Episode 33: Spring Technology Forever
Hello everyone. It’s spring in Japan. Spring is a season when our environment changes greatly, with meetings and partings. How has your environment changed? Let’s use changes as a springboard to the future! This episode is called “Spring Technology Forever.”
There is a small white flower called the lily of the valley that blooms like rows of bells from spring to early summer. The flower has the meanings of returning happiness and eternity. In Japan, it is associated with the island of Hokkaido. However, in France, May 1 is considered lily of the blossom day. Apparently, the custom is to give lilies of the valley to loved ones, family, and other people to whom one is indebted to thank them for all they’ve done. Why not try giving a lily of the valley to someone special on May 1? The happiness will come back to you like a spring!
I guess everyone knows springs have a long, long history, but, as I mentioned way back in the very first episode (Episode 1: Difference between “ばね” & “バネ”), it is theorized that the Japanese word bane (spring) comes from hane-ru (a verb meaning “to spring” or “to jump”). Spring technology has come a long way, from the bows of the Jomon era that can be considered Japan’s oldest springs (Episode 25: Gratitude for “Trees” Springs) to scissors, clocks, machines, and cars (Episode 5: Car Springs… What Are the Requirements for?) to astronomical telescopes (Episode 29: The World’s Largest Astronomical Telescopes and Springs) to the space shuttle (Episode 20: Space Shuttle Springs) and more. It has evolved along with progress in science and technology. Oh, and I also told you about springs in the mind (Episode 3: Springs in Mind), springs in space (Episode 4: Springs in Space), springs in Olympic events (Episode 16: “Springs” in Olympic Events), and Einstein’s “spring of time” (Episode 27: Even Exceeds Einstein’s Idea). Looking back, I sure covered a lot of different kinds of springs in the last 10 years. I feel so nostalgic as I think of this and that … I suppose by now some of you must be sensing it? That’s right. This is the last episode of Springs and Technology. What? Why? How come? Oh, no! My heart is so full of gratitude for the many, many people who have followed this column all this time. Thank you so much! :’) We live surrounded by all kinds of springs. We can count on springs being a technology that will continue to be used forever and ever in the future.
Piolax, with its slogan “pioneer of elasticity” (that’s where its name comes from), will continue to make all kinds of springs that are used in cars, health care, and everyday life. I (Banekko) am going to be stepping back for a while, but springs are never going to stop! I hope one day to bounce back with a boi-oi-oing! See you then!
Written by Banekko (a child of spring)