Winter’s Tale: Aquatic creatures in Yadoriki Stream in December

 

The deadline for making specimens for 2022 Water Source Monitoring is approaching rapidly (; my post on October 21). So, I invited my senior Forest Instructors to Yadoriki Water Source Forest やどりき水源林 to make the one for December 2022.

The sun was warm on that day …

When we do this as activities of Forest Instructor, we do not make specimens when we catch creatures in Yadoriki. We study them in vats for a while, take pictures, and return them to the stream. I asked the Environmental Research Center if it is OK to do the same for Water Source Monitoring. The answer was “No.” They say the Office studies the changes in rivers over the years by the current and previous specimens. For that, making a photo or two to one catch would not be enough. OK. Moreover, Forest Instructors do such water activity usually in the middle of summer. Enjoying chilly Yadoriki’s water when it is 35°C in Yokohama is heavenly … But during winter, we have not done the study of aquatic lives. It must be damned cold, we thought. Sure enough, when we entered the Water Source Forest that Sunday, the peaks of mountains surrounding Yadoriki Forest were snow-capped. The air temperature was 7°C at the admin hut of the Forest. I a sort of braced myself for freezing water and entered Yadoriki Stream.

Snow over there!
Could you see on the upper left corner of this photo?

To our surprise, it was not that cold. The water had 10°C where we collected the specimen. The stream had lots of debris of fallen autumn leaves + algae. It was very different from Yadoriki Stream in summer when it does not have much fallen something. One of my seniors said “Wow, I’ve never noticed this much algae in Yadoriki Stream!” I don’t know how to identify these vegetables. I hope they are not invasive one ... In summer, we simply turn rocks in water, brush the bottom to collect bugs in landing nets. This time, we dunk our nets in the gathered fallen leaves and algae. Then, voilá! There were far more creatures we could catch compared with our standard activity during summer. In less than 10 minutes, we had to stop our collection in order to finish making specimen before lunch. “I see. During winter, the predator fish slow their activity a lot. That makes life in water easy.” “Yeah, and trees shed their leaves. Enough sunlight reaches the river. Algae can thrive. They become food for aquatic creatures.” “The same function for fallen leaves. Aquatic bugs can eat them and make a warm dwelling in the pile of fallen leaves, I think.” So, there are far more living things in water! We were excited during our hunt.

Lots of baby food and construction materials in water

The same point as the above photo in September this year.
 No debris, you see?

Inevitably, the vat became full of leaves and algae.

In less than one hour, a jar had lots of lots of specimen. When we studied the contents of the vat, the majority of the creatures are tiny baby insects. They hatched this fall and now spend their early days in winter water, eating baby foods of algae and fallen leaves. Some of them would survive and become bigger creatures in spring and summer next year. “So, Naomi, you’ll identify them under stereo microscope.” “That’ll be a tons of job!” Phew. The deadline for identification is January 27th …

Collecting …

Here is the specimen.
I have to work with it next month …

If you find environmental issues in waters of Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with Kanagawa Environmental Research Center 神奈川県環境科学センター

1-3-39 Shinomiya, Hiratsuka City, 254-0014

〒254-0014平塚市四之宮1-3-39

Phone: 0463-24-3311

FAX: 0463-24-3300

k-center@k-erc.pref.kanagawa.jp 

https://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/docs/b4f/index.html

Season’s Greetings from Yokohama

Oh, by the way, here is info about chainsaw and brush cutter license seminars in January in Kanagawa Prefecture. In Japan, when you operate chainsaw, you should have license (; my post on January 18, 2019). Unfortunately, everything for these seminars are is in Japanese, no English et al translation. Good luck.

