子供のころ住んでいた町には小さな神社があって、そこには大きな桜の木が1本あった。私は、その桜の木が大好きで、よく木のそばで、友達とおしゃべりをしたり、本を読んだりした。春には毎年美しい花を咲かせるので、遠いところからも多くの人が花見に来ていた。
引っ越してから20年以上その町に行く機会がなかったが、先週、仕事で行くことになった。ちょうど桜の季節だったので、神社にも行ってみた。
桜は、昔ほど美しく咲いていなくて、がっかりした。そして、花見客もあまりいなかった。よく見ると、桜の木の周りはロープで囲まれ、近くに行くことができなくなっていた。神社を掃除していた人に、その理由を聞くと、根の上を踏まれすぎて、桜が枯れそうになったからだと話してくれた。桜は根を土の中の浅いところに広げるため、根の上を踏まれると、土が固くなって呼吸ができなくなるのだそうだ。
木のそばに行けなかったのは残念だったが、早く元気になって、また美しい花を咲かせてほしい。
AI translation, cross-checked between two models.
In the town where I lived as a child, there was a small Shinto shrine with one large cherry tree. I loved that cherry tree and often chatted with friends or read books beside it. Every spring it produced beautiful blossoms, so many people came from far away to enjoy the flowers.
After moving away, I had no opportunity to return to that town for more than twenty years, but last week I had to go there for work. Since it happened to be cherry blossom season, I decided to visit the shrine as well.
I was disappointed because the cherry blossoms were not blooming as beautifully as they used to. There were not many people there to view the blossoms either. Looking more closely, I saw that the area around the cherry tree had been roped off, so people could no longer approach it. When I asked a person cleaning the shrine why, they told me that so many people had stepped on the ground above the roots that the cherry tree was in danger of dying. Apparently, because cherry tree roots spread through relatively shallow soil, when the ground above them is repeatedly stepped on, the soil becomes compacted and the roots can no longer breathe.
Although I was disappointed that I could not go near the tree, I hope it recovers soon and blooms beautifully again.
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