It is not called “yagurumasou,” but officially it is called “yagurumagiku.” Until recently, yagurumagiku was also referred to as “yagurumasou,” and in haiku poetry, the flower that is sung as “yagurumasou” is mostly yagurumagiku. It is said that it came to be called “yagurumagiku” because the flower resembles the yaguruma (windmill) attached to the top of a carp-shaped streamer. The names got confused because there was another flower called yagurumasou. Yagurumagiku is a flower native to Europe and belongs to the Asteraceae family. In spring, it blooms with blue, white, and pink-colored flowers. Among them, the blue-purple yagurumagiku is so beautiful that it evokes the image of the finest sapphire and is often referred to as “sahi” (the blue of the yagurumagiku flower) when describing its color. Yagurumagiku became even more famous because it was placed on the coffin of the tragic young Pharaoh Tutankhamun. It is also found in the Western tableware that Marie Antoinette, who vanished with the guillotine during the French Revolution, loved, where it is scattered as a pattern called “kobanachirashi” (scattered small flowers).

矢車草ではなく、正式には矢車菊です。最近まで矢車菊も矢車草と呼ばれていて、俳句で矢車草と歌った花は大概矢車菊です。花が鯉のぼりの柱の先につける矢車に似ていることから 「矢車菊」と呼ばれるようになったそうです。別に矢車草と言う花があったので呼び名も混同されたのでしょう。矢車菊はヨーロッパ原産の花で、キク科の一年草。春になると青や白、ピンク色の花を咲かせます。中でも青紫色の矢車菊はその美しさから、最高級のサファイアを連想させ、色味を「さひ」（ヤグルマギクの花の青）として引き合いに出されるほどです。悲劇の少年王ツタンカーメンの棺に飾られていた事で矢車菊はいっそう有名になりました。フランス革命で断頭の露と消えたマリー・アントワネットが愛好した洋食器にも『小花散らし』模様として矢車菊が散りばめられています。

I received some water eggplants cultivated on the open-field. Water eggplants have thin skin and soft flesh, so they are easily consumed by simply tearing them apart with your hands after removing the stem. True to their name, they are rich in moisture, and when squeezed tightly, water drips out. They have a refreshing juiciness with a hint of sweetness. Water eggplants have been cultivated in the Senshu region since the early Edo period. However, due to their thin skin and unsuitability for transportation, as well as the browning of the skin when pickled, they were mainly consumed locally for a long time. Subsequently, through selective breeding, a variety with vibrant skin color emerged, and since the opening of Kansai International Airport in 1994, it has gained nationwide attention as a specialty product of Osaka.

 露路物の水茄子を頂きました。水茄子は皮が薄く果肉が柔らかいので、ヘタを切り落としたら手で裂くだけで簡単に食べられます。その名の通り、ぎゅっと絞ると水がしたたり落ちるほど水分が多く、ほんのりと甘味のあるみずみずしさが特徴です。泉州地域では江戸時代初期から水なすが栽培されてきましたが、皮が薄く輸送に向かず、また漬物にすると皮の色が茶色くくすむため、長らく地元を中心に消費されてきました。その後、品種改良が進み、皮の色が鮮やかな品種が登場したことから、1994年の関西国際空港の開港をきっかけに大阪の特産品として全国的に注目を集めるようになりました。

Nagano Prefecture’s Azumino is just around the time of rice planting. After finishing the plowing, the peaks of the majestic Northern Alps in a silvery sheen are reflected like a mirror on the newly flooded paddy fields covered . There are still cherry blossoms remaining here and there along the path, and you can also see famous trees like the so-and-so cherry tree. I have also hiked along the mountain ridges. How many times have I climbed Mt. Shirouma? I am driven by the urge to follow that ridge. In the summer, I used to come to this student village around Azumino, studying while helping with the hop harvest for beer, crossing over a mountain to go swimming in the lake, and as I recall, the memories are endless one after another. Well then, another hot summer is coming this year. I have to do my best!

長野県安曇野はちょうど田植えの頃です。田起こしを終え、水を張ったばかりの水田には白銀に覆われた後ろ立山の峰々が鏡の様に映っています。道筋のあちらこちらにはまだ桜が残り、何々桜と言った様な名木も見られます。縦走した事もありました。白馬岳には幾度登ったことか。あの稜線を辿ってみたい、そんな衝動にも駆られます。夏には、ここ安曇野辺りの学生村に来て勉学の傍ら、ビールのホップの取り入れを手伝ったり、一山越えて湖に泳ぎに行ったりと、思い起こせば、次から次へと思い出が尽きません。さあーてと、また今年も暑い夏がやってくるぞ。頑張らなくっちゃ！

