In the park hedge, roses are blooming. Although not on rose bushes, it’s a wonder to see roses in full bloom. Upon closer inspection, they are intricately crafted rose blossoms made from fallen ginkgo leaves. Impressive work, indeed. I wonder who created them. Besides the craftsmanship, the thoughtful gesture warms my heart, creating a heartwarming atmosphere.
I’ve had a similar experience while walking through the back streets of Kyoto’s Gion district before. At a street corner, someone had arranged small white stones like a plate, scattering camellia flowers on top. It instantly dispelled the cold.
I have other similar experiences, but the joy of connecting with someone you don’t know warms my body and soul.

公園の生垣にバラの花が咲いています。バラの木ではないのにバラの花が咲いているのを不思議に思って近付いてよく見ると、イチョウの落ち葉でできたバラの花です。よくできていますね。誰が作ったのでしょう。その出来栄えもさることながら、その心遣いにほのぼのとしたとした気分になります。
京都祇園の裏道を歩いている時にも似た様な経験をした事があります。道の四つ角の隅に白い小石をお皿の様に敷き詰めて、その上に椿の落ち花を散らしてあるのです。寒さも一気に吹き飛びましたね。
他にも似たような経験がありますが、誰知らぬ人と心が通い合う嬉しさに、身も心も温まる思いがします。

The illuminations are in full bloom. If you search for “illumination” on Google, you’ll find countless illumination events from Hokkaido to Okinawa. In the past, Christmas trees were adorned with incandescent or tungsten light bulb illuminations, but now, it’s exclusively light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs consume far less power compared to incandescent or tungsten bulbs, but since they are used extensively everywhere, a new concern has arisen—light pollution. Originally, the tradition of illuminations dates back to the 16th century and is attributed to Martin Luther of Germany, known for the religious Reformation. Of course, at that time, there was no electricity, so candles were used. Later on, the introduction of electric bulb illuminations is credited to Edison, famous for inventing the incandescent light bulb. Illuminations made their way to Japan during the Meiji era, starting with displays at industrial expositions in Osaka and Tokyo. Even households with children are likely decorating their homes with illuminations or decorating Christmas trees.

イルミネーション花盛りです。Google で「イルミネーション」と検索したら、北海道から沖縄までもう数え切れないほどのイルミネーション・イベントがヒットします。一昔前まではクリスマス・ツリーに豆電球やムギ球のイルミネーションを飾ったものですが、今はもっぱら発光ダイオード(LED)です。豆電球やムギ球に比べてLEDは消費電力が遥かに少ないのですが、どこもかしこも、しかも数多く使うものですから、新たな光害が問題になっています。元々、イルミネーションの始まりは16世紀、宗教革命で知られるドイツの「マルティン・ルター」が考えたとされています。もちろんその頃は電気がありませんのでローソクを使ったわけです。その後、電球イルミネーションを始めたのは白熱電球を発明したことで有名なエジソンです。イルミネーションが日本に登場したのは明治時代、大阪や東京の勧業博覧会で飾られたのがはじまりとされています。お子さんのいる家庭でもきっとイルミネーションでお家を飾ったり、クリスマス・ツリーを飾っているでしょうね。

In Ito, Izu, there is a lake known affectionately as ‘Izu’s Eye,’ named Ippeki-ko. Formed by a volcanic eruption approximately 100,000 years ago, this crater lake captivates visitors with reflections of the mountains of Akagi, green trees, and white clouds floating in the sky on its surface. Particularly during the autumn foliage season, the vivid red hues of the trees paint a beautiful tableau around the lake.
Rare plants can be found along the water’s edge, and it is said that the colonies of Chojisou here are the only wild ones in the prefecture. With ever-changing scenery throughout the seasons, many people visit to experience the beauty of the moment. Recognized as one of Japan’s scenic spots, the lake was named by Sugiya Sankou, a scholar of Chinese studies and secretary to Mutsu Munemitsu, the Minister for Foreign Affairs during the Meiji era. The name ‘Ippeki-ko’ is derived from a phrase in the works of a Northern Song Dynasty literati, ‘Yi Bi Wan Qing,’ expressing the endless expanse of shining blue both in the sky and on the lake surface. The exceptional beauty of the autumn leaves is said to be enhanced by the presence of Ippeki-ko, making it a truly special destination.

