The “Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival,” which colors the summer night sky of Osaka, was held on the night of the 3rd, and a large crowd enjoyed the colorful fireworks. The “Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival” is held on the banks of the Yodo River, which flows through Osaka City, and attracts approximately 500,000 visitors each year. It was first held in 1989 (the first year of the Heisei era). The “Heisei Yodogawa Fireworks Festival Executive Committee,” formed from the operating committee of the “Juso Dontokoi Festival,” which had been held 16 times in the past, was established with the hope of revitalizing the city. Funded by donations from businesses and other sources, the event had been held annually as the “Heisei Yodogawa Fireworks Festival.” From the 18th event in 2006 (Heisei 18), the name was changed to the “Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival,” as it is known today.
The festival started as a handmade fireworks display organized by citizen volunteers and has now grown to be one of the largest and most popular summer events in Osaka. This year’s 36th event was themed “From the Sky of Naniwa, Deliver to the World!” The fireworks were launched in sync with the music, creating a dancing effect. The dynamic star mines that beautifully spread in a semicircle over the water surface at two locations, and the simultaneous launch of large shells that covered the entire field of vision, were overwhelmingly impressive. It was a truly spectacular sight.
When I was a child, there was a fireworks festival called the “Suitosai” held on the riverbank of the Yodo River. Upon researching, I found that it started in the summer of 1946 (Showa 21) near Toyosato Bridge on the banks of the Yodo River, hosted by the Osaka Nichinichi Newspaper, with hopes for the recovery of Osaka, which had been reduced to burned-out fields due to war damage. Since 2002 (Heisei 14), it has been held in conjunction with the Tenjin Festival Dedication Fireworks. It is operated with sponsorship from private companies and organizations, and during the Tenjin Festival, fireworks are launched at Sakuranomiya Park on the left bank of the Okawa River and the Mint Bureau. I feel that perhaps the “Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival” was established by people with nostalgia for the old “Suitosai.”

大阪の夏の夜空を彩る「なにわ淀川花火大会」が３日夜、行われ、大勢の人たちが色とりどりの花火を楽しみました。「なにわ淀川花火大会」は大阪市を流れる淀川の河川敷で行われていて、毎年、およそ５０万人が訪れています。誕生は平成元年（１９８９年）。過去16回にわたり開催されてきた「十三どんとこい祭」の運営委員会を母体として結成された「平成淀川花火大会運営委員会」が街の活性化を願い発足しました。企業などからの寄付によって「平成淀川花火大会」として毎年開催。平成１８年（２００６年）の第18回からは、名称を「なにわ淀川花火大会」に改めて今日に至ります。
市民ボランティアによる手づくりの花火大会としてスタートし、今や大阪の夏の風物詩として最大級の規模と人気を誇る花火大会となりました。第36回の今大会は「なにわのSORAから、届け世界へ！」をテーマに開催。花火は音楽とシンクロし、踊るように打ち上げられました。左右2カ所の水面の上できれいに半円状に広がるダイナミックなスターマインと、視界全体を覆うように広がる尺玉の一斉打ちなど、圧倒的な迫力は見応えがあるものでした。
子供のころ、やはり淀川の河川敷で「水都祭」という花火大会がありました。調べてみると、昭和21年（1946年）の夏、戦災で焼け野原となった大阪の復興を願い、大阪日日新聞の主催により淀川河畔の豊里大橋付近で開始されたそうです。平成14年（2002年）からは天神祭奉納花火と合同。民間企業・団体等の協賛金で運営され、天神祭りの際に大川左岸の桜ノ宮公園と造幣局で花火を打ち上げたそうです。おそらく「なにわ淀川花火大会」も昔の「水都祭」に郷愁を持ち人たちが立ち上げたような気がします。

