Wagaya no O-hanami
Our Cherry Blossom Viewing Experience

花見の準備をきちんとこなすことは若手社員や大学のサークルの下級生部員の大事な仕事のひとつです。良さそうな場所に一般的に青いビニールシートを敷き、飲み物や食べ物を用意します。前夜や早朝に桜の咲く公園や土手に行き、ビニールシートを敷き、ガムテープで留めたり、重しを置いたりします。会社やサークルの名前を書いたものをシートに貼っておきます。宴会の時間まで見張りをおくこともよくあります。段ボールとガムテープを使ってテーブルを作るとより参加者に便利です。ただし強風の時は飛ばされないように気を付けなければいけません。

To properly arrange a Hanami party is one of the important tasks for young employees and younger members of college circles. They spread plastic sheets, usually blue, on the ground at good places for Hanami, and prepare food and drink. They go to parks or riverbanks with cherry blossoms the night before or in the early morning, spread plastic sheets, connect them together with gummed tape and put weights on them. Pieces of paper with names of their companies and circles are put on the sheets. They often leave watches to guard their territories. If there are tables made of cardboard and gummed tape, participants feel more comfortable. However, they have to be careful that the tables are not blown away by strong winds.

息子が幼い頃、我々が住んでいた近所の芦屋川沿いは桜の名所で、お弁当を持ってよく花見に出かけて楽しい春の休日を過ごしました。2歳の時の花見ではゴリラの着ぐるみを着た人に会い、泣きべそをかいて、おとうさんに抱っこされました。小学校の入学式の日は、庭の桜の木が満開でした。

When my son was small, my family lived near the Ashiya River, a famous spot for Hanami, where we brought lunch for Hanami and had a nice spring holiday. When my son was two years old, my son almost cried and had to be held by his father when he saw a man in a gorilla suit at the Ashiya River Hanami Festival. When he joined the entrance ceremony of the elementary school, cherry blossoms in our garden were in full bloom.

2002年（平成14年）に福岡県甘木市の甘木公園、通称円山公園へ子犬のふーちゃんを連れて花見に行きました。県内屈指の桜の名所で、公園中央のひょうたん池を囲むように、約4000本の桜が満開でした。桜の下でお弁当を食べたり、池で釣りをしたりしました。その日、桜祭りが開催されていて、たくさんの屋台が出ていました。

In 2002 (Heisei 14th yr), my family and our puppy, Fuchan, went to Amagi Park, which was also known as Maruyama Park, in Amagi City, Fukuoka Prefecture for Hanami. This park was famous as one of the best Hanami spots in Fukuoka Prefecture, and about 4000 cherry trees around Hyotan Pond in the center of the park were in full bloom. We ate lunch beneath the cherry blossoms and enjoyed fishing at the park pond. The cherry festival was held on the same day, and various food stalls were open.

2004年（平成16年）、家族と2匹の愛犬を連れて中国地方（日本の本州西部）の萩市、津和野市、岩国市をドライブ旅行しました。津和野カトリック教会、萩城址、岩国城址、錦帯橋など、あちこちで桜が美しく咲き誇っていました。お天気に恵まれて、とても良い思い出ができました。

In 2004 (Heisei 16th yr), my family and our two beloved dogs took a trip to Hagi City, Tsuwano City and Iwakuni City in the Chugoku Region (the west part of Japan’s mainland). We enjoyed beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom from place to place: Tsuwano Catholic Church, the ruins of Hagi Castle and Iwakuni Castle and Kintai Bridge. During this trip, we were blessed with good weather, and the trip became a pleasant memory for us.

同じ年、息子と愛犬を2匹連れて姫路城へ行き、桜並木を散歩しました。その日は4月6日で語呂合わせから「城の日」とされ、姫路城は無料で公開されていました。姫路城は別名白鷺城とも呼ばれ、国宝であり、奈良県の法隆寺と並んで日本で初めて世界遺産に登録されました。

In the same year, I took my son and our two dogs to Himeji Castle for Hanami and took a walk along the path lined with cherry trees. We went there on April 6th, ‘Shiro-no-hi (a castle day)’ a pun from shi-gatsu and roku-nichi (April 6th in Japanese), so entry to Himeji Castle was free of charge for the people. Himeji Castle, which is also called Shirasagi-jo (white heron castle), was designated as a national treasure, and is Japan’s 1st World Heritage site as well as Horyu-ji Temple in Nara Prefecture.

2005年（平成17年）は遠くに花見へ行かず、近所のお気に入りのお散歩コースで桜を楽しみました。我が家の近所にもたくさん桜の木があり、毎年春には美しい花が咲きます。

In 2005 (Heisei 17th yr), my family didn’t go far for Hanami, but we enjoyed the cherry blossoms in my neighborhood, our favorite walking course. There are a lot of cherry trees around my house which bloom beautifully in the spring every year.

