This is a standing Tachiaoi blooming in Kyoto Miyama, where many thatched roofs remain. While Tachiaoi is usually planted together in groups, for some reason, only one is planted here. The serene view of the village in the midst of the rainy season is transformed into a bright atmosphere by the presence of this bright red standing Tachiaoi, with just three flowers. It is also called “Tsuyuaoi” (literally meaning “Tachiaoi of the rainy season”) because it starts blooming at the beginning of the rainy season and its flowers fade around the time the rainy season ends. It is said to have been introduced to Japan long ago as a medicinal plant and was called “Karaaoi” during the Heian period. During the Edo period, through selective breeding, it became what is now known as “Tachiaoi” and became a popular flower. It grows tall, reaching a height of 1 to 3 meters, and the flowers bloom from the bottom to the top of the upright flower stalks. There are single and double-flowered varieties, and the colors are diverse, including red, pink, white, purple, and yellow. The diameter of the flowers can reach about 10 cm in large ones. Its English name is “Hollyhock,” and it is said to have been brought back by the Crusaders from the “Hollyhock Holy Land” in Syria around the 12th century.

藁葺き屋根がたくさん残る京都美山に咲く立葵です。立葵は普通寄せ植えするのが多いのですが、なぜかここには一本だけ植っています。梅雨最中の静かな村の景色を、この真っ赤な、それもたった三輪の立葵が咲いているだけで、明るい雰囲気に変えています。梅雨のはじまりに咲き始め、梅雨が明ける頃に花が終わるので別名「梅雨葵」とも呼ばれています。日本には、古くから薬用として渡来したといわれ、 平安時代には「唐葵」と呼ばれていました。江戸時代に品種改良が進み、今の「立葵」と呼ばれる様になって、人気の花になりました。草丈は１〜３mと高く、花は垂直に伸びた花茎の下から上に咲き上っていきます。一重や八重のものがあり、色は赤、ピンク、白、紫、黄色など多彩で、花の直径は大きなものでは10cmくらいにもなります。英名は「ホリーホック」 といい、１２世紀頃に十字軍が シリアの”ホリーホック聖地”からこの花を 持ち帰ったことに因みます。

It has been 11 days since the summer solstice. Today is the day of Hangesho, which marks the beginning of the miscellaneous season that lasts until the 6th of the month. The miscellaneous seasons are seasonal divisions that correspond to the 24 solar terms. After finishing the rice planting, people take a breather and enjoy their favorite foods while looking at the lush green rice that has grown. It is a day that serves as a guideline for agricultural activities, focusing on the farming season. Around this time, the Katashirokusa plant, which was planted in the garden, is said to turn half-white, resembling someone wearing makeup, which is why it is called Hangesho. It seems that it changed from “半化粧 (Hangesho)” (half makeup) to “半夏生 (Hangesho)” to symbolize that summer is still only halfway through. In the Kansai region, there is a tradition of eating octopus on this day to invigorate oneself, and it seems to have become a widely practiced custom throughout the country. Each region has its own food to eat on the day of Hangesho, such as udon in Kagawa Prefecture, known for its udon noodles, and mackerel in Fukui Prefecture, known for its mackerel.

早いもので夏至の日から数えて11日が経ちました。今日は半夏生の日です。詳しくは６日までの雑節「半夏生」の初日です。雑節は二十四節気に準じる節気で、田植えも終えてホッと一息、青々と伸びて来た稲を見ながら好きな物でも食べて一休み。農歳時期を中心に考えた農事の目安にする日です。ちょうどこの頃、庭に植えたカタシログサ(片白草)が、その名の通り半分白くなって、お化粧をした様に見える事から半夏生の名が付いたと言われています。夏もまだ半分と言う意味を掛けて、半化粧を半夏生に変えたんでしょうね。関西では、この日にタコを食べて英気を養う習慣がありますが、今では広く全国的な習慣になっている様です。うどん処香川県ではうどん、さば処福井県ではさばと言う風に各地それぞれに、半夏生の日に食べる食材がある様です。

In the Buddhist tale collection called the ‘Konjaku Monogatari-shu,’ believed to have been compiled in the late Heian period, there is a story of two brothers who lost their beloved father. The elder brother planted ‘Wasure-gusa (Forget-me)’ around their father’s grave to forget his sorrow, while the younger brother planted ‘Warere-na-gusa (Forget-me-nots)’ so that he would never forget their father. If you were to plant a plant around the grave of someone you love, which flower would you choose? Also, if you were to have a plant planted by the people left behind near your own grave, what kind of plant would you like?
For happy memories, ‘Wasure-gusa’; for sad memories, ‘Wasure-na-gusa.’ Such a conversation might arise when talking about ‘Wasure-gusa.’ ‘Wasure-gusa’ belong to the kanzou (borage) family, which includes hon-kanzou, hama-kanzou, and no-kanzou. China and Japan are their places of origin, and in the 19th century, European plant hunters brought these plants back to Europe, where they underwent cultivation and became popular as ornamental varieties. They are now referred to as Hemerocallis, a combination of the Greek words ‘hemera’ meaning ‘day’ and ‘kallos’ meaning ‘beauty.’ In English, they are also known as ‘Day Lily.’ The flowers bloom for only a day but produce multiple flowers on a single stem and multiple stems, allowing for an extended period of enjoyment.

