さて14日から始まった今回の「観桜」自家用車旅、昨日無事に帰還できました。
　前期高齢者ながら、18歳になって免許を即取得して「行動の自由」を人生の基盤とさせていただいてきた人間としては、日頃から慣れ親しんでいるクルマであちこち移動できるのはウレシイ。ちょうどオイル交換してすぐの出発だったのでメーターをゼロ戻ししていたので、今回の走行距離は写真の通り。
　たしか日本列島は南北に3,000kmと記憶していましたが、（☜ほぼ正確）その半分超を１週間ほどで完走してきた計算になる。１日あたりだと230km弱。南は平泉の「中尊寺」地域まででの行程。さすがに昨日の最後の函館からは、ほぼまっすぐに自宅まで帰還。帰る前に食材の買い出しもしてきました。やはり外食やホテル食などばかりで、自分で料理するというのは、いかに楽しく、また、食材選びなどで工夫も出来るというよろこびの営為なのだと痛感させられますね。
　とくにわたしは、味噌汁についてどうも独特に出汁を取っているようで、外食では好みの味噌汁にはなかなか巡り会えない。加齢してくると、こういう部分に「生き方の個性」が表現されてくるのでしょうね。知人のなかには世界一周みたいな旅路を楽しまれる方もいますが、まぁ好み次第なのかなぁ・・・。
　昨日帰ってから夫婦とも問わず語りで味噌汁とか、キンピラゴボウとか、調理合戦（笑）。
　キンピラはわたしの完勝で、こどもたちの分も含めて大量調理。たぶん10日分は造作。
　それとさらにわが家では十二穀ほどのご飯を食していますが、こういうのも旅先で食するのは難しい。
　健康で元気よくあちこち探訪して回るためには、毎日の家での食生活が超大切というパラドクス（笑）。
　今回は「観桜」という目的での旅路でしたが、留守中にサクラ前線はついにわが家周辺、札幌にも到達してくれたようで、写真のような「雪融けの河川増水とサクラ」が迎えてくれておりました。
　それと、ちょうど津軽海峡を渡った後に、地震がニュースに飛び込んできた。被害にあわれた地域のみなさんのご無事を祈念いたします。わたしどもは間一髪、北海道上陸後でした。
　さて本日から通常のくらし。懸案事項にあたって参りたいと思います。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇

[Total mileage: Over 1,600 km. Back from a cherry blossom road trip]
When I returned to Sapporo—where the cherry blossoms hadn’t bloomed yet—Sakura greeted me with, “Where have you been?” (lol). I’m back to my daily routine with renewed energy and ready to tackle the tasks at hand. …

　Well, I safely returned yesterday from this “cherry blossom viewing” road trip, which began on the 14th.
Although I’m now in my early 60s, I’ve always considered “freedom of movement” to be the foundation of my life—having gotten my driver’s license immediately upon turning 18. So, being able to travel here and there in the car I’m so familiar with is a real joy. Since I’d just had an oil change right before setting off, I’d reset the odometer, so the total mileage for this trip is as shown in the photo.
　I believe the Japanese archipelago stretches about 3,000 km from north to south (☜ pretty much accurate), so that means I covered a little over half of that distance in about a week. That works out to just under 230 km per day. The route took me as far south as the Chuson-ji Temple area in Hiraizumi. Naturally, from Hakodate—the final stop yesterday—I headed almost straight back home. I also stopped to buy groceries before returning. It really drives home how much fun it is to cook for myself, rather than relying solely on eating out or hotel meals, and how much joy there is in being creative with ingredient selection.
　I seem to have a particularly unique way of making dashi for my miso soup, so I rarely come across miso soup to my liking when eating out. As you get older, I suppose these little details start to reflect your “personal style of living.” Some of my acquaintances enjoy traveling around the world, but I guess it really just comes down to personal preference…
After getting home yesterday, my wife and I had a friendly cooking competition (lol) over dishes like miso soup and kinpira gobo.
　I won the kimpira battle hands down, so I cooked a massive batch—enough for the kids too. Probably enough for 10 days.
Also, we eat rice mixed with about 12 different grains at home, but that’s another thing that’s hard to find when traveling.
It’s a bit of a paradox: to stay healthy and energetic enough to explore all over the place, your daily diet at home is absolutely crucial (lol).
　This trip was intended for “cherry blossom viewing,” but while we were away, the cherry blossom front finally reached our neighborhood in Sapporo, and we were greeted by the scene in the photo: “rising river waters from melting snow and cherry blossoms.”
Also, right after we crossed the Tsugaru Strait, news of an earthquake broke. I pray for the safety of everyone in the affected areas. We were just in the nick of time—it happened right after we landed in Hokkaido.
　Well, starting today, it’s back to our normal routine. I’d like to get to work on the pending matters.

● Announcement
My book, “Writers and Living Spaces,” has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.
　

Posted on 4月 22nd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類