Seven years ago, in the summer of 2017, thinking that my legs had weakened and I might not be able to make such a trip again, I made a significant decision to visit Kamikōchi, a place full of memories. In the past, the only way to enter was from Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture, but now it’s much easier as you can enter from Hirayu Onsen in Gifu Prefecture. I took a shuttle bus from Hirayu and got off at the Taishō Pond bus stop, the entrance to Kamikōchi. As you descend the steps in front of the bus stop, the breathtaking view of Taishō Pond unfolds before your eyes. Beyond the pond, Mount Yake looms.
From here, it’s about a 4 km journey to Kappa Bridge. After walking for about 20–30 minutes from Taishō Pond, the view suddenly opens up, revealing the Tashiro Marsh spreading out before you. Beyond the marsh, you can catch a distant view of Mount Okuhotaka, the symbol of Kamikōchi. The feeling of standing at the summit resurfaces. Passing through the Tashiro Marsh, the trail splits into two: the “Azusa River Course” and the “Woodland Course.” I chose the “Azusa River Course.” Along the way, there are several signs warning, “Beware of bears!” The clear streams and the sound of babbling water evoke a deep sense of nostalgia. I still vividly remember the delicious taste of powdered juice mixed with the water from the Azusa River.
Continuing on, I crossed Tashiro Bridge and followed the right bank route along the Azusa River. There, a relief of the British missionary Walter Weston, who introduced the beauty of Kamikōchi to the world, is displayed, and now many accommodations, including Kamikōchi Alpen Hotel, have been built in the area. After walking for about 10 more minutes, Kappa Bridge comes into view. Standing on the bridge, you can see Mount Okuhotaka and Mount Myōjin. The course from Taishō Pond to Kappa Bridge takes about two hours if you walk leisurely, but it probably took me three hours.
As I crossed the bridge, I saw an old painter drawing at the foot of the bridge. After finishing his painting, he was drinking coffee. When I spoke to him, he kindly pulled out a folding cloth chair and offered me coffee, and we lost track of time as we reminisced.

今から７年前の2017年の夏、もう足腰も弱ってこの先行くこともないだろうと思って一大決心、思い出深い上高地を訪ねることにしました。昔は長野県の松本市からしか入れなかったのですが、今は岐阜県の平湯温泉から入れるので随分楽になりました。平湯からシャトルバスに乗って、上高地の入口、大正池のバス停を降りました。バス停前の階段を降りると大正池の絶景が目に飛び込んできます。池の向こうには焼岳が聳えています。
ここから河童橋まではおよそ４km程の工程です。大正池から20～30分ほど歩くと、急に視界が開け、目の前に田代湿原が広がります。湿原の向こうには上高地のシンボルとも言える奥穂高岳が遠望できます。あの頂に立った時の感動が蘇ります。田代湿原を抜けると、ここからは「梓川コース」と「林間コース」の2手にコースが分かれますが、「梓川コース」を選びました。途中には「クマにご注意！」の看板が何か所にも立っています。昔ながらの清流とそのせせらぎの音はいっそうの感懐を呼び起こします。粉末ジュースを梓川の水に溶かして飲んだ美味しさは今もはっきり覚えています。
しばらく進んで田代橋を渡り、右岸ルートを梓川沿いに進むと、上高地の魅力を世界に発信したイギリス人宣教師ウェストン氏のレリーフがあり、上高地アルペンホテルをはじめとした宿泊施設が今ではたくさん立っています。進むこと10分ほどで河童橋が見えてきます。橋に立って梓川の上流に目をやると奥穂高岳や明神岳などを望むことができます。大正池から河童橋まで、ゆっくり歩いても２時間ほどのコースですが、３時間は掛ったでしょうか。
橋を渡ると、橋のたもとで絵を描いている老画家がいました。絵を描き終えてコーヒーを飲んでいました。声をかけると、人懐かしそうに布製の折りたたみ椅子を出してくれ、コーヒーを進めてくれ、時間の経つのも忘れて思い出話に花を咲かせました。