For Chainsaw seminar

For Brush cutter seminar

Red Bird, Red Currants: bright red fruits in Kanagawa’s forest in early winter

 

In 1918 a Japanese children’s book author Miekichi Suzuki 鈴木三重吉 launched publication of magazine specialized in children’s literature. The name of the magazine was “Akai Tori 赤い鳥” aka “Red Birds.” For Japanese children’s culture this was a seminal moment. Even after the magazine ended its life in 1936 together with the passing-away of Mr. Suzuki, many similar publications continued and we Japanese grew up absorbing the world of “Akai Tori” at unconscious level, I guess. Among big names of Japanese literature who contributed to the magazine there was a poet, Hakushu Kitahara 北原白秋. One of his rhymes was called none other than “Akai Tori.” It goes like this (a-hem, Naomi’s translation!);

Red bird, red bird,　赤い鳥　小鳥

Why are you red?　なぜ　なぜ　赤い？

I ate red currants.　赤い実を食べた

Fast foward to the 21st century, in the 10th volume of manga “Damon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 鬼滅の刃,” Nezuko, a sister of the hero Tanjiro, was calmed her fit of “demonization” by a nursery rhyme,

Kittens (baby rabbits), Kittens, in forest,　こんこんお山の子うさぎは

Why are your eyes red?　なぜにお目目が赤こうござる？

My mommy ate red berries when I was in her belly.　小さい時に母さまが赤い木の実を食べたゆえ

So my eyes are red.　それでお目目が赤うござる

Althogh netsphere is busy deciphering the origin of this song (; some say it is from traditional nursery rhyme of Saga Prefecture), basically the rhyme is a creation by the author of Kimetsu, Koyoharu Gotouge 吾峠呼世晴. But the song sounds very familiar for us ... Hakushu Kitahara was the first translator of Mother Goose from English to Japanese. So, I just simply believed “red currants” are regulars for nursery rhymes all over the world. I opened a book of Mother Goose, and searched for any rhyme of red currants … I could not find any. Do you know any nursery rhymes, from any part of the world, with red currants? If you know, please let me know ...

I suddenly realized red currants are not so common in the other forests of the planet. Come to think of it, in the 18th century European plant hunters brought female sapling of spotted laurel (Aucuba japonica) from Japan. They expected bright red fruits for their winter garden, as Aucuba japonica did so in Japan. Alas, they could not have any of such display in Europe until an Englishman Robert Fortune managed to obtain male tree in 1860. I guess he made a fortune in smoggy Victorian London … At least in my neighborhood forests for megalopolis Tokyo, red berries are very common especially in late fall. Speaking of Aucuba japonica, frankly, we’re a bit tired of weeding them. Their thick evergreen leaves cover the forest floor darkly and obstruct sunshine to reach, which makes biodiversity of our forest poor. Damned fecund red fruits of spotted laurel! We have to weed! Anyway, we don’t have to depend on Aucuba japonica to enjoy red berries in fall to winter forest (, park, garden, … you name it). Here are the other red cuties we’ll meet in our forest around this time of the year.

Himalayan Spindle (Euonymus hamiltonianus) マユミ

Lyreleaf nightshade (Solanum lyratum) ヒヨドリジョウゴ

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) ナンテン

Rhynchosia acuminatifolia　トキリマメ

Ardisia crenata　マンリョウ

Trichosanthes cucumeroides　カラスウリ

Baby rose (Rosa multiflora) ノバラ

Solanum maximowiczii Koidz.　マルバノホロシ

Marlberry (Ardisia japonica) ヤブコウジ

Kadsura japonica　サネカズラ

Phew! Those are some photos I’ve taken during the last 4 weeks in Kanagawa. They stand out in forests shedding the colored leaves. Please enter the forests now, and enjoy bright reds in chilly air … Christmas! The time of red berries!

