The flower language of the Shiran (Spiranthes sinensis) includes three meanings: “I will not forget you”, “Unchanging Love”, and “Beautiful Appearance”. The image of a person in love with the Shiran may come to mind when seeing it blooming, slightly bowed, amidst its strong and large leaves. The Shiran is a member of the Orchidaceae family and grows in Kanto, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, and China. It is said to have been introduced to Japan during the Nara period. Like other imported plants, it was initially introduced as a medicinal herb, but eventually it was grown as an ornamental plant and some of them became naturalized. Although it is now commonly seen in horticulture due to its ease of cultivation, wild Shiran is rare, and it is a valuable plant that is designated as a quasi-endangered species. The underground stem is called “Haku-kyu-kon” and is used as a traditional Chinese medicine for digestive health and hemostasis, and as an adhesive to attach the silver parts of Shippou-yaki pottery.

シランの花言葉は「あなたを忘れない」「変わらぬ愛」「美しい姿」の3つがあります。しっかりした大きな葉の間に、うつむき加減に咲くシランに恋する人を思い浮かべるのかもしれません。シランは、日本の関東から沖縄、台湾、中国に自生するラン科の植物で、奈良時代に日本に伝えられたと言われています。他の伝来植物と同じ様に、最初は薬草として伝えられましたが、やがて観賞用として育てられ、その一部が野生化したものと思われます。育てやすいランであることから、今では園芸で見かける機会は多くありますが、野生のものはほとんどありません。そのため準絶滅危惧種に指定されている貴重な植物です。地下茎は「白及根」と呼ばれ、健胃や止血の生薬として漢方薬として使われる他、七宝焼きの土台に銀の部分を貼り付ける接着剤としても使われます。

Now that Golden Week has ended, it’s time to get down to work and studies in earnest. The weather has been alternating between sunny and cloudy as we transition into a new season, but it looks like we’ll have a stretch of clear May weather starting this week. In the rice paddies where the planting is finished, the frogs have begun their chorus, and the irises along the rice paddies are in full bloom, creating picturesque scenes for taking a break. On the other hand, in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, there have been continuous earthquakes, leaving no time to enjoy the sunny weather. My heartfelt condolences go out to them. Since the beginning of the year, we have gradually seen an easing of the pandemic, and it has passed without any major incidents, but we don’t know what will happen in the future. This is a country where earthquakes, floods, and typhoons occur. It is important to prepare for any disaster that may occur, anticipating what might happen and being prepared for that day.

ゴールデンウィークも終え、仕事に勉学にいよいよ本格始動です。季節の変わり目で晴れたり曇ったりのお天気が続いていますが、今週辺りから五月晴れの日が続きそうです。田植えを終えた田んぼでもカエルの大合唱が始まり、畔の杜若が咲き揃い、一服の絵になる光景が広がっています。一方、石川県の能登では地震の連続で、五月晴れを楽しんでいる暇もない事でしょう。心からお見舞いの言葉を送ります。年明けからは、コロナ禍も徐々に収まる傾向にあり、おおむね大禍なく過ぎてきましたが、この先どんな事が起こるか分かりません。地震あり、水害あり、台風ありの国です。またどんな災害が起こるか、起こると考えてその日に備える準備はしておきたいものです。

That being said, this took place inside the greenhouse of the “Sakuyakonohana-kan” that was built on the site of the Osaka Expo. “Ippe” is the name used in Okinawa, while in its native Brazil and Colombia it is called “Ipe.” Its Japanese name is “Koganenousen.” It grows to a height of over 5 meters and can become a large tree that exceeds 10 meters in height. Its bright yellow flowers bloom from spring to early summer on these large trees, and it is loved in Brazil as the national flower, much like cherry blossoms in Japan. The Jacaranda tree from Australia, the Spathodea (flame tree) from West Africa, and the Spathodea (Chinese phoenix tree) from Madagascar are called the three great flowering trees of the world, but the Ipe is sometimes included to make it the four great flowering trees of the world. It can be found throughout Okinawa in Japan, but only in warm regions such as Kyushu and Izu. By the way, it is called “Golden Tree” or “Sunshine Tree” in English.