2013年（平成25年）4月に息子は京都市右京区にある仁和寺へ出かけました。境内に200本ある桜は「御室桜（おむろざくら）」と呼ばれ、樹高が低いので目の前で桜を愛でることができます。江戸前期の著名な儒学者・教育家・本草学者の貝原益軒も、彼の著書の「京城勝覧（けいじょうしょうらん）」の中でこの桜を絶賛しました。仁和寺は888年（仁和4年）に宇多天皇が創建して住居としました。国宝の金堂、そして中門、五重塔、観音堂といった3つの重要文化財など見所がたくさんあります。1994年（平成6年）に古都京都の文化財の1つとしてユネスコの世界遺産に登録されました。

In April 2013 (Heisei 25th yr), my son went to Ninna-ji Temple in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City. 200 cherry trees in the precincts are called ‘Omuro-zakura’ and visitors enjoy cherry blossoms in their presence due to the low height of the trees. Kaibara Ekken, a distinguished Confucianist, pedagogist and botanist in the beginning of the Edo Period, highly acclaimed these cherry blossoms in his book ‘Keijyo-shoran’. In 888 (Ninna 4th yr), the Emperor Uda established Ninna-ji Temple and used it as his residence. There are many important things to see in this temple such as the golden tower designated as a national treasure and three Important Cultural Properties: the middle gate, the 5-story pagoda and the Kannon-do hall. In 1994 (Heisei 6th yr), this temple was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a part of the cultural assets of the ancient capital of Kyoto.

その後、近くにある臨済宗妙心寺派大本山の妙心寺に向かいました。妙心寺は1337年（延元2年）に花園上皇が離宮として伽藍を創建したのが始まりです。1342年（暦応5年）に関山慧玄（かんざんえげん）が開山しました。寺の退蔵院の枝垂れ桜は、お馴染みのJR東海の「そうだ京都、行こう。」の宣伝に登場して、年々観光客が増えています。

And then, my son went to Myosin-ji Temple nearby, which is the head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. The origin of Myoshin-ji Temple is the temple building which the Emperor Hanazono built as his Imperial Villa in 1337 (Engen 2nd yr). In 1342 (Ryakuo 5th yr), Kanzan Egen opened this temple. The weeping cherry tree at Taizo-in in this temple appeared in the popular advertisement of JR Tokai “Let’s go to Kyoto”; therefore, the number of tourists has been increasing each year.

2007年（平成19年）の桜の季節に金沢城へ行きました。このお城は江戸時代（1603-1867）に加賀藩主前田氏の居城として用いられました。花見の場所取りのビニールシートが敷かれていました。金沢城の前にある日本三大名園のひとつの兼六園にも行きました。

In the cherry blossom season of 2007 (Heisei 19th yr), we went to Kanazawa Castle. This castle used to be the castle of Maeda, the feudal lord of the Kaga Clan in the Edo period (1603-1867). Plastic sheets were spread for Hanami parties. I also went to Kenrokuen Park in front of Kanazawa Castle, one of the three great gardens of Japan.

金沢市郊外にある卯辰山（うたつやま）は、金沢城から見て卯辰（東）の方角に位置することから名付けられました。城を見下ろすことになるので、江戸時代（1603-1868）は庶民が許可無く登ることは禁止されていました。現在、卯辰山公園は金沢市民の憩いの場になっており、日本歴史公園100選にも選ばれています。4月中頃から下旬まで、染井吉野、八重桜、枝垂れ桜などの花が楽しめます。2008年（平成19年）4月の晴れた日に夫と愛犬と一緒に卯辰山（うたつやま）までドライブしました。私達はゆっくりと7分咲きの桜を楽しみましたが、愛犬は屋台から流れてくる美味しそうな匂いの方が気になるようでした。

The origin of the name Mt. Utatsu in the suburbs of Kanazawa City is a direction “Utatsu” (east) because it is in the Utatsu direction from Kanazawa Castle. In the Edo era (1603-1868), commoners were forbidden to climb this mountain because it overlooks the castle. Nowadays, Utatsu-yama Park is a place of rest and relaxation for people in Kanazawa City and is selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Historical Parks. Cherry trees such as Somei-yoshino, double-flowered and weeping are in bloom from the middle to the end of April. My husband and I drove to Mt. Utatsu with our dogs on a sunny day in April 2008 (Heisei 19th). We enjoyed cherry blossoms about 70 percent in bloom and our dogs seemed to be more attracted to the good smell from the food stalls.

