turret
東京で,桜の開花が発表されて2日が過ぎました。例年平均より5日早い開花であるようです。卒業式シーズンに桜が咲き,新生活をむかえる方にとって縁起がよいと思いました。
今回の記事は,海外旅行者に向けた日本の桜の有名スポットが紹介されております。その中では,北海道五稜郭や青森県弘前城などが取り上げられております。
記事の中で気になった単語は"turret"です。『Wisdom英和辞典第三版』（三省堂）で調べると「（城壁･建物の一角の）小塔, やぐら」などという意味がありました。Oxford Dictionaries.comには"A small tower on top of a larger tower or at the corner of a building or wall, typically of a castle"と定義されております。古フランス語で,「塔」を意味する"tourete"に由来するようです(Oxford Dictionaries.com)。（Ume）
WHERE TO SEE CHERRY BLOSSOMS
Hirosaki Castle Park is one of the best spots for viewing cherry trees in the Tohoku region. In this park, there is a castle with turrets and gates as a visual reminder of bygone days, which was constructed by the Tsugaru family who once ruled the whole area. For the perfect picture experience, walk along the castle's western moat to capture the bright red Shunyo Bridge, stately castle tower, pale pink cherry blossoms, and snow-crested Mt. Iwaki. The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival is usually held every year from 23 April to 5 May, dates varying.
The park is about 49.2 hectares wide, and has about 2,600 trees of 50 different varieties, mainly Somei-yoshino. The records indicate that 25 cherry trees were planted in "Nishi-no-Kuruwa" in 1715, and among these trees, Kanzan and Kasumi-zakura still bloom now in the spring. The 120 year-old Somei-yoshino is also very popular, and is said to be the oldest in Japan, planted at the beginning of the Meiji Era.
