山全体が　弥彦神社の神域となっている
―　弥彦山　―

5月下旬の朝に　
頂き付近で　日の出を待った
やがて　朝日が射し込むと　
大地は
神々しい　黄金の光に満ち溢れた
水が張られた田んぼが
金箔を貼ったように　輝いた

この豊穣の大地が　
いつまでもあり続けることを
願ってやまない

―　田んぼは　日本の美しい風景　―

（新潟県弥彦村）

※　画面の中に走っている電車を見つけられるだろうか！

≪作画の鍵≫
□天候
□撮影ポジション
□フレーミング

The entire mountain is the sanctuary of Yahiko Shrine.
―　 Mount Yahiko　―

On a late May morning, I waited for the sunrise near the top.
When the morning sun eventually broke through, the land was filled with a divine golden light.
The flooded rice paddies shone as if they were covered with gold leaf.

I can only hope that this fertile land will continue to exist forever.

―　Rice paddies are beautiful scenery of Japan.　―

(Yahiko Village, Niigata Prefecture)

※　Can you see the train running in the screen?

豪雪の地　鍋倉高原
そのブナ林では
5月末になっても
分厚い残雪が　
地表の春を　閉じ込めている

ブナたちは
体温で　一生懸命に
固い雪を　解かしている　

応援団の　太陽が
暖かい光を送ってきた

―　春よ　出でよ　―

（長野県飯山市）

≪作画の鍵≫
□画面構成
□太陽の位置
□露出
　
This is Nabekura Highland, a place of heavy snowfall.
In the beech forest, even at the end of May, thick lingering snow traps the spring on the ground under the snow.

The beech trees are trying their best to melt the hard snow with their own body heat.　

The cheering sun sent its warm rays.

―　Spring, come forth!　―

（Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture）

“絶景”　が　
もてはやされている
有名なる絶景地に　人が押し寄せている
不思議なことに
“ここだよ”と　
導かれるままに対面するだけで
感激は　少なからず　
生まれるものらしい

けれども
無名なる絶景は
見逃されてしまう
私は　その探し人　―
5月中旬　雪国の山間で
小さな絶景を　見つけた
フジと新緑　小さな滝と渓流
そして　残雪の飯豊連峰
私には
贅沢すぎる 絶景だ　
（山形県小国町）

≪作画の鍵≫
□被写体探し
□ハーフNDフィルターの活用
□低速シャッター

“The spectacular view” is becoming more and more popular.
People are flocking to famous scenic spots.
Strangely enough, it seems that just being led to this place and facing it is enough to create an emotional response.

However, the unknown and spectacular scenery is overlooked.
I am a seeker.　―
In mid-May, I found a small view in the mountains of snow country.
There were wisteria and fresh greenery, a small waterfall and mountain streams, and the Iide mountain range with lingering snow.
For me, the view was too luxurious.　
（Oguni Town, Yamagata Prefecture）

ここは　仙酔峡
仙人が酔うほどの美しい峡谷

私も　酔ってしまった
山肌を美しいピンクに染め上げているのは　
“ミヤマキリシマ”

その名付け親は
「日本の植物学の父」といわれる　植物学者の牧野富太郎
新婚旅行で訪れた霧島（鹿児島県）で発見し　
命名したという
―　霧島で見つけた深い山に咲くツツジ　―
それゆえ　ミヤマキリシマ…　

この響きも　私は好きだ
山肌を見上げると　雲も　騒いでいた
（熊本県阿蘇市）

≪作画の鍵≫
□広角レンズの活用
□カメラアングル
□遠近感の強調

This is Sensuikyo Valley.
This is a beautiful canyon that would make a hermit swoon.

I was intoxicated, too.
The mountain surface is dyed a beautiful pink by the “Miyama-kirishima” flower.

The godfather of this flower is the botanist Tomitaro Makino, who is known as the “father of Japanese botany.
He discovered the flower on his honeymoon in Kirishima (Kagoshima Prefecture) and named it after it.
- The azalea he found in Kirishima, blooming in the deep mountains（＝Miyama）.
Hence, Miyama-Kirishima…　

I also like the sound of this reading.
When I looked up at the surface of the mountain, the clouds were making a racket.
（Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture）

北の大地で
桜旅を終えた　私は
こころの　クールダウンを　はかっていた

何のあてもなく
雨上がりの美瑛に向かい　
畑と丘の中の一本道を　
のんびりと　愛車で　散策していた

静かな音楽を　聴きながら
ふと　脇の外を見た瞬間に　
クールダウンが　一気に失われてしまった

心ときめく　蒼い風が　
私の中に　吹き込んできたのだ

あおい畝模様と　アオイ十勝連峰が
魅惑の二重奏を　奏でていた
（北海道美瑛町）　

≪作画の鍵≫
□ハーフNDフィルターの活用
□悪天候
□求めない散策

After my cherry blossom trip in the northern land,
I was trying to cool down my mind.