Samegai-juku, the 61st post town on the Nakasendo, is an old and new popular spot, known for its picturesque streetscape, the murmuring of the Jizo River, and the delicate flowers of the plum blossoms in the water. The Nakasendo is one of the five main routes established during the Edo period, connecting Nihonbashi in Edo (Tokyo) and Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto through an inland route. Compared to the Tokaido, which runs along the Pacific coast, the Nakasendo is about 40 kilometers longer and passes through relatively steep mountainous terrain. However, the accommodations were cheaper, and the regulations by the Edo shogunate were more relaxed, resulting in traffic comparable to that on the Tokaido.
Samegai, where Samegai-juku was located, has long been a key transportation hub, and it is also mentioned in the Kojiki that this place, called “Isamei no Shimizu” (the healing spring), is where Yamato Takeru (Prince Ousu) healed his wounds after being defeated by the god of Mount Ibuki. The temperature of the clear stream water remains around 14 degrees Celsius throughout the year. The Baikamo flower blossoms, which grow along the bottom of the stream and crawl along with the flow, can reach lengths of about 50 centimeters and bloom white flowers resembling plum blossoms, about 1 to 1.5 centimeters in size, from early summer to late summer. The sight of these underwater flowers, the Baikamo flower, in Samegai-juku, near the end of a roughly two-week journey, must have left a particularly strong impression on travelers.

中山道61番目の宿場町である醒井宿（さめがいのしゅく）の風情ある街並みと地蔵川のせせらぎ、そして可憐な梅花藻もある醒井は古くて新しい人気のスポットです。中山道は江戸時代に整備された五街道の1つで、江戸の日本橋と京都の三条大橋を結ぶ内陸経由で結ぶ街道です。太平洋沿岸経由の東海道に比べて、距離は40 kmほど長く、比較的険しい山道が多かったわけですが、宿賃も安く、江戸幕府の取り締まりも緩やかだったので、東海道に負けないくらい往来は激しかった様です。
醒井宿のあった醒井は古代からの交通の要衝であり、伊吹山の神に敗れたヤマトタケル(倭建命・日本武尊）が傷を癒したのもこの地「居寤の清泉」（いさめいのしみづ）であると『古事記』にも記されています。水温は年間を通じて約14度前後の清流の水底に群生し、流れに沿って這うように育つ梅花藻は長さは約50センチほどで、初夏から晩夏にかけて、大きさ1〜1.5cmの梅花のような白い花を咲かせます。およそ2週間くらいの長旅を経て、京都三条大橋も間近な醒井宿で見る水中花、梅花藻は旅人にとってことさらに印象深かったに違いありません。

♭♯♭琵琶湖就航の歌♭♯♭

The summer scenery viewed from Mount Horai, which stands majestically on the western shore of Lake Biwa, is both grand and evokes various thoughts as a primeval landscape. The origin of the name “Lake Biwa” is said to be first recorded in a book left by Kousou, a scholar monk from Mount Hiei, in the early 16th century. It is believed that he observed the lake spreading out below daily and imagined its shape resembling the musical instrument “biwa” (a type of lute). Given that it was a time when aerial views were not possible, this shows an astonishing level of insight.
Lake Biwa, which occupies one-sixth of the area of Shiga Prefecture, is of course a freshwater lake, but ancient people probably thought it was a sea and called it “淡海” (Awumi, meaning freshwater sea), which later became the origin of the name “Omi”. Emperor Tenji opened the capital of Otsu because of the presence of this lake. After the Yamato court suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Baekgang while supporting its ally Baekje, it relocated the capital from Asuka to Otsu to prepare for potential invasions from Tang and Silla. Otsu seemed attractive because it was protected by Mount Hiei to the west and had an easy escape route via Lake Biwa to the east. However, the capital only existed in Otsu for five years and five months.
The relocation of the capital originally displeased the aristocracy, and after Emperor Tenji’s death in 671, a succession struggle known as the Jinshin War broke out in 672 between Emperor Tenji’s son, Prince Otomo, and his brother, Prince Oama. Prince Oama emerged victorious, ascended the throne as Emperor Tenmu, and moved the capital back to Asuka, constructing the Asuka Kiyomihara Palace. Later, Oda Nobunaga built Azuchi Castle on the shore of Lake Biwa, boasting the tallest wooden structure in Japan at the time, commanding control over the land. However, following the Incident at Honnoji, it too was destroyed just six years later.

