Seven

Isao Yamashita

Honorary Chairman of the Igo Mita-kai, 1961 Law

The seven major Go tournaments are Kisei, Meijin, Honinbo, Oza, Tengen, Gosei, and Judan. In particular, the Kisei and Meijin titles are decided in a seven-game match, taking two days with eight hours of thinking time each. To prepare for this, organizers arrange the finest environments. Match venues are diverse, ranging from world-class hotels to temples and shrines such as Ninna-ji, Jakkō-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Kirishima Jingu, and Kanda Myojin, as well as governors' official residences, the Numazu Imperial Villa, and national museums. A certain location previously recommended as suitable was rejected simply because the sound of a train could be faintly heard. A venue is not selected unless it meets every single condition to that degree. The two title contenders face each other across the Go board for two days. This is not merely a contest of technical skill, but perhaps a battle where human strength is factored in. When I asked a top-tier professional player, "Japan is currently trailing behind China and South Korea, but wouldn't we be able to fight on equal terms in a two-day match?" he flatly denied it, saying, "It wouldn't change anything." While three-hour title matches are the mainstream globally, I believe the two-day, seven-game match is the ultimate battle between humans in Go. I would love to see a seven-game title match between players from China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.

Mieko Ikeda

Professor, Department of Japanese Literature, Jissen Women's University; 1986 Letters, 1989 Master of Letters, 1992 Doctor of Letters

When I count on my fingers the flowers blooming in the autumn fields, there are seven kinds.

The bush clover, the pampas grass, the kudzu, the pink, the patrinia, the thoroughwort, and the morning glory.

The two poems above are by Yamanoue no Okura, included in the Man'yoshu. It is well known that these are the origin of the Seven Flowers of Autumn. The issue among these is the "morning glory" (asagao).

Though the morning glory is said to bloom bearing the morning dew, it blooms even more beautifully in the evening light.

Because of this Man'yo poem praising the "morning glory" in the twilight of evening, there are various theories that it may not be the modern morning glory, but rather the bindweed, the rose of Sharon, or the balloon flower.

In an NHK morning drama aired last year, there was a scene where the protagonist, modeled after botanist Tomitaro Makino, and a rival university faculty member connected through this poem. Regardless of what the "morning glory" actually was, the sight of people with different positions empathizing through waka poetry was deeply moving.

Incidentally, Dr. Tomitaro Makino concludes in his writings that the "morning glory" of the Man'yo poems is the balloon flower (kikyo).

Kanako Kawamura

Researcher, Agriculture, Logistics, and Regional Division, Distribution Economics Institute of Japan; Rice Sommelier; 2020 Policy Management, 2022 Graduate School of Media and Governance Master

In Hokkaido, Japan's top rice-producing region, the "Nanatsuboshi" variety was adopted in 2001. This rice is characterized by a moderate sweetness and a soft texture. Since it isn't overly sticky, it crumbles lightly in the mouth, and I personally like the way you can feel the individual grains. It is more of a "supporting actor" than a lead. Its clean taste brings out the original flavors of the ingredients in the side dishes it accompanies.

Hokkaido is blessed with vast land and rich nature. The Big Dipper consists of seven stars that shine particularly bright in the clear night sky. "Nanatsuboshi" was named with the image of beautiful, sparkling rice and the wish that it would shine like the Big Dipper. Its white, glossy appearance when cooked also brings the origin of its name to mind.

Out of many varieties developed, only a handful reach our mouths. There is a story behind the birth of Nanatsuboshi as well. Rice is the soul food of the Japanese people. As a Japanese ingredient the world can be proud of, I hope that Japanese rice continues to reach dining tables across the globe.

Sadayoshi Tamura

Teacher, Keio Girls Senior High School

The Big Dipper has been likened to a ladle or a spoon in various parts of the world, and the surrounding stars were likened to a bear. The Big Dipper forms the back and tail of Ursa Major, the third-largest constellation in the sky. At the school where I work, located in the city center, it is not easy to trace the shape of the ladle and find the form of the bear, even on nights without moonlight.

However, during a stargazing session while away from the city on a school trip in May, I could see the Big Dipper clearly without even having to search for it. By extending the curve of its arched handle, one can find the orange Arcturus in Boötes near the zenith, and by extending the curve further, it leads to the white-shining Spica in Virgo in the middle of the southern sky, grandly drawing the Spring Great Arc.

Virgo contains a cluster of galaxies, and since the Milky Way galaxy to which our solar system belongs is a member of the Virgo Supercluster, perhaps Earth's cosmic address is "Virgo Supercluster, Milky Way Galaxy, Orion Arm, Third Planet of the Solar System." When I tell such stories while looking at the Big Dipper, students seem to take an interest not only in mythology but also in the expansion of the universe.