The Master of the 水路/Canal, With His Long Pole, Battles the Weeds and Trash Heaps

There is a narrow canal (水路, suiro) behind my house that runs parellel with the Neyagawa River for several kilometers. The canal serves as the border between Neyagawa-shi and Kadoma-shi. On the Neyagawa-shi side there is a narrow road that is lined with cherry trees. In the spring, the trees seem to explode with sakura (cherry blossoms) and it is quite spectacular. In the summer, the trees explode with semi (cicada) and their buzzing and whining sounds. The canal is full of fish and turtles, and attracts various birds, cranes, dragon flies, other insects, occasional snakes, stray cats at night other other critters. It's a welcoming slice of nature in the reidential environment.

The canal is man-made, meaning that it is lined with cement banks. Despite that, many plants and weeds grow on the banks and river weed grows in the water. Unfortunately, some people throw bottles, cans and other trash into the water, assuming the garbage to flow away out of sight, out of mind. Most of the disposed items do flow somewhere, but a lot of them get caught in the weeds, sometimes even creating small trash heaps.

In years past, local gevernment workers would come once during the summer to cut down the weeds. But for whatever reason, no one has come this summer.

But there is a private citizen, an older man, who has a long pole with sharp blades on the end, who cuts the weeds, rakes the river weed and cleans up the banks on the Neyagawa-shi side.

It must be extremely hot and exhausting work. While he doesn't seem to smile, I imagine he none-the-less enjoys his work.

Thank you, Master of the 水路/Canal!