On July 20, 1969, the American lunar module Apollo 11, named ‘Eagle,’ landed on the moon. Captain Neil Armstrong left the first human footprint on the lunar surface, followed by the lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, who left the second footprint. This event took place 54 years ago. Apollo 11 became the name associated with the historic mission that successfully landed humanity on the moon for the first time, leaving an indelible mark in history.
During the late 1950s to the early 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union were in the midst of the Cold War. In the midst of this rivalry, on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, shocking the world and particularly the United States. In response, the United States initiated “the Mercury program” to put humans into Earth’s orbit. However, on April 12, 1961, amid these efforts, the Soviet Union successfully launched Yuri Gagarin into Earth’s orbit aboard Vostok 1, marking the world’s first human orbit. It was another blow to the wounded pride of Americans who had been shocked by the Sputnik moment.
Apollo 11 was the event that allowed the United States to catch up with and surpass the Soviet Union. Reflecting on this while gazing at the Mid-Autumn Festival’s full moon, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment about the self-rihteous decline of Russia, which had once played a pioneering role in humanity’s journey.

1969年7月20日、アメリカの月着陸船アポロ11号「イーグル」が月に着陸しました。そして、船長のニール・アームストロングが人類で最初の足跡を月面に刻み、続いて月着陸船操縦士のバズ・オルドリンが二人目の足跡を刻みました。今から54年も前の出来事です。アポロ11号は史上初めて人類を月に着陸させることに成功したミッションの名称となり、歴史にその名を残すことになりました。
1950年代後半から1960年代前半にかけて、アメリカ合衆国とソビエト連邦(ソ連)は冷戦の最中にありました。そうした中、1957年10月4日、ソ連が世界初の人工衛星スプートニク1号を打ち上げ、世界中が驚いたのはもちろん、一番ショックを受けたのはアメリカです。直ちに、人を地球周回軌道に乗せる「マーキュリー計画」に着手しました。しかし、その最中の1961年4月12日に、ソ連はユーリイ・ガガーリンを乗せたボストーク１号を打ち上げ、史上初めて人を地球周回軌道に乗せることに成功したのです。スプートニク・ショックで傷ついたアメリカ人の自尊心に追い打ちをかける形となりました。
アポロ11号は、アメリカが初めてソ連に追いつき、追い越した出来事だったのです。中秋の名月を見ながらそんな追想をし、人類の先駆的役割を果たしたソ連、今のロシアの独善的衰退ぶりに残念な思いが募りました。

Today is the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, known for the ‘Harvest Moon.’ The term ‘Harvest Moon’ refers to the moon visible on the night of the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar. This year coincides with a full moon, but it’s important to note that the Harvest Moon may not always align with a full moon. The Harvest Moon is a calendrical concept, while a full moon is an astronomical one.
The tradition of celebrating the Harvest Moon is said to have been transmitted from China during the Heian period. In Japan, the Harvest Moon is associated with agricultural rituals and prayers for a bountiful harvest, often offering sweet potatoes (Satsumaimo), hence the nickname ‘Imo-meigetsu’ (Sweet Potato Harvest Moon).
Recently, when it comes to decorations for the Harvest Moon, the image of ‘tsukimi dangos’ (moon-viewing dumplings) and susuki (pampas grass) is quite prevalent, symbolizing susuki as rice ears. However, due to this year’s extreme heat, susuki hasn’t grown well, and instead, the suirens (lotus flowers), which are in full bloom during the summer, seem to take center stage as decorations for this year’s Harvest Moon celebration. So, this year’s Harvest Moon might be adorned with tsukimi dangos and suirens.

今日は中秋の名月の日です。「中秋の名月」とは、太陰太陽暦の8月15日の夜に見える月のことを指します。今年は満月と重なりますが、中秋の名月が満月とは限りません。中秋の名月はあくまでも暦の上での月で、満月は天文学上の月だからです。中秋の名月をめでる習慣は、平安時代に中国から伝わったと言われています。日本では中秋の名月は農業の行事と結びつき、豊作祈願として芋（里芋）をお供えしたことから、中秋の名月のことを「芋名月」とも呼びました。 最近では、中秋の名月の飾り物としては、月見団子とススキのイメージが非常に強いですが、これも実はススキを稲穂に見立てている訳です。ところが、このススキも今年の猛暑で育ちが悪く、代わって夏が見頃の睡蓮が今勢いづいているというから、今年の中秋の名月は、月見団子と睡蓮で飾る事になりそうです。

