戸倉上山田温泉の千曲川沿いに万葉公園があります。万葉集及び千曲川に絡んだ詩の手彫りの石は31個があります。その1つは「千曲川」と言う歌なので、ボタンを押せば、五木ひろしの歌が流れます。(「カラオケロック」とも呼ばれる。）
千曲市は最近、公園の案内の立派なパンフを作りました。碑の1つ1つの写真があって、文章が書いてあって、そしてその解説もある。細かくて素敵なパンフです。
例えば、山崎等(d.1968年）の自筆で：
「この川に一つとなりて、流れゆく親しさを見よ、水の心の」
その解説：千曲川は沢山の支流を集めて、1つの大きい川で日本海まで流れ、その川水が親しく豊かだと。
私の印象：亀清旅館の女将社長が長年の経営から、妻がそれを見て育ってきた所から、私が外から来ました。皆それぞれのところから、亀清の将来の流れ、一緒になって、日々の努力をしている・・・
まあ、感心する所がありながら、正直って、今までのお客様の中で、「万葉公園へ行きたい」と言う人は一人しかいなかった。なおかつ、その人は五木ひろしファンだっただけであった。ですから、この新しいパンフはどれだけ必要か疑問ですが、まあ、これからは興味のありそうなお客さんに案内してみます。
Along the embankment besides the Chikuma River here in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, there is a park called Manyo Koen. It has 31 rocks and bolders engraved with poems from and inspired by the Manyo Collection of classical poems from the 7th and 8th centuries. One of those bolders is engraved with the lyrics to the pop song "Chikuma-gawa". And if you push a button, the music by singer Hiroshi Itsuki plays. We call it 'karaoke rock'.
Chikuma City has just recently published a new brochure about Manyo Park. It includes close-up photographs of each relief, the full text to each poem, as well as a brief explanation of the poems. This certainly helps give an appreciation of the engravings. For example, one of the poems, written by Hitoshi Yamazaki (d.1968) is, in Japanese,
"Kono kawa ni hitotsu to narite, Nagareyuku shitashisa wo miyo, Mizu no kokoro no"
Roughly translated: "This river becomes one, Look at how it flows together in friendship, the water's heart"
Explanation: The Chikuma River is a confluence of many tributaries, all becoming one on the journey to the sea.
My interpretation: Our okami-san who has been running Kmaesei Ryokan for 5 decades, my wife who grew up watching seeing that, and me coming from overseas, are joining as one taking the inn on its journey to the future...
If you take the time, this park offers lots of similar insight. However, to be honest, no one ever takes the time. In all the years I've been here, only one guest has ever asked about Manyo Park. And that person was a Hitoshi Itsuki fan. So I have my doubts about the usefulness of the city's new brochure. I'll try using it to introduce our guests to the park.
万葉集の詳しくはこちらClick here for more on the Manyo Collection
Kenny holding the Manyo Brochure at Manyo Park