伊豆の伊東に「伊豆の瞳」の愛称で親しまれている一碧湖という湖があります。約10万年前の噴火でできた火口湖で、湖面には赤城山の山々や緑の木々、空に浮かぶ白い雲などが映しだされて訪れる人々を魅了します。特に紅葉のシーズンは真っ赤に染まった樹木が美しい湖を彩ります。
水辺には珍しい植物を見ることができ、チョウジソウの群生は県内で唯一自生していると言われています。四季折々に違った景色が楽しめるため、旬の風景を求めてたくさんの人が訪れます。その美しい景観から日本百景にも選定されています。一碧湖の名は、明治時代に外相陸奥宗光の秘書官を務めた官司で漢学者の杉山三郊のにより命名されました。北宋の文人の一節「一碧萬頃（いっぺきばんけい）」から取られたそうです。空も湖面も光輝いて碧色（青色）が果てしなく広がっている様を表現したものです。紅葉の赤さがどこにも増して美しいのは、この一碧湖があってこそと言われるのも宜なるかなです。

As we approach the end of the year, with just one month left, signs of Christmas are everywhere. Large supermarkets are adorned with towering Christmas trees, and convenience stores display advertisements for Christmas cakes and New Year’s feast reservations. As night falls, the streets come alive with dazzling illuminations. Osaka’s iconic Midosuji, stretching 4 km from Umeda to Namba, transforms into a colorful LED-lit pathway, attracting many visitors. The annual ‘Kobe Luminarie,’ an event that not only preserves the memory of the Great Hanshin Earthquake but also symbolizes hope for Kobe, is set to take place after a four-year hiatus. However, the event’s schedule has shifted from December to January, making it an early spectacle for the upcoming year. The entire town is in a festive uproar. There’s a saying, ‘It’s like Bon and New Year’s have come together,’ but nowadays, ‘It’s like Christmas and New Year’s have come together’ seems more apt to express the busyness of the season.

いよいよ今年も残すところ１ヶ月になりました。大型スーパーには大きなクリスマスツリーが飾られ、コンビニにはクリスマスケーキとお節の予約募集広告が目立ちます。夜ともなれば、イルミネーションのオンパレードです。大阪のシンボルストリート御堂筋は、梅田から難波の全長４kmに渡って、色彩が変化するフルカラーLEDの光の道になり、多くの人が訪れています。阪神・淡路大震災の記憶を後世に語り継ぐとともに、神戸の希望を象徴する行事として開催されてきた「神戸ルミナリエ」も4年ぶりの開催が決定しました。ただ開催期間が12月から１月に変わったので、来年早々と言う事になります。もう町中が至る所お祭り騒ぎです。「盆と正月が一緒に 来 き たよう」という慣用句がありましたが、最近は「クリスマスと正月が一緒に 来 き たよう」の方が、忙しさを表すには的確な様です。