Nowadays, chatbot AI (generative AI) seems to be the darling of the times. In November of last year, Microsoft released ChatGPT to the public, sparking worldwide interest. ChatGPT, an AI capable of engaging in natural language conversations with extreme human-likeness, has shown its power even on search engines. Within two months of its launch, it reached 100 million users, and its user base has been steadily increasing since. Google, which previously held a dominant position in the search engine market, couldn’t hide its sense of urgency. Falling behind by six months, in May of this year, Google introduced a similar chatbot AI called “Bard” for use in Japan, setting the stage for an intense competition between ChatGPT and Bard in gaining users.
Today, we attempted to translate Matsuo Basho’s haiku “古池や　蛙飛び込む　水の音 (Huruike ya Kawazu tobikomu Mizu no oto)” using ChatGPT and Bard. ChatGPT translated it as “An old pond… a frog leaps in, water’s sound,” while Bard translated it as “Old pond, a frog jumps in, the sound of water.” This haiku is not only one of the most well-known works of Basho but is also considered the haiku that established the Basho style of haikai. It has given rise to profound interpretations and legends surrounding the seemingly ordinary event of a frog leaping into water and the sound it makes. Even ChatGPT and Bard appear to have had difficulty capturing its essence.
By the way, Donald Keene, a leading figure in the study of Japanese literature among Americans, translated it as “The ancient pond A frog leaps in The sound of the water,” and there doesn’t seem to be a significant difference in meaning. Haiku, being the world’s shortest form of poetry, is challenging even for Donald Keene to translate accurately, as the goal is to evoke a shared sense of the scene. So, it’s no surprise that ChatGPT and Bard found it challenging as well.
However, generative AI is still in its early stages, and we look forward to its future development.

今やチャット型のAI（生成AI）が時代の寵児といった感があります。昨年11月にMicrosoftがChatGPTを一般公開し、全世界的な話題になりました。極めて人間的かつ、自然な言葉で質疑応答ができるチャット型のAIは検索サイトでも威力を発揮し、開始２ヶ月で利用者数が１億人に達し、その後増加の一途を辿っています。それまで検索サイトでは優位の位置にあったGoogleは焦りの色を隠せず、遅れること6か月、今年の５月に同じチャット型のAI「Bard」を日本でも利用可能にし、今やChatGPTとBardの熾烈な利用者獲得競争が繰り広げられています。
そこで今日はChatGPTとBardを使って、松尾芭蕉の俳句「古池や　蛙飛び込む　水の音」の英訳を試みてみました。ChatGPTは「An old pond… a frog leaps in, water’s sound」と訳し、Bardは「Old pond, a frog jumps in, the sound of water」と訳しました。この句は芭蕉の作品中でもっとも知られているだけでなく、芭蕉が蕉風俳諧を確立した句とされており、「蛙が水に飛び込む」そして「その水音が聞こえる」というありふれた事象に深遠な解釈や伝説も生んだ句です。さすがのChatGPTもBardも訳しきれなかったようです。
ちなみに米国人で、日本文学研究の第一人者であるドナルド・キーンは「The ancient pond  A frog leaps in  The sound of the water」と訳していて大差がないように思えます。俳句という世界最短の詩で、情景を共感し合うこと自体がドナルド・キーンをしても難しいのですから、ChatGPTもBardも翻訳しずらいのも無理のない話です。
しかし、生成AIはまだ著に着いたばかりです。これからの発展が楽しみです。

♭♯♭ 鳳仙花 ♭♯♭

Next to the stone lantern standing on the approach, Hosenka flowers are blooming. Perhaps startled by the water sprinkled on the cobblestones, the fruits burst open, and Hosenka seeds scattered around. I had heard that Hosenka fruits burst upon touch, but witnessing them burst due to sprinkled water was a stroke of luck.
It’s now the season for Hosenka fruits to burst open. The red Hosenka has been used by girls since ancient times to dye their nails, earning it the alternate names “Tsumakurenai” and “Tsumabeni” (nail rouge). According to tradition, if the color remains on the nails until the first snowfall, it signifies that love will bloom. Its language of flowers, “Do not touch me,” carries deep meaning as well. Moreover, the stories surrounding trumpet creeper, such as its connection to the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and the “Korean massacre,” make it a topic that never ceases to be discussed.

