On August 5th, a Ten Thousand Lantern Festival (Mantōe) was held at Daigo-ji Temple in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City. The Ten Thousand Lantern Festival is a ceremonial event held annually on the night of August 5th, where lanterns are lit to offer prayers of gratitude to ancestors, spirits, and all living beings, commemorating their lives. At dusk, numerous stone lanterns and paper lanterns are arranged along the approach to the temple, and even the national treasure main hall and five-story pagoda are specially illuminated. Originally, there was an event called “Yomairi” on the evening before the anniversary of the founder of Daigo-ji Temple, Rigen Daishi, who passed away on August 6th (874 AD). This tradition continued until the Taisho period. However, it was discontinued amidst the anti-Buddhist sentiment during the Meiji Restoration. Subsequently, the festival was revived in 1990 and has continued to evolve in accordance with the times, becoming the Ten Thousand Lantern Festival as we know it today. It has now become a symbol of Kyoto’s summer, attracting numerous visitors.

８月５日、京都市伏見区にある醍醐寺で万灯会が営まれました。万灯会は、灯明をともしてご祖先や精霊を供養し、生きとし生けるものの命に報恩感謝の祈りを捧げる法要で、毎年8月5日の夜に営まれます。日没頃から参道に並ぶ多くの置き灯ろうや提灯に日が灯され、国宝の金堂や五重塔も特別にライトアップされます。元は、醍醐寺を創建（874年）した理源大師の命日である8月6日の開山忌の前日に「夜参り」と言う行事があって、大正時代まで続いていたようです。それも明治維新の廃仏毀釈の風潮の中で途絶えてしまいました。その後、1990年に復活し、時代に合わせて形を変えて続けられてきたのが万灯会です。今では京都の夏を彩る風物詩ともなり、多くの参拝者が訪れます。

It’s so hot, I can’t bear it without an air conditioner. On my way back from the gym, I found some Jochugiku flower (pyrethrum flowers) growing along the roadside. As I contemplated using these Jochugiku flowers as the subject for a haiku, old memories came flooding back. In the past, there were no air conditioners, and as soon as we finished dinner, we would rush out of the house. Outside, there was a Shogi (floor desk) about the size of one tatami mat, where all the neighbors would gather and play shogi (Japanese chess). At that time, we used to burn Jochugiku under the floor desk, of course, as a mosquito repellent. There were plenty of Jochugiku flowers blooming in the nearby Yodogawa riverbed, and we would pick them and let them dry for several days. When we burned them, mosquitoes would stay away, and I loved the fragrance. However, over time, it was replaced by mosquito coils, air conditioners were invented, the cool evening breeze custom disappeared, and on hot summer nights, everyone started staying indoors.

暑くて暑くて、クーラー無しでは過ごそません。ジムからの帰り、道路沿いの植え込みに除虫菊を見つけました。今日はこの除虫菊を題材に俳句を作ろうとあれこれ考えている内に、昔の思い出が蘇ってきました。昔はクーラーなんてものはなく、夕食を終えるとすぐに家を出たものです。外には畳一枚分位の床机があって、近所の皆んなが集まって来て、そこでよく将棋をしました。その時に、床机の下で焚いていたのが除虫菊です。もちろん蚊除けです。近くの淀川の河川敷には除虫菊が沢山咲いていて、それを取ってきて、何日間か干しておくのです。それを焚くと、もちろん蚊は来ないし、その香りが好きでした。それがいつの間にか蚊取り線香に変わり、クーラーができて、夕涼みもなくなり、夏の暑い夜は皆んなが家に閉じ篭もる様になりました。

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 AM, the world’s first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. The weather that day was clear and hot, typical of a summer morning. The atomic bomb, named “Little Boy,” was released from the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay, exploding approximately 580 meters above the Island Hospital, close to the Aioi Bridge. The detonation occurred 43 seconds after the drop, accompanied by a blinding flash.
It is said that the temperature on the surface at the hypocenter reached 3,000 to 4,000 degrees Celsius. The flash and the blast wave struck almost simultaneously, instantly destroying almost all the buildings within a radius of 500 meters from the hypocenter. Those outdoors were killed instantly, and in some places, the intense heat rays left no trace of their bodies, only shadows on stone steps, and other surfaces.
At that time, the population of Hiroshima was 350,000, and about 140,000 people lost their lives. Now, 78 years later, there are a total of 12,520 nuclear warheads in existence on Earth, possessed by countries such as the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea. We must continue to urge these foolish nations and their leaders with the plea of “No more Hirosimas!”