平安時代末期に成立したとされる仏教説話集『今昔物語集』に、愛する父を亡くした二人の兄弟の話しが載っています。兄は悲しさを忘れる為に、父の墓の周りに「忘れ草」を、弟はいつまででも父を忘れない為に「忘れな草」を植えました。自分の愛する人が眠る墓の周囲に植物を植えるとしたら、あなたならどちらの草を植えますか。また、もし自分の墓のそばに、残された人々から、どんな植物を植えてもらいたいですか。「嬉しい思い出には忘れな草　悲しい思い出には忘れ草」そんなこぼれ話をしたくなるのが「忘れ草」です。「忘れ草」はカンゾウの仲間で、他にはホンカンゾウ、ハマカンゾウ、ノカンゾウなどがあります。中国や日本が原産地で、19世紀頃に、ヨーロッパのプラント・ハンター達がヨーロッパに持ち帰り、品種改良を加え園芸品種として世界に広まり、これらの仲間の植物をヘメロカリスと呼ぶ様になりました。「へメロ」とは一日、「カリス」とは美を意味します。英語名でも「Day Lily」と言いますが、花は一日花で、1本の花茎にたくさんの花を咲かせ、何本も立ち上がるので、長期間花が楽しめます。

I received a photo from my third-grade grandson who lives in Shanghai. According to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, the start of the rainy season in Shanghai this year was June 10th (Thursday), which is nearly a week earlier than usual. The rainy season usually lasts for about 23 days, so it is likely to end in early July. Looking at past examples, in 1936, the rainy season started on May 22nd, and in 1954, it lasted for 58 days. There were also cases like “Kūbai,” where the rainy season lasted only two days, in 1897 and 1965. Shanghai has also experienced a lot of difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s “Zero COVID Policy.” Now, there is an opposite reaction, and it is said that people are overflowing everywhere in Shanghai. Currently, there are not many Chinese tourists visiting Japan as before, but it seems that there are many people who are eager to go to Japan. From around this summer vacation, not only Chinese people but also tourists from all over the world are likely to come. It is a joyous thing. If people can get to know Japan, a country of 和 (wa, harmony), the world will surely become more peaceful.

上海に住む小学三年生の孫から写真を送ってきました。上海気象台によりますと、今年の上海の梅雨の入りは６月10日（木）で、例年よりも１週間近く早いそうです。梅雨の日数はだいたい23日間前後だということですから、７月早々には梅雨明けということになりますが、どうでしょう。過去の例を見ますと、1936年には５月22日に梅雨入りしたり、54年には梅雨の期間が58日間だったり、1897年と1965年には梅雨期間が２日間のみの〝空梅〟だったりする例があるそうです。上海もコロナ禍のもと、政府の「ゼロコロナ政策」で大変な思いをしたそうで、今はその反動で、上海中どこも人が溢れかえっているといいます。今はまだひところの様に来日中国人観光客は多くありませんが、日本に行きたくてウズウズしている人達がたくさんいるそうです。この夏休みあたりから、中国人はもちろん、世界中から多くの観光客がやって来そうですね。嬉しいことです。和の国、日本を知ってもらえば、世界はきっと平和になります。

The elegant swimming of colorful koi fish in the pond, as if passing through water lilies blooming in a highly transparent spring, resembles Monet’s famous work ‘Water Lilies.’ The unnamed pond at Nemichi Shrine in Itatori, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture has come to be called ‘Monet’s Pond’ by people over time. In 1999, the pond was overgrown with weeds, but Mr. Satomaro Kobayashi, the owner of Flower Park Itatori, a nearby flower seedling production and sales company, cleared the weeds and planted water lilies and kouhone. Local residents then brought koi fish that they could no longer keep at home and set free them to the pond. Originally, the pond was created by the spring water from the nearby Itatori River, and it quickly transformed into ‘Monet’s Pond.’ Before long, the information spread rapidly through newspapers, TV shows, and even national broadcasts on NHK, and it became a major tourist attraction with 3.36 million visitors in 2016, seven years later.

