Extinctions ctd: Red List for Fungi?

 

Bugs are living in the middle stairs of ecological pyramid. They are eating vegetables, or the other animals, right? In the pyramid, plants are situated one step lower than the insects et al, but not in the bottom. For all the living creatures from the vegetables and the above in the pyramid, it is relatively easy to “count.” One mosquito is counted one. One tulip is tallied one. One dog is one dog. When we think a creature is endangered, it means probability-wise the generational continuation would be extremely tricky for them because the counting says they have few populations. IUCN set the detailed criteria to define conservation status of living things based on “counting.” Even corals, a tiny polyp individually, are counted mainly in the number of colonies. Any problem with this approach? Oh yes. Mushrooms, myxomycetes and bacteria have problems in counting.

Plants survive on sufficient supply of nutrients processed by underground fungi et al. Roots of plants cannot take complex organic materials directly from the soil. Fungi decompose organic things, and take nitrogen, phosphorus, and the other minerals out from the “organic fertilizer” in a form suckable for clumsy rootlets of plants. If fungi die out, so do the plants due to starvation. If the world of plants deteriorates, the bugs that depend on vegetable extinct, as the bugs nerds lamented last week (; my post last week). The chain will soon reach us mammals ... In Niiharu, now Lovers are engaging in revitalization of Japanese alders. The standard approach we first take is clearing the sky for the trees, i.e. thinning (😊 easy). We think it would stimulate photosynthesis of established alders. We next need seedlings to grow. It is tricky. We realize Japanese alders, especially their seedlings, need specialized mycorrhizal fungi, i.e. Lactarius, Alpova, and Alnicola, underground for receiving nutrients. Er … do you know any way to make it sure these fungi are abundant there, without using moneyed laboratories with microscopes and lots of analytical reagents? Meanwhile the site of the alder trees is rapidly drying up now. It would make the life of underground fungi difficult. We may need some civil engineering work to let the water come in … Anyway, we cannot count underground organisms if they have enough population to conserve alders. It’s like proceeding in a VERY dark road.

The fruits of Gastrodia pubilabiata, a member of the orchid family.
It does not have chloroplast, and hence, depends completely on
 the nutrients provided by underground organism.
 Researchers found the orchid take mycelium of wood-decaying fungi
 in their “root” and digest the fungi completely with
 the disassembled elements from organic matter.
 Wood-decaying fungi are able to destroy cellulose, 
so the orchid would need
 sustenance procured lot from decomposed cellulose.
 Not only that, when they flower they emit rotting odors
 similar to fungi that could attract flies.
 The bugs come and put on pollens,  
then fly to another Gastrodia pubilabiata
to practically facilitate pollination.
i.e. The orchid depend on fungi
 not only for food but also child bearing.
 The story has additional conclusion.
 The flies lay eggs on the orchid thinking
 it is mushroom edible for their maggots.
 Alas, the cradle their baby find does not provide any food,
 and so they die before becoming adults. Terrifying orchid …

The valley Lovers of Niiharu
try to restore Japanese alders.
The place was once rice paddies,
but now rapidly drying.
 Don’t you think the vegetation in this photo
 does not show much difference from dry land?
Drier ground has underground world of fungi
 that love drier environment.
 Such condition may not good
 for the fungi that can help alders.

When we meet a mushroom in forest, we are delighted and say “Here! One mushroom!” Er, the way of counting this way is exact in one sense and completely missing the point from another. A mushroom, that with a cap and stem, is a fruiting body of fungi’s mass of mycelia spreading widely underground. The mycelium is individually so thin as to be measured by micrometers. Counting individual mycelium is unpractical, especially to determine if we have many of it, or not. As they are as such, it is very difficult to apply IUCN’s definition dependent on counting for determining the conservation status. Of course the issue has been known for some time (please see here or here). People are trying to mitigate the problem. The number of red listed fungi is slowly increasing. Still, we should have a sense of urgency, Prof. Nara Kazuhide for Tokyo University said in a seminar recently.

One mushroom, Marasmius pulcherripes
 … or is it?

Mushrooms in the family of Boletes.

Calvatia craniiformis.
At least, we have not heard it is nearing extinction.

