The flowers of Asebi are now ringing with bells around Tobihino in Nara Park. There are hardly any shrubs other than Asebi in Nara Park because the deer mostly consume leaves within their reach. However, even the voracious deer refrain from eating Asebi due to its toxic components. This explains the abundance of Asebi in Nara Park. Asebi, written in kanji as “馬酔木” (literally “horse intoxication tree”), derives its name from the fact that horses, when they consume its leaves, suffer from poisoning and stagger as if intoxicated. While extracts from pieris leaves were once used as insecticides due to their toxicity, pieris is now classified as a substance that “may pose a risk to crops, livestock, aquatic plants and animals depending on the amount and concentration of use” and is prohibited from being imported, manufactured, sold, or used as pesticides. Asebi has been a familiar tree to the Japanese people since ancient times, with ten poems dedicated to it in the “Manyoshu” anthology. Many of these poems express admiration for Asebi flowers, suggesting that Asebi was planted and admired in gardens until around the late Nara period when the Manyoshu was compiled.

奈良公園の飛火野の周りには今アセビの花が鈴なりです。奈良公園にはアセビ以外の低木がほとんどありません。これは鹿が首が届く範囲の葉をほとんど食べてしまうからです。しかしアセビには有毒成分が含まれているので、さすがの大食漢の鹿も食べません。奈良公園にアセビが多い理由です。アセビは漢字で「馬酔木」と書き、葉に有毒成分が含まれることから、馬が葉を食べると毒に当たって苦しみ、酔うが如くにふらつくようになる木というところからついたとされます。アセビが有毒植物である事を利用して、その葉を煎じたものは 殺虫剤としていっ時使われていた事がありますが、現在はアセビは「資材の原材料に照らし使用量や濃度によっては農作物等、人畜及び水産動植物に害を及ぼすおそれがあるもの」に指定されており、農薬として輸入・製造・販売・使用する事が禁じられています。アセビは日本人が古くから親しんできた木で、『万葉集』にはアセビを詠んだ歌が10首あります。アセビの花を愛でた歌が多く、『万葉集』が成立した奈良時代末期ごろまでには、庭園にアセビが植栽されて観賞されていたとみられています。

I received some udo harvested from the mountains. It definitely carries the scent of mountain vegetables, but I can’t quite articulate what kind of scent it is. It reminds me of a time long ago, perhaps in Shinhotaka, when it was served during a meal at a guesthouse. I recall it was served as tempura and dressed with vinegar miso; both dishes had the characteristic bitterness of mountain vegetables, a crisp texture, and paired well with rice, allowing me to appreciate the deliciousness of udo for the first time. Upon researching, I found out that udo is one of the few vegetables native to Japan and has been cherished as a harbinger of spring since ancient times, dating back to the Heian period. Most of the udo found in supermarkets and such are cultivated, available throughout the year, but wild udo has a short harvesting season, typically from March to June. Although udo grows impressively tall and appears robust, it is often referred to as ‘udo no taiboku’ (the big tree of udo) to describe someone who is physically imposing but of little use. This is because once the udo season passes, it continues to grow larger, reaching heights of over 2 meters, and its softness renders it unsuitable for construction materials, leading to the metaphorical comparison of udo to people who are of no use.

山で取ったウドを頂きました。確かに山菜の香りがするのですが、どう言う香りかはうまく表現できません。昔、新穂高だったと思うのですが、民宿の食事に出た事を思い出しました。天ぷらと酢味噌和えだったと思うのですが、どちらも山菜特有の苦さがあり、シャキッとした歯ごたえで、御飯によく合い、ウドの美味しさを初めて知りました。調べてみたら、ウドは数少ない日本原産の野菜のひとつで、平安時代の昔から春を感じさせる山菜として親しまれてきたそうです。スーパーなどで見かけるウドのほとんどは栽培物で、一年を通じて手に入るそうですが、天然物の旬は収穫時期が短く、3～6月頃が旬らしいです。体ばかり大きくて立派だが、何の役にも立たない人のことを「ウドの大木」といいますが、旬を過ぎたウドはどんどん大きくなり、２ｍ以上の高さになるのと、柔らか くて建築用材などにも使えないことから、ウドを人間に例え、役立 たずな者を意味するようになったといわれています。

