横浜の海(A Summer by the Sea)

皆さまこんにちは。
残暑お見舞い申し上げます。暦の上では秋とはいえ、厳しい暑さが続いておりますが、皆さまお変わりなくお過ごしでしょうか。

毎年、お盆には帰省するのですが、今年は7月末に帰省したこともあり、その直後のお盆は横浜で海を眺めて過ごしていました。
数時間ほどホテルの窓際でぼーっと外を見ていると、汽笛を鳴らして客船が出たり入ったり、海岸近くでは人の往来が増えたり途切れたり。何気ない風景ですが、ずっと眺めているとなかなか面白かったです。
横浜に引っ越してきて早5年。自分が住んでいる街の海をじっくりと眺める機会はこれまでなかったので、良い時間を過ごすことができました。

今年の夏は、暑い日もありますが、時折夕立が降るなど、どこか久しぶりに夏らしい夏を迎えているように感じます。
台風や地震など、何かと落ち着かないこともありますが、気がつけば今年も半分を過ぎました。残りの半年も、できるだけ穏やかに、元気に過ごしていけたらと思います。


Hello, everyone!

Although the calendar tells us that autumn has arrived, the intense summer heat is still with us. I hope you are all keeping well.

I usually return home during Japan's Obon holiday each summer, but this year I had already visited my family at the end of July. So, during the Obon break, I stayed in Yokohama and spent some time by the sea.

If you spend a few hours idly gazing out the hotel window, you can watch passenger ships come and go to the sound of their whistles, and observe the ebb and flow of people along the shore. It is an ordinary scene, yet watching it for a long time can be surprisingly interesting.

It has already been five years since I moved to Yokohama. Despite living here all this time, I had never really taken the opportunity to sit and enjoy the sea in my own city. It turned out to be a wonderful and relaxing way to spend the holiday.

This summer has certainly brought plenty of hot days, but we have also had occasional evening showers. Somehow, it feels like we are experiencing a more traditional Japanese summer again—something I feel we have not had in quite some time.

There have also been typhoons, earthquakes, and other reminders of the power of nature, and the year has already passed its halfway point. I hope that the months ahead will be peaceful and that we can all stay healthy and enjoy the rest of the year.