In Japan and Asia, Prof. Nara has identified several plants that are for endangered list AND having troubles to procure enough Mycorrhizal fungi for their survival. These include rare species of pines and symbiotic truffles in Yakushima Island 屋久島 and Tanegegashima Island 種子島. To conserve such vegetables, we have to safeguard the underground world of these fungi that are often specialists for endangered plants. In other words, when mycorrhizals are endangered, so are the plants dependent on the fungi. Prof. Nara is a bit cynical for the current status of the thing. “Even how to define endangered status for fungi is facing problems when we try to apply the same counting approach. But we must establish the way rather sooner. Already the endangered fungi produce lots of endangered plants. There are many experts for endangered pandas, but people are ignorant of the fungi and smaller bacteria which are very basic to the entire ecosystem. We must be attentive.” Well. All nature nerds, being for bugs or for fungi, are reaching the same conclusion, it seems to me.

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with

Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/

Extinctions: Preliminary result of 2026 Kanagawa Red List for Insects and Spiders

 

In June 2026, Kanagawa Prefecture preliminarily released the latest data for endangered insects and spiders in Kanagawa (; the data is retrievable from here). The reason it is “preliminary” is the announcement is only for the list of endangered ones without commentary or analysis from those researched the field. At least for now, we have only the parade of names in spread sheets. The experts, the members of Kanagawa Colloquium for Insects who made the list, said their research papers are in the process of making to be published in a year or so. We’ll know eventually the meaning of the spreadsheet in detail. Having said that, last week the experts held a public symposium in Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History to discuss their assessment. I would say, in short, their feeling from their study is quiet anger.

Looking the numbers in the list, the source of their antagonism is obvious. Previously Red List for bugs in Kanagawa was published in 2006. This is the revision for the first time in 20 years. The comparison between two lists gives us a gloomy picture. In 2006, the bugs designated “Extinction” were counted 72 species. For 2026, the number is 98. “Critically Endangered (CR)” increased its members from 21 to 139. Slightly relaxed Endangered (EN) category saw the change from 19 to 102. Those which could not be categorized CR nor EN but in dangerous condition showed their sickly growth from 112 to 262. Mr. Haruki Karube, the curator for the museum and one of the organizers of the symposium, explained this time the team employed more rigorous approaches to define the conservation status of each bug. Still, the surge in quantity is without doubt.

An egg for Green Hairstreak (Neozephyrus japonicus),
labelled 2006 EN for Kanagawa Prefecture.

In the symposium the panelists pointed out there are roughly two causes that brought the increase in numbers. One is expanding urban development. It can affect the habitat of many insects and spiders that make flat (former) agricultural areas their home. Many rice paddies and veggie fields are gone to be warehouses, logistics centers, shopping malls etc. for these 20 years in Kanagawa. The bugs for rural landscape were vanquished. Quiet anger from bug nerds ... Another reason is deer. Especially those insects and spiders dwelling deep mountains of Tanzawa are extinguishing. Voracious deer eat up the plants on the ground and rob housing (of grass and leaves), maternity hospitals (of vegetations that serve as holders of eggs), and meals (for vegetarian bugs). The veterans of bugs census lamented when they did research for 2006 version, the ridge way of Tanzawa around Mt. Hiru (ASL 1673m) 蛭ヶ岳 and Mt. Tanzawa 丹沢山 (ASL 1567m) was covered by Japanese beech and the other trees that loved ASL 1600m of rainy temperate climate. From the road, glimpsing Mt. Fuji to the west was possible only from limited number of points where the tree covers were open. In 2026, no more. Almost anywhere on the ridge of Tanzawa, Mt. Fuji shows off her majestic beauty without obstacles. The place does not have trees, or abundant greenery anymore due to the appetite of deer. Poor bugs have lost their place. Many are dying out.

I think it is Phraortes elongatus
as its antennae are as long as the half of its body.
They are in the watch list for 2026 RL of Kanagawa.