と言っても、大阪花博の跡にできた「咲くやこの花館」の温室内でのこと。イッペーと言うのは沖縄県での呼び名で、原産地のブラジルやコロンビアでは「イペー」と呼んでいます。和名は「コガネノウゼン」です。樹高は５m以上になり、高くなれば10mを超える大木にもなります。その大木に春から初夏にかけて明るい黄色の花が満開になり、ブラジルでは国花として日本における桜のように親しまれています。オーストラリアのジャカランダ（紫雲木）、西アフリカのスパトデア(火焔木) 、マダガスカルのホウオウボク（鳳凰木）を世界三大花木と呼びますが、このイペーを加えて世界四大花木と呼ばれることがあります。日本では、沖縄では至る所にみられますが、九州や伊豆などの暖かい地域にしか見られません。ちなみに英名では「ゴールデンツリー」とか「サンシャインツリー」と呼ばれています。

I peeked over to a corner of the park where people were gathered, and saw a street performer manipulating a marionette to the rhythm of the Awa Dance. The small children were also dancing along to the beat, and everyone around them couldn’t help but smile. It was a peaceful moment towards the end of Golden Week. Marionettes are one of the puppets commonly used in puppet shows. They are also known as string puppets in Japan. One famous story featuring marionettes is Pinocchio, which remains popular to this day. Italian-made Pinocchio marionettes, which can cost tens of thousands of yen, are sold on the internet. In Japan, the Yuki-za theater company has been carrying on the tradition of traditional string puppetry for about 370 years since the Edo period and has been designated as a “Selected National Intangible Folk Cultural Property” and an “Intangible Cultural Property of Tokyo.

公園の一角に人が群がっているので覗くと、大道芸人が阿波踊りのリズムに合わせてマリオネットを操っています。小さな子どもがまたそれに合わせて踊っています。周りの皆んなからも思わず微笑みがこぼれます。ゴールデンウィークも終盤の長閑なひと時でした。マリオネットは人形劇でよく使われる操り人形の一つです。日本では糸繰り人形とも言います。マリオネットを扱った有名な話として『ピノキオ』が上げられますが、今でも根強い人気があり、ネットでは何万円もする様な、本場イタリア製のピノキオのマリオネットが売られています。日本でも、江戸時代から約370年も続く、伝統的な糸操り人形を継承する結城座があり、『国記録選択無形民俗文化財』、 『東京都の無形文化財』に指定されています。

Today is Children’s Day, a day to “respect children’s personalities, promote their happiness, and express gratitude to mothers.” Originally, May 5th was the day of the Tango no Sekku (Boys’ Festival), a day to celebrate the healthy growth and happiness of boys. In 1948, shortly after the end of World War II, the Tango no Sekku was renamed Children’s Day to celebrate all children. Furthermore, it was also intended to express gratitude to mothers, and to promote gender equality and the advancement of women’s status.
Now, 75 years later, the problem of declining birthrates in Japan has become more serious, and the issue of women’s status remains unresolved. In 2022, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that the number of births had fallen below 800,000 for the first time since 1899, with a decrease of 5.1% compared to the previous year. Annual births in Japan peaked at around 2.7 million in 1949 during the first baby boom, but have since followed a gradual downward trend with some fluctuations.
The causes of declining birthrates are often attributed to “increased rates of unmarried individuals,” “delayed marriage,” and “lower birthrates among married couples.” In short, the key to solving these problems is to create a society where all women can feel secure in giving birth, regardless of their circumstances.

今日は「こどもの日」。「こどもの人格を重んじ、こどもの幸福をはかるとともに、母に感謝する」日です。元々５月５日は「端午の節句」で、男の子の健やかな成長や幸せを祈ってお祝いをする日でした。その「端午の節句」が、戦後間もなくの1948年に「こどもの日」になり、子どもたちみんなをお祝いする日になりました。さらに子どものお祝いだけではなく、「お母さんに感謝する」という意味も込められました。男女平等と女性の地位向上が謳われた訳です。それから75年経った今、子供の少子化問題は深刻化し、女性の地位向上問題は未だにさけばれています。2022年には、生まれた赤ちゃんの数（出生数）が前年比5.1％減の79万9728人で、1899年の統計開始以来初めて80万人を下回ったことが厚生労働省の人口動態統計（速報値）で分かりました。我が国の年間の出生数は、第１次ベビー ブーム期の1949年がピークで約270万人でしたが、それ以来、多少の増加と減少を繰り返し ながら、緩やかな減少傾向を辿ってきました。少子化の原因として、「未婚化の進展」、「晩婚化の進展」及び「夫婦の出生力の低下」などがよく挙げられますが、一言で言えば、どんな境遇の女性でも安心して子供を産める社会を実現することです。