１９４５年（昭和４５年）８月６日午前８時１５分、広島に人類史上初の原子爆弾が投下されました。当日の天候は快晴で、今日の様な夏らしい暑さの朝でした。アメリカ軍のＢ２９型爆撃機エノラ・ゲイ号から放たれた原子爆弾「リトルボーイ」は、相生橋にほど近い島病院の上空約５８０メートルで、投下から４３秒後に閃光とともに炸裂しました。爆心地の地表の温度は3,000～4,000度に達したと言われています。閃光と爆風がほぼ同時に襲ったため、爆心地５００メートル圏内では建物のほとんどが一瞬に破壊されました。屋外にいた者は即死、場所によっては強烈な熱線により、その遺体すら残らず、石段等に影を残すのみ。当時の広島市の人口は35万人、そのうちの14万人が亡くなりました。それから78年経った今、地球上に存在する核弾頭の総数は12,520発です。保有国は、米国、ロシア、フランス、英国、中国、インド、パキスタン、イスラエル、北朝鮮です。私たちは、この愚かな国々、そしてその指導者たちに「No more Hirosimas!」を諭し続けねばなりません。

I took notice of two cute flowers blooming on the windowsill of a soba noodle shop, where I sought respite from the heat. Since I had never seen this type of flower before, I quickly took a photo with my smartphone and used Google Lens to search for it. The search result indicated it was a Mame Asagao (Morning Glory), also known as Ipomoea purpurea. It is native to North America and was reported to have naturalized near Tokyo around 1955, probably came in mixed with imported grain. Nowadays, it is quite commonly seen along roadsides in the Kanto region and beyond.
Although it is classified as a weed, echoing the words of Dr. Tomitaro Makino, “There are no plants named weeds,” the Mame Asagao right before my eyes is undoubtedly a decorative plant. Its flowers are about 2cm in size, blooming from early morning and withering before noon. However, due to its strong reproductive capability, it repeatedly flowers and bears fruit from spring to autumn, spreading rapidly if left unchecked. It particularly thrives in soybean fields and is considered an enemy even in its native land of America.

暑さ凌ぎに入ったお蕎麦屋さんの窓際に、可愛い二輪の花が咲いているのが目に留まりました。見たことがない花なので、早速スマホで写真を撮り、Google Lens で検索したら、マメアサガオとあります。北アメリカ原産で、1955年に東京近郊での帰化が報告されていますから、おそらく輸入穀物に混入して入ってきたのでしょう。現在では関東地方以西の道ばたなどにごく普通に見られるとのことです。分類では雑草ということですが、牧野富太郎博士の言葉を借りれば、「雑草という名の植物はない」の通り、今目の前にあるマメアサガオはまさしく観賞用植物です。花の大きさは2cmほどで、早朝から咲き出し、昼前までにはしぼんでしまいます。ただ、繁殖力が強いため、春～秋と長期にわたり開花・結実を繰り返すため、放置しておくとどんどん蔓延していきます。特に大豆畑に繁殖しやすく、原産地アメリカでも目の敵にされているそうです。

All across Japan, summer festivals and fireworks displays are in full swing. Yesterday (8/3), I watched the live coverage of various events on Youtube, including the Nebuta Festival in Aomori City, the Sansa Festival in Morioka City, the Kanto Festival in Akita City, and the fireworks display in Nagaoka City. While I had seen some of these events on TV news, it’s the modern era that allows us to watch the festivities and fireworks for an extended period like this. In the past, the HUT (the percentage of people watching TV) used to exceed 70% during prime time, but in recent data, it has dropped to 52.0%, with some fluctuations, but overall, it continues to decline. It’s somewhat surprising that it’s still maintaining around 50%. This is also a sign of the aging society, as the generation that watches TV tends to be older, and the younger generation watches less TV. There’s a trend of people moving away from television, newspapers, and books, indicating significant changes in the era.