Deer themselves have a checked life. Until the 1950s, deer was a good protein for starving forest people in Kanagawa. They reduced their numbers to 300 or so in 1947. The authority made hunting female deer illegal. (Guys were spared from it until 1955.) Scientific reason of the policy was unclear and so very arbitrary birth control resulted in population explosion of deer. Their number reached its max, between 5000-13000 by estimate, in 2006. They ate forest. During the1980s, the collapse of vegetation and hence ecosystem became obvious all over Tanzawa. Soil erosion began to show signs of possible catastrophic debris flow to the downstream. In 1997, Prefectural Government started constructing deer fences here and there in mountains. In addition, from 2003 hunting deer by pros and volunteers became main coping strategy (; my post for July 14, 2017). Currently, the estimated deer population is between 1800 to 11000. Within the fences, the vegetation has returned. Is it harasho? It is promising for plants, but for bugs, it seems to me, it is not.

A scene in Tanazawa now.
Forest floor is only with plants deer do not eat.

Come to think of it, vegetables can wait until the condition is right in the form of dormant seeds underground. But animals will die out when their habitat collapses. During the 1980s, before Red List making started, probably many bugs were already starved to death. Those survived still faced problems. One of the researchers at the symposium said, “True, within deer fences many vegetables returned. But they are patchworks. Take bees. They need continuous flowers during their entire life. The flowering plants within deer fences often lack variety. They flower all at once. The forests have gap periods in terms of flowers. The seasons sans flowers are for starvation of bees. With such precarious condition, insects cannot return to Kanagawa even if they might have survived in more rural prefectures such as neighboring Shizuoka or Yamanashi.” Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

No flower.

That’s would be a typical example of “lost biodiversity.” I hope it is not a forever thing, but the presenters for the symposium were all gloomy. One of them said “People devised their business model of tourism using the nature of Kanagawa. They innocently said Tanzawa, Hakone, and beaches of Kanagawa are so natural and attractive enough to be monetized. Heck. Do they think they know the meaning of Nature?” Well … At least for now, the best option we could choose would be to watch the changing situation and to raise our voice to stop destruction when it may occur. The organizer of the symposium concluded, “So we decided to have this occasion and make the event public. Please hold critical eyes over the habitat for bugs life and take action when your beloved beetles look in trouble. We need many eyes and voices. Citizen science could save the life of small creatures.”

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with

Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/

Modesty within Forest: Crown shyness in Meiji Jingu Shrine 明治神宮

 

I’ll tell you about the forest of Meiji Jingu Shrine 明治神宮 someday, maybe in winter. Though, today’s topic is really for summer. So, I will report to you on my petit adventure with the trees of the sacred forest. “Sacred?” you would ask. The entire premise of Meiji Jingu Shrine is considered holy. A part of the reason would be based on the standard theory of Japanese Shintoism that I mentioned in my old post for Minami Honjuku Citizen Forest 南本宿市民の森 (for May 22, 2015). Having said that, I guess there is more than that for this uber-popular tourists’ destination of Tokyo ... Anyway, Meiji Jingu is a forest in the middle of Tokyo and human intervention like thinning and trimming is kept minimum due to its sacredness. Of course, in the precinct of the Shrine the formidable pair of camphor trees, pines, etc. have regular trimming. But the trees surrounding the inner sanctuary of the shrine are intentionally kept undisturbed since 1920. Natural transition has occurred for 100 years. In 2026, many trees we find in the forest of Meiji Jingu are survivors of the Great Kanto Earth Quake, carpet bombings of B-29 by the US Army, and air pollution during the high economic growth era. Result: it’s a forest of very large and tall trees.

Husband and Wife camphor trees
in the precinct of Meiji Jingu, neatly trimmed.

This large camphor tree is another famous one on the premise.
This one is basically left
whichever direction it wants to spread.
Having said that, the Shrine did a bit of trimming
 in order to prevent collapsing the branched out heavy parts.

As it is prohibited to enter the forest of Meiji Jingu, we can simply walk paved or well-constructed pedestrian ways. And this easy strolling gives us astonishing scenery of nature, especially in summer. It’s crown shyness. We walk the roads surrounded by very tall trees, maybe of 30m or higher. We look up. The crowns of the trees are over there. We find impressive regularity. Their branches are sharing the space very neatly, making mutual concessions to have the max result from individual photosynthesis. The scenery dominates the heavens in the summer of Meiji Jingu.

And this is in the middle of Tokyo.

Shinjuku is over there.

It looks like a satellite photo for a delta of large river.

They are conversing with each other above us.

Hm.

