Ouchi

ひろがりて雲もむらさき花樗
- 古賀まり子

In Yanbaru, which is in the early summer, you can see the sendan-flowers falling in the wind. Sendan is called “Afuchi” in the old language, and it is also written in “Manyoshu”, the oldest anthology of waka poems.

It doesn’t feel gorgeous from a distance, but the flowers that flicker in the refreshing breeze are beautiful. There is some sendan in my garden. When the flowers bloom look like lilac clouds. If you look up close, you will notice that many small flowers are in full bloom. On a quiet night, there is a faint, deep scent that gives you a mysterious appearance.

The flower language of Sendan is “a disagreement”.

It is said that knowing each other is communication itself, but unexpectedly the views pass each other, and sometimes they collide.　
In such a case, listen to the opinions, convey the views, and develop further. We will understand each other’s ideas and integrate them into higher-quality conclusions.

Japanese is interesting, and “a place where you meet unexpectedly” is called “逢地 ouchi”. Two people who walked from different places meet at the top of the pass. It is a word that imitates the situation. There is also a town called “相知 Ouchi” in Saga prefecture in Kyushu, which is derived from “the place where rivers meet”. The meaning of “相知” is to know each other. The rivers will also merge, and the momentum will increase. The Matsuura River, which is located downstream, has Historically, it has nurtured the culture of Karatsu City.