meters. It has glossy, deep green leaves and its fleshy flowers come in pink, yellow, white, and red colors, emitting a strong fragrance. In Hawaii, it is a familiar flower used in leis and has become one of the representative flowers along with hibiscus. It is also favored for leis in Pacific islands such as Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, and New Zealand. Plumeria flowers are often worn in women’s hair, with unmarried women adorning them on the right side and married women on the left. Speaking of which, in the famous painting ‘Woman of Tahiti’ by Gauguin, the depicted woman also wears a plumeria flower around her right ear. Furthermore, plumeria is the national flower of Laos, and in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, it is used to adorn graves. plumeria is widely used as a flower in tropical regions surrounding the equator.

プルメリアは日本でもすっかりお馴染みになりましたが、原産地のメキシコからパナマあたりの中南米では背丈は7〜8mほどに成長する結構大きな木です。深緑色をしたツヤのある葉っぱに、ピンク、黄、白、赤色をした肉厚な花は強い香りを放つことが特徴です。ハワイではレイに使われることでおなじみの花で、ハイビスカスとともに、ハワイを代表する花の一つとなっています。ハワイだけでなく、タヒチ、フィジー、サモア、ニュージーランドなどの太平洋の島々でもレイに好んで使われます。プルメリアの花は女性の髪にも飾られ、未婚者は頭の右に、既婚者は左に飾ります。そういえば、ゴーギャンの有名な絵『タヒチの女』に描かれた女性も右耳の辺りにプルメリアを飾っていますね。そのほか、プルメリアはラオスでは国花になっていたり、フィリピン、インドネシア、マレーシアでは墓地に飾る花として使われたり、赤道を囲む熱帯地方では広く使われる花です。

I received news from the Northern Alps. Compared to previous years, it seems that there is considerably less remaining snow. In July, the mountains will open all at once. Mount Fuji will open on July 1st on the Yamanashi Prefecture side and on July 10th on the Shizuoka Prefecture side. This year, with the end of the pandemic, it is expected that a large number of mountaineers will flock to the mountains. What worries me is that the number of accidents is likely to increase in proportion to the increase in climbers. Even last year, the number of accidents was about the same as before the pandemic, so I’m even more concerned this year. Looking at these photos, I realize that I can’t speak arrogantly. When I think back now, I deeply feel that I engaged in quite reckless mountaineering. Although I wasn’t with them, two of my mountain companions have also passed away. When I recall the traverse from Yarigatake to Okuhotakadake while watching it on YouTube, my legs still tremble. However, I also feel that something like confidence, gained from such experiences, has become a support for my mind thereafter.

北アルプスからの便りが届きました。例年から比べるとかなり残雪も少ない様です。7月に入ると一斉に山開きです。富士山は山梨県側が７月１日、静岡県側が７月10日です。今年はコロナ明けもあって大勢の登山客が押し寄せることが予想されます。心配なのはそれに比例して遭難者が増えることです。昨年でも遭難者数がコロナ前と同数くらいだったそうですから、今年はなおさら心配です。こうして写真を見ていると、自分も決して偉そうなことは言えない。今から思うと結構無謀な登山をしたものだとつくづく思います。一緒したわけではありませんが、山仲間二人も亡くなっています。槍ヶ岳から奥穂高岳を縦走したことを、Youtubeなどで見ながら思い出すと、今でも足が震えます。しかし、そうしたことから得られた自信の様なものが、その後の自分の心の支えになった様な気もします。

There are two types of sentences: prose and verse. Verse, also known as poetry, is a form of writing that has a specific rhythm and follows certain rules. In terms of content, it can be divided into epic poetry, scenic poetry, and lyrical poetry. Epic poetry generally represents the heroic figures, myths, and history of a particular ethnic group in poetic form. While there are many famous epic poems with a long historical background worldwide, it is said that Japan does not have one. Scenic poetry depicts natural landscapes and other subjects as they are, while lyrical poetry contains the author’s emotions, thoughts, and messages. Today’s haiku is a form of scenic poetry, and if it evokes an image in the reader’s mind through the poetic text alone, it can be considered successful. However, recently a new genre called “Shahai” has emerged, which combines haiku with photographs. Since the photograph directly appeals to the reader as a visual image, the power to convey through words alone and the ability to imagine through words alone inevitably become weaker. It’s like the difference between Buson’s haiku accompanied by a nanga painting and Basho’s haiku.