Summer hues of green in Meiji Jingu are really an example of eutaxy, maybe of some spiritual way. Though the main street of the Shrine is always crowded with vivacious international visitors, the strolling paths deviating from tourists’ course are calm and cool even we’re in boiling summer of Tokyo. If you’re tired of your deskwork in the megaloplis, try lunch time ambling in Meiji Jingu, and look up to see the cosmos of sacred forest above your head. It’s celestial.

The well-behaved trees give avant-garde patterns
 of shadows on the ground.

Meiji Jingu Shrine 明治神宮

1-1 Yoyogikamizono-cho, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo 151-8557
〒151-8557 東京都渋谷区代々木神園町1-1
Phone：03-3379-5511 

https://www.meijijingu.or.jp/

Fervent Prayer, Japanese Style: Torii-yaki Festival of Hakone Komagata Shrine 箱根駒形神社鳥居焼祭り

 

So, to join the festival of Hakone Komagata Shrine 箱根駒形神社, first visit the shrine itself. Every year, the rites for the festival of Komagata Shrine start around 13:00 of August 5. At the beginning of the festival, two floating Torii were situated in Lake Ashi 芦ノ湖, visible from the shore. The opening rites are for the devotees of the Shrine, and so it is difficult for mere tourists to join. The climax will be after sunset. The visitors would wait somewhere along the south shore of Lake Ashi. Around 16:00 of August 5 we can go to the port for Hakone Sightseeing Cruise on the south shore of Lake Ashi. Already, locals and knowing tourists would start saving the spot along the shore to enjoy fireworks that would start at 20:00. You can join them or go to Komagata Shrine instead. I thought having supper in such situations could be tricky and so chose to have early meals from food stalls busy catering the tourists.

Tourists are busy securing the place on the shore.

Food stalls

My supper, Tako-yaki.

and dessert.
Bananas are coated with white chocolate. 😁

Around 17:00 you would go to Komagata Shrine from the port, which is about 10 minutes of leisurely walk. Along the way, you shall meet locals gathering and find the portable shrine, Mikoshi 神輿, at the entrance of the Shrine outside torii. People are in costumes, aka Happi, typical for carrying portable shrine on their shoulders. On their back each district has their own community’s name printed in Kantei style of calligraphy, just like Kabuki set-up. I noticed they are congregated not only from “Odawara” and “Mishima” districts, but the other district, like Hatajuku 畑宿 and the others, of Hakone Town. I would report you someday, probably next year, about the festival of Hakone Shrine that is the neighbor for Komagata Shrine and one of the most prestigious Shintoism Shrines in Japan. As the institution is so high-class, the Hakone Shrine festival could be a bit difficult for “commoners” to be protagonists for the rite. In contrast, the festival of Komagata Shrine reflects the history of the community it is located. It is more “local.” I tell you next how it goes.

People are congregating.

The standard footwear for such occasion.

Around 18:00, the rite leading to the climax of the festival of Komagata Shrine started. First, the priests for the Shrine conducted purification ceremony in inner sanctuary of the Shrine. Those who were allowed in the sanctuary were the main devotees to the shrine, but we could see how it went from outside, quietly of course. After the ablution completed in the shrine, the priests and community biggies gathered in front of the portable shrine, and the priests again conducted cleansing ritual this time for the portable shrine and for the people gathering in front of the shrine, me included. After the rite, people in Happi began carrying the Mikoshi with energetic shouts, Soiya! Soiya! The Mikoshi paraded the streets of former “New” area created by immigrants from Odawara and Mishima 400 years ago. The festival hopes to fend off evils from their community by the power of the shrine.

First in the sanctuary,

Next for us all.

The offering to the deity of Komagata Shrine

Departure of Mikoshi

After the portable shrine ceremony, torches were lit by fire created in the inner sanctuary of the Shrine and followed the portable shrine with slow traditional Japanese music. The goal of the pageant was the open space east of the pier for sightseeing cruise ship of Lake Ashi. When the Mikoshi arrived at the goal around 19:30, people who carried it danced energetically with the cries of Soiya! Soiya! Meanwhile, the purifying fire behind the Mikoshi departed from the melee in the open space and proceeded calmly with subdued traditional music. The destination was a smaller pier normally used for pleasure rowboats. From the pier, priests and fire embarked in two boats heading to the two Toriis situated in the lake. They set fire on Toriis. For us observers, it was really the mixture of frenzy and meditation. We on the shore were showered with the energy of the dance and over there on the lake burning two toriis quietly reflecting its light on the water. The entire lake looked pitch black under starry sky. We can see the forested silhouette of outer rim of the lake and Mt. Fuji. It is mystical.

