♭♯♭ Seven Daffodils ♭♯♭

Amidst many daffodils blooming with their heads held low, I noticed a daffodil blooming with a straight, upward gaze. They seem to be declaring a fresh start, signaling the end of the COVID-19 pandemic this year. The Japanese narcissus, which bloomed continuously since the end of last year, has passed its peak, and now the daffodils are in full swing. Both types of narcissus are said to originate from the Mediterranean coast of Europe, but the Japanese narcissus has taken root in Japan since ancient times and has been named accordingly. In Europe, when people say “narcissus,” they usually refer to daffodils, which are also depicted in ancient Greek wall paintings. The scientific name of narcissus is Narcissus, which is famously derived from Greek mythology. The legend says that Narcissus, a young man, fell in love with his own reflection in a pool and turned into a narcissus flower, gazing at his own reflection, hence why all narcissus flowers seem to hold their heads low.

首をもたげて咲くラッパスイセンが多い中、キリリと上を向いて咲くラッパスイセンが目に止まりました。今年こそコロナ禍も終焉し、再出発を宣言しているかの様です。昨年暮から咲き続けたニホンスイセンも盛りを過ぎ、今はラッパスイセンが勢いづいています。どちらの水仙も原産地はヨーロッパの地中海沿岸の様ですが、ニホンスイセンは早くから日本に根付いた様でその名が付きました。ヨーロッパでは、水仙と言えばラッパスイセンを指す様で、古代ギリシャ時代の壁画にも描かれています。水仙の学名はNarcissus(ナルシス)ですが、これはギリシャ神話から来ていると言うのはつとに有名です。ナルシス青年が池に映る自分自身の姿を見て恋焦がれ、そのまま自分の姿を覗き込むように水仙（スイセン）の花に姿を変えたと言う言い伝えです。だからどの水仙も首をもたげているらしいです。

By the time cherry blossoms usually fall, the flowers of the Hana-Zuou tree are in bloom. They stand beside an inconspicuous shrine in the mountains, adding spring colors to the quiet shrine. The flowering period of the Hana-Zuou tree is usually around April, and it blooms abundantly with pinkish-purple flowers before the leaves come out. The appearance of the flower is favored by the Japanese, but even though it belongs to the same Hana-Zuou genus, it is famous in the West as a tree with negative legends and flower language. It is derived from the story of Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, who regretted his sin after betraying Jesus and took his own life under the Hana-Zuou tree. From such a legend, scary flower language such as “betrayal” and “unfaithfulness” was given. It’s a nuisance story for flowers, isn’t it?

いつもなら桜の花が散る頃に咲く花蘇芳(ハナズオウ)の花が咲いています。山中の目立たない御堂の脇に立っていて、静かな御堂に春の彩りを添えています。花蘇芳の開花時期は例年なら4月頃で、葉が出る前に枝いっぱいに紫がかったピンクの花をたわわに咲かせます。花の姿は日本人好みの花木ですが、同じハナズオウ属でも、西洋ではネガティブな伝説と花言葉をもつ木として有名です。イエスの弟子のユダがイエスを裏切った後に、自分の犯した罪を後悔し、ハナズオウの木の下で命を絶ったことに由来します。このような言い伝えから「裏切り」とか「不信仰」などの怖い花言葉がつけられました。花こそ迷惑な話しですね。

When it comes to flowers, it’s cherry blossoms, and when it comes to cherry blossoms, it’s the Somei Yoshino. Starting with the Kanhi-zakura in Okinawa in January, and then the Kawazu-zakura in February, the Somei Yoshino in March, and the Ooyama-zakura in Hokkaido in May, the new spring in Japan looks like the whole country is overwhelmed with cherry blossoms alone. Among them, the Somei Yoshino stands out. When it comes to the declaration of blooming or the cherry blossom front, it’s all about the Somei Yoshino. The Somei Yoshino was named after being promoted by horticulturists from Somei Village in Edo during the late Edo period, but it spread nationwide during the high economic growth period after the war. Until then, the Yama-zakura, which has been familiar to the Japanese people since ancient times, was the cherry blossom of choice. The cherry blossom previously associated with flower viewing was the Yama-zakura. The “Yoshino cherry blossom” famous for being depicted by many poets and painters, including Saigyō, is also 80% Yama-zakura. Cherry blossoms that bloom in mountainous regions are sometimes referred to as “yamazakura,” but Yama-zakura is a particular type of cherry blossom and is one of Japan’s 11 “basic wild species.

