Izumi Hill in the foothills of Osaka is in full bloom with spring. The cherry blossoms, which have just started to turn into leafy cherry trees, are in full bloom, and colorful tulips are blooming in profusion. The park, which was quiet in the past two years, has regained its liveliness. It would be great if the COVID-19 pandemic could end like this. However, today, North Korea conducted a ballistic missile test, and an evacuation warning was issued for Hokkaido. Fortunately, it fell far off the coast of Hokkaido and there got out of troubles, but it’s uncertain how and when it may hit the country accidentally. Looking at the history of past wars, there are many examples where wars began due to accidental causes. When thinking about the situation in Ukraine, which is experiencing repeated and tragic wars, Taiwan nearby, and North Korea today, the scene in front of us seems like an illusion.

大阪の山ふとこにある和泉の丘は春爛漫です。葉桜になり始めた桜は満開、前には色とりどりのチューリップが咲き乱れています。昨年、一昨年は閑散としていた園内は、それまでの賑わいが戻ってきています。コロナ禍もこのまま終息してくれればこの上ない事です。ただ、今日もそうですが、北朝鮮が弾道ミサイルの発射試験を行い、北海道には避難警報が出ました。幸い北海道の遥か沖合に落下し、ことなきを得ましたが、どんな拍子で国内に着弾するかしれません。過去の戦争の歴史をみても、偶発的な原因で戦争が始まったという例がたくさんあります。悲惨な戦争を繰り返しているウクライナの事、近くの台湾の事、そして今日の様な北朝鮮の事を考えると、目の前の光景が幻のの様に思えます。

It’s the season when shirasu (baby sardines) is delicious. Especially during this time, shirasu is called “spring shirasu,” which has a firm and fresh texture if it’s raw. Shirasu is produced all over Japan, but each region has its own season. In the Kansai region, Awaji Island is the main production area of shirasu. Fishing for shirasu is prohibited from December to March, and the fishing season runs from late April to the end of November. Among them, there are two seasons for Awaji Island’s shirasu that are said to be the best. It is between April and May in spring, and from mid-September to November in autumn. There are various ways to eat shirasu, such as “raw shirasu,” “boiled shirasu,” “half dried shirasu,” and “chirimenjako (dried small sardines).” “Raw shirasu” and “boiled shirasu” are the taste of the season that can only be tasted on the day they were caught during the shirasu fishing season and only at the local area. “Half dried shirasu” is dried boiled shirasu with about 70% moisture content, and “chirimenjako” is the one with less than 50% moisture content. In any case, spring shirasu has an excellent saltiness without the use of additives, and its fluffy and soft texture stimulates appetite. It goes well not only with warm rice but also with grated radish.

しらすが美味しい季節になりました。特にこの時期のしらすは「春しらす」と言って、生しらすならばぷりぷりとした食感があります。しらすの産地は全国にありますが、産地ごとに旬があります。関西では淡路島がしらすの主な産地です。毎年12～3月は禁漁期間で、しらす漁が行われるのは4月下旬から11月末までです。その内、淡路島のしらすの旬といわれているのは年に2回あります。春の4～5月の間と秋の9月中旬～11月です。しらすには、「生しらす」「釜揚げしらす」「しらす干し」「ちりめんじゃこ」などさまざまな食べ方があります。「生しらす」や「釜揚げしらす」は、しらす漁の時期に獲れた、その日のうちにしか、しかも現地でしか味わえない旬ならではの味覚です。都会生活者が口にできるのは、「しらす干し」か「ちりめんじゃこ」です。「しらす干し」は釜揚げしらすを干して7割程度の水分量にしたものを、５割以下になったものを「ちりめんじゃこ」と呼んでいます。いずれにしろ、春しらすは、添加物を使用せずとも塩加減も抜群で、ふんわりとした柔らかな食感が食欲をそそり、暖かいご飯と一緒に食べてもいいですし、大根おろしとの相性もいいですよね。