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/

A House of Bush Warbler: Naze-Kamiyabe Citizen Forest 名瀬・上矢部市民の森

 

In my post on May 22 this year, I introduced the newest family member for Yokohama’s Citizen Forests, that was Imai-Sakaigi Citizen Forest 今井・境木市民の森. Actually, 5 days before the opening of Imai-Sakaigi Forest, on March 28 another Citizen Forest was open. As Japanese fiscal year starts on April 1st, this forest was technically open in previous fiscal year and older than the Imai-Sakaigi Forest … Never mind the bureaucratic complication about the birth date of a Citizen Forest. This week we visit this forest named Naze-Kamiyabe Citizen Forest 名瀬・上矢部市民の森 of 15.2ha.

From this site, we know the companies which won competitive biddings to make the place a Citizen Forest. I didn’t know 5 companies got jobs from the City for roughly 24 million yen. Hm. Citizen Forest making is not a tiny business, I guess … Anyway, to access the Forest, there are 3 commuter train stations to use, which are Ryokuen-toshi Station 緑園都市駅, Yayoidai Station 弥生台駅, and Higashi-totsuka Station 東戸塚駅. But I recommend you Ryokuen-toshi Station of Sotetsu Izumino Line, since the route to enter the forest from there is the easiest. As for the other members of Yokohama’s Citizen Forest, the approach to Naze-Kamiyabe Citizen Forest is not commercially advertised and no parking is available. Taking a stress-free route would be a wise thing.

Ryokuen-toshi Station

Let’s leave Ryokuen-toshi Station from East Exit and take the road to Ferris University. We soon meet a crossing with Ryokuentoshi Entrance Traffic Light 緑園都市駅入口. Turn right here and walk along the campus building of the university on our left. Soon, the row of buildings ends and tennis courts appear. Turn left here and go down a long slope to meet a traffic light named Heizobashi 平蔵橋 at T-crossing. Beyond the crossing in front of us is a forest and a row of houses. Turn right and proceed for about 200m. The road meets with a small river named Naze River 名瀬川. I think it is more fun walking along the river, so let’s leave commuter road and move to a pedestrian way running south bank of the stream parallel to the car road. Ahead of us is an anti-flood pond that is dry when it is fine. This is Naze Retarding Pond 名瀬湧水池. On our right, it is becoming obvious there are another forests. It means the commuter road and Naze River run relatively flat valley. As we’re in Yokohama, lots of new houses stand around us. I guess before this place had rice paddies utilizing water from Naze River. People concreated the place and build houses. The ability for the land to absorb rainwater was down dramatically and the area became flood prone, I imagine. That’s why the City built a retarding pond here ... I think this is a sort of defining thing for the character of this week’s Citizen Forest. So, please remember it, won’t you?

The road along Ferris University

Take this way to Heizobashi traffic light.

Turn right.

Naze Retarding Pond

We cross a commuter road and proceed to another retarding pond in front of us that is used as a baseball ground when it is dry. Walk along the south edge of the playground. We eventually enter a small alley along the 4-lane bypass. The end of the passage is a crossing with 4 lane road and a small road to the south. On our left is Lawson Convenience Store. If you have not checked toilet at Ryokuentoshi Station, the Lawson Store is the final point to do the necessary things before entering the forest. Please utilize the chance! We turn right at this crossing, taking a small winding road to the direction of the forest on our right. After 150m or so walking from the crossing we find a small path which looks like a foot path going through veggie fields. Let’s dive in here. In no time, we see a sign saying “Bijin-ga-yato Entrance (in translation, Rice-paddies-valley-for-a-beautiful-lady Entrance) 美人が谷戸.” Welcome to Naze-Kamiyabe Citizen Forest!

Beyond baseball ground, along the bypass.

Turn right here.

This way, please.

The end of this path is the entrance
to Naze-Kamiyabe Citizen Forest.

