[Header Image Credit] via Pinterest
Unless inspired by the following intriguingly analytic and superlatively sophisticated article by 猛ふぶき様🙏, I wouldn't have written on the subject:
Around 60 years ago, I asked my late father about this song (shōka) Furusato ふるさと⬆️.
He kindly explained its meaning with his memory of Saku region 佐久地方 in Nagano Prefecture associating to his sense of gratitude toward his mentor.
The scene which my late father explained is colored in green of Yatsugatake Mountains 八ヶ岳連峰, an exceptional memory in color, compared with all other memories of my days in Tachikawa City 立川市 in monochrome for some reason…
When my late father took me to Saku in my childhood, I didn't chase rabbits or fish for crucian carp, but I remember visiting farms engaged in sericulture (養蚕農家) to see raising of silkworms and eating Nagano's famous local cuisine - bee larvae rice (蜂の子飯).
While born in Nagano Prefecture, he visited neither Zenkōji temple 善光寺 nor Suwa Grand Shrine 諏訪大社, which he told me with a self-deprecating smile after I had grown up.
I remember he told me about Taishō Pond 大正池 a few times. However, he did not put emphasis on its landscape but explained that the pond had been formed when the active volcano Yakedake 焼岳 had erupted in 1915 and mudflows had dammed the Azusa River 梓川.
I found the following photo several years ago. Its record shows that it was photographed in June 1968. My late father took me to this place a few times, so I remember this location. (The steam locomotive is C56 144).
Being brutally honest, I was so strongly influenced by the gigantic steam locomotives of Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, etc., that the C56 class locomotive, affectionately known as the “Highland Pony,” left absolutely no impression on me.
In the article by 猛ふぶき様, adoption of the particular rhythm consisting of the rhythm of six-four morae 六四調 in stark contrast to that of seven-five morae 七五調 is described in detail. It's a new learning experience for me.
Incidentally, 六四 is strictly prohibited in the country with the largest population on this planet, therefore May 35th 5月35日 is used in order to imply June 4th 6月4日.
So what is 8 × 8 in that country ⁉️
The word "nostalgia" 望郷 does exist in my dictionary. However, the presence of the Douglas C-133 Cargomaster in Tachikawa Air Base of USAF is so strongly etched in my mind that memories of scenes are extremely limited…
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