The “Mint Bureau Sakura Passageway” is a major event that marks the end of Osaka’s cherry blossom season. This year, it will be held for seven days from Friday, April 7th to Thursday, April 13th. It has been selected as one of the “Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan,” and about 340 cherry trees of approximately 140 varieties, centered on late-blooming double-flowered cherry trees, bloom over approximately 560 meters within the Mint Bureau grounds. The area around the Mint Bureau has long been famous as a scenic spot, and the riverside of the nearby Ogawa River (formerly the Yodo River) has been likened to the Seine in Paris. It is bustling with activity throughout the four seasons, such as cherry blossoms in spring, boat rides to cool off in summer, and the moon in autumn. Especially in spring, the cherry blossoms are famous, and it is said that the entire area was filled with blooming cherry trees, suitable for being called “Sakuranomiya” on the opposite bank. The cherry trees at the Mint Bureau were transplanted from the storehouse of the Todo clan at the beginning of the Meiji era, and not only were there many varieties, but also rare local cherry trees that could not be seen elsewhere were collected. In 1883, the then director of the Mint Bureau, Kinjiro Endo, proposed, “It’s a waste to have only the employees enjoy the cherry blossoms. Let’s enjoy them together with the citizens of Osaka.” And thus, for a few days during full bloom, the riverside within the grounds was opened for one-way passage.

「造幣局の通り抜け」は大阪のさくらシーズンを締め括る一大イベントです。今年は４月７日（金曜日）から４月13日（木曜日）までの7日間開催されます。「日本さくら名所100選」にも選定され、造幣局構内には約560mにわたり、遅咲きの八重桜を中心に約140種・約340本の桜が咲き誇ります。造幣局の辺りは、昔から景勝の地として名高く、前を流れる大川(旧淀川)河畔はパリのセーヌ河畔になぞらえられます。春は桜、夏は涼み舟、秋は月など四季折々のにぎわいを見せ、特に春の桜は有名で、対岸を桜ノ宮と呼ぶにふさわしく、この地一帯に桜が咲き乱れていたと言われています。造幣局の桜は、明治の初めに藤堂藩の蔵屋敷から移植され、品種が多いばかりでなく、他では見られない珍しい里桜が集められていました。明治16年（1883年）、当時の造幣局長　遠藤謹助が「局員だけの観桜ではもったいない。大阪市民の皆さん方と共に楽しもうではないか。」と発案し、満開時の数日間構内川岸を開放して一方通行による通り抜けが始まりました。

I brought a lunch and went to the nearby park to see the flowers. Most of the cherry blossoms along the way and in the park have already fallen, and instead, the red and white flowering dogwoods have begun to stand out. However, compared to the cherry blossoms, the number of flowering dogwoods is overwhelmingly small. Even so, they are still noticeable, but in the past, they were rarely seen in Osaka. In 1915, the flowering dogwoods were sent to Japan as a return gift from the people of Washington D.C. to the then Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki, who had sent cherry tree saplings to them in 1912. Although the flowering period is quite long, the flowering dogwoods do not bloom as extravagantly as cherry blossoms, and their flowers are sparse and quiet, so they may not stand out like cherry blossoms. However, their quiet appearance is the charm of flowering dogwoods and gives a sense of tranquility. In their country of origin, America, the boiled juice of the flowering dogwoods was used as a skin medicine for dogs, so they were given the tasteless name “Dogwood”, but the Japanese name “Hanamizuki” has a charming emotional appeal.

近くの公園にお弁当を持って花の様子を見に出かけました。途中の桜も公園の桜もほとんどが葉桜です。代わって紅白の花水木が目立ち始めました。と言っても、桜に比べたら花水木は圧倒的に少ないです。これでもまだ目につく様になった方で、昔は大阪では滅多に見かけませんでした。花水木は、明治45（1912）年、当時の東京市長・尾崎行雄がアメリカ・ワシントン市の親日家たちにサクラの苗木を送った返礼として、大正4（1915）年に日本に送られてきました。花期は結構長いのですが、桜の様に咲き乱れると言う風でなく、花もまばらでおとなしいので、桜の様に目立たないのかもしれません。しかしそのおとなしい佇まいが花水木の魅力で、安らぎを覚えます。原産国のアメリカでは、花水木の煮汁が犬の皮膚薬に使われた為、Dogwoodと味気ない呼び名がついていますが、日本名の花水木は情緒があっていいですね。

The Hanami front also moves northward, and when the Yoshino cherry trees begin to fall, the hanakaidou begin to bloom. In China, they are also known as “sleeping flowers,” as they are said to have originated from the story of the emperor commenting, “the sleeping apple tree has not yet slept enough,” upon seeing the beautiful Yang Guifei looking drowsy and slightly intoxicated. The flowers of the hanakaidou resemble both cherry blossoms and apple blossoms, which is not surprising as they all belong to the same rose family of plants. In autumn, the hanakaidou also produces small apple-like fruits. Its place of origin is China, and it was introduced to Japan in the early Edo period. While it is associated with the elegant and beautiful Yang Guifei, its flower language is “graceful and modest” rather than “alluring and beautiful.” The red buds before blooming are similar to cherries, and their drooping appearance is quite impressive.