花と言えば桜、桜と言えばソメイヨシノです。１月の沖縄県のカンヒザクラ（寒緋桜）から始まって、２月のカワヅザクラ(河津桜)、３月のソメイヨシノ(染井吉野)、5月の北海道のオオヤマザクラ（大山桜）まで、日本の新春は桜一色の様相です。その中でもソメイヨシノは傑出しています。開花宣言とか桜前線と言えば、全てソメイヨシノを中心に語られます。ソメイヨシノは、幕末の頃に、江戸の染井村の植木職人らによって売り出されたのでソメイヨシノの名が付きましたが、全国的に広がったのは、戦後の高度成長期の頃からです。それまでは、花見と言えば、古来より日本人になじみのあるヤマザクラでした。ソメイヨシノ以前の花見といえばこの桜だったのです。西行を初め、多くの歌人や画家が表した桜で有名な「吉野の桜」も８割はヤマザクラです。山地に咲く桜を総称して山桜と呼ぶこともありますが、ヤマザクラは歴とした桜の一品種で、日本の11種の「基本野生種」の一つです。

Great Yamato, of all lands most supreme! Enclosed by ranks of verdant banks on surrounding hills, Great Yamato unmatched for beauty!
Yamato Takeru, the son of Emperor Keikō, the twelfth emperor of Japan, was a skilled warrior who conquered the Kumaso and Izumo regions in the west in a blink of an eye. He was then ordered to lead an expedition to the east, where he achieved victory after victory, ultimately bringing peace to the region. Finally, on his way back to his beloved homeland of Wa, he fell ill and passed away at Mt. Ibuki. His parting poem was this waka, as he transformed into a white swan and flew towards Yamato. “Mahoroba” is a beautiful word in the Yamato language, representing the graceful and elegant land of Japan.

倭は国のまほろばたたなづく青垣山ごもれる倭しうるはし
第十二代天皇である景行天皇の皇子、ヤマトタケルは武に優れ、西征して熊曾建と出雲建をあれよあれよという間に討伐、続けて東征を命じられます。そこでも連戦連勝を重ねついに東国を平定します。ようやく愛する故郷である倭へと家路につくのですが、なんとその途中、伊吹山で病を得てその地で亡くなってしまいます。その時残した辞世の歌がこの和歌です。ヤマトタケルは白鳥になって大和の方へ飛んでいったそうです。「まほろば」は音も美しい大和言葉です。秀麗の国、日本を表すのにふさわしい言葉です。

Today is a holiday for the Spring Equinox. It is designated as a national holiday under the Holiday Law, and the moment when the sun passes the vernal equinox point is defined as the “spring equinox”. The day that includes the spring equinox is called “Shunbun”, which is designated as a day to “praise nature and cherish living things”. By the way, “Shubun” is designated as a day to “honor ancestors and remember those who have passed away”. In the 24 solar terms, the seven days from March 18th to 24th are designated as “Shunbun”, also known as the “spring equinox week”. Today is the middle day of that “spring equinox week”. In the old calendar, it was designated as the day of the “Spring Imperial Ancestral Festival”, which is still one of the ceremonies held in the Imperial Palace every year, as part of the major festival held twice a year on the Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox (Autumnal Imperial Ancestral Festival). In ancient agricultural societies, where agriculture was the center of life, this day was also very important for determining the timing of planting crops. On this day, people eat “Botamochi” (sticky rice cake filled with sweet bean paste), and together with “Ohagi” (sweet bean paste mixed with glutinous rice) eaten on Autumnal Equinox Day, the red beans are believed to have a purifying effect and are offered as an offering to ancestors.

