When I left my bed at 5 AM, it was raining, not heavily, but still raining. Nevertheless, I automatically changed into my running clothes. I put on my shoes and went outside. In the past, I would have hesitated and wavered.
However, during the rainy season, if I didn't run because of the rain, there would be no days left for running. Besides, there are things that can only be enjoyed in rainy weather. So, I had decided to run no matter what the weather was like the night before.
I ran on the farm roads surrounded by rice paddies. The deep green rice stalks were wet with rain, looking fresh and vibrant. I savored the moist and lush world. Isn't this a happiness unique to "rainy day running"? Even though I was getting hit by the rain, my heart felt full.
I ran through the rice paddies. I felt the water. I felt Kōkō. I felt Asia.
Such a world extends throughout Kashima City, Itako City, Kamisu City, Namegata City, and Hokota City, all facing Kitaura, Wanigawa, Sotonasakōra, and Hitachitonegawa. In this area, if you run a little way from the city, you reach a lush world and are captivated by the beauty of the rice paddies.
As the seasons change, you can enjoy a different kind of beauty. The golden-hued world is exceptional. During planting season, the blue sky and clouds are reflected on the water's surface. That, too, must be the charm of "farm road running" in Kōkō.
Perhaps it's something that can only be savored because I'm running leisurely on my own feet, not in a car. By entrusting myself to that time and space, a moist sensation permeates my mind and body.
In Hisashi Inoue's "The Story of Rice," there is a passage that reads:
"There are mountains in the distance, and beneath them, it's as if a green carpet has been laid out. The green seems to seep into the brain, and rice paddies have that kind of effect on people's hearts."
Indeed, I feel such an effect in my mind and body.
There's a favorite path of mine on the left bank of Kitaura, just north of Shin-Jingu Bridge in Kashima City. From a slightly elevated point, Kitaura can be seen beyond the sprawling rice paddies. If the weather is good, I can even see Mount Tsukuba, which is close to my hometown.
It's just an ordinary landscape. It's not a magnificent vista. It's surely a common sight. It can't become a tourist spot.
Yet, I find myself drawn there. Even if the sky isn't clear, even if it's drizzling, when I arrive, I feel relieved. My heart is at peace. Perhaps it is a good landscape after all.
Text and photos by Yoshida (Community Collaboration Team)