花見前線も遠ざかり、ソメイヨシノが散り始めると花海棠が咲き始めます。ほろ酔い加減で眠そうにしている美しい楊貴妃を見て、皇帝が「海棠の眠り未だ足らず」と言ったという故事に由来して、中国では「眠花」とも呼ばれます。桜の花にも林檎の花にも似た花を咲かせます。それもそのはず、花海棠も桜も林檎も同じバラ科の植物です。花海棠も秋になると小さな林檎の様な実を付けます。原産地は中国で、江戸時代初期に日本に渡来しました。楊貴妃になぞらえて「艶麗」という花言葉もありますが、どちらかと言えば、淑やかで控えめな花です。 開花前の赤い蕾はサクランボにも似ていて、垂れ下がっている姿はとても印象的です。

It’s the season to see the flower rafts. The eagerly awaited cherry blossoms bloomed even more beautifully this year, and Japan was intoxicated with cherry blossoms for the first time in three years. Many young people will set sail from this April. I give this flower raft to these young people who have overcome difficult environments that we have never experienced before. Fortunately, in Japan, we are being released from the COVID-19 pandemic and are able to welcome a peaceful spring. However, when we witness the war in Ukraine and the earthquake disaster in Turkey, our hearts still ache. We are also in an international situation that cannot be ignored, and we must not forget that we are in a situation where we must prepare for natural disasters. It is also our setting sail with hope and courage.

花筏を見る季節になりました。待ち焦がれた桜も今年は一段と美しく咲き乱れ、３年ぶりに日本全国が桜に酔い痴れました。この４月からは多くの若者が新しい船出をします。私達が経験したことのない困難な環境を切り抜けてきた、そうした若者達にこの花筏を贈ります。幸い、私達日本ではコロナ禍からも解放されつつあり、平和な春を迎えることができましたが、ウクライナの戦禍、トルコの地震災害を目の当たりにする時、やはり胸が痛みます。私達も、決して他人事では済まない国際状況下にあり、自然災害に備えなければならない状況下にある事を忘れてはなりません。希望と勇気を持っての私達の船出でもあります。

This is Mt. Fuji in early spring, as seen from the Shinnase coast in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture. At this time of year, the mountain is still covered in snow, giving it a majestic appearance as it towers over the sea. In front of it, on the rocky reefs of the Nashima island, 500 meters off the Morito beach, stands the Hayama lighthouse, also known as the Yujiro lighthouse, which was built with a fund of about 100 million yen raised by the Japan Ocean Yacht Association, chaired by Shintaro Ishihara, to commemorate the third anniversary of the death of his brother, Yujiro Ishihara. The red torii gate visible to the left of the lighthouse is the gate of the Morito Shrine, and on the rocky shore in its precincts stands the Yujiro Ishihara Memorial Monument, inscribed with a poem handwritten by Shintaro Ishihara that reads, “My dreams sail far away on white sails, disappearing, disappearing…”

神奈川県葉山町の真名瀬(しんなせ)海岸から見る初春の富士山です。まだこの時期、冠雪がしっかりと富士山全山を覆い、威風堂々海の彼方に聳え立っています。その手前、森戸海岸沖500mのわ名島（菜島）の岩礁には葉山灯台、別名裕次郎灯台が立っています。石原裕次郎の三周忌を記念して兄、石原慎太郎が会長を務めていた日本外洋帆走協会が約1億円の基金を集めて建設しました。灯台の左に見える赤い鳥居は森戸神社の鳥居で、その境内の磯には「夢はとおく 白い帆に のって 消えていく 消えていく・・・」 と慎太郎氏自筆の詩が刻まれた石原裕次郎記念碑も立っています。

At the end of the cherry blossom avenue, a bright red Kirishima azalea is in full bloom. Its color is reminiscent of the active volcanic Kirishima mountain range. As the cherry blossoms have faded and the number of visitors for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) has decreased, it is now the season for azaleas. Among them, the Kirishima azalea is a native species of the Kirishima mountains in Kagoshima Prefecture, which was first offered as a gift to the Satsuma clan and then brought to Edo (present-day Tokyo). Due to the suitable soil conditions in the Kanto region, it became explosively popular in Edo and then spread throughout Japan. By the end of the Edo period, it was not only popular in Japan, but also actively exported to Europe. Thus, it can be seen that not only the Kirishima azalea, but many of the current ornamental plant varieties underwent breeding improvements during the Edo period and were exported to various countries in Europe and beyond. Through the culture of plants, it is clear that the foundation for the Meiji Restoration had already been established during the Edo period.

