Dry Continued: Fungi 2023 in Chiba and Kanagawa Prefectures

 

The other day this month, I happened to have an occasion to have lunch with Dr. Toshimitsu Fukiharu and his wife of Natural History Museum and Institute of Chiba Prefecture 千葉県立中央博物館. They are experts for fungi. Dr. Fukiharu said, “This is a strange year. The amount of precipitation is fluctuating wildly in Chiba. Summer and early autumn were dry … In early September we had just one day downpour but basically the rest was for tiny droplets, if any.” His wife added. “So, when we’ve been to forests searching for fungi, we could find only a small number of specimens. Now it’s November and the season for mushroom hunting is over for 2023. How was it in Kanagawa?” So, I told them my adventure in West Tanzawa 西丹沢 early October: it was the same here in Kanagawa (my post for October 13).

In terms of the amount of rainfall, 2023 is not so special according to the stats from Japan Meteorological Agency. Below shows yearly total of January-October rainfall in Yokohama and Chiba City.

Yap, this year we have had below average rain drops, but amount-wise for a year it’s not so bad both in Kanagawa and Chiba. But when we see the monthly and daily changes …

The way droplets came was like “continuous dry days, and a day or two downpour.” Japan was not like that before …

The way heaven gives us water is not ordinary this year both in Yokohama and Chiba. It’s really a “tempestuous” roller-coaster. For humans who can build dams for tap water, as long as the total rainfall is in the range of “not unusual,” we can ride over this. But for fungi that suffer erosion of soil during the heavy rain then the next day is damned dry, 2023 would be a hard year …

I’m not sure if such hard life for fungi was the time for an orchid to exploit … But one thing is sure. In a corner of a forest in Kanagawa Prefecture, we had lots of beautiful flowers of Cymbidium macrorhizon this October. Cymbidium macrorhizon is an endangered species in VU category for 2020 Japanese list. Only its flower comes out from the ground. The plant does not have leaves, or green parts for that matter. It does not photosynthesize. It receives water and nutrition from fungi it lets dwell within its roots. Dr. Tomohisa Yukawa of National Museum of Nature and Science reported he has found DNAs of Russulaceae, Thelephoraceae, and Sebacinaceae from the roots of his lab-specimen of Cymbidium macrorhizon. It’s mycoheterotrophic plants per excellence. I checked if the place where the orchid flowered in abundance had mushrooms in previous years. Oh yes, that part of the forest with the orchid had previous falls beautiful purple-bloom russula (Russula mariae) sprouted. What was happening at that time underground?

Purple-bloom russula (Russula mariae)
in yesteryears

But this year,
purple-bloom russula (Russula mariae) only.
Huh, both are beautiful for sure.

Actually, this has been a bumper year for
flowering mycoheterotrophic orchids in Yokohama.
It is Lecanorchis nigricans in November.
They have completed their fruition.

Meanwhile, in the forests of Kanagawa Prefecture where oak tree wilt is rampant, lots of hard ear mushrooms stick from the dead trunks. I think it’s a normal ecological succession where infectious disease kills trees … Still, is it only because of me? I feel uneasy something …

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/

Knock, knock, knock: Omine-iri 2023 in Yamakita Town 3 お峯入り 3

 

There was a reason why I tried to be at the top of Mt. Ohno 大野山 (ASL 722.8m) by 12:30. Last summer, the HP of Yamakita Town 山北町 said the ritual of Omine-iri 2023 お峯入り would start at 13:00 in the open space of the peak of Mt. Ohno. The show in the ground of Kawamura Elementary 川村小学校 would be concluded around 11:30, and the company could come to Mt. Ohno before 13:00 by car. At least that was a plan. Then on the real October 8th, 2023, there was a traffic accident in Tomei Express near Ohi-Matsuda IC. The cars stuck in the terrible jam came down from the toll road to Route 246 that crossed Yamakita Town. The road from the Elementary to Mt. Ohno was affected by the mess, and so we at the peak of Mt. Ohno waited the troop to arrive for nearly 2 hours. At 12:30, it was misty only, but by the time the Omine-iri Company reached Mt. Ohno, it became serious rain ...

When I arrived there, it was still OK ...

The crew was busy for preparation ...

When the busses were arriving, it was raining.

