札幌西区の琴似発寒川はわが家から500mほどで自然を感じさせてくれる憩いの場所。
　先般来、サケの遡上が見られ、また河原脇の草むら地形の場所ではどうやら「産卵」行動も見られていて、掛かっている橋の上からその様子を観察し、内心では応援しておりました。
　そしてここ数日は、どうもサケの姿を確認できなくなっています。10月の下旬の声を聞いてすでに今年のサケの遡上・産卵活動は終息を迎えたのか。たいへんさみしい思いが募っております。
　そんななか、最近写真のように河原に自転車はうち捨てられていました。一瞬、だれかが川に身投げしたのか、と驚かされていましたが、ちょっと考えればこんな浅瀬ではそれはあり得ない。・・・じゃぁ、ちょうど橋のすぐ下だったので、橋から放り投げたのだろうか？　と謎々に目眩させられていた。
　しかし放り投げたのであればもっと部品などが破壊されて、散乱するだろう。状況を見ると河原の中に運んでいって、横向きに放置した、という様子。ということであれば、一体、そのような人間行動の可能性とは？一つ考えられるとすれば、盗んでここまで乗ってきたが、そのまま乗って帰れば近隣から不審がられるので、証拠物そのものを放置した、というような事案かなぁ・・・。
　まぁ自分にはあんまり関係がないことなのですが、周辺住民としてこういう不法投棄は困る。地域の平安を乱す行為だと思った次第です。

　そんな不審なことがあっての翌日、また河原を散歩してきてみたら、黄色いテープでグルグル巻きにされた自転車本体が公園の別の場所に置かれていた。テープの刻印は警察のもののように読み取れた。
　奇妙な放置物で気持ち悪いので警察に通報された方がいたようですね。
　周辺地域は治安も保たれている住宅地域。こういう不審事はほぼ見たことがなかった。特段「物騒」というようなことではありませんが、やはり注意はしていた方が良いなぁと思わされました。また、この河原は書いたようにサケの産卵場所で、しかもつい最近までその姿を見かけたいのちの聖域的な場所。
　人間のトンチンカンな行為は、謹んでもらいたいと思った次第です。

●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⬇
　
[Illegal Dumping on a Local Riverbank: A Troublesome Bicycle]
A suspicious, illegally dumped bicycle has appeared on a peaceful riverbank where salmon swim upstream to spawn. This senseless act is a nuisance to nature. …

　The Kotoni-Hassamu River in Sapporo’s Nishi Ward is a peaceful retreat just about 500 meters from my home, where I can connect with nature.
　For some time now, I’ve been watching the salmon run upstream, and it seems they’ve also been spawning in the grassy areas along the riverbank. I’ve been observing them from the bridge spanning the river, silently cheering them on in my heart.
　However, for the past few days, I haven’t been able to spot any salmon. With late October already upon us, has this year’s salmon run and spawning season already come to an end? I’m feeling increasingly sad about it.
　Amidst all this, I recently found a bicycle abandoned on the riverbank, as shown in the photo. For a moment, I was startled, wondering if someone had thrown themselves into the river, but upon reflection, that would be impossible in such shallow water. …Well then, since it was right beneath the bridge, had someone thrown it off the bridge? I was dizzy with mystery.
However, if it had been thrown, the parts would likely be more damaged and scattered about. Judging by the situation, it looked as though the bike had been carried onto the riverbank and left lying on its side. If that’s the case, what on earth could have prompted such behavior? One possibility that comes to mind is that someone stole the bike and rode it here, but realized that riding it back would arouse suspicion among neighbors, so they simply abandoned the evidence itself…
Well, it doesn’t really concern me personally, but as a local resident, this kind of illegal dumping is a problem. I felt it was an act that disrupts the peace of the community.

　The day after that suspicious incident, I went for another walk along the riverbank and found the bicycle—which had been wrapped tightly in yellow tape—parked in a different part of the park. The markings on the tape appeared to be from the police.
It seems someone reported it to the police because the strange, abandoned object made them feel uneasy.
　The surrounding area is a residential neighborhood where public safety is generally well-maintained. I’d hardly ever seen anything suspicious like this before. While it wasn’t exactly “dangerous,” it did make me realize that it’s better to be cautious. Also, as I mentioned, this riverbank is a salmon spawning ground—a sanctuary for life where I’d been seeing them until very recently.
　I found myself thinking that people really need to refrain from such thoughtless behavior.

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

Posted on 10月 22nd, 2026 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類