Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Sweetness in Winter Landscape


We just have passed Daikan ( 大寒; literally the coldest day of the year according to the 24 seasonal divisions of a year in the old lunar calendar) and now we are in the dead of winter.
In this frigid air, however, narcissuses are in bloom, all the more beautiful for the colorless landscape.

                                                    shimmer of hope and joy

Here at Nada-kuroiwa(灘黒岩水仙郷)in Awaji Island, 5 million wild narcissuses are growing in the southern slope of Mt,Yuzuruha (608m) that cover an area of 7 hectares. They are cascading down the hillside overlooking the sea.








The contrast of white petals and yellow coronas looks so clear and crisp with green stalk and leaves standing straight. Like Ume(Japanese apricot) blossoms, they also seem to show resilience and endurance in the face of hardship.



Among visitors, I found an aged woman with a stick whose back was bent with age trudging up the gradual slope. Her son accompanied her. I overheard she was 95 years old. At last her son carried her on his back to the observation platform. How she was grateful to him for bringing her to that scenic place. She must have been very happy to enjoy lovely flowers and got energized a lot.



The sea looked like a shimmered metallic fabric by a soft beams of sun light through clouds.


                                                      Nushima island (沼島) seen over there


                                             the fishing boat gliding across the calm inland sea

Akashi Kaikyo Ōhashi(明石海峡大橋); the longest suspension bridge in the world at 1991 meter, connecting the city of Kobe and Awaji Island



                                                 on the way back, from inside the car






You can enjoy full bloom till the middle of February. Spring is not so far away.

33 comments:

  1. お正月が終わってもう大寒。空気はまだ冷たいけれど沢山の水仙が咲き乱れているのを見ると春はすぐそこに来てるのだと感じますね。それにしてもお年を召したご婦人の幸せな事!息子さんも優しいですね。きっと青空の下に咲く美しい水仙、明石海峡の景色を堪能された事でしょう。
    Tomoko

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  2. 大寒をすぎたばかりのこのころの海はさすがに厳しい表情ですね。わたしも、水仙卿に毎年憧れます。可憐ですが強さを感じさせてくれる花。群生を目の当りにされて、cosmosさん同様、そのご婦人も光景をこころに刻まれたことでしょう。素敵な物語をありがとう。

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  3. cosmosさん こんにちは! 
     すっと背筋をのばして、瀬戸内の優しい光と風に まだ あどけさの残る顔を向ける水仙の花々。希望に満ちた花ですね。
     彼らは よほどここの高台から眺める景色が好きなのでしょうね。私も1日中でも 光る海と船の行方を眺めていたいです。
     郷里の近くにありながら存在すら知らなかった小さな島、沼島まで訪れた早春。まだ固い蕾をもつ 我が家の庭の水仙を咲かせてくれる日を楽しみにしています。
     素敵な風景をありがとうございます。

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    1. 「記紀」の国産み神話によれば、イザナギ、イザナミの2神が、天上から降りて日本列島の創造をはじめましたが、それをおこなった「オンゴロ島」の一つの候補がこの沼島だそうですね。最初に造った島が淡路島だと言われていますね。神々の島、穏やかな海、寒さの中にも凛としてそれらをながめている水仙、日本の源に立ち返るようです。

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  4. That is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen! Your pictures and descriptions make me wish I was there right now.

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  5. Wow! What a winter.., wish in my dream. Your photos are just wonderful. I love these flowers. I have them in my garden around April here in north.

    Hope you have good days Cosmos, hugs from Tania

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  6. What a fascinating post! I also went to the narcissus fields of Nada Kuroiwa two years ago and posted with William Wordsworth’s “Daffodils” which I remembered on the spot when I saw the slopes of narcissus stretching to the water fringe. They also reminded me of a narcissistic youth of Greek mythology. At that time, I had only compact digital camera. Though I think that Sony Cybershot did a nice work. I’d like to take pictures with my current mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera next time. My husband and I love Awaji Island and drove to there three times when highway fare for the bridge was only 1000 yen. I like 4th and 6th images in which narcissus looking for their unknown world beyond the sea. The view of Seto Inland Sea always soothes me. Thanks for this post, cosmos, which brings sweet memory back to me.

