A long time ago in Japan, “me” was a generic term for birds of all species, according to Haruhiko Kindaichi (1913-2004), a prominent scholar of Japanese linguistics.
Birds with that “me” component in their names include “suzume” (sparrow), “kamome” (seagull) and “tsubame” (swallow).
Sparrows are chirping busily in the shrubs now, seagulls are drifting in the coastal breezes and swallows are heralding the arrival of early summer.
Among the many kinds of migratory birds, the swallow is perhaps the most loved in Japan because it raises its young in residential areas and lets people enjoy watching the growing chicks.
On my way to the train station on May 15, I made a little detour and headed to an old building that I wanted to check out.
There, in a corner of the ceiling of the first floor that served as a parking lot, I found what I’d hoped to see.
One swallow, carrying a sprig of dry grass in its beak, looked around cautiously before going into its nest. Its partner then flew out of the nest and perched on a power line, its red throat quivering. Next, it made a sharp curve above my head and glided away.
The poet Misuzu Kaneko (1903-1930) penned a piece titled “Tsubame no Kasan” (Mother swallow) that goes to the effect: “Leaving the nest abruptly/ Spinning around/ Coming back immediately/ Then gliding away a bit/ But returning soon/ ... The mother bird can’t leave her babies alone for long.”
Kaneko must have been imagining herself cherishing the young lives and flying together with the mother bird.
The kanji character for tsubame is said to be a pictograph of a flying bird, its wings spread wide. But as I kept looking at it closely, I began to see a chick with its mouth wide open, its eyes closed and its body covered with soft, downy fuzz.
The nest in the old building I found appeared to be under repairs, which must mean it will be a while before I get to see the chicks peeking out of the nest.
I left the site quietly, so as not to disturb the parents.
Here’s my plea to the owner of the parking lot: I know it’ll be a lot of work for you to keep the lot clean, but please, could you let these visitors from the south stay until summer?
--The Asahi Shimbun, May 16
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
VOX POPULI: Swallows, harbingers of early summer, have arrived
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16.05.2024
A long time ago in Japan, “me” was a generic term for birds of all species, according to Haruhiko Kindaichi (1913-2004), a prominent scholar of Japanese linguistics.
Birds with that “me” component in their names include “suzume” (sparrow), “kamome” (seagull) and “tsubame” (swallow).
Sparrows are chirping busily in the shrubs now, seagulls are drifting in the coastal breezes and swallows are heralding the arrival of early summer.
Among the many kinds of migratory birds, the swallow is perhaps the most loved in Japan because it raises its young in residential areas and lets people enjoy watching the growing........
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