In the bamboo forest of Okusaga, a little further up the mountain from Arashiyama, there is a secluded hermitage called Gioji. Gioji Temple is popular among women due to its quiet appearance and the fact that it is a nunnery, and one of the reasons for its popularity is the tragic love story that has been passed down at Gioji Temple. Shirabyoshi Gio, who lost Taira Kiyomori’s favor and became a nun, his younger sister Gio, his mother Toji, and Hotoke Gozen, who realized the same fate and came to the temple, holed up in one of the wards of Ojoin and became a nun. The story of how they lived the rest of his life is one of the best stories in the Tale of the Heike.
Ojo-in occupied a vast area in this region until the end of the Edo period, presenting a dignified temple. However, with the advent of the Meiji era, it fell into disrepair. At that time, moved by the tragic love story left behind in Ojo-in, the then governor of Kyoto, Kitagaki, was touched. He relocated a tea room from his villa, renamed it Giou-ji in memory of the female protagonist ‘Giou,’ and worked to revive it as a nunnery. Unfortunately, Giou-ji did not last long, and it once again became a dilapidated nunnery.
Giou-ji found a new savior in a nun, Chisho Takaoka. Sold into the geisha profession by her father at a young age, expressing a desire to die in her teens, this girl underwent a series of fateful events. At the age of 39, she ordained and played a crucial role in reviving Giou-ji to its present state.

嵐山から少し山合いに足を延ばした奥嵯峨の竹林の中に、ひっそりと身を隠すような佇まいの草庵、「祇王寺」があります。祇王寺はその静かな佇まいと尼寺であることから、女性に人気のあるお寺ですが、その人気の理由のひとつに祇王寺に伝わる悲恋物語があります。平清盛の寵愛を失い、尼となった白拍子・祇王と妹の祇女、母の刀自(とじ)、そして同じ運命を悟って参じた仏御前らが、往生院の一院にこもり、尼僧として余生を送った物語は平家物語の中でも圧巻です。その往生院も江戸時代末期までこの地に広大な敷地を占め、立派なお寺でしが、明治になってすっから荒廃してしまいました。そんな時に往生院に残されていた悲恋物語に心を打たれた当時の北垣京都府知事が、自身の別荘内にあった茶室を移築し、その物語の主人公である女性「祇王」を偲び、名を「祇王寺」と改め、尼寺として再興させました。しかし、その祇王寺も長続きせず、またもや元の荒廃した尼寺になります。その祇王寺を再び甦らせたのが高岡智照尼です。幼くして親に騙されて芸妓として身売りされ、10代で早くも死にたいと漏らしていた^[少女は、数奇な運命を辿って39歳で得度し、祇王寺を今の姿に甦らせるのです。

In the southern part of Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, to the east of Asuka, lies the renowned autumn foliage spot, Tanzan Shrine. It enshrines Kamatari, a key figure in the Taika Reforms. The origins trace back to Kamatari’s eldest son, Joue, who moved Kamatari’s remains from Mount Awi in Settsu Province (modern-day Osaka) to this location. Joue then built a wooden thirteen-story pagoda (an Important Cultural Property). And then his younger brother, Fujiwara Fuhito, erected a shrine and placed an image of their father there. The name ‘Tanzan Shrine’ is derived from the ‘Tanzan’ where Kamatari and Crown Prince Naka Ōe allegedly conspired to assassinate Soga Iruka. The main hall, adorned with lacquer and vibrant colors, follows the Kasuga architectural style and houses the Kamatari statue, said to have served as a model for Nikkō Tōshō-gū. The wooden thirteen-story pagoda, considered Kamatari’s tomb tower, was reconstructed in the Muromachi period, standing at a height of 17 meters—now the only existing structure of its kind. Tanzan Shrine is not only famous for its autumn foliage but also offers beauty throughout the seasons, with cherry blossoms adorning the grounds in spring, vibrant greenery in summer, and a stunning winter snowscape.

奈良県桜井市の南部、飛鳥の東に、紅葉の名所として知られる談山神社があります。大化の改新の立役者、藤原鎌足が祀られています。今の大阪である摂津国の安威山から鎌足の遺骨をこの地に移し、鎌足の長男定慧が木造十三重塔(重要文化財)を建てたことに始まります。そこに弟の藤原不比等が神殿を建立し、父の像を安置したとされます。談山神社の社名は、藤原鎌足が中大兄皇子と計って蘇我入鹿を暗殺するために談合をした「談い山」からとったものとされます。漆塗極彩色、春日造の？本殿には鎌足像が祀られており、日光東照宮の手本になったといわれています。また鎌足の墓塔といわれている木造十三重の塔は、室町時代に再建されたもので高さ17m、古塔の中では現存唯一の遺構です。談山神社は紅葉の名所としても有名ですが、境内を桜が彩る春、新緑の季節、雪化粧が見事な冬と季節を問わず美しさを堪能することができます。

