• WHALE MEMORIAL/RURIKON

WHALE MEMORIAL

The whale memorial service is at the end of spring,
the time of the flying fish harvest.

When the bell at the seaside temple is struck,
its sound rippling across the water,

the village fishermen in their best clothes
hurry for the temple on the shore

while alone in the open sea, a whale child
weeps in longing for its dead father and mother.

How far the bell resounds across the waters...

Translations by Sally Ito & Michiko Tsuboi / JULA

〈Design descriptions〉

“Whale Memorial” is a poem that is both sad and compassionate.
The image depicts families of whales swimming within the stillness of the blue waves, evoking a sense of harmony between the creatures and their environment.