Evening for Lake Ashi, August 5, 2026.

Mikoshi was entering the lakeshore.

Pitch black Mt. Fuji showed the lights
from mountain lodges.

People were dancing.

Purification is very important for this festival. Legend says when Shogunate governed the checkpoint, some townsmen, of Odawara? or Mishima?, polluted the lake. The Dragon, the deity of the Lake, was outraged and let a horrible plague ravage the community. The new community of forest people was united and envisaged the way to apologize and to promise treasuring the Lake. Purifying fire for torii was born. The craze and introspection at once are for the peace to return to the community. Forests people are serious.

Hakone Town Hall 箱根町役場

256 Yumoto, Hakonemachi, Ashigarashimo-gun,
Kanagawa 250-0398
〒250-0398 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本256

Phone: 0460-85-7111
https://www.hakone.or.jp/

Family Tradition of 400 years: Komagata Shrine of Hakone Town 箱根駒形神社

 

“Bon 盆” or “O-bon お盆” is Japanese traditional festival for summer around July 15. It’s based on folk religion combined with Buddhism. It is said that dead ancestral souls would visit this world once a year around O-bon time and spend summer holiday with their descendants. If you like, Buddhism monk will come your home and read mantra in front of the family altar to welcome returnees. If that family has a long memory, the gathering must be a huge party with centuries old grandpas and grandmas … Each rite of the festival is performed privately at family. Though, often a large village-wide, or for that matter city-wide, festival is held with these family gatherings. You may have heard of the Gion Festival of Kyoto 祇園祭.

Around July and August 15,
supermarkets in Yokohama provide
these veggie baskets that are offerings
 for ancestral soul visiting home.

I said once a year of home coming, but as Japan switched in 1873 from lunar calendar to Julian calendar, the date nowadays faces a scheduling conflict with a peak season for summer agricultural works. Families in Tokyo or Yokohama, i.e. very urban, follow July 15 of Julian calendar without problem, but communities with strong rural and/or traditional memories have O-bon around August 15 when ag works can have a small break between summer and autumn. The August O-bon is also conformable with lunar July 15 that moves between the middle of Julian August to September. So, Japanese summer of July and August is the time of family and community festivals. Do you think July 15th Yudate Lion Dance 湯立獅子舞 of Hakone Miyagino Suwa Shrine 諏訪神社 (my post for August 3rd) has nothing to do with the connotation of coming back ancestral souls from the underworld? Meanwhile in Hakone, August festival season is set between July 31 to August 5. The largest one is for Hakone Shrine 箱根神社 (I will report it to you someday in future). But the one that may have more atmosphere of intergenerational family gatherings is held on August 5th at Komagata Shrine 駒形神社. Last week, I’ve attended the festival for Hakone Komagata Shrine. It was a festival for forest people.

Hakone Komagata Shrine

In Japan especially in Tohoku and Kanto Region there are many Komagata Shrine where guardian mountain gods are in charge of horses and people engaged in business with horses. Komagata Shrine in Hakone is apt in this regard. Among Shintoism Shrines in Hakone, Komagata Shrine of Hakone is located nearest to Hakone Pass on Route 1. Hakone Pass is the traditional border between Kanagawa and Shizuoka Prefectures, or to be exact, Odawara Feudal Domain and Nirayama Magistrate Office 韮山代官所 for Mishima 三島 (now the City of Mishima). Odawara Domain held by the family for senior councillor for Tokugawa Shogun, and Nirayama Magistrate was a direct holding of Tokugawa Shogun. Before 1618 when the Shogunate Government established Hakone Checkpoint on the shore of Lake Ashi, the mountainous area had only forests. The developer Shogunate, with the strong will for defending Edo (= Tokyo), created a completely new town just west of the checkpoint. They forced people to immigrate from Odawara and Mishima. 50 families from one same community in Odawara Fiefdom were moved to then the Odawara District of Hakone which now has the port for sightseeing cruise ship on Lake Ashi. They were called Odawara people. 300m or so west of the pier, there is a small stream. Beyond this stream to the west was called Mishima District and 50 families from the same community in Mishima were transferred from home. They were labelled Mishima people. As the Shogunate relocated the two entire community to these area, blood and local ties of their original home carried over to their new home.