After completing the main Omizu-tori (water-drawing ceremony) at Todaiji Temple in Nara yesterday, we are now eagerly awaiting the cherry blossoms to bloom. Predictions for this year’s cherry blossom bloom have become active online. Many places are expected to have cherry blossoms blooming either on par with or earlier than usual in 2024. It is predicted that cherry blossoms will bloom in Tokyo and Hiroshima on March 20th (Wednesday), the day of the spring equinox. On the 23rd, Fukuoka, Kochi, Nagoya, and others are expected to bloom, and on the 25th, Osaka is also expected to see blossoms. As April begins, the cherry blossom front will advance northward to the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions, reaching Hokkaido by late April, with blooms expected in Sapporo on the 23rd. By mid-May, the cherry blossom front will reach the northernmost tip of Hokkaido, and including colder regions, cherry blossoms will traverse Japan until early June. Cherry buds are formed in the summer preceding their blooming year. During autumn to winter, they enter a dormant state to survive through the year. They awaken from dormancy when temperatures sharply rise after receiving sufficient cold stimuli. This awakening is termed “dormancy breaking.” There’s a unique rule called the “600℃ Rule,” where the “Dormancy Breaking Day” is hypothetically set as February 1st, and by adding up daily maximum temperatures from there, days surpassing a cumulative temperature of 600℃ are considered as the predicted bloom days. Although this rule is specific to Tokyo, it apparently has a precision where the actual blooming date differs by no more than three days at most. Please try it in your own region as well.

昨日奈良東大寺のお水取り本行も終えて、いよいよ桜の開花を待つばかりになりました。今年の桜開花予想がネットでも盛んに出始めました。2024年の桜の開花は平年並か平年より早まるところが多く、いよいよ来週3月20日(水)の春分の日に東京と広島で桜が開花する予想です。23日には福岡や高知、名古屋などで、25日には大阪でも開花の見込みです。４月に入ると、桜前線は東北・北陸地方を北上し、4月下旬には北海道へ到達し、札幌では23日に開花すると予想されています。そして５月中旬には北海道の最北端に到達し、寒冷地を含めると６月上旬まで桜は日本を駆け巡るわけです。桜の花芽は、開花前年の夏にはできています。それが秋から冬にかけて、生長しないように休眠状態に入って年を越します。そして充分に低温刺激を受けた後に気温がぐっと高まった段階で休眠から目覚めます。これを「休眠打破（きゅうみんだは）」といいます。この「休眠打破の日」を２月１日と仮定して開花予想の起算点に設定し、そこから毎日の最高気温を足し算して“600℃を超えた日”を開花予想日だとする「600℃の法則」と言うユニークな法則があります。東京都に限った法則ですが、実際の開花日と最大でも3日しかずれていないという精度らしいです。皆さんの地域でも試してみて下さい。

There is a cherry tree where the flowers are blooming at the bottom of the cherry tree trunk, where the buds are still hard. It is called Mikizakura or Douzakizakura. This year’s cherry blossoms are said to bloom around 20 days ago, so they bloom quite early. This phenomenon is attributed to the aging process of the cherry tree, occurring exclusively in older trees. When the cherry tree awakens from its winter slumber and attempts to bloom, it requires more energy. However, in aging cherry trees with diminishing vitality, even with branches reaching into the sky for respiration and photosynthesis, they struggle to obtain sufficient nutrients. When nutrients no longer circulate well in the trunk, which serves as the foundation, the supporting strength diminishes, and the risk of the tree falling increases. Hence, in response to this predicament, the older tree directly sprouts branches from the trunk to bloom flowers and quickly produces leaves for photosynthesis. This is believed to be the cause of the ‘Douzakizakura’ phenomenon. It’s the story sympathized deeply for me. However, after a little while, the flowers will bloom again, so I’m jealous of them.