Along National Route 168, connecting Gojo City in Nara Prefecture and Shingu City in Wakayama Prefecture, lies the once-considered remote and hidden gem of Japan, the Totsukawa Onsen kyo. Totsukawa Onsen kyo encompasses Yusenchi Onsen, the oldest hot spring in Totsukawa Village, the bustling Totsukawa Onsen itself, and the secluded Kamiyu Onsen with only one inn. The National Route 168 was once infamous for its treacherous conditions, often referred to as a rugged road. Landslides and rockfalls were frequent, leading to extended road closures lasting several tens of days each time. About 50 years ago, when I visited, there were several places where traffic waited for up to an hour due to narrow passages. Nevertheless, it remained a popular hot spring destination, attracting visitors from all over the country in search of hidden gems.
Situated in the heart of the Kii Peninsula, this area still retains the remnants of its secluded past. Various suspension bridges, including the 297-meter-long and 54-meter-high “Tani-se no Tsurihashi,” dot the landscape. Waterfalls are scattered throughout, and the “Sasa no Taki” waterfall in the photograph has been selected as one of the “100 Famous Waterfalls in Japan.” The majestic waterfall, with a drop of approximately 32 meters, echoes through the serene natural surroundings. The beauty of the cascading water, the rising mist, and the mysterious threads of white flowing over the rocky surface create a captivating and tranquil atmosphere that resonates deeply with the soul.

奈良県五條市と和歌山県新宮市を結ぶ国道168号線の途中に、かつて日本の秘境と言われた十津川温泉郷があります。十津川温泉郷とは、十津川村で最も古い温泉のある湯泉地温泉、最も賑わいのある十津川温泉、たった一軒の宿しかない上湯温泉の総称です。国道１６８号線は、かつては酷道と呼ばれる程の悪路でした。土砂崩れや山崩れが絶えず起こり、その度に何十日も通行禁止になる事はしばしば。50年前程に行った時は、離合待ちで最大1時間という様な場所が何ヶ所かありました。それでも全国から秘湯を求めてやって来る人が絶えない人気の温泉地でもありました。紀伊半島のど真ん中にあるこの地は、いまだに秘境の名残をとどめ、長さ297メートル高さ54メートの「谷瀬の吊り橋」を初め、大小様々な吊り橋があったりします。滝などは至る所にあり、写真の「笹の滝」は、「日本の滝100選」にも選ばれていて、落差約３２メートルにもなる雄大な滝は静寂な自然の中に轟音を轟かせ、水しぶきをあげて流れおちる美しさはもちろんのこと、岩肌を流れる白糸の神秘さに心まで澄み渡る思いがします。

Exiting Kyoto Shijo Station on the Keihan Electric Railway and proceeding straight east along Shijo Street, you will reach Yasaka Shrine. Heading south from there, you arrive at Gion, and within the expansive grounds in the eastern area of Gion stands Kodai-ji Temple. This temple was built by Nene, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, to mourn his soul. Nene used to visit Kodai-ji Temple daily from the nearby Entoku-in. She and Hideyoshi fell in love during the time when he was still known as Kinoshita Tokichiro, and they married. Nene, a daughter of a noble samurai family, married Tokichiro, who came from a peasant background. Nene’s mother strongly opposed the marriage and did not approve of it until her death.
Tokichiro served Oda Nobunaga and gradually rose to prominence. Throughout this time, Nene continuously supported Tokichiro, and it is said that it was thanks to Nene’s help that Nobunaga came to patronize him.The couple did not have children, and when Hideyoshi’s son, Hideyori, was born to his concubine Yodo-dono, Nene was overjoyed. She cherished Hidetada more than anyone else, maintaining a close relationship with Yodo-dono. After Hideyoshi’s death and the suicides of Hidetada and Yodo-dono during the Siege of Osaka, Nene maintained a surprisingly amicable relationship even with the enemy general Tokugawa Ieyasu. She played a central role in the establishment of Kodai-ji Temple to enshrine Hideyoshi, with Ieyasu taking the lead in the post-war efforts.
Regardless of family or foes, Nene was a woman respected by many warriors, as evidenced by historical records. Furthermore, Nene had an unmatched love for sake, likely reflecting on Hideyoshi while enjoying the cherry blossoms and autumn leaves at Kodai-ji Temple.