文には散文と韻文があります。韻文とは詩とも呼ばれる、一定のリズムを持ち、一定の規則に則って書き表された文です。内容的には、叙事詩、叙景詩、叙情詩に分けられます。叙事詩は、一般的には民族の英雄や神話、民族の歴史を詩型で表したものです。世界には歴史的にも古く、有名な叙事詩が沢山ありますが、日本には存在しないと言われています。叙景詩は自然の風景などをありのままに描写した詩、叙情詩は作者の心情や思い・メッセージなどが込められた詩とされます。今日の句は叙景詩で、読者に詩文だけでイメージが湧けば一応パスですが、どうでしょう。最近はこうした、俳句に写真を添えた『写俳』が新しいジャンルとして加わりましたが、写真が直截イメージとして読者に訴える為、言葉だけで訴える力、言葉だけでイメージする力がどうしても弱くなります。南画を添えた蕪村の俳句と芭蕉の俳句の違いみたいなものですね。

On a fine day during the rainy season, it might be the most peaceful day of the year. Although we occasionally have scorching hot summer days, most days are just warm. Today, the forecast predicts a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, but despite the humidity being 72%, it doesn’t feel too muggy and I’m in a refreshing mood. I don’t feel like going out far because I want to avoid getting caught in the rain, so I spend a lot of time at home. When I met a neighbor, he told me he bought food for his killifish. When I asked if he kept killifish, he said there were killifish in the drain in front of his house. He had bought food for those killifish. It was surprising to hear that, despite his appearance – though I might get scolded for saying that – he showed such a kind gesture and the fact that there were killifish in the drain amazed me. There is a large water lily pot in front of their house, and small buds of water lilies are peeking out. Underneath the water lily leaves, a few goldfish are leisurely swimming. It seems there are also killifish, but they might be going to school.

梅雨の晴れ間の日は、一年中で一番のどかな日かもしれません。真夏日はたまにありますが夏日が多く、それ以下の日もあります。今日も最高気温は30度の予報ですが、湿度72%の割には蒸し暑くもなく、爽やかな気分です。雨に降られてはとの思いから、遠くへ出かける気もなく、家で過ごす日が多いからでしょう。近所のご主人に会ったら、メダカの餌を買ってきたと言います。メダカを飼っているのかと聞くと、飼っているのではなく、家の前の下水溝にメダカがいると言う。そのメダカの餌を買って来たんだと。顔に似合わず－と言ったら叱られるかな－優しい心遣いと、下水溝にメダカがいると言うのに驚きました。そのお家の前には大きな睡蓮鉢があって、睡蓮の小さな蕾が覗いています。睡蓮の葉っぱの下には金魚が何匹かゆったり泳いでいます。メダカもいるそうですが、学校に行っているのかもしれません。

Sakurabo (Cherry cherries) have entered the peak harvesting season. If you make a reservation early, they will be shipped all at once during this season. Personally, I don’t particularly feel like eating them, but I sometimes make a reservation because I think my grandchildren will be delighted. Above all, they are red and cute to look at. And the name ‘sakuranbo’ itself is nice. When written in kanji, it becomes ‘桜ん坊’ (‘sakuranbō’), and the ‘bō’ or ‘bōu’ part is a cute descriptor, like in the word ‘akanbō’ (adorable child), which seems to be applied to the cuteness of cherries. At the beginning of the Edo period, when Yusuraume (Japanese plum) was brought to Japan from China, the character ‘桜桃’ (‘ōtō’) was assigned to it, but Yusuraume is a different plant from cherries. Then, at the beginning of the Showa era, a newspaper company in Tokyo began using ‘桜桃’ to represent ‘さくらんぼ’ (sakuranbo), and gradually it became established. Even now, producers refer to cherries as ‘桜桃’ (ōtō). Sakuranbo that seem to blow away the rainy season make you feel the arrival of summer.