琵琶湖西岸に屹立する蓬莱山から見下ろす夏景色は雄大でもあり、様々な思いを想起させる原風景でもあります。そもそも琵琶湖の名前の由来は、16世紀の初頭、比叡山の学僧光宋が残した書籍に記されているのが最初だといわれています。おそらく眼下に広がる湖を日々眺望して、楽器の琵琶から湖の形状を想像したものと思われます。上空から見ることのできない時代に、恐るべき洞察力といえます。
滋賀県の面積の6分の1を占める琵琶湖はもちろん淡水ですが、おそらく古代の人達は海だと思ったでしょうから淡海と呼び、後の近江の由来にもなりました。天智天皇が大津京を開いたのもこの琵琶湖があったからです。同盟国百済を支援して白村江で大敗した大和朝廷は、唐・新羅の侵攻に備えて、それまでの飛香京から遥か離れた大津京に遷都しました。西は比叡山に守られ、また東の琵琶湖に逃げやすい大津の地が魅力的に見えたからです。しかし、大津に都が存在したのはたったの５年５か月でした。
元々この遷都には貴族達の不興を買っていたこともあり、671年に天智天皇が崩御すると、翌672年には天智天皇の息子・大友皇子と弟・大海人皇子の後継争い「壬申の乱」が勃発し、争いに勝利した大海人皇子は、再び元の飛鳥の地に飛鳥浄御原宮を造営し、天武天皇として即位しました。その後も、織田信長が琵琶湖のほとり、安土に当時の木造高層建築で日本一の天主を誇っていた安土城を築き、天下に号令しますが、本能寺の変を経て、これもまた僅か６年後に焼失しました。

Because it blooms with flowers resembling hyacinths, in its native regions of North and South America, it is also called the “Water Hyacinth.” It is generally believed that it was introduced to Japan as an ornamental plant during the Meiji era. However, there is an 1855 work by the Edo-period artist Utagawa Kunisada depicting water hyacinths along with goldfish and beautiful women, suggesting it may have arrived in Japan earlier. In Japan, the plant was named “Hotei Aoi” because its round, swollen petioles were likened to the belly of Hotei (a god of fortune), and its leaves resembled those of the mallow (aoi) plant.
The water hyacinth was discovered in Brazil in the 17th century. Because of its beautiful flowers, it was introduced to various parts of the world as an ornamental plant from the 19th century to the early 20th century. In the latter half of the 20th century, when rivers worldwide became polluted with industrial and domestic wastewater, the water hyacinth’s ability to absorb nitrogen and phosphorus was noted, leading to attempts to use it for water purification. However, the water hyacinth proliferated explosively, covering rivers and ponds, and in South America and Africa, it interfered with ship navigation and hydropower generation by dams, becoming known as one of the world’s ten worst invasive weeds, feared as the “blue devil.”
In Japan, too, there have been instances of explosive proliferation in rivers and ponds over the past four or five years, which has drawn significant attention. On the other hand, leveraging the water hyacinth’s rapid growth, various overseas regions have started to commercialize it by weaving its stems into recycled paper, furniture, lampshades, baskets, bags, ropes, and even using it as livestock feed. Furthermore, research is being conducted into its use as a source of biofuels like methane gas, raising expectations for its future applications.

ヒヤシンスに似た花が咲くので、原産地の南北アメリカでは、「ウォーターヒヤシンス」とも呼ばれています。日本には明治時代に観賞用に持ち込まれたというのが通説になっていますが、江戸時代の歌川国貞の1855年の作品に、ホテイアオイと金魚、美女を題材にした浮世絵があり、この頃には日本に入ってきたとも言われています。日本では、丸くふくらんだ葉柄を布袋さんのおなかに見立て、葉っぱがアオイに似ているので「ホテイアオイ」と名付けられました。
ホテイアオイは17世紀にブラジルで発見されました。花がきれいなので主に観賞用として、19世紀から20世紀初頭に世界各地に導入されました。20世紀後半に世界各地の河川が工場排水や生活排水で汚染された時には、ホテイアオイが窒素やリンを吸収することに着目して、水質浄化のために利用しようとの試みもありました。しかし、ホテイアオイが爆発的に増えて川や池沼を被い、南米やアフリカでは船の行き来やダムによる水力発電を妨げるなどの害があり、今では世界十大害草のひとつ「青い悪魔」として畏怖されています。
日本でも4、5年前に各地の河川や池などで大繁殖し、大きく話題に取り上げられた事もあります。一方、ホテイアオイの繁殖力を生かして、海外各地では、蔓を編み込んで再生紙や家具、ランプシェード、籠やバッグ、ロープなどに利用したり、家畜の飼料としての商業化も試みられています。また、メタンガスなどバイオ燃料の資源としての活用が研究され、期待されてもいます。

