■ 1２月のコラム
■■ メディカル情報生命専攻
■■■ 山岸誠 特任講師
紅葉を迎えた季節に、家族で茨城県の筑波山に登ってきた。筑波山は「西の富士、東の筑波」と並び称される日本百名山だが、標高が低く、登山初心者でも気軽に楽しめるとのこと。低学年の娘も楽しめるだろうと計画した。
私自身も何かインスピレーションが湧くかもと期待をして、ハイキング気分で臨んだのだが、景色や自然を満喫したのはほんの最初だけ。途中から急な斜面や岩場が多くなり、カメラを構える余裕もほとんどなく、後半は励まし合いながらひたすら山頂を目指すことに。しかしさすがは日本百名山。弁慶七戻りや胎内くぐりなど見どころが多く、また時折見えた山肌と紅葉のコントラストは美しかった。
妻も娘も頑張った。辿り着いた女体山山頂(標高877m)では、紅葉の向こうに関東平野が一望でき、爽やかな気分になった。疲れていても、帰りはロープウェイを利用可能。麓まで高い視点からゆっくり景色を楽しめる点もよかった。
家族で過ごす良い休日になった。投稿中の論文のrevisionに関して、いいアイデアも湧いた。初心者向けとはいえ、登山には十分な計画と準備は必須である。しかし、インドア派の私もお勧めできる、よいアクティビティだと思う。
登山から1ヶ月ほど過ぎ、私が所属する東大医科学研究所、白金台キャンパスでは、銀杏の葉も散り始め冬の到来を日々感じる。昨年までは師走の慌ただしさにただ追われる日々だったが、登山の時に感じた心の余裕を忘れず、研究と教育を研究室メンバーと共に愉しんでいきたい。
I climbed Mt. Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture with my family during the autumn leaves season. Mt. Tsukuba is one of Japan’s top 100 mountains and is often referred to as “Fuji in the west, Tsukuba in the east.” I planned that my daughter in the lower grades would also enjoy it.
I was in the mood of hiking, also hoping that some inspiration might come to me, but it was only at the beginning that I fully enjoyed the scenery and nature. There were many steep slopes and rocky areas along the way, and there was almost no time to set up a camera. In the second half, we aimed for the top of the mountain while encouraging each other. However, it is indeed one of Japan’s 100 famous mountains. There were many highlights such as Benkei Nanamodori(弁慶七戻り) and the Tainai kuguri(胎内くぐり), and the contrast between the mountain surface and the autumn leaves that I saw occasionally was beautiful. My wife and daughter were striving. At the summit of Mt. Nyotai (elevation 877m), you can see the Kanto Plain beyond the autumn leaves and feel refreshed. If feeling tired, it was also available to use the ropeway for the return. It was also nice to be able to slowly enjoy the scenery from a high viewpoint all the way to the foot of the mountain.
It was a nice holiday spent with my family. I also got a good idea about the revision of the submitted paper. Although it is for beginners, sufficient planning and preparation are essential for mountaineering. However, I think that it is a good activity that I can recommend even for indoor people.
About a month has passed since I climbed the mountain, and on the Shirokanedai Campus of the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo, where I belong, the ginkgo leaves have begun to fall, and I feel the arrival of winter every day. Until last year, I was just busy with the rush of December, but I would like to enjoy research and education with the members of the laboratory without forgetting the peace of mind that I felt during the mountain climbing.
