Every New Beginning Comes from Other Beginning's End: Kanagawa’s forests and aging society

 

And so, Yokohama’s problem of aging population for environmental management is tackled in this way (; my post last week). In numbers as of January 1, 2026, Yokohama has 3,769,748 population which has been increasing in this post-COVID era. Especially, younger generations have moved into our city. They are nullifying the decrease from elderly passing-away. In addition, our city will host International Horticultural Expo in 2027, “Green×Expo” held near Citizen Forests of Northan Yokohama, i.e. Seya, Oiwake, Yasashi, Kamikawai, Miho, and Niiharu (; my posts during 2015). The momentum is building up in our neighborhood greenery. Yokohama can, at least for now, think a way to deal with the greying population as a public relation matter. It should be fortunate. Kanagawa Prefecture has a different problem.

A neighborhood stroll path in Yokohama

Yokohama has 437.4km2, roughly 18% of Kanagawa Prefecture with 2416.55km2. In this limited area we have approx. 41% of Kanagawa’s population with 9,217,647 (as of September 1, 2025). People live in Yokohama is relatively young and increasing. In contrast, for some time Kanagawa Prefecture in total is observing the decrease in population and rapid aging especially in rural areas. Even before the greying problem became obvious, a guy for financial affairs of the Prefectural Office once told me money-wise Kanagawa Prefecture was depending heavily on taxpayers of Yokohama. Well, we Yokohama people are generous. We’re paying 3 different taxes for environmental issues. One is the national tax, Forest Environment Tax. Another is the prefectural tax, Water Source Environmental Protection Tax. And finally Green Tax for the City of Yokohama. Among these three, national tax is returned to the city as a subsidy for “Using Japanese forestry products among citizens.” E.g. Building your home in Yokohama with Japanese timbers will receive municipal support pecuniary. Green tax is for maintaining and expanding your neighborhoods forests of Yokohama. Your family can enjoy your Saturday lunch there easily. Then, Water Source Tax? Er …

This fall, we’ve enjoyed beautiful autumn leaves
in Yokohama’s forests.

Water source forests for Kanagawa Prefecture are in the eastern slopes of Hakone National Park, Tanzawa Mountains and Takao Mountains which are Quasi-national Parks. When the tax was introduced in 2007, the forests of the area were indeed suffering neglect due to already aging and decreasing population of mountain villages. But thanks to the nature of forestry, once the maintenance jobs are done with the tax base, the next job-cycle for such areas begins 20 or more years later. This means, taxing 2026 people for 30-years-later-jobs has a little persuasive power. In addition, for the majority of city rats, i.e. we the people of Yokohama, National Parks are recreational areas, i.e. luxury, and do not have much familiarity with our daily lives. Paying tax for this now? No way.

In Tanzawa, autumn leaves were also splendid this fall.

Of course, the people living in mountain villages must have different opinions. The public works using the income from Water Source Tax has been VERY important income for rural areas. But, that’s that. For example, Yadoriki Community is observing rapidly decreasing population, and the remaining people are more and more aging. Since last year, there is no commercial farmer in Yadoriki Community. Yes, people are tending their veggie fields for home consumption, but no more tea or citrus growing for business. Reason? Ag works on steep slopes are too much for grandpas and grandmas. Younger people have taken city jobs for better pay, commuting to nearby cities which is really near in Kanagawa Prefecture. A familiar story for all over the world, I guess. The issue of Water Source Tax is now not for environment, but for welfare of aging populations. It’s difficult for the Prefectural Office to sustain the argument for the scheme now. Water Source Tax will be abolished in 2027. Soon.

Er … this openness was really something.
But once we realize this is a commuter road
 within Yadoriki community which is
 half an hour car ride from Odakyu Shin-Matsuda Station,
can we simply praise the atmosphere?
Isn’t it desolation?

Last fall, a new honcho has been assigned to the Prefectural division that is in charge of the matters of rural areas in the west of Kanagawa. That person may have been given the mission from the HDQ in Yokohama to rationalize prefectural works for the area. The closure of the visitors’ service for Yadoriki Water Source Forest was announced last month. The deadline was not clarified but the Forest Instructors’ Association was notified to evacuate the buildings rather sooner. The demolition of the admin house at the entrance is said to be started within months. Yeah. Since last summer, those facilities could not have electricity. The Prefecture surveyed the wiring and found several points where the connection was directly eroded by wet soil (; this is water source!). Moreover, the foundations of the log houses are more and more fragile thanks to the decays from high moisture (; this is water source!). For restoration of such structures the Office needs money of certain amount. When there is no solid reasoning to maintain the service and financial arrangement, closure shall be inevitable.

Yadoriki’s toilets are closed.

Instead, portable toilets are situated.
We don’t know how long this service is provided.

It is said that the offices for the Forest of the 21st Century (; my post for July 28, 2017) will also be closed, or the service there will be reduced to the minimum. For both Yadoriki and the 21st C Forests, I know the number of visitors is really small. The rationalization in fiscal expenditure for them is unavoidable. But I think the real difficult part will start after closure. OK. Stop taking care of the places perhaps would not cause serious problems for now to the environment. The thinning and mowing have been completed in the area thanks to these 20 years of the tax base. But, then, is there a reliable prospect for another policy when the time comes and the forests need help again? I don’t say there is nothing in store for the policies of the Prefectural government … I’m now collecting information which includes interesting projects with top-notch technologies. I’m also hearing the stories when the frozen approach to the forests causes problems. I’ll tell you these when they are ready. Meanwhile, in 2026 we’re starting the new era for our neighborhood forests.

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/