京阪電鉄京都四条駅を降りて四条通りを真っ直ぐ東に進むと、八阪神社に突き当たります。そこを南に下ったところが祇園で、祇園の東の一角の広大な敷地に高台寺があります。豊臣秀吉の妻、北政所ねねが秀吉の菩提を弔うために建てた寺です。ねねはすぐ近くにある圓徳院から毎日、この高台寺にお参りしたそうです。秀吉がまだ木下藤吉郎を名乗っていた時代に相思相愛の中になり結婚しました。ねねは名家の武士の娘で藤吉郎は農民の出です。ねねの母親は結婚に大反対で死ぬまで結婚を認めませんでした。藤吉郎は織田信長に仕え、次第に頭角を表していきます。この間、藤吉郎をずっと支え、信長に引き立てられるようになったのもねねの力添えだと言われています。二人の間には子供がなく、秀吉のお妾さんの淀殿との間に秀頼ができた時も大変喜び、誰よりも秀頼を可愛がり、淀殿とも親密な関係を保ちます。秀吉が亡くなり、秀頼も淀殿も大坂夏の陣で自刃しますが、戰の後も、敵方の大将徳川家康とも仲を怪しまれるほどの良好な関係で、秀吉を祀る高台寺創建の際には家康が中心になって事にあたります。身内、敵に関わらず、ねねは多くの武将から尊敬されるほどの女性であったことが、歴史資料からも窺えます。またねねは無類のお酒好きで、高台寺の桜や紅葉を見ながら、秀吉を偲んだことでしょう。

醍醐寺 (Daigo-ji Temple), famous for its “Daigo no Hanami” cherry blossom viewing, is now adorned with vibrant autumn foliage, attracting numerous tourists.
Established in 874 by the disciple of the renowned Kobo Daishi Kukai, Monk Shobo, it stands as the head temple of the Shingon sect Daigo school. Embracing the entirety of Mt. Daigo within its precincts, this vast temple spans 2 million square meters, ranking among Kyoto’s foremost grand temples.
With a rich history, it has garnered support from emperors, nobles, and warriors since its inception. Despite facing multiple fires, including those during the tumultuous Onin War, much of its architecture and artifacts, including national treasures and important cultural properties, have been preserved and passed down. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temple faced a period of decline until its revival by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Hideyoshi orchestrated a grand event known as the “Daigo no Hanami,” inviting daimyos from across the country. To enhance the spectacle, he commandeered 700 cherry blossom trees. This event, comparable to the “Kitano Tea Gathering,” became a monumental feast in Hideyoshi’s life. Despite his passing five months after the celebration, the cherry blossoms he left behind continued to flourish at Daigo-ji, symbolizing his legacy.
Amidst the anti-Buddhist movements during the Meiji Restoration, many temples were forced to sell or lose their treasures. In contrast, Daigo-ji Temple, through the efforts of its abbots and monks, successfully retained its treasures, preventing any leakage to the outside. These precious artifacts, safeguarded throughout its extensive history, include numerous national treasures and important cultural properties, now carefully housed in the Reihokan (Treasure Hall).