As the rose is called the queen of flowers, it has a long history of interaction with humans and there are now said to be as many as 40,000 varieties. In Japan, there are also native species such as the Noibara and Hamanasu, which are mentioned in the Manyoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), but most of the roses seen in rose gardens and elsewhere are Western roses that were introduced after the Edo period. Roses can be classified into two types: once-blooming and repeat-blooming. Once-blooming roses are varieties that bloom from late April to late May every year and reach their peak in May and June. They only bloom in spring. On the other hand, repeat-blooming roses are varieties that can be enjoyed from mid-June to November, throughout spring, summer, and autumn. Since summers can be hot, they are not often seen during that season, but autumn roses, although not as showy as spring roses, have their own charm that suits the season.
In recent news, the blue rose, which has been a dream for rose enthusiasts around the world for a long time, has been created by Suntory in Japan and named “Suntory Blue Rose Applause.” The original species of roses with the blue pigment called “delphinidin,” which is found in many naturally occurring blue flowers, does not exist in roses. Therefore, it was not possible to create a blue rose. However, Suntory successfully discovered and developed a unique blue pigment called “Rose Cyanin” from these roses. The blue rose was introduced to the market in 2009, and “dreams come true” became the flower language of this blue rose.

バラは花の女王と言われる様に、人間との関わりも古く、種類も今では４万種と言われるほど数多くあります。日本にもノバラ、ハマナスといった原種が存在し、万葉集にも登場しますが、バラ園などで見かけるバラはほとんどが江戸時代以降に持ち込まれた西洋バラです。バラには一季咲きと四季咲きがあり、一季咲きのバラとは、毎年４月末～５月末に咲き始めて５〜６月に見頃を迎える、春にしか咲かない品種です。対して四季咲きのバラは、６月中旬から11月にかけて、春・夏・秋と楽しむことができる種類です。夏はさすがに暑さも厳しいのであまり見かけませんが、秋バラは、春バラの様に華やかさはありませんが、季節にあった趣があります。
最近の話題では、古くから世界中のバラを愛する人々の夢であった青いバラが、日本のサントリーによる作り出され、「サントリー ブルーローズ アプローズ」と名付けられました。バラには、自然界に存在する青い花の多くが持つ「デルフィニジン」と呼ばれる青色色素を持つ原種のバラは存在しないため、青いバラを造り出すことができなかったのです。そのバラから独自の青色の色素「ロザシニアン」を発見して開発に成功したのです。2009年に販売が開始され、「夢かなう」がこの青いバラの花言葉になりました。

Italy during World War II. Giovanna (Sophia Loren) eagerly awaits the return of her husband Antonio (Marcello Mastroianni), who was sent to the Russian front. However, her husband does not return, and she doesn’t even receive news of his death. Overwhelmed by her emotions, Giovanna decides to travel to Russia. It was about 50 years ago when I watched the masterpiece love romance film ‘Sunflower,’ which portrays a tragic love torn apart by the war. As the poignant melody composed by Henry Mancini plays, I see the image of Giovanna, pushing through a field of sunflowers, searching for her husband. This scene now resonates with present-day Ukraine. Sunflowers are not only the national flower of Ukraine but also a symbol of resistance. It is said that the symbol gained attention after a Ukrainian woman scolded Russian soldiers, saying, ‘Carry sunflower seeds in your pockets so that flowers will bloom even if you die in battle.’ In fact, until 2022, Ukraine was the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil, accounting for 47% of the world’s production.

第二次大戦期のイタリア。ジョヴァンナ(ソフィア・ローレン)はロシア戦線に送られた夫アントニオ(マルチェロ・マストロヤンニ)の帰りを待ちわびる。だが、夫は帰らず、戦死の知らせすら届かない。思い余ったジョヴァンナはロシアへと向かう。 戦火に引き裂かれた悲恋を描くラブ・ロマンスの名画『ひまわり』を見たのは、今から５０年ほど前になります。ヘンリー・マンシーニによる哀切なメロディが流れる中、一面に広がるひまわり畑をかき分けながら夫を探し求めるジョヴァンナの姿が、今のウクライナに重なります。ひまわりはウクライナの国花であると同時に抵抗のシンボルでもあります。あるウクライナ人女性がロシア兵に｢戦死しても花が咲くように、ポケットにヒマワリの種を入れなさい｣と叱責する映像が広く共有されてから、抵抗のシンボルとして注目されるようになったそうです。実際、ウクライナは２０２２年まではひまわり油の世界で１番の輸出国で、世界の４７%を占めていたそうです。

Okinawa and Amami entered the rainy season on Thursday, the 18th. It seems to be about a week later than usual, and about two weeks later compared to last year. I don’t understand the reasoning behind Okinawa and Amami’s rainy season starting later than usual, even though the seasonal cycle is getting earlier and earlier. However, I’ve heard that the rainy season on the mainland usually begins around mid-June, so it’s still about a month earlier. The rainy season on the mainland is also said to be one week later than usual, which means that the rainy season is delayed by a week nationwide. It’s certainly abnormal. Speaking of the rainy season, what about hydrangeas? Roses are in full bloom, but it seems that the flowers that adorned spring and early summer are gradually fading. The seasonal cycle has completely changed, and I suppose the cycle of flowers will also change accordingly.