I went to a nearby Shakuyaku garden. It is open from April 28th to May 19th this year. It was a bit chilly in the beginning, but fortunately, now is the best time to see the flowers. Shakuyaku is mostly single-flowered, with especially large and developed stamens that adorn the center of the flower, giving it an overall neat appearance. Shakuyaku, which blooms later than Botan known as “Kaou (King of flowers)”, are called the “Kashou (Prime minister of flowers)” because of their beauty. Both flowers look very similar and are difficult to tell apart, but Botan blooms in late spring, while Shakuyaku blooms in early summer. Botan leaves have incisions, while Shakuyaku leaves do not. Shakuyaku grows naturally in northern China, southeastern Siberia, and the Korean Peninsula, and have been cultivated in China since ancient times. They are also known as medicinal plants and have been used from flower to root, and have been enjoyed as a tea flower since the Edo period. There is a famous phrase that describes beautiful women as “standing like a Shakuyaku, sitting like a Botan, and walking like a lily.” Originally, this was a prescription for Chinese medicine that showed how to use women’s herbs, indicating that women prone to irritability should use Shakuyaku roots, women who tend to sit should use Botan root bark, and women who walk unsteadily should use lily roots. This usage is still used in Chinese medicine today.

近くの芍薬園に行きました。今年は４月28日〜５月19日までの開園です。先始めの頃は少し肌寒かったですが、それが幸いしてちょうど今が見頃です。芍薬は一重咲きが中心で、特に雄蕊が大きく発達して盛り上がり、花の中央部を飾っていて、全般にすっきりした花容です。「花王」と呼ばれる牡丹から遅れて咲く芍薬は花の宰相、「花相」と呼ばれます。どちらの花もよく似ていて見分けがつき難いですが、こうして、牡丹は晩春、芍薬は初夏というふうに、花の咲く時期に違いがあります。葉も、牡丹には切れ込みがありますが、芍薬にはありません。芍薬は中国北部、シベリア南東部、朝鮮半島などに自生し、中国では古くから栽培されていました。薬用植物としても知られ、花から根まで余すことなく使用され、江戸時代からは「茶花」として観賞用としても親しまれてきました。美女の形容として「立てば芍薬、座れば牡丹、歩く姿は百合の花」という都都逸があります。これは元々は女性の生薬の使い方を示す漢方の処方箋で、イラ立ちやすい女性は芍薬の根を、座りがちの女性は牡丹の根の皮を、フラフラ歩く女性は百合の根を用いると良いという意味を持ち、今でも漢方ではそういう使い方をしているそうです。

After the passing of the “88th Night” (Hachijuhachiya) in Japan, it is time to start preparing for rice planting. However, since Japan is long from north to south, the timing of rice planting varies. The timing depends not only on the temperature difference, but also on the variety of rice, the growth period of the rice, and the weather of the year. Generally, the earliest planting takes place in Kyushu, where planting is finished by early April. The most common timing is from mid-May to early June, after the “88th Night”. In the Tokyo area, planting is often done in early June. The photo is of the scenery in Shiga Region, Otsu City, in the north of Shiga Prefecture, where rice planting is completed by the “88th Night”. Immediately after planting, there are no singing frogs, but when the leaves start to grow, a chorus of frogs begins. It is because many creatures, both in and out of the paddy fields, and they become food for the frogs, and the rice leaves are a good hiding place for them.

八十八夜が過ぎると田植えの準備を始める頃となります。とは言っても、南北に長い日本は田植えの時期はまちまちです。寒暖の差だけでなく、米の品種や稲の生育期間、その年の気候などによっても田植えの時期は異なります。一般的に、早いのは九州地方で、４月上旬頃までには田植えを終えます。一番多いのは、八十八夜の後、５月中旬から６月上旬頃です。東京近辺では、６月上旬からという所が多い様です。写真は滋賀県大津市の北部、志賀の風景ですが、この辺りは八十八夜までには田植えを終えます。田植えを終えた直後は鳴くカエルはいませんが、しばらくして葉が伸び出すと、カエルの大合唱が始まります。水田の中にも外にも多くの生き物が集まって来て餌にもなりますし、稲の葉がいい隠れ場所になるからです。いよいよ夏も間近です。

On the 88th day after the beginning of spring, today is known as “Hachijuhachiya” in Japan. This period marks the transition from spring to summer, and the weather becomes increasingly warm and mild. It is the time to prepare the rice paddies for planting and to begin the tea-picking season. According to legend, drinking the new tea harvested on this day can prevent illness. Compared to second flush tea, new tea has superior nutritional value and an exceptional taste. It has been accumulating nutrients since the previous autumn and is picked when these nutrients are fully stored, from the end of March to the beginning of May. This makes the new tea an exquisite and condensed flavor of tea. There are roughly three types of tea: green tea, oolong tea, and black tea, all made from the same tea plant. Green tea is made by immediately processing the picked tea leaves to prevent oxidation, black tea is made by completely fermenting the tea leaves, and oolong tea is made by partially fermenting the tea leaves. In the world, black tea accounts for 80% of tea consumption, while green tea is less than 10%. However, with the popularity of Japanese culture, green tea has been spreading globally as a healthy beverage.

