2021年8月25日 水曜日
桜の希なる自生種のひとつ “カスミザクラ”
― 今から12年前のこと ―
私がまだ見ぬ カスミザクラの長老から
急に お呼びがかかった
山奥の小さな温泉宿に住むという長老は
樹齢400年以上で カスミザクラでは日本一の長寿という
ネット上には まだ画像情報はなかった
桜旅をしていた私は 長老が棲む山に向かった
初めて対面した私は 驚いた
高さ二メートルほどの箇所でぼっきりと折れて
Ｎ字形になっていた
だが 咲いていた
枝を四方八方に伸ばし 健気に咲いていた
宿のご主人曰く
以前の台風で折れてしまい
この姿を見に来る人はいなくなったという
実は 昨日に急に咲き始め 不思議にも今日は五分咲きという
私は 一日中桜に付き添い 宿のただ一人の客となった
翌日も 夜明け前から描き続けていると 夕方にはほぼ満開となった
引き止められるままにもう一泊すると
翌朝は 素晴らしい晴れ姿を披露してくれた
やがて帰ろうとする時 花がはらはらと散り始めたのが
今でも忘れられない
8年後に再び訪れたが 長老は元気に迎えてくれた
― この作品は その時に描いたもの ―
（秋田県由利本荘市）
≪作画の鍵≫
□感動力
□超広角レンズの活用
□カメラ位置の追求
One of the rare native species of cherry blossoms “Kasumizakura”
― It was 12 years ago. ―
12 years ago, I received a sudden call from an elder of the Kasumizakura cherry tree, whom I had not yet met.
The elder, who lives in a small hot spring resort deep in the mountains, said that the tree is over 400 years old and is the longest-lived kasumizakura in Japan.
There was no picture information on the Internet yet.
I was on a trip to photograph cherry blossoms, and headed for the mountain where the elders were said to live.
I was surprised when I met him for the first time.
The cherry tree had snapped at a height of about two meters, forming an N-shape.
But it was in bloom.
Its branches stretched out in all directions, and it was blooming healthily.
The owner of the inn told me that the cherry tree had been broken by a previous typhoon, and no one came to see it anymore.
The cherry blossoms suddenly started to bloom yesterday and mysteriously reached a half-bloom today.
I stayed with the cherry blossoms all day and became the only guest at the inn that day.
The next day, as I was photographing from before dawn, they were almost in full bloom by evening.
When the cherry blossoms stopped me, I stayed one more night and the next morning I had a wonderful sunny day.
Eventually, as I was leaving, the flowers began to flutter and fall, and I’ll never forget it.
Eight years later, I visited again, and the elder welcomed me back in good health.
― This work was taken at that time. ―
（Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture）