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December 2001


• December 28 One day close to the yearend I was strolling along Kagamigawa River which runs south of my home. No severe cold wave hasn't eventuated. A flock of geese were sliding on the surface of the river. The cold water looked as if waiting for the coming of spring. These geese will disappear when the weather warms up in spring. They have probably returned from Siberia or near it. The Kochi-born samurai warrior Ryoma Sakamoto is said to have swum in Kagamigawa River. Locals say there was a swordsmanship training school near the bank and Ryoma practiced there in his younger days. This is a town on the bank called Tsukiyashiki. There are still stone fences standing, remnants of the days of Ryoma. If you are walking along a deserted street with these stone fences on the side, you feels as if you could run into Ryoma carrying a bamboo sword coming toward you.

• December 28
One day close to the yearend I was strolling along Kagamigawa River which runs south of my home. No severe cold wave hasn't eventuated. A flock of geese were sliding on the surface of the river. The cold water looked as if waiting for the coming of spring. These geese will disappear when the weather warms up in spring. They have probably returned from Siberia or near it.

The Kochi-born samurai warrior Ryoma Sakamoto is said to have swum in Kagamigawa River. Locals say there was a swordsmanship training school near the bank and Ryoma practiced there in his younger days. This is a town on the bank called Tsukiyashiki. There are still stone fences standing, remnants of the days of Ryoma. If you are walking along a deserted street with these stone fences on the side, you feels as if you could run into Ryoma carrying a bamboo sword coming toward you.