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  7. こんにちは。なんて素敵なお写真の数々!おばあさんのお話も心温まりますね。ありがとうございました。

    去年初めて淡路島に行きましたが、素敵なところですね。私も水仙を見に行きたいな。

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  8. 3年くらい前、淡路島の温泉へ行った帰り、この水仙郷に立ちよりました。確かポストしたと思いますが、古いブログをデリートした時に、削除したみたいです。厳しい寒さの中、海風にむかって凛としてたつ水仙のかおりを思い出しました。山の斜面が、三方を向いてるので、春まで順に咲続けるのでしょうか。

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  9. 水仙と海の輝きがとてもきれいですね。明石海峡も颯爽としていて、とてもステキに撮れています。ここは私の家から遠くないのに、まだ行ったことがないんですよ。春にでも行ってみますね。カメラを変えられたというお話を前にうかがったことがあります。以前のお写真もステキですが、新しいカメラで撮られた写真は一段とすばらしいです。Canonですか?私はNikonです。

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    1. 私のもNikonです。ほめていただいてうれしいですが、ほんとにまだまだわかっていません^^;
      友達が同じのを持っているので教えてもらっていますが、まず「習うより慣れろ」ですね。自分のカメラの性質をまず知らないといけないとアドバイスされています。今までの所、たまたま撮れている写真ばかりです。今年は写ガールでがんばってみます^^

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  10. Such delightful pictures... cosmos! I love the contrast these flowers show, all the colors here are very soul soothing. The story of the woman is very heart pleasing, that surely must have made her very happy. And that suspension bridge looks like its never going to end, it is so long! wow! Very beautiful post.. thanks for sharing the stillness and beauty of it, enjoyed it! :)

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  11. Hi Cosmos! I had no idea where the longest suspension bridge was.......till now! I never cease to be amazed at the amount of interesting information I pick up on blogs.It's wonderful to see so many people admiring this beautiful array of flowers.
    I love mercurial seas,they are so soothing and magical.

    Thanks for sharing your visit!
    Ruby

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  12. What a beautiful sight! (Also a beautiful story about the son and his mother.) What about the fragrance of the flowers? That must've been a wonderful experience, too! :)

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    1. They are fragrant. I sometimes feel the fragrance too strong if they are put inside the warm room, but like to smell sweet faintly in the cold frigid air.
      By the way, according to the creation myth of Japan written in ancient chronicles, two deities; Izanagi and Izanami, give birth to this Awaji Island first of all. It must be interesting to explore this legend here.

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  13. こんばんは。冬に咲く日本水仙の美しさは格別ですね。 明石海峡大橋の写真もとても美しいです。
    最後のお話を読んで、啄木の短歌を思い出しました。
     戯れに 母を背負いて そのあまりに 軽きに泣きて 三歩歩まず。

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  14. Hi,again Cosmos
    Minoru Saitoさんのコメント読ませていただきました。

    戯れに 母を背負いて そのあまりに 軽きに泣きて 三歩歩まず。

    お正月に久しぶりに会った母は元気でしたが、すっかり小さくなったように見えました。啄木の短歌、心にしみます。
    Tomoko

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    1. そうですね。誰でも老いるのは当然の事とはわかっていても、やはり年月を感じて切なくなる時もありますね。
      でもそれぞれが一生懸命生きている姿は尊いですね。私も月に何回か1人暮らしの父の所に通っていますが、幸いまだ自立出来ているので、まずは身体を大事にして、いい余生を送ってもらいたいと思っています。
      私たちも気をつけないとね。足の具合はいかがですか?

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  15. I'm glad that the old woman's son was willing to satisfy her heart's desire. It may be the last year she is able to make the attempt to climb such a hill. I believe that when we help others achieve their goals, our own dreams will be realized.