The General Director of the Event, aka the leader of the Federation of Neighborhood Association for Yamakita Town, was already at the peak of Mt. Ohno when I arrived there at 12:30. He was frantically talking on his cell phone in a large voice. Everybody within 30m radius from him could know the situation. We waited, waited, and waited. One of our fellow hikers at the peak said, “You see? It was same 5 years ago. The ritual was planned to start at 13:00, but the company came here 13:30 or so. We just have to wait …” That was a kind of difficult part to witness the ritual. Yeah, we could plan to go there around 13:30 which would be a reasonable schedule for Omine-iri. But if there were lots of hikers and tourists congregated at the top of the mountain, the best seats to watch the ritual would be taken by somebody else … For this year I think my arrival there at 12:30 was a good maneuver. I’m not sure the same strategy could work especially when the weather is marvelous and we can admire the entire figure of Mt. Fuji from Mt. Ohno … Let me see how I can deal with the situation in 2028. One thing was sure: the wait in the rain was worthwhile.

Before the procession. Lots of people and TV crews.

According to the Executive Committee for Omine-iri 2023, it took more than 6 months for them to prepare the props and costumes for the ritual. Especially colorful decorations were made of paper. It was raining on October 8th 2023. Before the start of the ritual, the general Director notified us. With rain the decorations and props won’t last for long, and so the ritual of marching in the open space for the top of Mt. Ohno was shortened and the dancing oblation at Shinmei-sha Shrine after the procession would be done only by the troops of musicians and 6 dancers with a pole. It was a bit disappointing, but then I myself was armed with a raincoat and umbrella. I think I was lucky to be at the ritual without total cancellation. The performers arrived at the top of Mt. Ohno before 14:00 in 3 buses and several accompanying cars including police cars. They descended from the vehicle, prepared the costumes et al for performance, the Director explained his plan with megaphone, and the march began.

Stand-by

It was an entrancing procession of performers in multi-colored costumes. The lead of the troop was a group of tall performers wearing masks of magical creatures and traditional kimono’s. They then were followed by a company of heavy make-up in ancient wear of Yamabushi priests 山伏 and musicians. The next was dancers with a pole, large decorative rods, and kids with flowery hats (; my video for the procession can be seen here). Probably the spirit of the mountain was also pleased to have such dedication. When the march began, the rain was eased. I had a kind of flashback for a scene in the film Moliere directed by Ariane Mnouchkine. Magical and mesmerizing …

There were lots of TV crews from Tokyo’s TV key stations. They chatted, “Hmmmm, if it were a fine day, the procession would be done with a huge Mt. Fuji in the background. It must have been THE shot.” I agree. Let’s keep crossing our fingers 2028 will be for a marvelous blue sky. During the troop escaped into the busses and trucks, we the hikers hurried to move to Shinmei-sha Shrine 神明社 to witness the offering ritual that would be held, even if it would have been an abbreviated version. (The performers moved by car from the top of Mt. Ohno). How to go to Shinmei-sha Shrine was the same as our itinerary in 2018 (; my posts on March 23 and 30, 2018). This time I noticed the ridge way from the peak to the shrine had a spectacular view. On our left is the entire vista of Tanzawa Mountains 丹沢, and our right is Sagami Bay 相模湾, Boso Peninsula 房総半島, and Pacific Ocean. Sure, if it had been a fine day, that would have been a so-liberating scenery. But with misty atmosphere and a kind of “purifying” experience with the procession, I felt “silent healing” by walking the ridge. At the end of the open ridge way is a trekking road in a coniferous forest. In 10 minutes or so walk in the woods, we arrived at Shinmei-sha Shrine.

Going down from the peak,

To the Shrine

Tanzawa Mountains

Please cross this gate.

Pass the warehouse of the cattle farm.

Sagami Bay

Entering the forest

The performers arrived. Already lots of audience.

There, already more than 100 people waited for the troops moving from the top of the mountain. If you were in a small group, like, alone or with a couple of friends, I do not think you would have difficulty finding a place to watch the ritual. Though, again, it was misty or raining. So, if the weather becomes more friendly, finding a seat for watching the ritual at the shrine could be tricky. The program 2023 Omine-iri Committee chose for the offering to the Shrine was dances with red and white striped wood poles, and a procession of Divine Palanquin. The dancers softly touched the “earth” at the tip of their pole, moving their body with the music of bamboo flutes and small drums. According to the MC of the ritual, the choreography would be originated from secret ritual of Yamabushi priests, and touching of the ground was to invoke the spirit of the mountain, to tell thank you for autumn harvest, and to ask good crop for the next years to come. The dance had a feel of hypnotizing. The movement is not-fast and repetitive while dances move quietly. It’s like humans ask politely the spirit of mountain like “Er, sorry Ma’am (; in Japanese legends, spirit of mountains is “female”), do you mind giving your attention to our offering?” The procession of a portable shrine was also quiet, solemnly circle the open space. The place was surrounded by large Cryptomeria japonica, emitting purifying aroma (; my video for the ritual can be seen here).