透明度の高い湧水に咲く睡蓮をくぐる様に、池の中を優雅に錦鯉が泳ぐ姿はまるでモネの代表作「睡蓮」のよう。岐阜県関市板取の根道神社の名もなき池はいつの間にか人が「モネの池」と呼ぶ様になりました。1999年、池は雑草が生い茂っていましたが、近くで花苗の生産販売をする「フラワーパーク板取」の経営者、小林佐富朗氏が除草を行い、スイレンやコウホネを植えました。そこに地元住民が自宅で飼えなくなって錦鯉持ち込みました。元々、近くを流れる板取川の湧水でできた池でしたので、瞬く間に「モネの池」に変身したのです。いつしか新聞や情報番組、さらにはNHKテレビの全国放送にも取り上げれるにおよんで情報が一気に拡散、７年後の2016年には336万人もの観光客が訪れる一大観光スポットになったのです。

I encountered a rare flower. Its name is Jaco Aoi. It is a perennial herb native to the central and southern parts of Europe and is said to have been introduced to Japan for ornamental purposes during the Meiji era, so it has been quite some time since it arrived in Japan. As it is a plant that prefers cold regions, it may not be commonly seen in the Kansai region. The Japanese name of musk mallow is said to be because it has a slightly musky smell. Its English name is “musk mallow,” with “musk” referring to “Jaco” and “mallow” referring to “Aoi,” making “Jaco Aoi” a suitable translation. The petals of the flower range from white to pink, and the diameter of the flower is about 5 cm, resembling the flowers of hollyhocks. It is said to have been used as an herb in Europe since ancient times. Both the flowers, leaves, and roots are said to have medicinal properties and are also used in salads. While Japan’s tachiaoi (hollyhock) is dignified and impressive, the gentle appearance of Jaco Aoi’s flowers is also beautiful.

珍しい花に出会いました。その名をジャコウアオイと言います。ヨーロッパ中南部原産の多年草であり、日本には明治時代に観賞用に導入された言いますから、日本に来てからもう随分になるわけです。寒冷地を好む植物ですから、関西ではあまりお目に掛からないのかもしれません。ジャコウアオイの和名はわずかに麝香臭があるからとのこと。英名はmusk mallowですから、 muskはジャコウ、mallowはアオイで、まさにジャコウアオイがその訳になるわけです。花弁の色は白色から桃色、花の直径は5cmほどで、アオイ(タチアオイ)の花とそっくりです。ヨーロッパでは昔からハーブとして利用されているそうです。花も葉も根も薬用になるそうで、サラダにも使われるそうです。日本の立葵も凛々しくていいですが、ジャコウアオイの優しそうな花姿もいいですね。

Plumeria has become well-known in Japan, but in its native regions of Mexico to Panama in Central and South America, it is a considerably large tree that can grow to a height of 7 to 8 meters. It has glossy, deep green leaves and its fleshy flowers come in pink, yellow, white, and red colors, emitting a strong fragrance. In Hawaii, it is a familiar flower used in leis and has become one of the representative flowers along with hibiscus. It is also favored for leis in Pacific islands such as Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, and New Zealand. Plumeria flowers are often worn in women’s hair, with unmarried women adorning them on the right side and married women on the left. Speaking of which, in the famous painting ‘Woman of Tahiti’ by Gauguin, the depicted woman also wears a plumeria flower around her right ear. Furthermore, plumeria is the national flower of Laos, and in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, it is used to adorn graves. plumeria is widely used as a flower in tropical regions surrounding the equator.

プルメリアは日本でもすっかりお馴染みになりましたが、原産地のメキシコからパナマあたりの中南米では背丈は7〜8mほどに成長する結構大きな木です。深緑色をしたツヤのある葉っぱに、ピンク、黄、白、赤色をした肉厚な花は強い香りを放つことが特徴です。ハワイではレイに使われることでおなじみの花で、ハイビスカスとともに、ハワイを代表する花の一つとなっています。ハワイだけでなく、タヒチ、フィジー、サモア、ニュージーランドなどの太平洋の島々でもレイに好んで使われます。プルメリアの花は女性の髪にも飾られ、未婚者は頭の右に、既婚者は左に飾ります。そういえば、ゴーギャンの有名な絵『タヒチの女』に描かれた女性も右耳の辺りにプルメリアを飾っていますね。そのほか、プルメリアはラオスでは国花になっていたり、フィリピン、インドネシア、マレーシアでは墓地に飾る花として使われたり、赤道を囲む熱帯地方では広く使われる花です。

I received news from the Northern Alps. Compared to previous years, it seems that there is considerably less remaining snow. In July, the mountains will open all at once. Mount Fuji will open on July 1st on the Yamanashi Prefecture side and on July 10th on the Shizuoka Prefecture side. This year, with the end of the pandemic, it is expected that a large number of mountaineers will flock to the mountains. What worries me is that the number of accidents is likely to increase in proportion to the increase in climbers. Even last year, the number of accidents was about the same as before the pandemic, so I’m even more concerned this year. Looking at these photos, I realize that I can’t speak arrogantly. When I think back now, I deeply feel that I engaged in quite reckless mountaineering. Although I wasn’t with them, two of my mountain companions have also passed away. When I recall the traverse from Yarigatake to Okuhotakadake while watching it on YouTube, my legs still tremble. However, I also feel that something like confidence, gained from such experiences, has become a support for my mind thereafter.

