こんにちは。覗いてくれてありがとう。
Hello and welcome. Thank you for stopping by.
みなさん、今日どんな朝を過ごしましたか？
私は今朝も、彼と犬とゆったり公園の散歩です。歩いていると、どうぶつの森のBGMのような、ゆるっとした音楽が脳内に流れるんですよね。ふんわりと笑顔になれるこの時間がとても大切。帰って、ご飯を食べて、幸せそうに笑う犬をみたら、今日も私たちの世界は平和そのものです。
珈琲片手にほっと一息。今日も良い日にしましょうね。
How did your morning begin today, everyone?
As for me, I spent another slow and peaceful morning walking through the park with my partner and our dog. While strolling, I often hear soft music playing in my head—something like the background music from Animal Crossing. It’s that kind of gentle tune that makes you smile without realizing. This quiet time means so much to me.
After returning home, we had breakfast together. And when I saw our dog smiling so happily, I felt once again that our little world is perfectly peaceful today.
With a cup of coffee in hand, I took a deep breath. Let’s make today a good one.
脳内再生される曲、気になって調べたら、任天堂公式Youtubeからバンド演奏したものが出てました！どうぶつの森のテーマ曲、とっても癒されます～。よかったら観てみてください。🫶🌸
Out of curiosity, I looked up the music that plays in my head—and found a beautiful band performance of the Animal Crossing theme on Nintendo’s official YouTube channel!
It’s incredibly soothing. If you’d like, please take a moment to watch it 🫶🌸
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さて、私は、現実的なことも、非現実的なことも、どちらも好きな方なんですが、みなさんはいかがですか？
昨日の雨の話の続きは、幻想的なつながりについて、調べたことを綴っていきますね。
By the way, I’ve always loved both the real and the unreal— the grounded and the fantastical. How about you?
As a continuation of yesterday’s post about rain, today I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned about its more mystical connections.
雨と龍神さまとのつながり🐉🌧️
雨と深いつながりのある日本ですが、雨と言えば龍神さまを連想させませんか？
これには諸説あって、川や滝のうねる流れが龍の姿に見えたとか、雷や竜巻の天を駆ける力が龍の怒りや動きと重なったとか、水辺に棲む大蛇信仰が龍神へと昇華されたとか…そうした様々な言い伝えから、雨を司るのは龍の神様とのイメージがついたようですね。東洋では雨は恵みとされ、中国やインドでも龍が雨の神として祀られているとか。不思議な繋がりですね。
余談ですが、西洋では反対に、ドラゴン＝炎や毒、破壊や恐怖の象徴だそうで。確かに、映画や物語で描かれるドラゴンは敵役を担うことが多いように感じます。地域によって見方が変わるのは驚きです。
In Japan, where rain is deeply connected to the rhythms of life, doesn’t rain naturally bring to mind dragon gods?
There are many theories behind this association. Some say that the winding flow of rivers and waterfalls resembles the shape of a dragon. Others believe that the power of lightning and tornadoes racing across the sky mirrors the fury and movement of dragons. Still others trace it back to the ancient serpent worship near water, which gradually evolved into reverence for dragon deities.
Through these various legends and beliefs, the image of dragons as divine beings who govern rain took root. In Eastern cultures, rain is considered a blessing, and in places like China and India, dragons are worshipped as gods of rain and water. It’s a mysterious and beautiful connection.
As a side note, in Western traditions, dragons are often seen quite differently—associated with fire, poison, destruction, and fear. Indeed, in many films and stories, dragons tend to play the role of the enemy or monster.
It’s surprising how the same mythical creature can be viewed so differently depending on the region.
そういえば、日本の神社やお寺の手水舎（ちょうずや：手を清める場所）では龍の口から水が流れる石像をよく見かけますよね。水辺によく生息する蛇には、水の守り神というイメージがつき、龍神に昇華したようです。そして、龍＝水の神という信仰のなごりで、龍の石像が使われているそうです。清めの水を龍が授ける、という意味が込められているとか。身近にある蛇口（じゃぐち）も、そこから来ていそうですね。
Speaking of dragons, have you ever noticed the stone statues at Japanese shrines and temples, especially at the chōzuya (purification basins), where water flows from a dragon’s mouth?
The snake, which often lives near water, came to be seen as a guardian spirit of water, and was eventually elevated into the form of the dragon god.
As a result of this belief in dragons as water deities, dragon-shaped statues are used to offer sacred water for purification.
Even the everyday faucet—jaguchi in Japanese—may have its roots in this tradition.
何だかあまり好まれない雨ですが、この記事を通して、少し魅力的な風景に変わると嬉しいです。
Rain may not be everyone’s favorite weather, but I hope this article helps you see it in a more enchanting light.
龍にまつわる小説の紹介🫶🌿
最後に、私の好きな龍に関する小説をふたつ紹介して終わりますね。
図書館にあると思うので、よかったらお近くで探してみてください。
To close, I’d like to introduce two of my favorite novels about dragons.
You might be able to find them at your local library—if you do, I hope you’ll enjoy them.
◎『龍』著：今江祥智
あらすじ：主人公は龍の子・三太郎。気が弱く、いつも沼の底でとぐろを巻き、息を殺してひっそりと暮らしている。山を二巻きするほど大きな体を持ちながら、「誰にも見つからず、知られず、ただ静かに生きていきたい」と願っていた。ある夜、ふとした拍子に村人に見つかってしまい大騒ぎに―。
◎ “Ryū” by Yoshitomo Imae
Summary: The protagonist is a young dragon named Santarō. He’s timid by nature, always curled up at the bottom of a swamp, holding his breath and living quietly. Though his body is large enough to coil around a mountain twice, he wishes only to live in peace—“unseen, unknown, and undisturbed.” One night, however, he’s discovered by villagers, and the quiet world he knew is thrown into chaos.
これは私が学生のとき、国語の教科書に載っていたお話で、今でも情景が目に浮かぶほど良いリズムで描かれていた記憶があります。龍なのに臆病で、それでも村人のために優しくて。そんな大らかな人になりたいと、子供ながらに感じたのを思い出します。
This story was featured in my school’s Japanese language textbook when I was a student, and I still remember the rhythm of the writing so vividly—it painted such clear scenes in my mind. A dragon who’s shy, yet kind to the villagers. Even as a child, I remember thinking, “I want to be someone like that—gentle, big-hearted, and quietly strong.”
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あらすじ：陰陽師・安倍晴明と楽人・源博雅、そして琵琶法師・蝉丸の3人で飲んでいると、博雅が“大切にしていた笛を無くした”と悲しみを見せる。見かねた清明は、笛の行方を尋ね、平安京の神泉苑にたどり着く。ここには、かつて空海が善女龍王を呼び、雨を降らせたという伝説が残っている。その後、龍神祭に招かれ、神々が行う祭りを体験する―。
◎ “Onmyoji: Yakōhai no Maki – ‘Ryūjinsai’” by Baku Yumemakura
Summary: While enjoying drinks together, the onmyoji Abe no Seimei, the court musician Minamoto no Hiromasa, and the blind biwa player Semimaru share stories. Hiromasa reveals that he’s lost his “precious flute”, and his sorrow is palpable. Moved by this, Seimei sets out to find the flute’s whereabouts, eventually arriving at Shinzen’en in Heian-kyō—a sacred garden where the monk Kūkai is said to have once summoned Zen’nyo Ryūō, the dragon goddess, to bring rain. Later, the three are invited to the Ryūjinsai, a divine festival where gods gather and perform sacred rites.
これは、夢枕獏さんが描く「陰陽師」シリーズの単話で、“龍神祭”というお話。みなさんはこのシリーズ、読んだことがあるでしょうか。現代版の古語で語るような、独特のリズムで表現される情景の数々がとても魅力的。このお話は、龍神さまが出てくる神々しい読み物なので、ぜひその別世界感を味わってもらいたいです。また、陰陽師シリーズは基本単話で読みやすく、しみじみとした余韻を味わう話も多いので、異世界の小説を探している方はよければ手に取ってみてください。私の大好きな小説です。
This story is a standalone tale from the Onmyoji series by Baku Yumemakura, titled “Ryūjinsai.”
Have you read this series before? It’s written in a modern style that echoes classical Japanese, with a rhythm that paints vivid and mystical scenes. This particular story features a dragon deity and carries a sacred, otherworldly atmosphere—I truly hope you’ll experience its beauty. Also, the Onmyoji series is composed of mostly standalone stories, making it easy to pick up and enjoy. Many of the tales leave behind a quiet, lingering resonance, perfect for those seeking novels set in otherworldly realms. It’s one of my absolute favorites.
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それでは今日はこれで終わります。
最後までお付き合いいただきありがとうございます。
雨は龍神さまからの贈り物。みなさんに素敵な恵みがありますように。
また次回。よい一日を。
That’s all for today.
Thank you for staying with me until the end.
Rain is a gift from the dragon gods. May gentle blessings find their way to you.
Until next time—have a beautiful day.
ランキング参加中です。
応援いただけると励みになります。
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