Opening address by the General Director of the Event

Cars for the troop and media people

The festival concluded around 16:00. With misty rain, our road going home from the mountain shrine was already dim. Surprisingly, for about 2 hours descending without public transportation along a narrow blacktop road service, we could find several houses where apparently the owners of the property lived their quiet mountain life. When we live in such atmosphere, the silent prayer in the form of dance is very appropriate … It’s conversing with the nature. I could catch JR Gotemba Line 御殿場線 train from Yamakita Station 山北駅 at 18:48, with lots of fellow hikers back from the ritual in Shinmei-sha Shrine. It was a day of hiking, ice cream, and quiet contemplation in the forest. The occasion is offered once in 5 years. The next one will be in 2028.

Going home in misty rain …

To the JR station

Phew! Returning to Tomei Expressway

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/

Sometimes, hiking can be a strolling: Omine-iri 2023 in Yamakita Town 2 お峯入り 2

 

So, this time I decidedly took the paved community road to reach Mt. Ohno (ASL 722.8m). It may sound boring with a hiking itinerary solely on the asphalt. But if you’re interested in visiting a mountain community of the 21st century Japan, it would be an educational experience, relatively near the downtown Tokyo. Having said that, from the bus stop Ohno-yama Iriguchi 大野山入口 (“Entrance to Mt. Ohono”) to the top of the mountain, it‘s almost one-way climb of 2.5 hours walk. Don‘t underestimate the physical requirement of the course. At the beginning of the course is a quiet mountain road, where until about 150 years ago there was an official checkpoint as a part of security system of Hakone Checking Station 箱根関所, protecting Edo (Tokyo) City against the intruders from the west. At that time those “tourists“ taking our itinerary today must have passed the inspection at the checkpoint and paid fee to use the route. Also, unless you lived in this particular area, no women was allowed for the road. (More to this system of gender problem arouond Hakone Checking Station when we go there.) Even though, the road to Mt. Ohno was popular for those planned to climb Mt. Fuji from Edo (Tokyo). The ancinet popluarity of the road can be traced in our route today ... There are many communities along our way despite of remoteness from the city centres. You guess why ...

Going up

From the bus stop, soon we‘ll recognize a gigantic flyover before us high above. It‘s Tomei Express Way at Tsuburano Tunnel Point. Tsuburano Tunnel is the second longest tunnel in the entire Tomei Express Way (; the longest is Nihon-zaka Tunnel in the neighboring Shizuoka Prefecture). Many people say “Kanagawa side of Tomei Express around Tsuburano Tunnel has more atmosphere of deep mountain than in Shizuoka side …” Oh yes. It is so, very much around here. Yet, below the Express Way there are several houses that are apparently home for somebody else. We also find a signpost saying “Prefectural Yamakita Tsuburano Park 県立山北つぶらの公園, this way.” Yamakita Tsuburano Park is on the hilltop where Tsuburan Tunnel runs beneath. Its establishment was relatively recent in 2017. It has an ample car parking space where going to “the top of the hill” from the parking takes less than 10 minutes’ walk. The highest point of the park has lots of cherry trees, azaleas, hydrangea, and wide-open lawn space. There, we can enjoy spectacular vistas of Mt. Fuji and Hakone. The place sometimes has yoga sessions and children’s events (; event schedule can be checked here). If you plan to drive your family to a picnic, it’s a safe and relaxing park.

Tomei Express Way

We don’t see such road often from below.

The direction to Tsuburano Park

Walking under the flyover of Tomei Express Way, in less than 5 minutes there will be a bus-stop with the name Ohno-yama Tozanguchi 大野山登山口 (“The Beginning of Mt. Ohno Hiking Course”). Unfortunately, there is no bus service any more up to here. Only the signpost remains … Or, maybe, people do not give up hope for recovering bus service … After the defunct bus stop, there appears a yellow house with a plate “The boxing gym that locates at the most remote area in Japan in deep mountain.” Around the gym there is a wooden box with a notice saying “the place is for a stop of volunteer-operating community car service on-demand-base.” Welcome to the Republic of (Kanagawa’s) Tibet, named Kyowa (= “Republic”) community of Yamakita Town! There is a kind of eccentricity, I feel, in the atmosphere of communities we’ll meet in today’s itinerary. In any case, without a car, life here in deep Yamakita Town would be very difficult. The paved road we’re walking today has very important utility for mountain people. Eventually, we’ll meet a Y-crossing. Whichever the direction both roads are paved. The road that goes right is the way we’ll coming back from Shinmei-sha Shrine 神明社after Omine-iri お峯入り ritual. Let’s keep it for our afternoon itinerary. We take to the left. In no time another gigantic construction site appears before us.