卯辰山から下り、浅野川沿いの土手を散歩し、見事な染井吉野の並木を楽しみました。卯辰山より気温が少し高く日当たりも良いためか、こちらの桜はもう満開でした。ほとんど誰も歩いていなかったので、犬と一緒に土手を思いきり走り回ることができました。金沢市には浅野川と犀川（さいがわ）という2つの有名な川が流れ、周辺は金沢らしい風情を漂わせ、文学作品、テレビ番組、映画、音楽にもしばしば登場することで知られています。どちらの河川敷にも多くの桜が植えられ、観光客もあまり多くないので地元の人にとって憩いの花見スポットです。

After coming down Mt. Udatsu, we stopped by the Asano River and took a walk along its bank with splendid Somei-yoshino cherry trees. They were already in full bloom maybe because it was a little warmer and sunnier around the Asano than Mt. Utatsu. We ran around with our dogs as much as we could at the bank where few people were walking. Two famous rivers, the Asano and the Sai run through Kanazawa City. These rivers and the town nearby have special charm of Kanazawa: therefore, they are known to be featured in many literary works, television programs, movies and music. Many cherry trees are planted in the banks of both rivers which are relaxing O-hanami spots for local people because not so many tourists visit there.

2008年（平成19年）4月末に夫が愛犬と、越中国（えっちゅうのくに）（現在の富山県）と加賀国（かがのくに）（現在の石川県）の国境にある砺波山の倶利伽羅源平合戦場（くりからげんぺいかっせんじょう）へ行きました。1183年（寿永2年）6月2日、木曾義仲が牛の角に松明（たいまつ）をくくりつけて、平家軍へ向けて放つ奇襲作戦により勝利を収めたと云われている合戦場跡です。その火牛の迫力ある銅像と愛犬の記念撮影をしました。約6000本もの八重桜は、富山県高岡市のある一人の男性が20数年間の間に約3000本の八重桜を植えたのが始まりです。濃いピンクでふくよかな八重桜の花びらは染井吉野とはまた異なった美しさがあります。

In the end of April of 2008 (Heisei 19th yr), my husband and dogs went to Kurikara Gempei-Kassen-jo (the old battle field between the troops of the Genji and the Heike at Kurikara Pass) on Mt. Tonami on the border of Ecchu-no-kuni (the present Toyama Prefecture) and Kaga-no-kuni (the present Ishikawa Prefecture). On June 2nd, 1183 (Juei 2nd yr), Kiso Yoshinaka gathered a herd of oxen and released them with lit torches tied to their horns to the Heike. This surprise attack led the whole Genji Clan to victory. A man in Takaoka city, Toyama Prefecture started to plant Yae-zakura (double-flowered cherry tree) there and finally planted around 3000 in 20 years, and now as many as 6000 are seen there. As petals of Yae-zakura are dark pink and plump, the beauty of Yae-zakura is totally different from that of Somei-yoshino.

2013年（平成25年）3月末に埼玉県幸手市の桜の名所である権現堂堤へ行ってきました。桜まつりが開催されており、平日にもかかわらず多くの人が花見に訪れていました。約1000本の染井吉野が1kmの桜堤に沿って並んでいました。花霞の淡いピンクと、その横に広がる目に鮮やかな菜の花の黄色のコントラストが見事でした。

At the end of March 2013 (Heisei 25th yr), I visited Gongendo-Tsutsumi (Gongendo Embarkment), a cherry blossom viewing spot, in Satte City, Saitama Prefecture for Hanami. The cherry blossom festival was held, and though it was a weekday, many people came to enjoy Hanami. About 1000 Somei-yoshino cherry trees grow along Sakura-tsutsumi (a cherry-tree-lined bank). The contrast between the pale pink just like the haze of the cherry blossoms and the vivid yellow of rape blossoms was splendid.

権現堂堤の後、千葉県野田市の民営の自然公園である清水公園へ行きました。この公園には約50種類、2000本の桜があり、日本桜名所100選にも選定されています。公園駅から公園まで続く道や公園外周にも多くの桜が植えられています。清水公園は1894年（明治27年）、野田醬油（現キッコーマン）の初代社長の父により造園され、一般の人に開放されました。園内には1398年（応永5年）に開山された金乗院、フラワーガーデン、フィールドアスレチック、ポニー牧場、キャンプ場、釣り堀、貸ボートなどがあります。

Leaving Gongendo-Tsutsumi, I went to Shimizu Park, a privately-owned natural park in Noda City, Chiba Prefecture. There are about 50 different kinds of cherry trees in the 2000 trees in this park which is selected as one of Japan’s top 100 Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots. Many cherry trees were also planted along the road from Park Station to the park and around the park. In 1894 (Meiji 27th), Shimizu Park was made by the father of the first president of Noda Shoyu (the present Kikkoman: one of the most famous soy sauce makers in Japan), and was opened to common people. There are Konjoin Temple which was established in 1398 (Oei 5th yr), a flower garden, an athletic field ground, a pony farm, a campground, a fishing pond and a boat rental service.