日本全国、夏祭りと花火大会が真っ盛りです。昨日(8/3)は、青森市のねぶた祭り、盛岡市のさんさ祭り、秋田市の竿燈祭り、そして長岡市の花火大会の模様をYoutubeのライブで見ました。テレビのニュースでは見ましたが、こうして長時間にわたってお祭りや花火大会の様子を見られるのは今の時代だからこそです。かつてはゴールデンタイムで70％を超えていたHUT(テレビをつけている世代の割合)も、直近データでは52.0％にまで落ち込んでいて、多少の上下はありますが、全体的には下降の一途をたどっています。むしろ、まだ50%前後をキープしているのが不思議なくらいです。これも社会の老齢化が進んでいる証の一つで、テレビを見る世代が中高年に偏っているからです。若い世代ほどテレビを見ない。テレビ離れ、新聞離れ、本離れ、時代は大きく変わってきています。

When heading north from Otsu along the western shore of Lake Biwa, you will come across the prominently conspicuous Mount Hōrai (1174m) among the Hira mountain range that spreads along the western shore of Lake Biwa. It is the second-highest peak in the Hira mountain range, with Mount Bunagatake (1214m) being the highest. Towering over Lake Biwa, its imposing presence leaves a profound impression. Next to it is Mount Uchimi (1103m), and the entire area is known as “Lake Biwa Valley,” one of the leading resorts in the Kansai region.
From the “Foot Station” at an altitude of 300m, a ropeway ride takes about 5 minutes to reach the “Summit Station” at an elevation of 1,100m, which is Mount Uchimi. From the summit station, a vast terrace area extends known as the “Biwako Terrace.” Here, you can find the symbolic space of the “Grand Terrace,” which appears to connect to Lake Biwa with its sparkling water basin of a turquoise hue, and the “North Terrace,” where you can enjoy views of Lake Biwa, Shirahige Shrine, the Northern Alps, and the Central Alps from sofa seats. The wind blowing down from the Mount Hōrai summit is refreshing, and the temperature is probably 5 to 6 degrees lower than at ground level, making it a completely different world here.

♭♯♭琵琶湖周航の歌♭♯♭

琵琶湖の西岸を大津から北上すると、琵琶湖西岸に広がる比良山系の中でも一際目立つ蓬莱山(1174m)に出会します。武奈ヶ岳(1214m)を主峰とする比良山系の中で２番目に高い山です。琵琶湖に突き出す様に聳えていて、その山容に圧倒されます。その隣に打見山(1103m)があり、一帯を「びわ湖バレイ」と言って、関西では有数のリゾート地です。海抜300mの「麓駅」からロープウェイに乗って約5分、標高1,100mの「山頂駅」に着くと、そこが打見山。その山頂駅から続く広大なテラスエリアが「びわ湖テラス」です。ここには、水色に煌めく水盤が琵琶湖に繋がっているかのように見える、「びわ湖テラス」のシンボル的空間「Grand Terrace」と、ソファー席から琵琶湖や白髭神社、北アルプスや中央アルプスまで楽しめる「North Terrace」があります。蓬莱山山頂から吹き下ろす風は涼しく、おそらく気温は地上よりも5、6度は低い、ここは別天地です。

On the television, scenes of the Bon dance festival with the catchphrase ‘After four years’ are being broadcast. Even from overseas, we can see scenes of the Bon dance festival in Malaysia, with a crowd of 40,000 people. The Bon dance is now fully revived. On the other hand, in the same news program, there is always coverage of the situation in Ukraine. The Ukrainian War has been sparked by the twisted historical perspective of Vladimir Putin, the worst mass murderer of this century and the President of Russia. The name of Russia comes from the region of Rus’, which included the current northwestern Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. In 1917, Lenin, who led the Russian Revolution, proposed immediate peace with all warring nations of World War I, based on the principles of ‘no indemnities, no annexations, and the right of self-determination for all nations.’ The ‘right of self-determination’ in this context denied any forced ‘annexation’ by regimes or multi-ethnic states, including colonies, and fully supported the self-determination of individual nations, regardless of whether they were in Europe or not. Thus, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the People’s Republic of China, both advocating the same principles, were born. As time passed, in 1991, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic collapsed, giving birth to the current Russian Federation and Ukraine. However, from Putin’s perspective, the delusion of the ‘Great Russia’ of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic era and even the Rus’ era still lingers in his mind. The idea of ‘self-determination’ that was strongly advocated during the Russian Revolution has disappeared. China is facing a similar situation. In 2014, driven by the delusion of resurrecting ‘Great Russia,’ Putin militarily invaded and annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine, leading to the outbreak of the current Ukrainian War.

