IWATE MOUNTAIN 岩手山

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MT. IWATE

　　When I went on a trip to the Tohoku district last October, I saw Mt. Iwate for the first time in my life. The top of the mountain was partially covered with snow, which made the view all the more beautiful.
　　The tour guide told us about Ishikawa Takuboku, who composed a well-known poem about the mountain. It goes:

　　　　When I see the mountain
　　　　in my home village,
　　　　I have nothing to say to it.
　　　　I appreciate the mountain.

I had known the poem, but I did not know which mountain Takuboku composed the poem about. Now I know which one.


Iwate Mountain
Embraces Takuboku
Like his mother

FICTION HAIBUN: NEARSIGHTED 近視

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NEARSIGHTED




I am strolling along the road in Jurassic Park. Suddenly a dinosaur attacks me from behind. I run and run and run, but the fierce creature catches up and grabs me. It carries my body to its mouth and is about to eat me.

Lightning!
The dinosaur drops me
and its giant contact lenses

ENGLISH HAIKU: THE OIRASE RIVER 奥入瀬

THE OIRASE RIVER


　　My wife and I went to Tohoku district for sightseeing at the end of October. The scenic spots we visited included Konjiki-do Temple in Hiraizumi, Hachikoda Mountains, and Lake Towada.
　　The most impressive place was the Oirase River. The autumn trees with red and orange leaves over the river were so beautiful that I didn’t know how to describe the beauty. We were lucky that the sky had cleared up when we began to stroll along the path beside the river. I want to enjoy the scenery again.

Autumn leaves
Over the Oirase River
Oxygen into my happy lungs


Along the Oirase River
White waves
Orange leaves


Autumn leaves along the river
Orange, yellow, green, and red
360 degrees

NOT A MERE PAGE IN HISTORY 歴史の単なる１ページではない

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

日英バイリンガル通信　 No. 38　Hiroshi Matsuoka 松 岡　博

NOT A MERE PAGE IN HISTORY

　　I was shocked the other day when I was watching a Korean historical drama, Hur Jun. It depicted the Bunroku-no-eki or Japan’s invasion of Korea in 1592. Since it occurred more than 400 years ago, it is not directly connected with me. However, I felt embarrassed. I was ashamed of myself as a descendant of the invaders.
　　I am a great fan of Korean historical dramas. I have so far watched more than ten Korean historical dramas including Dae Jang-geum and Jumong. Now I am enjoying Hur Jun, a 64-episode drama of a doctor named Hur Hun during the reign of Joseon’s 14th Emperor Seonjo. In the 56th episode, Hur Jun is promoted to the position of royal physician．He celebrates the promotion with his family and friends, when Japan invades Korea.
　　First, the Koreans were not worried about the invasion, but the Japanese advanced to threaten Hanyang (present Seoul). All the Hanyang people panicked, packed their possessions, and ran to the north. Hur Hun’s family also tries to flee, but Hur Jun remains to prevent the royal medical documents from being burned.
　　Until I saw the episode, the Bunroku-no-eki had just been one of the numerous Japan’s historical events for me. I studied about it in my high school history class. Japan invaded Korea because a great unifier of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi wanted to conquer Korea and the Ming Dynasty. My viewpoint then was based on Japan’s side.
　　However, I was in the Korean shoes while I was watching the drama. I had been so absorbed in it that I had identified myself with Hur Jun. Japan messed up Hur Jun’s happy moment of promotion. Japan’s army ruined the peaceful life of the Koreans. Japan ruined the palaces, killed Koreans, damaged the fields, and burned their houses. Japan in the drama was my enemy.
　　Now, the Bunroku no eki is no longer a mere page in history for me. It has become an embarrassing one.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　歴史の単なる１ページではない

　先日、韓国歴史ドラマ「ホ・ジュン」を見ていてショックを受けた。ドラマは１５９２年に日本が朝鮮を侵略した「文禄の役」を扱っていた。４００年以上前のことだから私には直接関係のないことだけれど、私は当惑し、侵略者の子孫として恥ずかしく思った。
　私は韓国歴史ドラマの大フアンで、「チャングムの誓い」「朱蒙（チュモン）」など、１０本以上は見ている。今見ているのは全６４話の「ホ・ジュン」で、李氏朝鮮１４代宣祖国王(1567-1608)時代のホ・ジュンという名前の医者の物語だ。第５６話では、ホ・ジュンは宮廷医に昇進し、家族や友人と昇進を祝っていると、日本が朝鮮を侵略してくるのだ。
　初めは、朝鮮人は侵略を心配していなかったのだが、日本が漢陽（今のソウル）に接近するに至り、漢陽の人々はパニックに陥り、家財道具を荷造りし、北方へ逃れた。ホ・ジュンの家族も逃げようとするのだが、ホ・ジュンは宮廷の医学書が燃えないようにとそこに留まるのだ。
　この話を見るまでは、「文禄の役」は私にとっては日本史の無数の出来事の一つにすぎなかった。「文禄、私は日本側の視点に立っていた。
　しかし、「ホ・ジュン」を見ているときは朝鮮側の立場に立っていた。私は「ホ・ジュン」にのめりこみ、ホ・ジュンと一体になっていた。日本軍はホ・ジュンの幸せな時を台無しにしたのだ。日本は朝鮮の宮廷を破壊し、朝鮮人を殺し、田畑を荒らし、民家に火をつけた。ドラマでは日本は私の敵であった。
　「文禄の役」は私にとって、もはや単なる歴史の１ページではなくなった。恥ずかしい思いをさせるページとなった。