Today is another midsummer day with temperatures reaching 34 degrees Celsius. This weather has been continuing for several days now, so it’s safe to say the rainy season has ended. However, according to the latest forecast from the Japan Meteorological Association, the end of the rainy season in the Kansai region is expected to be around Monday, July 22nd, which is later than usual. It seems that on Sunday, the 21st, the rainy season front will stagnate near the coast of the Sea of Japan. Although widespread rain is not expected, there will be many clouds, and there might be sudden showers or thunderstorms here and there. From Monday, the 22nd, the front will move north to the northern part of the Sea of Japan, and the Pacific high-pressure system will cover the Kansai region, bringing summer skies. But, for all intents and purposes, the rainy season is already over. School summer vacation starts tomorrow. NHK’s radio calisthenics will also start its summer tour from tomorrow. Even at this age, I still remember the school summer vacations and the morning radio calisthenics. Back then, there were no air conditioners like today, and we had to make do with electric fans or hand fans to cope with the heat. The wind coming through the bamboo screens felt cool, and the sound of wind chimes made it feel even cooler. I guess the temperature wasn’t as high back then as it is now. Heatstroke was unheard of. After the morning radio calisthenics, we would clean the neighborhood streets. I remember a house where morning glories bloomed all over the eaves’ bamboo screens. I clearly remember that scene, and I also remember drawing it in my summer diary when I got home.

今日も気温３４度の真夏日です。数日前からこういう天気が続いていて、もう梅雨明けだといってもいいのですが、日本気象協会が発表した最新の梅雨明け予想によると、関西は7月22日(月)ごろで、平年より遅くなる見通しだというのです。なんでも、21日(日)にかけて、梅雨前線が日本海の沿岸付近に停滞し、広い範囲での雨は予想されていませんが、雲が多く、あちらこちらでにわか雨や雷雨がありそうで、 22日(月)からは、梅雨前線が日本海北部まで北上し、関西は太平洋高気圧に覆われて夏空が広がるからだとか。そうはいってももう実質 梅雨明けですよ。学校は明日から夏休み。NHKのラジオ体操も明日から巡回ラジオ体操だそうです。この年になっても、学校の夏休みのこと、毎朝のラジオ体操のことは忘れませんね。それに、今のように空調設備もなかったし、せいぜい扇風機か団扇で暑さを凌ぐしかなかった。簾を通して入ってくる風も涼しく感じたし、風鈴でも鳴ればなお涼しい。やはり、昔は今ほど気温も高くなかったんでしょうかね。熱中症なんて聞いたこともなかった。朝のラジオ体操が終わって、近所中の道を掃除したんですが、家の軒先の簾に朝顔が一面に咲いているお家があって、その光景をしっかり覚えて、家に帰って絵日記にその絵を描いたのも覚えています。

Today is “Marine Day.” However, to be honest, I didn’t know much about this day. So I looked it up. Marine Day was established as a national holiday on July 20th in 1996, and later, in 2003, it was changed to the third Monday of July due to a law revision. The purpose of the holiday is “to appreciate the blessings of the sea and to hope for the prosperity of maritime Japan.”
Japan, being a country prone to earthquakes, has been hit by major earthquakes many times recently, and each time, it has been severely affected by tsunamis. Despite this, we still appreciate the blessings of the sea, which shows just how great the benefits we receive from the sea are. Each time we are struck by a major disaster, we realize our own carelessness and the importance of people helping each other. Including the sea, nature itself is our great teacher.
As a maritime nation, Japan’s land area is about 380,000 square kilometers, which ranks 61st in the world. However, when adding the exclusive economic zone and territorial waters, the area is 4.47 million square kilometers, suddenly making it the 6th largest in the world. But don’t be surprised by this. When comparing the volume of seawater, Japan ranks 4th in the world. The sea contains various resources such as seabed resources, marine resources, and fishery resources. For example, it is estimated that the East China Sea contains 100 billion barrels of oil reserves, comparable to Iraq’s oil fields. There are also large quantities of methane hydrate, known as “burnable ice,” expected to be the next-generation energy source, lying beneath the waters near Japan. Additionally, it is known that there are inexhaustible minerals containing rare metals on the seabed.
This underscores the importance of re-recognizing “Marine Day.”

