Ootorii (and the bridge over Nigori-kawa River)

The Zao Daigongen Otorii is a large torii gate situated near the intersection of Routes 457 and 12, where the Zao Echo Line begins. Next to this torii gate is an unnamed bridge that runs over the Nigori-kawa River. The water from Nigori-kawa comes directly from the Okama crater, and the minerals make this river look opaque and also make it uninhabitable for fish.

On the parkland between the Otorii and the bridge is a kahi or song monument in memory of poet Kagawa Susumu (1910-1998), who visited and wrote about Zao. This is the only stone monument with a poem inscribed on it that the artists found during their two-week stay.

The artists recommend that this monument be included in tourist brochures and that other poetry monuments be built on this site.

 

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蝉の声

蔵王を仰ぎし

大鳥居

• 佐藤京子

 

Call of cicadas

Gazing up towards Zao

Otorii

• Satoh Kyoko (trans. Mayu)

 

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文月の

沢音聞こえゆる

大鳥居

• 佐藤京子

 

In the July moon

Listening to river sounds

Otorii

• Satoh Kyoko (trans. Mayu)

 

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濁川

蔵王にそびえる

佇まい

心惹かれて

我勇み足

• 永井京花

 

Nigori-kawa

Towering over Zao

Just by standing there

My heart is moved and pulled

I’m carried away and lost

• Nagai Kyoka (trans. Mayu)

 

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Nigorigawa

 

By the cloud river

half hidden among the weeds

both sides of the road

we are metal kokeshi

rusting silently away

• Martin Edmond

 

濁川

 

雲川のほとりに

雑草に半隠れ

道の両わきに

我らは金属こけし

静かに錆びる

• マーティン・エドモンド　（訳・マユ）