沖縄、奄美は18日(木)に梅雨に入りました。これでも例年に比べて１週間くらい遅いそうで、昨年に比べたら２週間くらい遅いそうです。季節の巡りがどんどん早まっているのに沖縄や奄美の梅雨の入りが例年に比べて遅い理屈が分かりませんが、本土の梅雨入りが６月中旬頃らしいですから、やはり１カ月は早い訳ですね。本土の梅雨入りも例年より１週間遅いそうですから、全国的に１週間梅雨入りが遅いわけです。やはり異常ですね。梅雨と言えば紫陽花ですが、紫陽花の花の具合はどうなんでしょう。バラは盛りを迎えていますが、春から初夏を飾った花はぼつぼつ盛りを過ぎを過ぎた様です。季節のサイクルがすっかり変わって来ましたが、花のサイクルもそれに合わせて変わるんでしょうね。

It has been the recent weather pattern where it is sunny at the beginning of the week and rainy on the weekends. There have been many areas with summer days, hot summer days, and some regions experiencing their first intense heat day in May on sunny days. On TV, news about people being taken to hospitals due to heatstroke is reported from various parts of the country. With this situation, I can’t help but wonder what this summer will be like. On television, another major focus is the G7 Hiroshima Summit. It is a meaningful event where the leaders of the G7 gather at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and visit the Atomic Bomb Dome. It will serve as a certain restraint against the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, and I hope that will be the case.

週の初めには晴れて、週末には雨というこのところのお天気です。晴れの日は多くの地域で夏日や真夏日、五月に初めて猛暑日になった地域もありました。テレビでは、全国のあちらこちらで熱中症で病院に運ばれる人のニュースが報じられています。この分では、今年の夏はどうなるんだろうと思ってしまいます。テレビではもう一つ、G７広島サミットが大きく報じられています。G７の首脳達が揃って広島平和記念公園に集い、原爆資料館を訪ねることはとても有意義な事だし、ロシアの核兵器使用にも一定の歯止めにはなるでしょうし、なる事を期待します。

83 years ago, in May 1937, Picasso received a commission from the Spanish government to create a mural for the Spanish Pavilion at the International Exposition held in Paris. At that time, Spain was embroiled in a civil war with General Franco, who aspired to establish a fascist regime and had garnered support from Germany and Italy. On April 26, 1937, the German air force indiscriminately bombed the small town of Guernica in the Basque region to assist Franco’s rebel forces, resulting in the deaths of numerous civilians and the devastation of the town. This bombing, targeting civilians and contradicting the notion that war is fought between armies, was an unprecedented tragedy. In response to this event, Picasso decided to create a painting depicting the incident, which eventually became ‘Guernica.’ Currently, in Ukraine, there is an ongoing indiscriminate massacre orchestrated by the fascist Putin. In the face of wars caused by distorted historical perspectives, ‘Guernica’ portrays the suffering of people engulfed in violence and chaos, making it one of the most powerful anti-war works of art that needs to be revisited in the history of art.

今から83年前の1937年5月、パリで開催された万国博覧会のスペイン館に飾るために、ピカソはスペイン政府から壁画制作の依頼を受けていました。当時、スペインではファシズム政権を目指すフランコが、ドイツとイタリアの支持を得て内乱を起こしていました。1937年4月26日、ドイツ空軍はフランコの反乱軍を支援するために、バスク地方の小さな街ゲルニカを無差別爆撃して一般市民を多数殺害し、町を壊滅状態に陥れました。戦争は軍と軍との間で行うものという通年を覆す一般市民への空爆は、史上初の惨事でした。この事件を受け、ピカソは一転してこの事件をテーマに絵を描くことにし、完成したのが『ゲルニカ』です。今ウクライナでは、ファシスト・プーチンによる無差別大虐殺が繰り広げられています。歪んだ歴史観によって引き起こされた戦争によって、暴力や混沌に巻き込まれて苦しむ人々の姿を描いたゲルニカは、今こそ見直さなければならない、美術史において最も力強い反戦絵画芸術の１つです。