今日は「海の日」です。しかし、正直言って、この日のことはよく知りませんでした。そこで調べてみました。
平成８年から７月２０日が国民の祝日「海の日」として制定され、その後法改正があって、平成１５年６月からは７月の第三月曜日に改められたそうです。制定の趣旨は「海の恩恵に感謝するとともに、海洋国日本の繁栄を願う」日とのこと。
地震国日本は、最近でも幾度となく大地震に見舞われ、その都度起こる津波にどれほどこっぴどく打ちのめされたことか。それでも海の恩恵に感謝するのですから、海からもたらされる恩恵の偉大さにこうべを垂れざるを得ないものがあるのです。大災害に見舞われる毎に、自分達の迂闊さを知り、人が助け合う事の大切さを知るのです。海を含めて、自然こそ私たち日本人の大先生なのです。
海洋国日本は、国土面積は約38万平方キロメートルで、これは世界61位です。ところが排他的経済水域と領海を足した面積は447万平方キロメートルで、一気に世界で6位に躍り出ます。これで驚いていてはいけません。海の深さ、つまり海水の体積を比較すると世界4位にまでランクアップするのです。海には海底資源、海洋資源、水産資源などさまざまな資源があります。たとえば東シナ海にはイラクの油田に匹敵する1000億バレルの原油埋蔵量が存在すると試算されています。次世代エネルギーとして期待される「燃える氷」メタンハイドレートが日本近海に膨大な量が眠るとみられています。また海底にはレアメタルを含んだ鉱物が無尽蔵にあることが分かっています。
これぞ「海の日」を再認識することの大切さです。

On a rainy evening, on my way back from the gym, I heard the cicadas chirping for the first time this year. The rainy season in Kansai is expected to end around the 20th, so it’s about a week earlier than usual for the first cicada cries. A cicada’s life is about seven years underground, with only about seven days spent above ground. The males chirp continuously for seven days in search of a female. It is said that less than 30% of male cicadas find a mate during this period. In summer, we often see dead male cicadas lying on their backs in the middle of the road, but more than 70% of them die without ever finding a mate.
From the sound, I could tell that the first cicada I heard was a Minmin-zemi. Since 2021, NHK has been conducting a “Cicada Survey.” According to the submissions from all over the country, the Aburazemi dominates in urban areas, but Minmin-zemi and Higurashi, which have mostly been seen in mountainous areas in Kansai, have been confirmed in urban parks in Osaka. Additionally, Kumazemi, which was previously considered to have its northern limit in western Kanagawa Prefecture, has been confirmed over a wide area of the Kanto region, revealing changes in their habitat range.
By the way, have you heard of the “Prime Number Cicadas”? In Illinois, USA, there are cicadas that appear in large numbers every 13 years and others that appear every 17 years. Since 13 and 17 are prime numbers, they are called prime number cicadas. This year, 2024, is a year when these cycles overlap, prompting warnings. The residents of Illinois will witness an astonishing number of cicadas swarming the trees, mating, and dying. However, for the people of Illinois, this is a fleeting spectacle. After filling the air with their deafening noise, the cicadas will disappear. For many other living creatures, plants, and microorganisms in the central US, these cicadas are a rare feast and, even in death, contribute to the forest’s renewal.
This phenomenon occurs every 221 years, making 2024 a fortunate year for the people of Illinois. Incidentally, the mystery of these 13-year and 17-year cicadas was solved by Japanese researchers.