今日は春分の日で祝日です。祝日法でも定められていて、太陽が春分点を通過する瞬間が「春分」と定義され、春分を含む日のことを「春分日」とし、「自然をたたえ、生物をいつくしむ日」とされています。ちなみに、「秋分日」は「祖先をうやまい、なくなった人々をしのぶ日」とされています。二十四節気では、３月18日から24日までの７日間が「春分」で、「春彼岸」とも呼ばれています。今日はその「春彼岸」の中日にあたります。旧法では「春季皇霊祭（しゅんきこうれいさい）」の日とされ、現在でも行われている宮中祭祀の一つで、毎年2回、春分の日と秋分の日（秋季皇霊祭）に斎行される大祭の日でもあります。農業が中心の古代の生活において、農作物の作付けの時期を見極めるのにとても重要な日でもあったわけです。この日はこし餡の牡丹餅を食べますが、秋分の日に食べる粒餡のお萩とともに、 小豆は邪気を払い、魔除けの効果があることから食され、ご先祖様への供物として普及したようです。

On March 19th, the Osaka Regional Meteorological Observatory announced that cherry blossoms (sakura, specifically the Somei Yoshino variety) had bloomed in Osaka City. This is reportedly the earliest blooming in recorded history, tying with 2021. The standard for confirming bloom is “5-6 or more” flowers on a specimen tree in the Nishinomaru Garden of Osaka Castle. The bloom was four days earlier than last year and eight days earlier than average. The concern now is when the blossoms will be in full bloom and how long they will continue to bloom. Typically, cherry blossoms reach full bloom about a week after they begin to bloom. Because the flowers are firmly attached for about 10 days after blooming, they are unlikely to fall off in strong winds or rain. It usually takes more than 10 days after blooming for a “flower storm” to occur. If there is no particularly heavy rain or strong wind, cherry blossoms can be enjoyed for about three weeks from the time they bloom. Moreover, if the temperature is low during this period, the flowers can last even longer and may be enjoyed for up to a month. Finally, the cherry blossom season is about to begin.

大阪管区気象台は１９日、大阪市で桜（ソメイヨシノ）が開花したと発表しました。２０２１年と並び、観測史上最も早い開花だそうです。大阪では大阪城の西の丸庭園にある標本木で、基準となる「５～６輪以上」の開花を確認します。昨年より４日、平年より８日早い開花とか。気になるのは満開の日といつまで咲き続けるかです。一般的には、桜は咲き始めてから1週間程度で満開を迎えます。 開花から10日くらいは花がしっかりと付いているため、強い雨や風で散ることは、ほとんどありません。花吹雪になるのは開花してから10日以上たってからです。よほど強い雨が降ったり、強い風が吹いたりしなければ、桜は開花から3週間くらいは楽しめることが多くなります。さらに、その期間に気温が低いと花は長持ちして、場合によっては1か月くらい楽しめることもあります。いよいよ桜シーズンの幕開けです。

The cold scarlet cherry blossoms, which began blooming in late February, are in full bloom now. They are named “kanhizakura” because they bloom their crimson flowers earlier than other cherry blossoms, during colder weather. In haiku, “kanhizakura” is used as a seasonal word for winter. These trees can grow up to 5-7 meters tall, and their petals fall off with the calyx intact after flowering, which is their distinguishing characteristic. Kanhizakura is widely distributed in China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and is mainly found growing wild in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. When it comes to flower viewing in Okinawa, kanhizakura is the flower of choice. Although kanhizakura is a cherry blossom species that thrives in warm climates and is not particularly cold-resistant, it can withstand the winter in areas west of the Kanto region and can grow in places other than warm climates.

２月下旬から咲き始めた寒緋桜が満開です。緋色の花を、他の桜よりも寒い時期から咲かせるためその名が付きました。「寒緋桜」は俳句では冬の季語として使われます。樹高は5～7mくらいで、花後に花びらは一枚ずつ散らず、ガクが付いたまま丸ごと落ちるのが特徴です。寒緋桜は、中国、台湾、東南アジアなどに広く分布していて、日本では沖縄県で多く自生しています。沖縄で花見と言えばその花は寒緋桜を指します。寒緋桜は暖地性の桜なので、寒さにそれほど強くありませんが、関東以西で冬越しできるくらいの耐寒性はあり、暖地以外でも育ちます。