テレビから「４年振り」という触れ込みの盆踊り風景が流れてきます。海外からは、マレーシアの４万人規模の盆踊り風景も流れてきます。盆踊りも完全復活です。その一方で、同じニュース番組で必ず流れてくるのがウクライナ情勢です。今世紀最悪の殺人鬼、ロシア大統領プーチンの歪んだ歴史観によって引き起こされたのがウクライナ戦争です。ロシアの国名は、今のロシア北西部とウクライナ、そしてベラルーシに当たるルーシから来ています。1917年、ロシア革命を主導したレーニンは、第一次世界大戦の全交戦国に「無賠償・無併合・民族自決」に基づく即時講和を提案しました。この中の「民族自決」は、ヨーロッパ・非ヨーロッパの区別なく、政権・多民族国家などによる、植民地を含めた他領土・他民族の強制的「併合」を否定し、個々の民族の自決を全面的に支持する内容でした。そしてロシア連邦共和国が生まれ、同じ主義主張を掲げる中華人民共和国も生まれました。やがて時が経ち、1991年にはロシア連邦共和国は崩壊し、今のロシア連邦、そしてウクライナが生まれるわけです。しかし、プーチンの頭からは、ロシア連邦共和国時代、さらに遡ってルーシ時代の大ロシアの妄想が消えないわけです。ロシア革命時に高く掲げられた「民族自決」の考えが消え去っているのです。これは中国も同じです。2014年、大ロシア復活の妄想に執り付かれたプーチンは、ウクライナのクリミヤ半島とウクライナ東部を軍事進攻して強奪したのが今回のウクライナ戦争の発端です。

Finally, August has arrived. When it comes to summer, August is the month that stands out. The Gion Festival, Tenjin Festival, and Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival—all of them are like a prelude to this August. The sun shines fiercely, and when you seek shade, you’ll hear a grand chorus of cicadas. With Bon Festival at its center, both children and adults enjoy their summer vacations. It’s exciting to plan trips to the sea and mountains. The Summer Koshien baseball tournament is also fantastic. And let us not forget the importance of August 6th, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Day, August 9th, the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Day, and August 15th, the end of World War II Memorial Day. This summer is likely to be special, as we have overcome a once-in-a-century pandemic. So, everyone, let’s get through this summer with energy and joy!

いよいよ８月になりましたね。夏と言えばやはりこの８月ですね。祇園祭りも天神祭も隅田川の花火大会も、言ってみれば、すべてこの８月の先払い。日がガンガン照りつけ、木陰に入ればセミの大合唱。お盆を中心に子供も大人も夏休み。海に山に出かけたくてワクワクですよ。夏の甲子園もいいですね。そして忘れてはならないのが、６日の広島と９日の長崎の原爆記念日、15日の終戦記念日です。今年の夏は、100年に一度なパンデミックを凌いだこともあって、特別な夏になりそうです。皆さん、元気に、そして楽しくこの夏を乗り越えましょう。

