The Summer Solstice is finally here, preparing for the remaining half of the year

It is already the middle of June.
The greenery outside the window has deepened,
and it has become a season where you can feel
the air changing little by little.

The "Summer Solstice" is the day with the longest daylight and shortest night of the year.
This year, we finally enter the summer solstice on June 21st.

The summer solstice is a turning point of light

The summer solstice is,
the day when the sun's altitude at noon is at its highest for the year.
It has long been cherished
as an important milestone for agricultural work.
It could be called a "turning point of light"
to receive the sun's blessings with our whole being and connect them to the next harvest.

Shadows are at their shortest

At noon,
the sun shines powerfully from almost directly overhead,
and the shadows at our feet become the shortest of the year.
That sharp yet brilliant light
powerfully announces the change of the season.

Long autumn nights, short summer nights

While we are familiar with the phrase "long autumn nights,"
the nights during this period are called "short summer nights."
The silence of those short nights, where the morning light immediately mingles with the twilight.
Because they pass by in the blink of an eye,
that time feels somewhat fleeting and precious.

Even though we cannot see the sun due to the rainy season,

We are still in the middle of the rainy season.
With clouds covering the sky,
there may be few opportunities to truly experience the sun.
However, the sunlight that peeks through between the rains
holds a definite strength.
The humidity rising from the rain-soaked earth and
the sunlight that gradually increases in intensity.
We are likely standing at the entrance to the full-blown heat.

Self-heal (Utsubogusa)

If you look toward the mountains and fields,
the "self-heal" (prunella vulgaris) stands quietly.
Named for the fact that its flower spikes wither and turn brown around the summer solstice,
this flower teaches us the cold, precise accuracy of nature.
The seasons seem to be preparing for the next landscape
steadily and much faster than we think.

The time when iris flowers reach their peak

It has become a time when irises adorned with raindrops bloom beautifully.
Actually, if you unravel the literature of the Heian period,
an interesting history emerges.

It is said that people used to call the "Araceae family sweet flag"
used in the iris bath for the Boys' Festival
by the name "Ayame."
It is said that it was not until the Edo period
that the name came to refer to the current Iridaceae family iris.

It is also unique to this season that there are many flowers
so similar to the sweet flag and the Japanese iris that they are indistinguishable.
The proverb "Either an iris or a Japanese iris"
describes a situation where both are excellent and hard to choose from,
but when you gaze at each of them wet with rain,
even that hesitation feels endearing.

Iris (Ayame):
There is a mesh pattern at the base of the petals,
harboring a noble beauty.

Japanese Iris (Hanashobu):
It is characterized by yellow striped patterns at the base,
and has an elegance as if it were snuggling up to the water's edge.

Rabbit-ear Iris (Kakitsubata):
The white striped pattern at the base gives a pure impression,
and cleanses the heart of the viewer.

Enjoy winter melon, edamame, and amberjack to get through the season

Before the height of summer arrives, it is important to take care of your body.

Winter melon, which is full of water and helps release body heat.
Edamame, whose seasonal aroma stimulates the appetite.
And amberjack, which is fatty yet has a refreshing taste.

Choosing these seasonal blessings is like an 'amulet' to help you stay healthy through the hot season to come.

Even in the midst of a busy daily life, cherishing these seasonal milestones helps to calm and settle the mind.
Please take good care of yourselves.
May this series of seasons starting from the summer solstice be the beginning of a healthy and peaceful second half of the year for you all.