COMMUNICATIONS

Tea ceremonies in Japan take their cue from the seasons. For example a given day in May is considered to mark early summer. Seasonal blooms will decorate the room, and　the participants, if in Japanese attire, will arrive wearing kimonos patterned with summer flowers.
　
In recent times, however, these traditional early summer flowers are not blooming well. This is presumably because of global warming. The progress of the seasons is no longer what it once was. Should we choose different flowers? Or change the start date for early summer? We live in an age when we may have to make such a choice.
　
The same goes for the seasonal words used in haiku poetry. “Mosquitos” and “the smell of mosquito coil” are still seasonal tropes. However, today Japanese summers are too hot for mosquitos, so mosquito coils are no longer needed. How will the world of haiku respond? In any case, it is clear that changes in the global environment are casting a shadow over traditional Japanese culture.
　
We could tackle this subject in collaboration with the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN). I would be delighted if this short essay triggers a joint research project. Although I am not sure if anyone at RIHN is reading…