参道に立つ石灯籠の傍に鳳仙花が咲いています。石畳みに撒いた打ち水にびっくりしたのか、実が弾けて鳳仙花の種がパラパラと散りました。鳳仙花の実に触れると実が弾けて種が飛ぶと言う事は聞いていましたが、打ち水に弾ける鳳仙花を目にしたのはラッキーです。鳳仙花の実が弾ける頃になりました。赤い鳳仙花は昔から女の子が爪を染めるのに使ったため、ツマクレナイ、ツマベニ（爪紅）の別名があります。爪にホウセンカの汁を塗り、初雪が降るまで色が残っていたら恋が実ると言う伝承もあります。花言葉「私に触れないで」も意味深です。また、1923年の関東大震災時の「朝鮮人虐殺」に纏わる鳳仙花の話しなど、鳳仙花一つをとっても話題が尽きません。

When I opened LINE, I received photos and videos of my grandchild’s sports festival. In recent years, more and more schools have been holding sports festivals in the spring, but I remember that sports festivals used to be held in the fall. I feel nostalgic.
And today is already after the equinox, and the period of “autumn equinox” in the solar term has begun. This year’s autumn equinox is from September 23 to October 7. The solar term is further divided into three categories, and today is the first phase of that period.
The first phase is explained as “thunder stops its voice,” meaning that it is the time when the thunder that often rang during the rainy season in the summer calms down. The clouds that generate thunder are cumulonimbus clouds, also known as cumulonimbus clouds. However, those cumulonimbus clouds have also lost their momentum, and we often see autumn-like clouds such as “scale clouds,” “sardine clouds,” and “sheep clouds.”
I feel that this year’s autumn came suddenly from a long summer, but what will this year’s autumn be like? I am both excited and a little worried.

LINEを開けると、孫の運動会の写真や動画が送られて来ていました。最近は春に運動会を催す学校が多くなりましたが、昔は運動会と言えば秋という認識でしたから、懐かしい気がします。
そして今日はもう彼岸明け、節気で言う「秋分」の期間に入っています。今年の秋分は９月23から10月７日までです。節気は更に3区分され、今日はその初侯の時期に当たります。
初侯は、雷乃収声（かみなりすなわちこえをおさむ） と説明され、夏の時期は夕立で鳴ることの多かった雷がおさまる頃と言う意味です。雷が発生する雲は積乱雲、いわゆる入道雲ですが、その入道雲もすっかり勢いを無くし、「うろこ雲」や「いわし雲」、「ひつじ雲」といった秋らしい雲を見ることが多くなります。
今年は長い真夏から一気に秋になったと言う感がありますが、さて今年の秋はどうなることやら、楽しみでもあり、ちょっぴり心配でもあります。

It’s amazing how the temperature has dropped sharply since the equinox. Even so, it’s still over 30 degrees Celsius during the day. There were tropical nights with temperatures over 25 degrees Celsius, but the temperature on the morning of the autumnal equinox was below 20 degrees Celsius, so I was surprised. I could feel the coldness as dew fell on the cockscombs. This summer has been a record-breaking year, and this trend has been going on for a while now. The catch of saury has decreased, the flowering of cockscombs has been delayed, and the effects of climate change are widespread. Unlike earthquakes and typhoons, there is a lack of awareness of the crisis of climate change, which makes it even more scary. It’s the same with diseases. The condition often progresses without any symptoms, and when you realize it, it’s too late. The situation with climate change is different from that of diseases. It is recognized everywhere on Earth, but national egos are prioritized, and measures are slow. Hegel’s dialectic “transformation from quantity to quality” is also applicable to the natural world. Transformation in a good sense is welcome, but transformation in a bad sense is a problem.

えらいもので、お彼岸からぐーんと気温が下がりました。と言っても、お昼はまだ30°をこえますが。晩も25°を超える熱帯夜が続いていましたが、秋分の日の朝は20°を切っていましたのでびっくりです。彼岸花にも朝露がかかり、冷え込みを実感しました。今年の夏も何事によらず記録破りで、この傾向は最近ずっと続いています。秋刀魚の漁獲量が減ったり、彼岸花の開花が遅れたり、温暖化の影響は随所に広がっています。地震や台風と違って、温暖化の危機感が薄いので余計に怖いです。病気もそうで、自覚症状がないまま病状が進み、気付いた時には手遅れって事がよくあります。地球温暖化の状況は、病気と違って、地球上の至る所で認知されているのに、国々のエゴが優先されて、対策は遅々としたものです。ヘーゲルの弁証法「量より質への転化」は自然界にも当てはまり、良い意味での転化は大歓迎ですが、悪い意味での転化は困った事です。