From its name, it’s already an unusual tree, and its flowers are also unique. The flowers bloom around May, and each individual flower is a slender, four-petaled, pure white blossom. However, as you can see in the photo, when they bloom in clusters, they resemble the shide paper streamers used in Shinto rituals. It’s commonly known as “Nanjamonja,” but its official name is “Hitotsubatago.” Both names, “Nanjamonja” and “Hitotsubatago,” are quite unusual. The name “Hitotsubatago” comes from the fact that the shape of the tree resembles a Tago (Toneriko), but unlike the compound leaves of Tago, it has single leaves. So it was named after the single leaf of Tago. On the other hand, the alternate name “Nanjamonja” is like saying in the Kansai dialect, “Nanchu monja? (What kind of thing is this?)” It’s believed that it came to be called that because it was seen as a strange tree with an unknown name. The “Nanjamonja” is a deciduous broadleaf tree of the family Magnoliaceae and is an endangered species that only grows in limited areas such as Inuyama City in Aichi Prefecture, the Tsushima Islands, and the border between Gifu and Nagano Prefectures. However, there is a famous “Nanjamonja” in the Meiji Shrine Outer Gardens. The current one is the third generation, but the first generation, said to be over a hundred years old, was designated as a natural monument in the Taisho era. The “Nanjamonja” in the photo was taken near Matsue Castle in Shimane Prefecture, and recently, it can be seen as street trees here and there.”

名前からして変な木ですが、花も変わっています。５月前後に咲く花ですが、一つ一つの花は真っ白で細長い４弁の普通の花です。しかし、写真で見ての通り、群れて咲くと、まるで神主さんがお祓いで使う御幣のようです。俗に「ナンジャモンジャ」といいますが、正式名は「ヒトツバタゴ」。「ナンジャモンジャ」という名前も変ですが、「ヒトツバタゴ」も変わった名前です。「ヒトツバタゴ」の名前は 、木の形状がタゴ(トネリコ)の木に似ていて、タゴの複葉 に 対 し て 単 葉 で あ る こ と か ら、 一 つの 葉 の タ ゴの 意 味 で 名 付 け られ た と 言 わ れ て います。また、別名「ナンジャモンジャ」は、関西弁でいうならば、この木は「何ちゅう物（もん）じゃ」というところでしょうか。名前のわからない変な木だなというところから、そう呼ぶようになったのでしょう。「ナンジャモンジャ」はモクセイ科の落葉広葉樹で、日本では愛知県犬山市、対馬列島、岐阜と長野の県境など極限られた地域にしか自生しない絶滅危惧種です。とは言っても、明治神宮外苑には有名な「ナンジャモンジャ」があり、今は三代目ですが、樹齢百数十年とされた初代は大正時代に天然記念物の指定を受けたものがありました。写真の「ナンジャモンジャ」も島根県の松江城近くで撮ったもので、最近は、街路樹としてあちらこちらで見受けます。

Cynorkis is a species of terrestrial orchid native to Madagascar. Its Japanese name is “Otomechidori.” Among orchid enthusiasts, Cynorkis is a very popular orchid. There are about 120 different varieties, distinguished by names such as Cynorkis guttata and Cynorkis gibbosa. Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, with an area about 1.6 times that of Japan. The island of Madagascar was separated from other continents over 88 million years ago, resulting in a long period of isolation with limited exchange of species with other continents. As a result, each species that makes up the island’s ecosystem underwent unique evolution. Even in the 21st century, it is said that over 90% of the wildlife species, both flora and fauna, are “endemic species” that can only be found here in the world. However, this unique ecosystem has been rapidly disappearing since the 20th century due to rapid population growth and unregulated development, leading to severe crisis even in the present day.

シノルキスはマダガスカル原産の地生ランの仲間です。和名は乙女千鳥。蘭愛好家の間ではとても人気のあるランです。120種ほどの品種があって、「シノルキス・グッタータ」とか「シノルキス・ギボーサ」の様に「シノルキス」を名に冠して区別している様です。マダガスカル島は世界で4番目に大きな島であり、日本の1.6倍の面積をもつ島です。マダガスカル島は、8800万年以上前に他の大陸と切り離され、他の大陸と生物種の往来が少ない孤立した状態が長く保たれたため、島内の生態系を構成する各生物種が独特の進化を遂げました。21世紀現在でも、野生生物種の90パーセント以上の動植物が、世界のここにしか生息していない「固有種」であると言われています。しかし、この様なユニークな生態系が特に20世紀に入って以降、急速な人口増加と無秩序な開発に伴う環境破壊によって失われ始め、21世紀現在も深刻な危機に直面しています。