山高神代桜

ここ白州にも綺麗な桜が咲き始めました。数日前に甲府に出かけた時、国道20号を走り抜けると釜無川の両岸に桜色した木々が見え始めていました。昨日、北杜ナビで山高神大桜も咲き始めの知らせをしていました。桜の木がある実相寺には朝早くから見物客が見えてました。私もそのうちの一人ですが。境内の入り口には、ラッパ水仙が咲いていました。桜は、まだ三分咲きくらいで満開までには、もう少し暖かな日を迎える必要があるようでした。山高神代桜は、日本三大桜の一つで樹齢推定二千年とも言われています。その悠久の時を超えた姿は神々しく手を合わせる人もいるそうです。また、日本で最古、最大級の巨木として国定指定天然記念物第1号となったそうです。様々な言い伝えが残る桜の木です。

境内を歩きながら三十本ほどあるソメイヨシノが南アルプスの山々を背景に美しい光景を生み出していました。

スペースシャトルに神大桜の種子が乗り「国際宇宙ステーション・きぼう」で8ヶ月間過ごした種子が宇宙桜としてここで見ることができます。写真を撮りましたが、まだ三分咲きでしょう。

帰り道には、台ヶ原の金精軒に立ち寄り、桜餅を買い込み家に帰ってから戴きました。やはり、

「花より団子」でしょうか。

Yamataka Jindai-Zakura

Beautiful cherry blossoms have begun to bloom here in Hakushu. When I was out in Kofu a few days ago, I drove down Route 20 and saw the cherry colored trees beginning to appear along both banks of the Kamanashi River. Yesterday, Hokuto Navi was announcing that the Yamataka Jindaiai-Zakura were beginning to bloom as well. Jisso-ji Temple, where the cherry trees are located, was full of visitors from early in the morning. I was one of them. At the entrance of the temple grounds, trumpet daffodils were in bloom. The cherry blossoms were only one-third in bloom, and it would take a few more warm days before they were in full bloom. The Yamataka Jindai-Zakura is one of the three most famous cherry trees in Japan and is estimated to be 2,000 years old. Its timeless appearance is said to be so divine that some people join hands with it. It is also said to be the oldest and largest giant tree in Japan, and was designated as a national natural monument No. 1. Various legends remain about this cherry tree.

Walking through the precincts of the temple, about 30 the Yoshino cherry trees created a beautiful scene with the mountains of the Southern Alps in the background.

The seeds of the Jindai-zakura were carried on the space shuttle and spent eight months on the "International Space Station Kibo" and can be seen here as space cherry blossoms. I took a picture, but it is probably still in one-third in bloom.

On the way home, I stopped by Kinseiken in Daigahara and bought some sakura mochi (cherry blossom cakes) to eat after returning home. After all

I guess "dumplings are better than flowers.