雨上がりの夕方、ジムからの帰り道で今年初めてセミの鳴き声を聞きました。今年の梅雨明けは、関西では20日頃と予想されていますから、1週間くらい早い初鳴きです。セミの一生は、7年間地中で暮らし、地上で暮らすのは7日間くらいだそうです。鳴いているのは雄ゼミで、雌ゼミを求めて7日間鳴き続けるわけです。その間雌ゼミ出会える雄ゼミは30％未満だといわれています。夏になると道の真ん中で仰向けになった雄ゼミの死体をよく見かけますが、その70％以上は雌に出会うことなく大往生した雄ゼミです。
初セミは鳴き声から判断してミンミンゼミです。NHKが2021年から「セミ大調査」をしていて、全国から寄せられた投稿によって、都市部ではアブラゼミが圧倒的な存在をみせていますが、関西地方ではおもに山地でみられてきたミンミンゼミやヒグラシが大阪の都市部の公園でも確認され、神奈川県西部を北限とされてきたクマゼミが関東地方の広い範囲で確認されるなど、生息範囲に変化が起きていることが明らかになりました。
ところで皆さん、「素数ゼミ」というセミをご存じでしょうか。アメリカのイリノイ州では、13年ごとに大量発生するセミと17年ごとに大量発生するセミがいて、13と17が素数ですので素数ゼミと呼ばれているのですが、今年2024年がその周期がぶつかり合う年で、警戒を呼び掛けているのです。イリノイ州の住人たちは、身近にある木の上ですさまじい数のセミがうごめき、愛を交わし、死んでいく光景を目撃することになるはずです。しかし、イリノイ州の人たちにとって、それはつかの間の光景で、耳をつんざく騒音をまき散らした末に、セミたちは姿を消します。そして、米中西部に生息するほかの多くの生き物や植物、微生物にとって、それはめったに味わえないごちそうであり、死してなお長きにわたり森林に新たな命をもたらしてくれる存在なのです。
これは221年ごとに起こる出来事で、イリノイ州の人たちにとって2024年はラッキーな年ともいえるわけです。ちなみに、この13年ゼミと17ゼミの謎は日本の研究者が解き明かしています。

Today marks the official start of the climbing season for Mount Fuji. However, this specifically refers to the Fujinomiya Route in Shizuoka Prefecture; the Yoshida Route on the Yamanashi Prefecture side has already opened for the season on July 1st. The popularity of Mount Fuji continues to increase year by year. During the climbing season, the line of people stretches unbroken from the base to the summit, resembling a line of ants. This year, there is still a lot of remaining snow, and an accident has already occurred at the summit. It’s a season opening filled with concerns. Starting this year, climbers on the Yoshida Route will need to pay a 2,000 yen entrance fee and an optional 1,000 yen cooperation fee. Additionally, various regulations are being implemented, such as limiting the number of climbers to 4,000 per day, restricting entry times, and requiring reservations for mountain huts. However, reservations for entry and mountain huts are already fully booked. The number of foreign climbers is also rapidly increasing, and there are concerns about poor climbing etiquette. Compared to other famous mountains worldwide, where climbing regulations have long been in place, Japan’s regulations have only just started this year and are still quite lenient. For reference, the entrance fee for Mount Everest is 1.1 million yen, for Aconcagua on the border of Argentina and Chile (6,962 meters) it is 85,000 yen, and for Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa (5,895 meters) it is 89,000 yen. Moreover, these mountains require climbers to hire guides, which further increases the cost far beyond that of Japan. That being said, I am not saying that Japan should follow suit, but I believe it is only natural that climbers should bear a corresponding burden in order to protect the natural environment, as well as the beauty of Mount Fuji.

今日は富士山の山開きです。と言っても、これは静岡県の富士宮ルートのことで、山梨県側の吉田ルートはすでに７月１日に山開きを終えています。富士山人気は年々増すばかり。シーズンともなれば、山裾から頂上まで人の列は途切れることはなく、まさしくアリの行列状態です。今年は残雪も多く、もうすでに頂上では遭難事故があったばかり。心配事山積の山開きです。今年から、吉田ルートでは、入山料2,000円と任意の協力金1,000円が要ります。その他、１日の登山者を4,000人に制限することや、入山時間の制限とか山小屋の予約が必要とかいろいろな規制が課せられるようです。しかし入山予約や山小屋の予約はもうすでに満杯状態だとか。海外からの登山者も急激に増え、登山マナーの悪さも指摘されています。海外でも、有名な山々では早くから入山規制は行われているようで、それらに比べても日本の規制はやっと今年からで、まだまだ甘い様です。因みに、世界の代表的な山々の入山料を調べてみますと、エベレスト山が110万円、アルゼンチンとチリの国境にあるアコンカグア(6,962m)が8万5千円、アフリカのキリマンジァロ( 5,895m)は8万9千円と言った具合です。しかもこうした山々の登山には必ず登山ガイドを付けなければならないとか、その費用は日本をはるかに凌駕しています。かといって、日本も右へ倣えと言っているのではなく、富士山の自然と環境、そして美観を守るためのに、それ相応の負担を登山者が負うのは当然だと思うのです。