Autumn is the season of harvest in Japan. In the golden countryside landscapes, there has always been an indispensable figure – the scarecrow. These human-like dolls were created to ward off pests like sparrows and crows in the rice fields and farms. They were traditionally made from patched-up old clothing and were often crafted with a single leg made from bamboo or straw. “Henohenomoheji” is always written on the face. At times they appeared dignified, and at times they seemed lonely, as if reflecting the emotions of those who looked upon them. However, these scarecrows have become a rarity in recent times. You can only find them at “scarecrow festivals” in certain places or in areas catering to tourists. Much like the cliché of scarecrows being used as a symbol of insignificance, sparrows and crows had long since figured out scarecrows’ true nature. Whether the scarecrows knew this or not, when the red spider lilies began to bloom around them, they seemed to gain a new lease on life. With outstretched arms, they stood resolutely alone in the fields, as if proudly declaring, ‘I am the one protecting this rice field,’ and their stance was undeniably endearing.

秋は実りの季節です。黄金色に輝く日本の田園風景で、昔から欠かせなかったのが“案山子”です。人間の代わりに田んぼや畑ですずめやカラスなどの害獣を追い払うために作られた人形です。継ぎの当たった古着を身に纏い、かつては一本足で竹や藁で作られたものが定番でした。顔は決まって「へのへのもへじ」。時には凛々しく、時には寂しそうに、その表情には見る人の心情を写し出しているかの様です。そんな案山子も昨今、ほとんど見受けられなくなりました。どこどこの「案山子祭り」や観光客目当ての地でしか見られません。碌でなしの喩えに案山子が使われる様に、スズメやカラスからはとっくの昔にその正体は見破られていたのです。そんな事を知ってか知らずか、ひとりぼっちで立っていた案山子が、辺りに彼岸花が咲き出すと俄然元気になり、この田んぼを守っているのは自分だぞとばかりに、両手を広げて立ちすくんでいる姿が、またなんともいじらしい。

♭♯♭ 曼珠沙華 ♭♯♭

We often use the phrase ‘Japan’s original landscape.’ In this context, the ‘original landscape’ refers to the collective image of an old, typical Japanese scene that comes to mind for the Japanese people. However, if you were to ask which era in ancient Japan this ‘old Japan’ represents, it becomes a perplexing question. The key to this landscape, in this case, is the cluster amaryllis. When you inquire about when the cluster amaryllis began to be seen in this way, there are various theories, but the ultimate answer seems to be that we do not know. If we assume it was introduced alongside rice cultivation, it could date back to the Jomon period, and if we had clear documentary evidence, it might be attributed to the Muromachi period.
Asukamura, a small village located in the central part of Nara Prefecture, was once the site of Asuka-kyo, the capital that flourished as the center of Japan’s politics, economy, and culture. The remnants of its prosperity from 1400 years ago, hidden amidst the tranquil countryside, stir the romance of those who visit. The cluster amaryllis that bloom there evoke a sense of nostalgia even for first-time visitors, making it truly worthy of being called ‘Japan’s original landscape.

「日本の原風景」と言う言い方をよくします。この時の原風景とは、日本人が思い浮かべる最大公約数的な古い日本の平均的な風景を意味するようです。それではその古い日本とはどの時代の日本なのかと問われたら、はたと困ります。彼岸花が咲くこの風景は、ポイントは彼岸花です。彼岸花がいつの時代からこうして見られる様になったのか、諸説あって、結論から言えば分からないと言うのが答えの様です。稲作とともに持ち込まれたとすれば、縄文時代に遡れますし、はっきりした文献的証拠となれば、室町時代と言う事になりそうです。
奈良県の中央部に位置する小さな里、明日香村は、かつて日本の政治・経済・文化の中心として栄えた、飛鳥京の地です。のどかな田園風景の中に見え隠れする1400年前の栄華の名残が、訪れる人のロマンをかきたてます。そこに咲く彼岸花は、初めて訪れてもどこか懐かしさを感じる、まさしく「日本の原風景」と言っていいでしょう。

I always think, what a glamorous yet quaint flower it is. Around the equinoctial week of September, by the lush rice fields, not in a single cluster but here a group, there a group, one or two standing alone in the foreground, and far ahead forming clusters, they bloom. Not in a riotous burst of color but in a way that doesn’t fail to captivate human eyes, unquestionably a scene of autumn.
On the path by the paddy fields in the distance, a woman walks with a bright red parasol, her steps seeming somewhat lonely and precarious, and she suddenly appears, then disappears with a whoosh.
Back in high school, when I learned to read sheet music, I bought various music scores and devoured them. I still remember the excitement I felt when I discovered this “Manjushage” in a rather thick songbook, maybe it was called “Complete Collection of Japanese Songs.”
The song “Gon Shan, Gon Shan, Where Are You Going?” composed by Kosaku Yamada with lyrics by Hakushu Kitahara, it has the style of Japanese folk songs, and it also has a melody reminiscent of a lullaby, with a feeling of a pilgrim’s lymn. But back then, I didn’t think much about the meaning of the lyrics.
Now, as I read the lyrics again and hum the song, I feel an indescribable sense of loneliness, as if it’s approaching with the scene of the blooming Manjushage and the deepening sense of autumn.
Is the Manjushage bubbling up like a child who passed away at a young age, or is it the child who couldn’t be born into this world due to circumstances? We all live with the uncertain reality that we can’t control.
Please, don’t kill your child.

