写真・構成：岩崎量示
The English translation follows after the Japanese text.
〈土の湖底とアイスバブル〉
6年前の今日、音更川をはさんで対岸にタウシュベツ川橋梁を眺めていた。音更川に沿って氷が大きく割れ、もう湖底の土が露出している。こうした時期になると、さすがに湖を横断して橋まで行くのは難しい春間近の光景だ。
日中の気温がプラスになる日がつづくと、川を流れる水量は目に見えて増え、川音も大きく響く。雪解け水のせせらぎは春のおとずれを告げる合図のひとつだ。
アイスバブルが例年以上に多くできていたこの冬は、割れた氷の断面がちょっとした見ものだった。無数の気泡が氷に詰まっていた。水位が大きく下がる人造湖の、冬の終わりならではの光景だ。
Six years ago today, I was on the far side of the Otofuke River, looking at the Taushubetsu Bridge. Along the river, the ice had cracked wide, already exposing the lakebed. Around this time of year, it becomes pretty tough to walk across the lake to get to the bridge, so it really felt like spring was just around the corner.
As daytime temperatures started going above freezing, the water flow in the river visibly increased, and you could really hear it rushing by. The sound of snowmelt running downstream is always a sure sign of spring.
This winter, we had more ice bubbles than usual, so the cracked edges of the ice were kind of a highlight. You could see countless air pockets trapped inside—a unique sight you only get at the end of winter on an artificial lake, where the water level drops a lot.
Ryoji Iwasaki