I have visited this valley several times but a bit later in the season. It seems that the plum blossoms are a little late this year. They are still fragrant, but the blossoms are scattered, and if you are not careful you will miss them. On the other hand, it seems that the cherry blossoms have bloomed a little early. Normally, plum blossoms and cherry blossoms do not overlap. This year seems to be an odd year, where fragrant plums and spectacular cherries mingle. There are many similar valleys nearby, but this is the only one that has become a plum orchard. Other valleys have cedar and cypress forests which have been planted to provide an income, but this valley has many areas that have been left to the natural forest and the plum trees.
数年前にもここへ来ていた。季節はもう少し後。今年はウメの花は少し遅かったらしい。鼻を近づけると、強い芳香がしてくる。しかし、梅の花はちらほらで、注意しないと見逃してしまう。一方、桜の開花は少し早かったらしい。通常はウメと桜の開花は重ならない。今年はまれな年らしい。同じような谷が近くにたくさんあるのだが、梅林園になっているのはここだけ。谷がもっと大きければスギやヒノキの林産のほうが適しているのかもしれない。
The valley is as well-maintained as a garden because it is in the hands of farmers who pick the plum fruit. Perhaps the effort and profits are (somehow) balanced. If it were to make a big profit, there would have been many plum orchards in other valleys.
庭園のように手入れが良くされていて、整っているのは、梅の実を取る農家の手がはいっているからだ。おそらく、手間と収益が（何とか）バランスが取れているのだろう。もし、大きな収益が上がるなら、他の谷にもたくさん梅林ができていただろう。
Today is Sunday, but no one is here. It has been known as a spot to visit for a long time, but what happened? A few weeks ago, when a lot of the plums were in bloom, some groups of older people were coming. It is not recognized as a place for cherry blossoms, so no matter how beautiful the cherry blossoms are, no one will come. If there is no name, you don’t go, on the other hand if it has a name you will visit. There must be a cycle in which more visitors come and the name rises again. Is it a vicious cycle or a virtuous cycle? I prefer the time when people don’t come, so I choose to visit such places. There is always a long line at our local bagel shop in New York, but I don’t really want to buy bagels in that store. Perverse?
今日は日曜、しかし誰もいない。昔から小名所として、知られてるのだが、どうしたのだろう？数週間前、梅がたくさん咲いていた時は老人たちのグループがきていたという。桜の名所としては認識されてないので、いくら桜が美しくても、誰も来ないのかも。知名度がないと、行楽に供しなくなるのだろう。反対に知名度があると、さらにたくさんの行楽客がきて、また知名度が上がるという、循環があるに違いない。それが好循環なのか、悪循環なのか？私は人の来ない時期の方が好きで、そういうところを選んで訪れる。ニューヨークにいつも長蛇の列ができているベーグル屋があるが、並んでまでその店のベーグルを食べたいとは全く思わない。天邪鬼？
Previously, many people would join together to make a car trip and visit here. Now everyone has their own car, but consider this orchard as too minor to come all the way by car to visit. In fact, if a lot of cars come, the orchard will become “car parking”. Then what about a bicycle? If the road to this point does not overlap with car traffic, anyone can enjoy a leisurely half-day excursion. Also, if you can go to a similar quiet scenic spot near this, you can make a nice day trip.
昔は車を仕立ててここまで来る人がたくさんあった。今はだれも自家用車を持っているものの、車で来るには地味すぎるのだろう。実際たくさん車が来たら、梅林が車で埋まってしまう。それなら自転車ならどうだろうか。もしここまで来る道行きが自動車交通と重ならなければ、だれでも、ゆっくりと半日の小旅行が楽しめる。また同じような静かな行楽地にハシゴできるなら、一日小旅行が出来るのでは？
I made a map of the idea of connecting such places. そのような場所をつなぐアイデアを地図にした。
TinyURL.com/tokushimamapproposal/
This map is quite different from the typical route map, it does not recommend the shortest route, some times the route zigs and zags and has detours. Avoiding car traffic it takes you on: この地図は通常のと観光ルートマップとは違い、早く着くことが目的ではないので、多少遠回りでも、ジグザグでも構わない。幹線道路を避けて、
- historical old routes, 歴史的な街道
- quiet obsolete roads left after the new bi-pass, 無数の静かな旧道（新道ができたおかげ）
- banks of rivers 海岸や川の土手、
- farming roads 農道
all stitched together.You can enjoy beautiful scenes safely not paying any attention to car traffic. You will find something you never find on a car trip. をつないでいる。車交通を気にすることなく景色のいいところ、安心して行ける。逆に、車では決して経験できない四国を見ることができるはず。
Hiroki Yoshihara+Sandy McKee 