Without a clue where I was going,
I headed for Biei after the rain and took a leisurely stroll in my car along a straight road in the midst of too wide fields and hills.

While listening to quiet music,
I suddenly looked out of the side of the car
and lost all my cool down.

A thrilling blue breeze blew into my mind.

The green field pattern and the blue Tokachi mountain range played a wonderful duet.
(Biei Town, Hokkaido)

愛車の中で
くしゃみをひとつ
身震いしながら　目が覚めた

冷気が肌を刺してくる　まだ薄暗い外に出て　
目を凝らしながら　
山を　じっと見つめる
ぼんやりとだが　山肌が賑わっているようだ

やがて　

芽吹きと新緑の木立が　
やわらかな絵のように　浮かび上がってきた
その上には　エゾヤマザクラたちが立ち並び
ときめきの春を　奏でていた
さらに　背後の残雪の山々では　
木立が　霧氷の衣装を　纏っていた

―　これは　夢か現（うつつ）か　―

北の大地でしか出会うことのできない　
圧巻の　桜絵巻だった
（北海道富良野市）

≪作画の鍵≫
□気象条件
□被写界深度のとり方

In my car,
I wake up with one sneeze and shiver.

I step out of the car, which is still dimly lit with the cold air stinging my skin, and stare at the mountains with my eyes.
Vaguely, the mountainside seemed to be bustling with activity.

Soon, a grove of budding and fresh green trees appeared like a soft picture. On the top of the grove, the Sargent’s cherry trees lined up and played the song of spring. And in the mountains behind the lingering snow, the groves were clothed in drizzling ice.

― Is this a dream or a reality? ―

This was a breathtaking cherry blossom picture scroll that can only be found in the northern land.
(Furano City, Hokkaido)

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）

山が
笑っている
奈良の秘境の山々が　笑顔を見せている
黒々としていた風貌（かお）に
黄緑や緑、淡いピンクや白…
色とりどりの賑わいが生まれ
山が　笑っている

前回に呼ばれたときは
笑顔の残像だった
けれども　今回は
ありったけの　笑顔を見せている

自分ではわからないが
おそらく　私も　
ニコニコしていたに　違いない
（奈良県上北山村）
※　桜の品種は自生種のヤマザクラ

≪作画の鍵≫
□開花情報
□ポジションの選定
□ラインの組み立て

The mountain is
laughing.
The mountains of Nara’s unexplored region are smiling.
The mountains were laughing as their previously blackened faces were transformed into a lively array of yellow-green, green, pale pink and white.

The last time I was here.
It was an afterimage of a smile.
But this time, they’re smiling as much as they can.

I don’t know myself, but I must have been smiling, too.
(Kamikitayama Village, Nara Prefecture)

※　This cherry blossom variety is one of the native species, the Yamazakura

山奥で　
天王神のお守りを　はたし続けて300年以上
未だに　杖もつかずに
威風堂々とたたずむ　天王桜

―　感動のため息が　ほうっと　こぼれる　―

誰もいなくなった夜には
星々と　交信をしているような
神秘のオーラが
桜に纏う
　
わたしは
ひたすら　祈るように
星宿る天王桜を　描いた

More than 300 years have passed since the Tenno cherry tree has been protecting the Tenno deity deep in the mountains.
She still stands majestically without a cane.

- A sigh of emotion drips from my lips. -

At night, when no one is around, the cherry blossom take on an aura of mystery, as if they are communicating with the stars.
　
As if praying, I drew a picture of the Tenno cherry tree, where the stars reside.

茶畑に
ふわりと　舞い降りた
それは　まさに　桜の精霊のようだった
朝日を浴びた姿は
清楚にして　妖艶
初めての出会いなのに　
すばらしい舞を　私に披露してくれた

だが　その数年後には病気を患い
今は　枯れ果ててしまったという
私は　遺影の撮影を　頼まれたのかもしれない…
（熊本県あさぎり町）

※　この桜はヤエザクラ。園芸種の一つ。

≪作画の鍵≫
□前景と背景の入れ方
□ハーフＮＤフィルターの活用
□被写界深度のとり方

It softly landed on the tea field.
It was just like the spirit of the cherry blossoms.
The figure bathed in the morning sun was both innocent and bewitching.
Even though it was our first encounter, she performed such a magnificent dance for me.

A few years later, however, she became ill, and now she has withered away.
I may have been asked by the cherry blossom to photograph her remains…
(Asagiri Town, Kumamoto Prefecture)

This cherry tree is double cherry blossoms. It is one of the horticultural species.