Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun.
January 11, 2021 at 12:05 JST
Haiku poet Fusei Tomiyasu (1885-1979) was described as “extremely sensitive to cold” by Kenkichi Yamamoto, a literary critic.
Fusei’s haiku, “Everything has briskly entered into ‘kan’ (the cold season),” makes me feel the crisp, tense air of this season.
Another Fusei poem, “I braced myself for the frightening thing called kan,” reminds me of how I steel myself before getting out of bed every morning these days.
The weather over the past several days makes us keenly aware that the cold season has arrived. I don’t dare go out without my knit cap.
Wearing a mask was such a nuisance until some time ago, but I now even appreciate its warmth on my face.
The lowest temperature of the day is slightly below zero in Tokyo. People in colder regions may be mocking my whining about that level of cold.
On Jan. 9, temperatures fell to record lows in many parts of the Japanese archipelago. In Iwate Prefecture, the mercury dropped to 24.1 degrees below zero in Miyako and to minus 19.9 degrees in Oshu.
“Snow has completely frozen to become harder than marble … .”
The freezing cold reminds me of this passage from “Yukiwatari” (Snow crossing), a children’s tale written by novelist Kenji Miyazawa (1896-1933), who was born and raised in the prefecture.
In the story, two children walk to a faraway place on frozen snow.
Singing, “Katayuki (hardened snow) kanko, Shimiyuki (frozen snow) shinko,” they reach a forest and meet a little fox. The three make friends, and the fox invites the children to come back when snow freezes.
Snow changes its face depending on circumstances. It is a playmate for children at one time and an obstacle in life at another.
I am worried about the vehicles that have become stranded in heavy snow again.
Another of Fusei’s poems goes: “I confront ‘daikan’ (the coldest season) as if it were my enemy.”
If we are as prepared as the poet, that should help reduce the cold. The frigid weather is also a sign that spring is not far away.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 10
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
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