The defunct bus stop

For locals only car service

Boxing gym

We return from the right road.

Walking for a while the left road,

here we’ll be welcomed another gigantic civil engineering site.

It's the place where the building is on-going for the Shin-Tomei Express Way (“New Tomei Express Way”), connecting Toyota City of Aich Prefecture and Ebina City of Kanagawa. People are drilling a tunnel here whose exit is on Yadoriki 寄 side we pass-bye when we visit Yadoriki Water Source Forest やどりき水源林. The construction of Shin-Tomei Express Way is almost completed, except this part. The entire Shint-Tomei was supposed to be opened to traffic before the planned opening ceremony of Olympics in July 2020. Er … the site has two seriously injured workers in May 2022, and one person killed in February 2021. Granted, the place is not in an easy location for civil engineering. Many things have happened, and the life goes on even if there are unexpected accidents … So, during weekdays, our itinerary up to here has heavy traffic of huge construction vehicles. If you plan to walk the itinerary during M-F, please be careful. In contrast, during weekends, the site is very quiet. The tiny rivulets pouring to Fukazawa Stream 深沢 were gushing in when I’ve been there on October 8th. I guess with such an abundant water flow coming from underground, construction would be tricky. We see the gigantic site on our right, and keep on climbing the paved road.

This side in Yamakita Town

The other side in Yadoriki

I guess it becomes an aqueduct for Fukazawa Stream …

The concrete road is one way silently going up in a deep and mainly afforested coniferous forest. The sound of Fukazawa Stream is below us. Suddenly and occasionally several human settlements appear along our route. After about 1.5 hour climb from Ohno-yama bus stop, we reach relatively more populated community at Fukazawa Sansa-ro 深沢三叉路 (“Fukazawa Three-way Intersection”). The houses here are large and old. I guess those owners of the houses were descendants of samurais who worked for the Checkpoint. Fukazawa Sansa-ro has a public toilet, maintained by the good-will of the community. Thank you … To keep on walking the paved car road to the top of the mountain, please choose the north-going road, with the direction “Kadoya Farm かどやファーム, this way.” Until about ASL 500m, the afforested coniferous forest continues, intermingled with broad-leaved trees. As we’re approaching to ASL 600m, the environment around us becomes more grassland-like. It’s not for timber line, but due to development of farmland around the top of Mt. Ohno. The current owner of the farm in Mt. Ohno is Kadoya Meet Trading Co. of Odawara 小田原市. They raise livestook here, especially for branded Ashigara Beef 足柄牛. 30 minutes or so walk from the three-way crossing, there appears a small complex of their cattle barn and office buildings on our left. At the entrance of their business, they have a lounge and parking spaces with toilets. It’s open for tourists. They sell frozen meat and ice cream by vending machines. Also in front of their business, they provide picnic tables viewing a wide-open space for Sagami-bay 相模湾 and Pacific Ocean. If you’re driving and have a cooler on hand, purchasing beef here as a souvenir would be in your to-do list. Otherwise, we can order their product raised in Mt. Ohno via internet.

The sign of human settlement over there …

The toilets at Fukazawa Three-way Intersection.
Those red and blue doors are that.

The view to Sagami Bay becomes wonderful from around here …

It’s a large house, in such a deep mountain …

A bit more of forest …

which becomes a grassland by and by …

Tsuburano Park can be seen down there.

Picnic table at Kadoya Farm

which is at more or less the same height
as the top of Tokyo Skytree Tower, the sign says.

Kadoya Farm rest house

Inside

Vending machine for beef

From the cattle farm, the climb to the peak of Mt. Ohno becomes slightly less steep. In less than 20 minutes from the farm, we find another Y-crossing. In front of us there is a public toilet, and the tourists’ cars visiting Mt. Ohno will find an entrance to parking space on the left. To join the ritual at the top of the mountain, we turn left here and reach the top of Mt. Ohono. I started to walk from the Entrance of Mt. Ohno bus stop around 10:10, meandered here and there along the paved road, ice cream at the farm, and arrived the top of the mountain around12:30. Despite of continuous going up only, the route would be a nice introduction for novice hikers. Next week, I tell you the ritual that held at the peak of Mt. Ohno and Shinmei-sha Shrine. It was really magical …

From Kadoya Farm to the top of Mt. Ohno.
I think this is the first downing slope today.

Oh, Beef! Er, no, cattle.

Around the peak of Mt. Ohno
for this itinerary is landscaped this much.

The Y-crossing from Kadoya Farm. For Omine-iri,
a security personnel was dispatched by the town for traffic control.

It started to rain after noon …
in front of us was Hakone Owaku-dani Valley 箱根大涌谷.

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/