2013年（平成25年）5月に出張で秋田県に行く機会があり、仕事の後、念願の角館市（かくのだてし）の枝垂れ桜を見に行きました。その年はゴールデンウィークが桜の見頃の予想でしたが、残念ながら5月中旬に訪れることになりました。花はだいぶん散り、葉桜になり始めていました。そのおかげで観光客がほとんどいなくて、武家屋敷が今も残る趣ある街並みを静かに散策することができました。

In May 2013 (Heisei 25th), I had the chance to go to Akita Prefecture on business. After work, I went to Kakunodate City to see weeping cherry trees which I had long wanted to see. According to the cherry blossom forecast, peak bloom would be around Golden Week, but I unfortunately visited Kakunodate City in the middle of May. The cherry blossoms were falling from the trees, and the trees had started to sprout new leaves. However, thanks to that, few tourists were walking around; therefore, I could relaxingly explore the town where buke-yashiki (residences of warriors) still remained.

景色、庭、河川、滝、温泉、祭り、美人の出身地、麺類など、ほとんど全てのジャンルのベスト3が日本中に存在しています。当然、桜に関しても何種類かのベスト3が選ばれています。まず日本三大桜名所は、奈良県の吉野山、長野県の高遠城址、青森県の弘前公園です。数年前、運良く桜の季節に青森出張があり、仕事の後、弘前公園へお花見に行きました。平日の午後ということもあり、人も少なくゆっくりと桜と城址の両方を楽しむことができました。やや見頃は過ぎていましが、そのおかげで見事な花筏や花絨毯も見ることができました。

Almost all sorts of “the best” or “the biggest three” are found in Japan such as scenic spots, gardens, rivers, waterfalls, hot springs, festivals, birthplaces of beauty and noodles. Naturally, several kinds of “the best three” concerning cherry blossoms are also selected. First, Mt. Yoshino in Nara Prefecture, Takato Castle ruins in Nagano Prefecture and Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture are designated as the best three spots for Hanami. Several years ago, I went to Aomori Prefecture on business during the cherry blossom season, and I luckily had the chance to go to Hirosaki Park for Hanami after work. Not so many people were in the park because it was a weekday afternoon, so I relaxingly enjoyed both cherry blossoms and the ruins of Hirosaki Castle. The cherry blossoms were a little past their peak and thanks to it, I saw beautiful Hana-ikada (the water surface covered with petals) and Hana-judan (the surface of the earth covered with petals).

次に日本三大桜は福島県の三春滝桜（みはるたきざくら）、山梨県の山高神代桜（やまたかじんだいざくら）、岐阜県の薄墨桜です。2017年4月に息子が同僚と国の天然記念物の三春滝桜を見に行き、その時撮った素晴らしい夜桜の写真を見せてくれました。彼の薦めもあり、翌年、夫と愛犬3匹と一緒に私達も三春滝桜を見に行きました。その日はとても寒く冬の名残をとどめながらも、紅枝垂れ桜（べにしだれざくら）は満開に咲き誇っていました。樹高12m、根回り11m、幹周り9.5m、枝張り東西22m、南北18mの推定樹齢1000年を超える巨木です。この美しく、壮麗な桜の木を私は忘れることはないでしょう。

Next, Japan’s three biggest cherry trees are Miharu-taki-zakura in Fukushima Prefecture, Yamataka-jindai-zakura in Yamanashi Prefecture and Usuzumi-zakura in Gifu Prefecture. My son went to see Miharu-taki-zakura, a national nature treasure, with his fellow workers at night of April 2017, and he showed us wonderful photos which he took on that day. In the following year, I went to see Miharu-taki-zakura with my husband and our three beloved dogs as my son recommended this great cherry tree to us for Hanami. It was a cold day like winter, but beni-shidare-zakura, a rosy weeping cherry tree, was in full bloom. Its estimated age was over 1000 years old, and it was 12m high, the root circumference was 11m, the trunk circumference was 9.5m, the east-west spread was 22m and the north-south spread was 18m. I would never forget the beauty and magnificence of this cherry tree.

花見にはお酒がつきものですが、お酒が飲めない人は食べ物で楽しみます。これらは春によく食べられる和菓子です。桜餅はあんこの入った桜色のお餅を桜の葉で包んでいます。花見団子は串に刺さった3色の団子です。

Sake is very important for Hanami, but people who don’t drink alcohol still enjoy eating. These are Japanese spring sweets. Sakura-mochi (a cherry rice cake) are pink rice cakes containing anko (sweetened bean paste) and covered with cherry leaves. Hanami-dango (cherry blossom viewing dumplings) are dumplings in three different colors on a skewer.

（「お花見」へ戻ります。）

（Back to “Cherry Blossom Viewing“.）

 

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