北アルプスからの便りが届きました。例年から比べるとかなり残雪も少ない様です。7月に入ると一斉に山開きです。富士山は山梨県側が７月１日、静岡県側が７月10日です。今年はコロナ明けもあって大勢の登山客が押し寄せることが予想されます。心配なのはそれに比例して遭難者が増えることです。昨年でも遭難者数がコロナ前と同数くらいだったそうですから、今年はなおさら心配です。こうして写真を見ていると、自分も決して偉そうなことは言えない。今から思うと結構無謀な登山をしたものだとつくづく思います。一緒したわけではありませんが、山仲間二人も亡くなっています。槍ヶ岳から奥穂高岳を縦走したことを、Youtubeなどで見ながら思い出すと、今でも足が震えます。しかし、そうしたことから得られた自信の様なものが、その後の自分の心の支えになった様な気もします。

There are two types of sentences: prose and verse. Verse, also known as poetry, is a form of writing that has a specific rhythm and follows certain rules. In terms of content, it can be divided into epic poetry, scenic poetry, and lyrical poetry. Epic poetry generally represents the heroic figures, myths, and history of a particular ethnic group in poetic form. While there are many famous epic poems with a long historical background worldwide, it is said that Japan does not have one. Scenic poetry depicts natural landscapes and other subjects as they are, while lyrical poetry contains the author’s emotions, thoughts, and messages. Today’s haiku is a form of scenic poetry, and if it evokes an image in the reader’s mind through the poetic text alone, it can be considered successful. However, recently a new genre called “Shahai” has emerged, which combines haiku with photographs. Since the photograph directly appeals to the reader as a visual image, the power to convey through words alone and the ability to imagine through words alone inevitably become weaker. It’s like the difference between Buson’s haiku accompanied by a nanga painting and Basho’s haiku.

文には散文と韻文があります。韻文とは詩とも呼ばれる、一定のリズムを持ち、一定の規則に則って書き表された文です。内容的には、叙事詩、叙景詩、叙情詩に分けられます。叙事詩は、一般的には民族の英雄や神話、民族の歴史を詩型で表したものです。世界には歴史的にも古く、有名な叙事詩が沢山ありますが、日本には存在しないと言われています。叙景詩は自然の風景などをありのままに描写した詩、叙情詩は作者の心情や思い・メッセージなどが込められた詩とされます。今日の句は叙景詩で、読者に詩文だけでイメージが湧けば一応パスですが、どうでしょう。最近はこうした、俳句に写真を添えた『写俳』が新しいジャンルとして加わりましたが、写真が直截イメージとして読者に訴える為、言葉だけで訴える力、言葉だけでイメージする力がどうしても弱くなります。南画を添えた蕪村の俳句と芭蕉の俳句の違いみたいなものですね。

On a fine day during the rainy season, it might be the most peaceful day of the year. Although we occasionally have scorching hot summer days, most days are just warm. Today, the forecast predicts a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, but despite the humidity being 72%, it doesn’t feel too muggy and I’m in a refreshing mood. I don’t feel like going out far because I want to avoid getting caught in the rain, so I spend a lot of time at home. When I met a neighbor, he told me he bought food for his killifish. When I asked if he kept killifish, he said there were killifish in the drain in front of his house. He had bought food for those killifish. It was surprising to hear that, despite his appearance – though I might get scolded for saying that – he showed such a kind gesture and the fact that there were killifish in the drain amazed me. There is a large water lily pot in front of their house, and small buds of water lilies are peeking out. Underneath the water lily leaves, a few goldfish are leisurely swimming. It seems there are also killifish, but they might be going to school.

梅雨の晴れ間の日は、一年中で一番のどかな日かもしれません。真夏日はたまにありますが夏日が多く、それ以下の日もあります。今日も最高気温は30度の予報ですが、湿度72%の割には蒸し暑くもなく、爽やかな気分です。雨に降られてはとの思いから、遠くへ出かける気もなく、家で過ごす日が多いからでしょう。近所のご主人に会ったら、メダカの餌を買ってきたと言います。メダカを飼っているのかと聞くと、飼っているのではなく、家の前の下水溝にメダカがいると言う。そのメダカの餌を買って来たんだと。顔に似合わず－と言ったら叱られるかな－優しい心遣いと、下水溝にメダカがいると言うのに驚きました。そのお家の前には大きな睡蓮鉢があって、睡蓮の小さな蕾が覗いています。睡蓮の葉っぱの下には金魚が何匹かゆったり泳いでいます。メダカもいるそうですが、学校に行っているのかもしれません。