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    1. I agree with you. The more who are willing to be of any help to others, the more wonderful the world will be.
      I hope your dream will be realized sooner,w2w.

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  16. What a priceless sight and surely what a priceless experience this must be! The flowers look very fragile but when you think at the low temperatures they resist at, you realize how strong and amazing they are. Have you noticed that the first flowers to announce the coming of spring are the smallest and most fragile, keiko? At least apparently...

    I've always been impressed by your love for your country and the pride and respect you show for its beauty. I wish my countrymen re-discover these feelings too, because we also have a generous and very beautiful country... I feel ashamed to admit it, but only after reading your post and searching the internet I've discovered that we also have a few fields of wild narcissus across Romania (we call them 'narcissus glades'). In fact one of them is the largest of its kind in Europe, spreading over more than 400 hectares. Thank you for that! I hope I'll be able to visit it this year in May, when they'll be in bloom.

    The picture depicting the fishing boat gliding across the inland sea is extremely beautiful. It has a stillness of time and season one can get lost into. Dreaming or meditating.

    It's good to read you again and I'll be back shortly to catch up the other posts I've missed! Till then my best of wishes and have happy days ahead, dear keiko!

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  17. How utterly magical to see that carpet of flowers. Gorgeous shots!

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  18. I cannot believe what my eyes see on your photos. Although the daffodils / narcissuses are early flowering plants in Germany, too, we have to wait another two months before we can look at these wonderful heralds of spring. The part of Japan where you live one can compare with the north of Africa compared to the mild climate.
    Enjoy a springlike winter, we have (light) snowfall outside.
    UWe.

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  19. Thank you, Roxana, ladyfi, You-wee for your comments. I am happy to read them. However, now it takes me a little time to put my feeling in order since I lost my father because of a sudden heart attack.
    He was ninety years old but he was all right till the day he passed away a week ago...
    I am writing this just to say thanks to you. I am coming back to blogging soon.

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  20. These flowers look so peaceful and beautiful! In Finland narcissus is a symbol of Easter, because that's when they bloom here. Easter here is bright yellow and green.

    I'm very sorry to hear about your loss! I hope you stay strong.

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    1. Thank you, Ekaterina, for your encouragement.
      Easter is not so popular here, however, I like the idea that narcissus is a symbol of it. The bright yellow one is blooming soon here as well. The day is getting lighter.

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  21. こんにちわ。

    斜面の水仙は日差しを受けて気持ちよさそうですね。
    海原も爽快感が溢れています・・・。

    望遠ですこし前ボケをいれていらっしゃるところなど素敵ですよ。
    どれも淡くて柔らかな描写です。

    表現されたものにご当人の心持ちが自然に浮かび上がるのは、不思議な気がいたします。


    いつも応援してくださって有り難うございます。


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  22. love the carpet of flowers and the bridge :)

    http://www.myunfinishedlife.com/

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  23. °º✿✿
    °º✿ FELIZ DIA INTERNACIONAL DA MULHER!
    º° ✿✿ ♫° ·.

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  24. Hello, cosmos.

     Your heartwarming works fascinates my heart.

     Thank you for your kindness and support.
     And i pray for you and yours peace.

    Have a good week-end. From Japan, ruma❃

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  25. おはようございます。お孫さんが出来たそうですね。 おめでとうございます。

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    1. ありがとうございます。退院後しばらくは我が家に居る予定です。きっと毎日何回となく眺めて過ごすことになると思います^^この子たちにとって、夢のある美しい未来であることを強く願っています。

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  26. I read this post some time ago, but for some reason I didn't comment. I checked your blog again and saw it once more. This time I'm leaving a comment. The year has now progressed to the point where we are starting to see Spring flowers growing here, but we would never have such a treat as these fields of narcissi in January! I love the scent of many different flowers, but the scent of narcissi and daffodils matter more to me than anything, because they tell me that Spring and summer are on the way, and they have that exciting feeling of new life.

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