Scorching Heat Islands on Tanabata : First 40°C of the Year in Shizuoka “40°C in Early July is Too Much…” “Still Before the End of the Rainy Season” “Even Hikoboshi and Orihime Would Get Heatstroke” Voices of Exhaustion

Today’s Yahoo! News headline.

In Shizuoka City, the highest temperature reached exactly 40°C at 1:18 PM, which is the highest recorded since the Meteorological Agency began keeping statistics in 1940. This is the first time this year that a temperature above 40°C has been observed in Japan since it was recorded in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture on August 10 last year. The previous highest temperatures were 41.1°C recorded on August 17, 2020, in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and on July 23, 2018, in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture. Lately, there’s been much discussion about when and where temperatures will exceed 42°C. Predictions for the past two years were that temperatures would surpass 42°C, but even the highest of 41.1°C was not exceeded. However, this year seems likely to see temperatures exceeding 42°C.
Nevertheless, temperatures far exceeding this heat were actually recorded 97 years ago, on September 2, 1923, in Tokyo. The previous day, just before noon on September 1, a strong earthquake shook the entire Kanto region. This was the Great Kanto Earthquake. At that time, the predecessor of the Meteorological Agency, the Central Meteorological Observatory, was located in Motoemi-cho, Kojimachi Ward (near the current Takebashi area). The official thermometer at the Central Meteorological Observatory recorded a temperature of 46.3°C in the early morning of September 2. However, these figures were due to the fires caused by the earthquake, so they were removed from the official records and the fact itself has faded from memory in modern times.
In the lotus pond of a nearby park, the lotus flowers are in full bloom. I found a frog trying to drink the large cup of nectar accumulated on the lotus leaves. I feel like jumping into the pond and drinking the nectar with the frog.

七夕の猛暑列島、静岡で今年初の40度「7月上旬に40度はあかんて…」「まだ梅雨明け前」「彦星と織姫も熱中症になるレベル」げんなりの声

今日のYahoo!ニュースの見出しです。

静岡市では午後1時18分に最高気温が40度ちょうどに達し、気象庁が1940年に統計を取り始めてから最も高くなっているそうです。国内で40度以上を観測したのは、ことし初めてで、去年8月10日に石川県小松市で観測されて以来だとか。これまでの最高気温は2020年8月17日、同じく静岡県浜松市の41.1度と2018年7月23日、埼玉県熊谷市の41.1度です。最近はいつどこで42度を超すかがもっぱらの話題になっています。昨年も一昨年も今年こそは42度を超すだろうと予想しましたが、41.1度の最高気温も超えませんでした。どうも今年あたりは42度を超しそうです。
しかしながら、この暑さをはるかに超える温度が実は今から97年前の1923年9月2日に東京で観測されているのです。前日の9月1日の正午前、関東地方一帯に強い揺れを感じる大きな地震がありました。関東大震災です。1923年当時、気象庁の前身である中央気象台は、麹町区元衛町（現在の竹橋付近）にありました。その正式な気象官署である中央気象台の温度計が、9月2日の未明に46.3℃の値を示したのです。とはいえ、これらの数値は震災の火災によるものなので、公式記録からは消され、現代ではこうした事実があったこと自体忘れ去られようとしています。
近くの公園の蓮池ではハスの花が満開です。ハスの葉に溜まった甘露の大杯を飲もうとするカエルを見つけました。蓮池に飛び込んでカエルと一緒に大杯を飲みたいほどです。