まだ蕾も硬い幹の下の部分に花を咲かせている桜の木があります。幹桜とか胴咲き桜というそうです。今年の桜の開花は20日前後だそうですから、随分早く咲いたものです。これは桜の木の加齢現象で、老木にだけ起こります。桜が冬の眠りから覚め、花を咲かせるにはより多くのエネルギーを必要とします。しかし、勢いが衰えた桜の老木は、上空に伸びた枝で呼吸をし、光合成を行っても養分が充分に取れなくなります。土台である樹の幹に栄養が回らなくなると支える力が失われ、倒木の恐れも出てきます。だから、「これは大変だ！」ということで、老木は幹から直接小枝を出して花を咲かせ、葉を早く出して光合成をしようとします。これが胴咲き桜が咲く原因だと考えられています。見につまされる話です。しかし、少しすればまた立派に花を咲かせるわけですから、羨ましいといえば羨ましいことです。

At 2:46, I observed a moment of silence in alignment with the television screen. The term ‘East Japan Great Earthquake’ encompasses both the natural disaster known as the ‘Tohoku Region Pacific Offshore Earthquake’ and the man-made disaster of the ‘Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.’ However, it is crucial to make a clear distinction between the two. A natural disaster is an event caused by nature, such as earthquakes, typhoons, lightning, floods, and other natural phenomena, resulting in disasters that are difficult to avoid artificially. On the other hand, a man-made disaster is caused by human negligence or carelessness. In some cases, incidents like water-related disasters classified as natural disasters may be considered man-made if sufficient precautions were not taken.
In the case of the East Japan Great Earthquake, I previously discussed it in detail ( https://bit.ly/3J79ioq), emphasizing that the ‘Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident’ is a quintessential man-made disaster. It compelled a shift in Japan’s energy policy and had a profound impact on the economy, Japan’s reputation, and more. The aftermath of the incident continues to pose a significant challenge, especially concerning the decommissioning issue, which carries the burden of whether it can be resolved within the next 40 years. I believe there is still much room for improvement in this evaluation.

２時46分テレビ画面に合わせて黙祷しました。東日本大震災とは、天災としての「東北地方太平洋沖地震」と、人災としての「福島第一原発事故」を合わせて言うのでしょうが、これは明確に区別しなければなりません。天災とは、自然によってもたらされる災害で、地震・台風・落雷・洪水など自然現象によって起こり、人為的に避けにくい災害です。一方、人災とは、人間の不注意や怠慢が原因で起こる災害です。また天災とされる水害などについて、十分な対策が講じられていなかったような場合も人災とされる場合があるでしょう。
東北大震災の場合、以前にも詳しく論じました(https://bit.ly/3J79ioq) が、「福島第一原発事故」は典型的な人災で、その後の日本のエネルギー政策の転換を余儀なくさせ、経済の停滞、日本の評価などに多大な影響を与えました。廃炉問題に至ってはこの先40年で解決できるかどうかと言う難題を背負っているわけです。この検証がまだまだ甘いと思います。