立春から数えて88日目、今日は八十八夜です。春から夏の変わり目で、日増しに暖かくなり、気候も温暖なこの時期は、苗代の準備をする時期ですし、茶摘みのシーズンでもあります。「八十八夜に摘んだ新茶を飲むと病気にならない」という言い伝えがある様に、新茶は二番茶に比べて栄養も優れ、おいしさも格別です。前の年の秋からずっと養分を蓄えていき、3月の終わりから5月の初めくらいに、この養分をずっと蓄えてきたところで摘むので、新茶は格別にうまさが凝縮されているお茶ということになります。お茶には、大雑把に分けて、緑茶と烏龍茶と紅茶があります。どれも同じ茶の木からできます。お茶を摘んで、酸化しないようにすぐに熱処理をしているのが「緑茶」で、完全に発酵し赤くなったものが「紅茶」、途中で発酵を止めると「烏龍茶」になります。世界的にみれば、紅茶が80%で、緑茶は10%未満ですが、その緑茶も、日本ブームに乗り、健康飲料として世界に広がりつつあります。

Finally, May has arrived. Both work and school are supposed to start a new fiscal year from April, but until Golden Week, I couldn’t quite settle down and couldn’t really focus on work or studying. After Golden Week, I finally got the feeling of “Come on!”.  I wonder how everyone is spending their time in the middle of Golden Week. Before I surrendered my driver’s license, I used to go somewhere in Japan for a week. It’s the best season, not too cold or too hot, and everything feels fresh and sprouting. Nowadays, everywhere is overflowing with people and cars, so it’s nice to spend time at home as I please. Saying that, though I really wants it, I find me pretending I don’t.

いよいよ５月になりましたね。仕事も学校も４月が年度替わりで、４月から新しい年度のスタートのはずなんですが、ゴールデンウィークまでは何となく落ち着かず、本腰を入れて仕事にも勉強にも取り組めなかったですね。ゴールデンウィークが過ぎてやっと「さあ！」という感じです。今はゴールデンウィークの真っ只中、皆さんどんな過ごし方をしているんでしょうね。運転免許証を返上する前は、一週間かけて、日本のどこかへ出掛けていましたよ。寒くもなく暑くもなく一番いい季節ですものね。何もかもが新鮮で萌え出る勢いがあります。今は昔と違って、もうどこに行っても人と車で溢れかえっていますから、こうして家で好きな様に過ごすのも乙なものです。と言って痩せ我慢しています。

Today is Botan Day on the flower calendar. Botan has long been revered as a noble flower and referred to as the “king of flowers” or the “flower of royalty.” Botan was originally brought to Japan from China during the Nara period as a medicinal plant, but there is also a theory that they were brought back by the Buddhist monk Kukai. After that, they were improved through breeding in Japan and became popular among the nobility during the late Heian period, and were eventually cultivated in temples throughout the country. During the Edo period, they spread among the general population, and most of the botan varieties we see today were improved during this time. There are many famous botan spots throughout Japan, but in Kansai, the botan at Hasedera Temple, which has a history of a thousand years, is particularly famous. Botan  is synonymous with Hasedera Temple, and the 150 varieties and 7,000 botan plants blooming throughout the temple grounds delight visitors.

今日は花カレンダーで牡丹の日です。牡丹は昔から高貴な花として重用され「百花王」とか「花王」と言われてきました。牡丹は、もともとは薬用として中国から奈良時代に渡来したとされますが、弘法大師空海が持ち帰ったという説もあります。その後日本で品種改良が加えられ、平安貴族の間にも流行し、平安時代の後期には各地の寺院でも栽培されるようになりました。江戸時代には一般庶民の間にも広がり、今の牡丹はそのほとんどがこの時に改良された品種です。日本各地に牡丹の名所は沢山ありますが、関西では、千年来の歴史がある長谷寺の牡丹が有名です。長谷寺といえば牡丹、牡丹といえば長谷寺と言われるほどです。境内の随所に150種、7000株のぼたんが咲き誇り、参拝者の目を楽しませてくれます。