Hakone Checkpoint which is now a museum.

Both of two communities were originally from the inn towns on Route 1, aka Tokaido.　Yeah they were the people of mountainous forest, but their family business was not for agriculture or forestry. They were specialized in mountain logistics sustaining the artery road of Japan. Odawara District and Mishima District each had official district job titles in charge of handling parcels, arranging packhorse drivers, couriers, etc. for moving through Hakone mountains. The two communities shared the workload by rotating the duty every 10 days. The system worked well for 250 years till 1869. Now in the 21st century, there is no governmental checkpoint in Hakone and Japanese has constitutional right for the freedom of choice in employment. Though, people living in the southwest area of Lake Ashi remember the history of their family.

Former “border” between
Odawara and Mishima Districts of Hakone
ended around this pier in Lake Ashi.

Former “Mishima District” in Hakone

Komagata Shrine is located southwest of Odawara and Mishima Districts combined. Oh, by the way, in Japanese Onmyodo (traditional Jujutsu for the way of Yin and Yang), southwest direction has the gate vacuuming evil spirits from the community. Don’t you think for the psyche of artificially created old town it would be important the festival of Komagata Shrine? Next week, I tell you about my adventure with the festival for Hakone Komagata Shrine. The event itself is popular with fireworks after the rite for the shrine. I personally prefer the ritual just to the secular extravaganza of fireworks ... Please stay tuned!

Hakone Town Hall 箱根町役場

256 Yumoto, Hakonemachi, Ashigarashimo-gun,
Kanagawa 250-0398
〒250-0398 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本256

Phone: 0460-85-7111
https://www.hakone.or.jp/

Meditation in a forest of boiling planet: Koishikawa Botanical Garden 小石川植物園

 

The final week of July was dreadful in Yokohama. When the earthquake hit Kumamoto, the temperature around here was hovering above 35 degrees Celsius. It was hard as we were talking about cool summer during the first half of July. Sudden scorching days were tough to cope with. This week, the temperature in Yokohama has returned to the “before boiling planet” level, around 30°C for summer. Forecasts say it would be around 33 degrees next week, but it still sounds milder than last week … So sorry for you in Europe, or in Korea and western parts of Japan including Kumamoto ... During the heat wave, many of us did the same as many of you are doing now with 40°C, i.e. stayed indoors with air conditioning.

Still Naomi went to a forest therapy training. Last weekend, we gathered at Koishikawa Botanical Garden. In the forest of platanus the thermometers we carried reported 36+°C. Even under the gigantic three camphor trees, our gear showed 35°C. If for normal temperatures of summer weekend, we must have met in the garden many visitors who wanted to chill in the forest surrounded by Tokyo’s concrete blocks. With 36+°C , nope. The forest was completely quiet only a few visitors.

A quiet garden

But Newton’s apples were in abundance.

We practiced meditation and breathing under shades of trees. We found even when the thermometers cried out dangerous temperatures, gentle winds came and went within trees. They were very soothing. The entire forest encouraged us to know the place with all our five senses. We watched treetops of metasequoias swaying slowly, listened to the chorus of cicadas, smelled a fresh aroma from flowers of chaste tree, felt the soft touch of leaves of wild berries, and from thermos enjoyed cold herb tea of lemon grass, rosehip and lemon balm. It was incredible experience in the center of Tokyo.

As we knew how to enjoy forests with 36°C, I think we were able to enjoy the experience. I don’t recommend you do the same without somebody who can support your walk in the forest of boiling planet. But I say it for sure; we can do it if we come up with the idea. Fingers crossed for any victims of natural disaster. I pray for anybody who’s suffering.

Koishikawa Botanical Garden 小石川植物園

3-7-1 Hakusan, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo 112-0001

〒112-0001 東京都文京区白山3丁目7番1号