桜並木の端っこに真っ赤なキリシマツツジが咲いています。活火山の霧島連峰を思わせる赤さです。葉桜が多くなって、花見客もすっかり少なくなりました。これからはツツジのシーズンです。中でも、キリシマツツジは鹿児島県の霧島山の山中に自生するツツジで、まず地元から薩摩藩に献上され、そして江戸に持ち込まれました。関東の土壌が生育に適していたこともあって江戸を中心に爆発的に流行しました。 その後全国に広がり、江戸時代末期からは、日本のみならず、ヨーロッパにも盛んに輸出されました。こうして見てみても、キリシマツツジのみならず、今見る園芸品種の多くが江戸時代に品種改良が加えられ、欧米各国に輸出された草木が沢山あります。植物文化を通しても、明治維新の石杖になったのは江戸時代にあったことがよく分かります。

Even on this morning’s TV, it seems that cherry blossoms are in full bloom nationwide and crowds of people are flocking to enjoy the blossoms. Despite the harsh winter cold this year, spring came suddenly, and it seems that the dormancy break has worked, as every cherry blossom tree is beautiful. After three years of waiting, the joy of flower viewing exploded, and every flower viewing spot is overflowing with people, making the beauty of cherry blossoms even more prominent. Fortunately, many foreign tourists can be seen everywhere. Yesterday, I went to a nearby park for the last cherry blossom viewing. The cherry blossoms here have already bloomed in full and the cherry blossom petals have been beginning falled, and the young leaves are prominent. For some reason, many sparrows were there, flying around in the cherry blossoms. Many families with children and elderly people came, and everyone have been enjoying their last flower viewing of the year.

今朝のテレビを見ていても、全国的に桜が満開で花見客が押し寄せている様です。今年の桜は冬の寒さも厳しく、その割に急激に春が押し寄せたので、休眠打破が効いたのか、どこの桜も綺麗です。花見客も3年間の我慢が爆発し、どの花見会場も人が溢れていて、桜の美しさをいっそう際立たせています。嬉しいことに、どことも外国人観光客が沢山目に付きます。そんな中、昨日は最後の花見に近くの公園に行きました。ここの桜はもう咲き切って、葉桜が目立ちます。なぜかスズメが沢山来ていて、桜の中を飛び回っています。子供連れやお年寄りも沢山来ていて、どなたも今年最後の花見を楽しんでいました。

The camellia flowers in the park have fallen, and it seems that flowers have bloomed on the ground. Winter is finally coming to an end. Camellias are a familiar plant to Japanese people, as they have been featured in nine poems in the Man’yoshu (an ancient collection of Japanese poetry). As the scientific name Camellia japonica suggests, camellias are a flower tree native to Japan, with two types found in Japan: Yabutsubaki and Yukitsubaki. Camellias were first cultivated for ornamental purposes in Japan during the mid-Muromachi period, but it was during the Edo period that they were officially developed through breeding. When they were introduced to Europe in the 1800s, they quickly spread around the world. Nowadays, hybrid breeding of camellias has also been carried out in Europe, America, Australia, and New Zealand, and over 2,000 types of camellias, collectively known as “Camellia,” are loved by people around the world.

公園の椿がたくさんの花を落とし、大地に花が咲いた様です。いよいよ冬仕舞いといったところです。椿は万葉集にも９首もの歌が詠まれているほど、日本人にとって古くから馴染みのある植物です。Camellia japonicaという学名が示すように椿は日本原産の花木で、日本に分布する椿には、ヤブツバキとユキツバキがあります。椿が日本で観賞用に栽培されるようになったのは室町時代中期頃といわれていますが、本格的に育種される様になったのは江戸時代からです。1800年代にヨーロッパに紹介されると、短期間で世界中に普及しました。現在では、欧米やオーストラリア、ニュージーランドなどでも交雑育種が進み、2000種を超える椿が「カメリア」と呼ばれて愛されています。