なんて艶やかでかつ野暮ったい花なんだといつも思う。
9月23日お彼岸のころになると、稲もたわわの畔に、あちらに一群れ、こちらに一群れ、手前に一二本ポツン、ずっと先に群れをなしてと、咲き乱れるという風でもなく咲いていて、それでいて人の目を惹きつけてやまない、確かに秋の光景だ。
向こうのほうの田んぼのあぜ道を、真っ赤な日傘をさして、どこかさびしげな、そして危なっかしい足取りで歩いてゆく女が、ふっと現れ、ふーっと消えていった。
高校生の時、楽譜が読めるようになって、いろんな楽譜を買ってきて読み漁ったことがある。「日本歌曲全集」と言ったかどうか、かなり分厚い歌曲集の中にこの「曼珠沙華」を見つけ出したときの感動は今も覚えている。
「ごん　しゃん、　ごん　しゃん、　どこへ　ゆく」、山田耕作作曲で北原白秋作詞のこの曲だが、日本民謡風でもあり、子守唄のような旋律でもあるような、また御詠歌のような雰囲気をもった歌だなあ、と思ったが、それ以上に歌詞の意味を考えてもみなかった。
今こうしてもう一度、歌詞を読み、口ずさんでみると、あの曼珠沙華の咲く景色と、これから深まりゆく秋の気配が、何とも言いようのない寂しさで迫ってくる。
幼くして亡くした児をふつふつとさせる曼珠沙華なのか、事情があってこの世に生み出せなかった赤子がこの曼珠沙華なのか、人はみな、思うに任せない現身（うつせみ）を生きているのだ。
どうか、わが児だけは殺してくれるなよ。

The heat of summer has passed its peak, and the rice stalks in the paddy fields are about to be harvested. Suddenly, red spider lilies bloom, as if they have agreed to do so. They seem to be celebrating the rice that has grown for about half a year after being transplanted in the spring and overcoming the scorching heat.
After blooming, red spider lilies grow leaves, and they wither in the early summer of the following year. Red spider lilies are poisonous plants that have strong toxicity in their underground bulbs. In the past, they were eaten after the starch in the bulbs was detoxified as a famine food. They are also often planted in the borders of rice fields and cemeteries, using their strong odor and toxicity to protect rice fields from moles and rats, and to protect the bodies of the dead from animals during burial.
For this reason, red spider lilies have many other nicknames besides the alternative name “Manjusha”. However, recently, the active ingredient of red spider lilies, galanthamine, has been said to be useful for Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, the Alzheimer’s disease drug “Reminyl” was released in 2011.
The red spider lilies are now in full bloom, and they are a flower with endless topics, not to mention their beauty.

夏の暑さも峠を越し、田んぼの稲穂が収穫を迎えようとする頃、申し合わせた様に突然彼岸花が開花します。春先に田植えされ、酷暑を乗り切り、およそ半年かけて実った稲穂を祝福している様です。彼岸花は、花を咲かせたあと葉を伸ばし、翌年の初夏には枯れてしまいます。彼岸花は地下の鱗茎（球根）に強い毒性を有する有毒植物ですが、かつては、飢饉の折の救荒作物として鱗茎のデンプンを毒抜きして食べられていました。また、田んぼの畦やお墓にもよく植えられているのも、彼岸花の異臭や有毒性を利用して、田んぼをモグラやネズミから守る為であり、土葬時の遺体を動物から守るためと言われています。その為、彼岸花には、曼珠沙華の別名以外に、幽霊花、死人花、墓花、地獄花といったあらぬ呼び名がたくさんあります。しかし、最近話題になったのは、彼岸花の含有成分のガランタミンが、アルツハイマーに有用だと言う事で、アルツハイマー型認知症治療薬「レミニール」が2011年に発売されたことです。今真っ盛りの彼岸花ですが、その美しさもさることながら、話題の尽きない花です。