穀雨（こくう）は、二十四節気の第6。三月中（通常旧暦3月内）。 現在広まっている定 気法では太陽黄経が30度のときで4月20日ごろ。暦ではそれが起こる日だが、天文学では その瞬間とする。恒気法では冬至から1/3年（約121.75日）後で4月22日ごろ。 ...
VOX POPULI: During reconstruction, we must not forget to respect old things
Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of the vernacular Asahi Shimbun.
2011/04/22
Come to think of it, April 20 was "Kokuu" (literally grain rain), one of the 24 solar terms of the traditional East Asian calendar. It is the time of year when warm rain moistens rice paddies and fields and pastures and mountains get greener. But these last few days, quake-stricken areas in the Tohoku region saw cold rain and snow. I get impatient at the slow progress of spring.
"Tane-erabi" (seed selection) is a farming-related seasonal word for spring. As the first step in rice growing, farmers soak seed rice in salt water, remove chaff that floats and select solid seeds that remain at the bottom. "A wind blows from behind/ Brushing the ears/ Choosing seeds" is a haiku by Minoru Ameyama (1926-2000). While feeling a breeze on their back, the work must be a joy for farmers who have patiently waited for spring.
Farmers sow the seeds they chose, grow seedlings and plant them in rice paddies by early summer. Some readers may remember the last scene from the 1954 movie "Shichinin no Samurai" (Seven Samurai). The entire village turns out to plant rice in a radiant mood. Since ancient times, rice planting has been a religious ritual and feast. Although times have changed, even now, the spirit of "yui" (tying) under which villagers help each other to plant rice must be still alive in rural communities across Japan.
But this year, rice paddies that were destroyed or washed away by giant tsunami are said to make up about 20,000 hectares in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures alone. The government says there is no need to worry about a rice shortage because it can be covered by increased production in other prefectures. But the disappointment of farmers who cannot grow rice must be beyond imagination.
On April 20, NHK television aired footage of people who fled the disaster at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant help sow seeds in the places they sought refuge. They appeared lively. I heard that originally, the Japanese word "nariwai" (work to make a living) means working hard to grow grains such as rice and barley.
I am worried that communities that have traditionally engaged in such work might get weaker. No matter where, in the process of reconstruction, we must not forget to show respect for old things and things that bring back memories. After all, local histories and climates must have various things that cannot be drawn with rulers in armchair plans.
--The Asahi Shimbun, April 21
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
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