The fragrance of plum blossoms is in excellent condition. Inhaling deeply, it feels like the entire body is being purified. Closing my eyes, my mind clears, and a screen appears before me, displaying various scenes.
On March 11, 2011, a little after 2:30 in the afternoon, while crossing a JR railroad crossing in a car, an emergency earthquake alert sounded from the car radio. It was reported that a fairly strong earthquake had occurred in the Tohoku region. Despite being in Osaka, the fact that the alert sounded indicates the earthquake’s considerable strength. As my home was nearby, I quickly turned on the television upon returning. Unbelievable scenes were being broadcasted. In the distance, a highway ran, and in front of it, it seemed as if we were in a gigantic washing machine. Amidst the raging waves, numerous cars and fishing boats were tossed and swayed, becoming a chaotic mix. It was nothing short of astonishment. This is still the vivid first scene from that day etched in my memory.
Needless to say, what happened afterward is well known. After all, the massive earthquake that led to the Great East Japan Earthquake had a magnitude of 9.0, making it the fourth-largest earthquake in the world since 1900, surpassed only by the 1960 Chilean earthquake (magnitude 9.5) and the 2004 Indonesia Sumatra earthquake, among others. For reference, the magnitude of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake was 7.3, and the Noto earthquake at the beginning of this year was 7.6.
Once again, we sincerely pray for the repose of those who lost their lives in such massive earthquakes.

梅の香りが絶好調です。体いっぱいに吸い込むと体全体が浄化される感じです。目を閉じると頭がすっきりし、眼前にスクリーンが現れ、いろんな光景が流れていきます。
2011年3月11日午後２時半過ぎ、JRの踏切を車で渡って間も無く、カーラジオから緊急地震警報がなりました。東北地方でかなり強い地震が発生したと言うことです。ここは大阪だから、それでも警報が鳴るくらいだから、かなり強い地震である事は間違いない。家はすぐ近くだったので、家に帰るとすぐにテレビを付けました。信じられない光景が写っています。向こうの方に高速道路が走っていて、その手前からこちらはまるで巨大な電気洗濯機の様です。荒れ狂う波間に沢山の自動車やら漁船がまぜこじゃになって揺れ動いています。唖然とするばかりです。これが今でも強烈に印象に残っているあの日の第一場面です。
それから後の事は言わずもがな。何しろ、東日本大震災をもたらした巨大地震はマグニチュード9.0で、 全世界でみても、1960年のチリ地震(マグニチュード9.5)や2004年のインドネシア・スマトラ島沖地震等に次ぐ、1900年以降世界４番目の巨大地震であったわけです。ちなみに、阪神淡路大地震のマグニチュードは7.3、今年初めの能登大地震は7.6です。
改めて、こうした巨大地震に遭われてお亡くなりになられた方々のご冥福を心よりお祈りいたします。

Several Katabami (wood sorrel) stand erect along the horizontally trimmed hedge along the road. Katabami are planted in the gaps of a hedge a little further away, blooming with numerous yellow flowers. Introduced to Japan in the late Edo period, initially embraced as ornamental plants, coreopsises eventually naturalized and can now be found along roadsides and fields throughout Japan. Despite their charming appearance, due to their strong reproductive ability, they are sometimes treated as troublesome weeds in certain locations.
In France and Spain, there is an Easter celebration around early April, coinciding with the blooming of Katabami flowers. As a result, they are also known as ‘Hallelujah.’ Additionally, as they bloom on joyous occasions associated with Christ, they are given the symbolic meaning of ‘joy.’ On the other hand, in Japan, coreopsis has long been used for polishing Buddhist implements and brass mirrors, earning it the alternative name of ‘Mirror Grass.’ This led to the flower language of ‘shining heart.’
The leaves and stems of Katabami contain oxalic acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid. Known as ‘saku-sho-so’ in China, it has become a herbal medicine name in Japan, used for detoxification, inflammation reduction, and as an antidiarrheal. Katabami blossoms when the sun is shining, closes its flowers when the sun sets, and also on cloudy days.