「醍醐の花見」で有名な醍醐寺が紅葉の見頃を迎え、多くの観光客が押し寄せています。
真言宗醍醐派の総本山の醍醐寺は、874年に、弘法大師空海の孫弟子、理源大師聖宝によって開創されました。醍醐山全体を寺域とする総面積200万坪からなる広い境内を持つ、京都でも屈指の大寺院です。多くの国宝・重要文化財を含む、建造物・仏像・絵画・文書を伝承しており、世界遺産にも認定されています。
開創以来、醍醐天皇を初めとする皇室や貴族や武士の支援を得て隆盛を極めていましたが、長い年月の中で、応仁の乱など相継ぐ戦乱で何度もの火災にもあい、五重塔以外の建物は皆焼失してしまう憂き目を見ることになります。
そんな醍醐寺を再興させたのが豊臣秀吉です。全国から700本もの桜を取り寄せ、諸国の大名を招待して「醍醐の花見」を催しました。「北野の茶会」と並ぶ秀吉一世一代の大宴会です。秀吉はこの「醍醐の花見」の５ヶ月に亡くなるのですが、秀吉の残した桜がその後の醍醐寺を盛り立てる事になります。
明治維新の廃仏毀釈が吹き荒れる中、他の多くの寺院が寺宝を売り払うなどして流出させてしまったのに対し、醍醐寺は座主をはじめとした多くの僧の努力もあり、一つの寺宝も外に漏らすことなく、守り抜いたのです。長い歴史の中で伝えられてきたこの貴重な寺宝は、大半が国宝や重要文化財に指定され、現在も霊宝館（宝物館）に大切に所蔵されています。

Jikishi-an Temple is a hidden gem in Arashiyama, a popular tourist destination in Kyoto, Japan. It is located in the back of Arashiyama, a 15-minute walk from Daikaku-ji Temple. The temple is surrounded by tranquility, even though it is surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Arashiyama.
Jikishi-an Temple was founded by Dokushoseien, a monk from Nanzen-ji Temple who studied Zen Buddhism. He built a hut on this site in 1646 and named it Jikishi-an Temple. The name Jikishi-an Temple comes from the Zen phrase “jikishi-ninshin,” which means “to directly point to the mind.”
Jikishi-an Temple once had a large complex of buildings, but it fell into decline after Dokushoseien’s death. In the late Edo period, the temple was revived by Tsunaki Muraoka-no-tsubone, a former lady-in-waiting to the Konoe family who was a supporter of the Meiji Restoration. She devoted herself to the education of local girls, and her legacy continues to this day.
The main hall of Jikishi-an Temple houses a “Omoide-gusa” notebook where visitors can write their thoughts and feelings. The temple grounds also have a “souvenir grass Kannon statue” and a “love-encounter Jizo statue,” which are popular spots for women.

外国人観光客を交え、紅葉を求めてやってくる観光客でごった返す嵐山の奥、大覚寺からさらに徒歩15分、奥嵯峨のどん詰まりにあるのが直指庵。紅葉の隠れたスポットでもあります。年中参拝者も少なく静寂に包まれていて、嵐山の喧騒からは想像もつかない落ち着いた雰囲気のお寺です。
臨済禅を学んだ南禅寺の僧、独照性円がこの地に草案を結び、後に直指庵と名付けました。直指庵という名前は禅語「直指人心（じきしにんしん / 自身の内面を直視し、本当の自分を把握すること）」に由来しています。一時は伽藍を配する大寺院になりましたが、その後は衰退の一途を辿り、江戸末期には独照の墓堂を残すのみになりました。
これを再興したのが、幕末の尊皇攘夷運動家である近衛家の老女、津崎村岡の局です。土地の子女の訓育に心血を注ぎ、今に引き継がれています。
葦葺の本堂には拝観者が思いの丈を綴る「想い出草」ノートが置かれ、境内には「想い出草観音像」や仲良く寄り添う「愛逢地蔵様」が配置されていて、多くの女性の人気スポットになっています。