さくらんぼが本格的収穫時期に入りました。早くから予約しておくと、この時期一斉に発送されます。自分としては、特に食べたいとは思いませんが、孫達が喜ぶだろうと予約することがあります。何よりも赤くて見た目に可愛い。そしてさくらんぼと言う名前がいい。漢字で書くと「桜ん坊」ですが、「ぼ」とか「ぼう」は「あかんぼう」などの様に可愛らしいものの形容であり、さくらんぼの愛らしさにあてはめられたものと思われます｡江戸時代の初め､中国から日本にユスラウメが伝来したときに､この「桜桃」の字が当てられましたが、ユスラウメはさくらんぼとは別種の植物です。それを昭和の初め､東京の新聞社が「桜桃」を「さくらんぼ」と表し､だんだん定着していきました｡今でも生産者はさくらんぼのことを桜桃と呼んでいます。梅雨空をすっ飛ばす様なさくらんぼは夏の到来を間近に感じさせますね。

When you go to a park during a break in the rainy season, you’ll find a large, red, cotton candy-like plant thriving near the entrance. True to its appearance, it is called “smoke tree” in English and “煙の木” (kemuri no ki) in Japanese. It also has other names such as “白熊の木” (haguma no ki) and “霞の木” (kasumi no ki). Being a visually unique plant, it naturally garnered various names when people first encountered its surprising form. The smoke tree is dioecious, and the cotton-like structure develops on the female tree. This cotton-like structure, known as the flower stalk, is a result of numerous branches connecting the stem and the flowers. Tiny flowers are attached to the ends of the cotton fibers. This unique appearance is designed to facilitate pollination and the dispersal of seeds over long distances. As it belongs to the same family as poison ivy, it is important to be cautious as it can cause allergic reactions upon contact with its sap. By the way, “食べりゃんせ” (taberyanse) is an old literary and affectionate imperative form of the verb, similar to “通りゃんせ” (tooryanse). It is a dialect still used in some regions and means “Please eat.”

梅雨の晴れ間公園に行くと、入り口に大きな赤い綿菓子の様な植物が茂っています。その見た目の通り、英名を「smoke tree」、和名を「煙の木」と言います。この他にも「白熊の木(ハグマノキ)」とか「霞の木」とという別名もあります。見た目にもユニークな植物で、初めて見たときにはびっくりする様な姿に関心を呼びいろんな呼び名が生まれたのでしょう。スモークツリーは雌雄異株で、この綿の様になるのは雌の木です。花柄と言って、茎と花を繋ぐ枝の部分が無数に発達して綿のような姿になりました。綿毛の先には小さな小さな花が付いています。受粉して種ができ、その種を遠くへ飛ばす為にこの様な姿になりました。ウルシと同じ仲間なので、樹液に触れるとかぶれるので要注意です。ちなみに「食べりゃんせ」は「通りゃんせ」と同じ、親しみを込めた軽い命令形の文語で、「食べて下さい」と言う意味です。地方によっては今でも使う方言です。

Today is the summer solstice. Specifically, it is the first day of the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the tenth solar term of the twenty-four solar terms, which serves as a seasonal indicator. It refers to a period that generally occurs from around June 21st to July 7th each year. On this day, the daylight hours are the longest in the Northern Hemisphere. The exact times of sunrise and sunset on the summer solstice vary depending on the location in Japan, but on average, the sunrise is around 4:30 a.m. and the sunset is around 7 p.m. In other words, the duration of daylight on the summer solstice is approximately 14 hours and 30 minutes, while on the winter solstice, it is about 9 hours and 45 minutes. Therefore, the summer solstice has approximately 5 hours more daylight than the winter solstice. About two weeks after the summer solstice, we enter the period of “shōsho” (small heat), marking the peak of summer. On the day of the summer solstice, various events are held not only in Japan but also around the world, expressing wishes for abundance and prosperity of offspring. In countries like Sweden and Finland in Northern Europe, the summer solstice is even celebrated as a national holiday.

今日は夏至です。詳しくは夏至の初日です。夏至は季節の指標である二十四節気の10番目の節気で、毎年6月21日〜7月7日頃までの期間を指します。この日、北半球では１年のうちで昼の時間が最も長くなります。日本各地によって違いますが、夏至の日の日の出時刻は大体４時30分位、日の入り時刻は19時位です。つまり、夏至の日照時間は14時間30分程度、冬至の日照時間は9時間45分程度ですから、夏至のほうが約5時間も日が出ている時間が長い訳です。夏至の約半月後には小暑を迎え、いよいよ夏本番に突入する訳です。夏至の日には、日本はもちろん、世界中で豊穣と子孫繁栄を願う行事が執り行われます。北欧のスェーデンやフィンランドでは夏至が国の祝日になっています。