The white magnolias are blooming against the blue sky. Their pure white and elegant appearance is fitting for the flower language of “nobility” and “sublimity”. At the beginning of their bloom, all the flowers seem to face north, as if trying to chase away winter and usher in spring. When people talk about magnolias, they usually refer to the purple variety, but the white magnolia is a different species that blooms earlier than the purple magnolia. The Kobushi is a flower that looks very similar to the magnolia, but it blooms after the white magnolia. The Kobushi blooms in all directions, while the white magnolia blooms upward at the tip of its branches. The Kobushi is native to Japan, while the white magnolia is said to be native to central China and was introduced to Japan before the Edo period. When the white magnolias finish blooming, the cherry blossoms will soon start to bloom all at once, as if announcing the arrival of spring throughout Japan.

青天いっぱいに白木蓮が花を咲かせています。純白で気品のある姿は花言葉「気高さ」「崇高」に相応しいものです。花の開き始めには全ての花が北を向いて咲き、冬を北に追い遣り春を呼びこもうとしている様に見えます。木蓮と言えば普通には紫木蓮を指しますが、白木蓮はまた別の品種で、紫木蓮よりも早く咲きます。よく似た花にコブシがありますが、コブシも白木蓮の後に咲き始めます。咲き方も白木蓮は枝の先端に上を向いて咲きますが、コブシは自由自在、好き勝手な方向に向いて咲きます。コブシは日本原産ですが、白木蓮は原産地か中国中部で、日本へは江戸時代以前に渡来したといわれています。白木蓮が咲ききると、間もなく

桜の開花宣言が日本各地から一気に聞こえてきます。

On my way back from the hospital, I saw some cute flowers blooming. These flowers are formally called Crassula portulacea, but are known by names such as “money tree” or “gold coin plant”. When the plant was trendy, people would pass a five-yen coin through the small sprout hole and let it grow, eventually shaping the branches to look like they had money growing on them. The plant is native to South Africa and Madagascar, and was introduced to Japan in the early Showa period. Because the leaves resemble coins, the plant is also known as “money tree” or “dollar plant” in English. It seems that a gardening company noticed this and created the decorative technique described above, naming it “money tree” or “gold coin plant” and selling it as a kind of good-luck charm.

病院からの帰り可愛い花が咲いていました。この花は、正式にはクラッスラ・ポルツラケア（Crassula portulacea）といいますが、「金のなる木」とか「成金草」の名で知られています。新芽が小さいうちに5円玉の穴に通しておき、そのまま成長させて、5円玉が抜けない状態にして、枝にお金がなったように仕立てたものが流行したことからこんな名が付きました。南アフリカやマダガスカルに分布していて、日本には昭和初期に渡来しました。葉がコインに似ていることら、英名でマネーツリーとかダラープラントと呼ばれていたので、これに目をつけた園芸業者が上の様な細工をして、一種の縁起物として「金のなる木」とか「成金草」と名付けて売り出したのでしょう。

When you think of almonds, you think of nuts. They’re delicious, aren’t they? I especially love almond chocolate. The almond blossoms are in full bloom now. They look just like cherry blossoms, and it’s hard to tell them apart. The difference is that the almond blossoms bloom one to two weeks earlier than cherry blossoms, and the branches on which the almond blossoms grow are shorter than those of cherry blossoms. Almonds are originally from southwestern Asia, but California in the United States is now the largest producer. In Japan, they are cultivated in Shodoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, and Yamagata Prefecture. In the Kansai region, there is a company called Toyo Nuts in Kobe, where an almond festival is held before the cherry blossoms bloom.

アーモンドと言えばナッツです。美味しいですね。特にアーモンドチョコは大好きです。その花が今満開です。桜の花そっくりで見分けがつきません。開花時期が桜に比べて一二週間早いこと、桜の花が小枝の先に咲くのに対してアーモンドの花はその小枝が短いという違いがあります。原産はアジア西南部ですが、今はアメリカ合衆国のカリフォルニアが最大な産地です。日本では小豆島や鹿児島県、山形県で栽培されています。関西では神戸にある東洋ナッツという会社で、桜の開花前にアーモンド祭りが開催されます。