The map of Naze Kamiyabe Citizen Forest

According to the map above, the area of Naze-Kamiyabe Citizen Forest was once called as a place of 99 valleys for rice paddies (i.e. in Japanese, Yato 谷戸) that were crisscrossed in a complicated way. It means, the majority of the land of the forest is not dry, and some parts could be very wet. The walking route of the forest consists of “main” road that is a ridge way and branch roads going down the former paddies valleys. Bijin-ga-yato Entrance is one of such byways, going slowly up. The road ends with a damp open space, Bijin-ga-yato Open Space 美人が谷戸広場. On the left of the open space there are steps going up steeply. It’s the only way for us to proceed. Let’s follow the direction of the path. The route rapidly goes up to the Chojoh (Summit) Open Space 頂上広場. The place has two nice picnic benches, surrounded by tall deciduous trees. The place is new and not known yet, perhaps. It was quiet place … full of bird songs in late autumn weekend …

Bijin-ga-yato Entrance

Bijin-ga-yato Open Space

To the ridge way

The entire route has well-built signs here and there.

Chojoh (Summit) Open Space

From Chojoh Open Space, there are 5 directions other than to Bijin-ga-yato Entrance. The “Main Road” is the route running between Acorn Open Space Entrance and West Entrance via Chojoh Open Space. The other 3 branch roads are all short and steep slope to the housing area. To the direction of Acorn Open Space, the forest was often dominated by sasa bamboos and the other evergreen shrubs. The area maintains humid air. The level of underground water could be very high in this part of the hill. Chou-ga-yato Open Space has spaciousness with a picnic bench in the middle. Beneath our shoes we could feel swampy ground. The place could have been rice paddies once … Sky was blue under chilly late fall weekend. I could sense small something was moving on the ground of such places … Occasionally, Japanese bush warblers chirped from the shrubs. Were they communicating with each other?

To Basho-Yato Entrance

Basho Yato has lots of Japanese ginger.
The place must have been a productive farm land once …

A tunnel of sasa bamboos

To Acorn Open Space.
This was the place for bush warblers to chat.

To the North Entrance

Acorn Open Space. The place has picnic bench.
When I’ve been there,
it was occupied by a gentleman reading book with a cup of coffee.

Chou-ga-yato Open Space

From Chojoh Open Space to the West Entrance, I guess it is the only area that is relatively dry The route is lined with afforested conifers and oaks. The fallen leaves rustled quietly as I went. I found it very comforting. I met several colonies of Carpesium divaricatum. From the ridge way to the West Entrance is a rapid decline with steps. I left the forest from here. After navigating the housing area for 5 minutes or so, we will meet another river called Akuwa River 阿久和川. The road running along the river is Prefectural Road 401 that has stops for commuter bus services to Higashi-totsuka and Yayoidai Stations. The river has nice pedestrian paths for both banks。Let’s walk to Yayoidai Station of Izumino Line.

To the West Exit

Carpesium divaricatum

The road is rapidly going down to

The housing area

Akuwa River

This bus is to Higashi-totsuka Station.

The community spreading along Akuwa River is the old and famous one called Okazu Village 岡津. It was governed by Hikosaka Motomasa 彦坂元正, a samurai-mandarin who during the early 17th century established the bureaucratic structure of Tokugawa Shogunate Government. His manor house once stood at the place now for Okazu Elementary. After enjoying a relaxed stroll along a stream, we meet with a wide Prefectural Road 218 over the bridge. We can proceed further along the river to Yayoidai Station, but I suggest this time choosing a busy commuter road with lots of cars and turn left here. Reason? Just before the Yayoidai Station Entrance traffic light, there is a bakery Beckerei Ton Garten. We can purchase authentic German bread here, and regular French versions. Theirs is DE-LI-CI-OUS. 😊 Please try.

Nice strolling path

Turn left here.

Along Prefectural Road 218,
there is another retarding pond cum community garden.
This time it is for the flood of Akuwa River.

Beckerei Ton Garten

If you find a problem in the greenery of north-half of Yokohama, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North
北部公園緑地事務所
Yokohama Municipal Government Creative Environment Policy Bureau
横浜市環境創造局
Phone: 045-311-2016 

FAX: 045-316-8420