[Notes] The small joys of feeling the changing seasons

Hello. I am Bombay, a city hall employee.

Even though it is September, the heat remains intense.
Wiping away sweat under the scorching sun during the day, it feels as if summer is still continuing.

However, there are moments when I suddenly realize that the seasons are moving forward properly.

Japan's four seasons are wonderful. Feeling the splendor of nature using all five senses.
I will write about such moments.

1. The sense of the season felt through the ears

For me, the biggest trigger for this is commuting by bicycle.
Since the area where I live is a car-oriented society, many of my colleagues at work also commute by car, but I ride my bicycle through the city every day.

Thanks to that, I can feel the subtle changes, such as the scent of the wind, the sounds of insects, and the way shadows stretch, with my own skin.

For example, the relay of seasons felt through the "ears".
The beginning of summer starts when the voices of the Nii-nii cicadas begin to be heard here and there.

That eventually turns into a grand chorus of Kumazemi cicadas, and the whole city is wrapped in the colors of summer.
After Obon, that sound suddenly stops, and the chirping of the Tsukutsukuboushi cicada becomes the main act instead.

Listening to that transition, I realize that even a summer that is just hot has its proper milestones.

Furthermore, when evening comes, the sounds of crickets and bell crickets begin to resonate, and my ears tell me that "autumn is certainly approaching."

By the way, my favorite cicada song is the Higurashi, but it is a pity that they are not found on flat land, so I rarely get to hear them.

2. The sense of the season felt through the eyes

I also feel the seasons with my "eyes".
While waiting at traffic lights, I always lean into the thin shadow of a utility pole.
(I want to avoid direct sunlight even a little!)

In the middle of summer, the shadows are short, and there is almost no place to hide.
However, when September arrives, the direction and length of the shadows change little by little.

From such things, I can tell that the position of the sun has changed.
Noticing that slight difference might be because I commute by bicycle.
Casual shadows start to look like the hands of a seasonal clock.

3. The sense of the season felt through the skin

And what I feel with my "skin" is the wind in the morning and evening.
Although the heat during the day is still severe, when I ride my bicycle early in the morning, I am sometimes wrapped in a soft, cool breeze.

On the way home at night, I notice that the air is a little drier and I am being released from the heat of summer.
I think this kind of sensation is also a privilege unique to bicycles that is hard to experience in a car.

4. From days chased only by work to days where I can feel small joys

On the other hand, I spend much of my time during the day and night in comfortable spaces like the office or my home.
A stable, air-conditioned environment is essential for continuing to work and live comfortably.

However, I feel that in exchange for that convenience, we are becoming gradually disconnected from the 'changing of nature'.

Even though Japan has four seasons and an environment where we can feel the richness of nature, it feels like a waste to let it pass by without having the time to fully enjoy it.

That is precisely why these small discoveries I make while commuting by bicycle are precious moments for me.

Also, when I am chased by busy days, I often miss the changes in the seasons themselves. It becomes difficult to find the time to turn my attention toward them.

Even while commuting by bicycle, I tend to think about work, but I wish I could have the leeway to pay more attention to the wonderful nature around me.

With half a year left until I retire from the city office, I want to cherish the time I spend commuting by bicycle while feeling the seasons as a modest luxury.