道沿いの水平に刈り込んだ生垣から何本かのカタバミが屹立しています。少し離れた生垣の隙間にカタバミが植えられていて、黄色い花をいっぱい咲かせています。このカタバミ、日本には江戸末期に入ってきて、当初は園芸植物として親しまれていましたが、やがて野生化し、日本各地の道端や畑などに見られる様になりました。見た目は可愛らしいのですが、非常に繁殖力が強いことから、場所によっては迷惑な雑草として扱われています。
フランスやスペインでは、４月初め頃に復活祭がありますが、その時期にちょうど「カタバミ」の花が咲くことから、別名「ハレルヤ」という名が付けられています。また、キリストに由来のある喜ばしい日に咲くことから、「喜び」という花言葉も付けられました。一方の日本では、「カタバミ」は、古くから仏具や真鍮の鏡を磨くために用いられてきたことから、別名「鏡草」とも呼ばれます。このことから、「輝く心」という花言葉がつけられたそうです。
カタバミの葉や茎には、シュウ酸やクエン酸、酒石酸が含まれているからです。中国では酢漿草(さくしょうそう)と呼ばれ、日本ではそのまま生薬名になっていて、解毒や炎症を抑えたり、下痢止めとしても使われたりします。カタバミは日が照っている時は花を開き、日が落ちるとともに、また曇りの日には花を閉じます。

The magnolia flowers have begun to catch the eye here and there. There are two types of magnolias, the purple magnolia and the white magnolia, and when we talk about magnolias, we usually refer to the purple ones. Magnolias are said to be the oldest flowering trees on Earth, and fossils have been excavated from the Cretaceous strata, the era when dinosaurs thrived. Magnolias have been displaying their beautiful forms like today for over 100 million years. Dinosaurs probably enjoyed magnolia flowers as well. Magnolias have various medicinal effects, and they were introduced to Japan as Chinese herbal medicine before the Heian period. Nowadays, they are also used as herbal medicine to alleviate symptoms of hay fever. Additionally, magnolias are known for their magnolia perfume and are counted among the three major flowering trees along with camellias and azaleas. Their sweet, vibrant, yet deep fragrance captivates people. While magnolias are medium-sized trees reaching about 4-5 meters in height, the upcoming white magnolia can grow up to 20 meters, with flowers measuring 8-10 cm. The petals do not fully open, and the flowers bloom upwards. When the white magnolias are in full bloom, it will be time for the kobushi (Japanese snowbell) flowers to start blooming. The flowers measure 4-5 cm, with fully opened petals, and a mix of horizontally and upward-facing blossoms.

木蓮の花があちらこちらに目につき始めました。木蓮には紫木蓮と白木蓮があり、木蓮と言えば普通には紫木蓮を指します。木蓮は、地球上で最古の花木といわれており、恐竜が栄えたと言われる白亜紀の地層からも化石が発掘されています。１億年以上も昔から今のような美しい姿を見せてくれてきたのが木蓮です。おそらく恐竜も木蓮の花を食べたに違いありません。木蓮には様々な薬効があり、日本にも平安時代以前に漢方薬として渡来し、今は、花粉症の症状緩和のための生薬としても使われています。また、木蓮はマグノリア香水としても知られ、ツバキ、ツツジとともに三大花木に数えられています。その甘く華やかでありながらも深みのある香りが人々を魅了します。木蓮は樹高4～5ｍほどの中高木ですが、これから咲き始めるハクモクレンは樹高20mにも達し、花の大きさも8～10cm、花びらは開ききらず、上向きに咲きます。ハクモクレンが咲き切った頃に、今度は、コブシの花が咲き始めます。花の大きさは4～5cm、花びらは開ききり、横向きのものと上向きのものが交じります。

In Masaoka Shiki’s haiku, there is a verse that goes, ‘In my hometown, whichever way I look, the mountains are smiling.’ This personifies the spring mountains that undergo a complete transformation from the winter scenery, as the grass and trees sprout, and vibrant flowers bring forth a sense of splendor. For Shiki, who spent much time confined to a sickbed, the landscape of budding spring, especially in the early days of the New Year, must have held a particularly poignant significance. Even when looking at distant mountains, with the new buds of trees bursting forth, the entire mountain resembles a soft sofa. When gazing at the sky, flocks of migratory birds can be seen flying either north or south, forming groups as they soar through the air. From the nearby lakes, the sound of fish leaping can be heard. On the ground, mountain vegetables emerge from the soil, and grass and flowers display a lively appearance. Amidst the trees and flowers, one can imagine the joyful presence of birds and small animals. Among Japan’s rich and varied seasons, this time of year is when the joy of living and courage bubble up the most. If possible, one would wish for a world that is more peaceful, but alas, that is not the case.