In a corner of Kogawa Village, Izumi City, there is an agricultural facility called ‘Izumi Fureai No-no-Sato’ (Izumi Interaction Farm Village). This facility holds various agricultural-related courses, vegetable cultivation workshops, and experiential classes like bamboo craft, providing opportunities for recreational activities and promoting health through agricultural experiences. Participants can enjoy vegetable and fruit harvesting experiences, as well as cooking local dishes using the harvested crops.
One scorching summer day, I participated in a ‘Soba noodle-making class’ at this facility. Adjacent to the classroom, there was an area where they were hosting a ‘Nagashi Somen’ event, and several families were enjoying the delicious flow of somen noodles. It was a quintessential summer scene.
Recently, I saw a sign that said ‘Somen Nagashi’ somewhere, which piqued my curiosity. So, I looked it up on the internet. It turns out that ‘Nagashi Somen’ and ‘Somen Nagashi’ are different things. ‘Somen Nagashi’ is when you eat the noodles with an artificial water current flowing around the table, while ‘Nagashi Somen’ is when you eat the noodles using a bamboo flume with a natural water flow. The places of origin are also different, with ‘Nagashi Somen’ originating from Takachiho Gorge in Miyazaki Prefecture and ‘Somen Nagashi’ from Tashiro Gorge in Kagoshima Prefecture. It’s quite fascinating, and interestingly, both places are not too far from each other.
By the way, when I looked up ‘Somen Nagashi,’ I was surprised to find that there are many electric household products available for it online. This was yet another surprising discovery!

和泉市の山ふところ小川(こがわ)村の一角に「いずみふれあい農の里」と言う農業施設があります。農業に関する講座、野菜栽培講習、竹細工等の体験教室などが開かれ、野菜や果物の収穫体験や収穫した作物を使った郷土料理作りなど、農業を通じたレクリエーション活動や健康の増進などを図るための施設です。
真夏日の一日、「蕎麦打ち教室」に参加しました。教室横の広場では、ちょうど「流しそうめん」が開かれていて、何組かの家族が美味しそうに流しそうめんを食べています。夏ならではの光景です。
最近、どこかで、「そうめん流し」と言う看板を見かけたので、少し気になり、ネットで調べてみました。「流しそうめん」と「そうめん流し」は違うんですね。テーブルの周りを流れる人工的水流で食べるのが「そうめん流し」で、竹樋を使った自然水流で食べるのを「流しそうめん」と言うんだそうです。発祥の地も違って、「流しそうめん」は宮崎県高千穂町の高千穂峡で、「そうめん流し」は鹿児島県指宿市の唐船峡だそうです。面白いですね。この両地、どちらもそんなに離れていないんですよ。
因みに、「そうめん流し」を調べて見たら、電動式で家庭用製品がネットでもいっぱい売られているのです。これにもまたビックリ！

The news reported that the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, a summer tradition in Tokyo, was held on the 29th after a four-year hiatus. Approximately 20,000 fireworks adorned the night sky over the downtown area, attracting around 1.03 million spectators. In recent years, many fireworks festivals had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they gradually resumed from 2023 as various restrictions were eased. However, this year’s event appears to have made a full comeback.
With about 900 fireworks festivals held across the country, big and small combined, it is evident how much Japanese people love fireworks. While the 40,000 fireworks launched at the Suwa Lake Festival in Nagano Prefecture are astounding in number, the world record goes to Dubai with 500,000 fireworks launched in just six minutes. However, international fireworks festivals primarily emphasize performance, focusing on the number of fireworks launched, their size, and overall scale.
On the other hand, Japanese fireworks place great emphasis on beauty, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship and launch techniques that stand out on a global scale. Recently, Japanese fireworks festivals have been held in various parts of the world, further fueling the international enthusiasm for Japan.

東京の夏の風物詩「隅田川花火大会」が29日、4年ぶりに開催されたというニュースが報じられました。約2万発の花火が下町の夜空を彩り、約103万人の観客が訪れたそうです。ここ数年、コロナ禍で中止が相次いだ花火大会は、さまざまな規制が緩和された2023年から徐々に再開されましたが、今年は完全復活したようです。
全国で開催される花火大会の数は、大小合わせて、およそ９００といいますから、日本人がいかに花火好きかということが分かります。花火の打ち上げ個数では、長野県の「諏訪湖祭り湖上花火大会」の４万発で、これだけでも度肝を抜かれますが、世界では、ドバイの６分間５０万発というギネス記録があります。しかし、世界の花火大会はもっぱらパフォーマンスに重点が置かれていて、打ち上げ個数とか、花火の大きさとか、規模に関心があるようです。
一方、日本の花火は美しさに重点が置かれていて、１発１発に込められた技術力の高さ、打ち上げ方においては世界でも抜きん出ています。最近は世界各地で日本の花火大会が催されていて、海外の日本熱にいっそうの拍車をかけています。