正岡子規の俳句に、「故郷や どちらを見ても 山笑う」というのがあります。冬景色から一変して草木が芽吹き、色とりどりの花で華やぎだした春の山を「笑う」と擬人化したわけです。病床に伏せることの多かった子規にとって、新春の芽吹きの風景はことさら感じさせるものがあったに違いありません。遠くの山を見ても、木々の新芽が吹き出して、山全体が柔らかいソファの様です。空を見上げたら、渡り鳥が北に飛んで行くのか南に飛んで行くのか、集団になって飛んで行きます。前の湖沼からは、魚の飛び跳ねる水音が聞こえてきます。地面では山菜が土の中から顔を出し、草花も生き生きとした様子を見せてくれます。樹々や草花の間には、鳥や小動物などの喜ぶ姿もあるでしょう。日本の豊かな四季折々の中でも、生きる喜びと勇気がふつふつと湧き出てくるのがこの時期です。できる事なら、世界がもっと平和であってくれたら言う事はないのですが。

The spring heralding ikanago in the Seto Inland Sea is predicted to face its eighth consecutive year of poor catches in 2024, with expectations that there will be “virtually no catch.” The small-sized ikanago, measuring 3 to 5 centimeters in length, is known as “shinco.” It is highly valued in local cuisine, being prepared in dishes such as the sweet and savory “kugini” cooked with soy sauce and sugar, the blanched “kamaage,” and the dried delicacy known as “kanagichirimen.” Shinco caught in the fishing grounds of the Harima Sea, Osaka Bay, and the Kii Channel are landed in major coastal fishing ports. Freshness is crucial, and many people prefer to buy directly from the fishing ports.
However, the Shinco catch, which exceeded 10,000 tons until 2016, sharply decreased to 1,001 tons in 2017, representing a reduction of more than 90% from the previous year. Since then, there has been no year with a catch exceeding 2,000 tons due to continued poor catches. This year, the decision has been made to suspend fishing in Osaka Bay, while the fishing in the Harima Sea is scheduled to be lifted on March 9, with the fishing season to be determined considering landings after the lifting of the ban. The primary cause is believed to be a shortage of nitrogen, a nutrient source for fish and seafood, resulting from improvements in water quality. It is ironically noted that the once infamous “sludge sea” of Osaka Bay has significantly improved as a consequence.

瀬戸内に春を告げるイカナゴが8年連続「不漁」予測で、2024年は”ほぼ漁獲見込まれず”らしいです。全長３～５センチの小さなサイズのイカナゴは「シンコ（新子）」と呼ばれ、地元の郷土料理である醤油と砂糖で甘辛く炊いた「くぎ煮」や、湯引きした「釜揚げ」、干した「かなぎちりめん」として珍重されています。播磨灘、大阪湾、紀伊水道の漁場で取れたシンコは沿岸の主要な漁港に水揚げされます。鮮度が大切で、直接漁港に買いに行く人も多くいます。
しかし、2016年までは1万トンを超えていたシンコ漁が、2017年に前年比1割以下の1001トンに急減しました。以降、不漁続きで2000トンを超えた年はありません。今年は、大阪湾での漁を見送り、播磨灘の漁は３月９日を解禁日とすることを決め、漁期は解禁後の水揚げなどを考慮して決めるそうです。原因として考えられるのは、水質の改善による魚介の栄養源の窒素不足によるところが大きいとみられています。”ヘドロの海”大阪湾が大幅に改善された結果とは何とも皮肉な事です。