Egoist! Chinese silver grass and us

 

In Japanese psyche, Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) is closely related with autumn. I guess some of you have seen the plant depicted in Japanese paintings, including Ukiyoe. The grass is important for decorations of seasonal festivals, such as Moon Viewing Festival. Hakone Sengokubara National Treasure site 箱根仙石原 is famous for its swinging silver grass field in fall (: my post on October 29, and November 5, 2021). In autumn, its green sword-like leaves turn into light brown with their fluffy ears. The vegetable forms large colony and tends to cover vast sunny space. So, in autumn, en masse they carelessly sway as wind blows. If setting sun cast autumnal light over them, it’s perfect scenery for feeling quiet and chilly dawn of the season. Mmmmmmmmm … meditative.

Chinese silver grasses in Sengokubara

Well, so it is, if we just admire them from a window. When we have to think about it in terms of environmental management, it’s a different matter. As Americans know, it can be invasive species and wreck a havoc for indigenous ecology. In Japan, as long as the land is dry and has full sunshine, the grass can form massive cluster whose uber-robust rhizome spreads in shallow topsoil. It is a species dominating a field at the final stage of plant succession. After establishing their kingdom, the grass field will gradually turn into a dry forest, first by invasion of drought-resistant trees like red pines. Unless artificially (oh, yes) controlling their dominance over the field, smaller wild vegetations such as violets et al cannot find a space. Moreover, if the march of silver grass is entering a wet land, such as Sengokubara, it’s a signal for the end of bogs. The plants that love soggy soil will be exterminated. If we want to preserve the ecosystem of swamp, Chinese silver grass can certainly be invasive species.

Sengokubara whose vegetation varies according to its undulation.
 When we see the site from outside,
the place looks like flat.
Nope.
Once we enter the national treasure site,
it has many tiny ups and downs
and so the varying availability of water
for living things on the ground.

To maintain the national treasure site of Sengokubara wetland, Hakone Town officially burns off the field once a year in the middle of March. The main target of this annual event is silver grass. Segokubara has three kinds of environment in terms of grasses. The driest part is for silver grass. The soil which is along streams where its not boggy but with enough moisuture is for common reed. The bog or shallow ponds are for Typha latifolia. When people burning the field, they first mow the border area of the field to make a fire buffer, then ignite fire on the silver grasses immediately inside of the firebreak. By doing so, aridification of marsh can be stopped. After the burning, spring ephemeral can come out in Sengokubara (; my post on May 12, 2023). The area near water streams will welcome common reed that can somehow stop the advance of silver grass.

The photo is taken 1 month after the burning.
Shoots of common reed are thriving along the artificial waterway.

Young spring leaves of Cirsium sieboldii,
a Japanese endemic thistle loving bogs.
It can come out only after the burning.

Viola hirtipes, the largest violet in Japan,
which also comes out after the burning in Sengokubara.

Their ability to suffocate the other plants over the land is not only alarming for marshes. They can also dominate small land patches of suburbs. Their hard rhizome causes headaches for gardeners or people who maintain walking paths in our neighborhood. The best way to control their invasion is digging them out while they are still young. The saving grace is silver grass takes time to be a large cluster. Even when they are seedlings, it’s hard to pull their root out, but definitely easier than dealing with established grass. Our battle with the wild grass continues ad infinitum …

For the silver grass to reach this size,
it must have taken enough time …
and I guess
the landlord gave it up at certain point of time.

Asphalt? What is asphalt?

Along a city road.
The City Office of Yokohama is supposed to
 be responsible for the management
of shrubbery for such road.
It seems to me the Office cannot keep pace
 with the advancement of grass …
 more to it next week.

From silver grass’ point of view, all of this fuss would be pure egoism of humans … One time we admire them as a cultural icon. Then for another occasion, we regard them as nuisance. Anthropocene … Next week, I will tell you about one neighborhood’s endeavor to minimize the nuisance of wild grass, in the framework of Yokohama’s green policy. Please stay tuned. 😊

I took this photo for one of the urban river of Yokohama.
Silver grass is supposed to love dry land,
but no matter here …
Tough guys.

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/

Strange flowers: Flower problem in Yokohama, October 2024

 

Yeah. Fall has begun finally. Though it’s still too hot for the end of October. Weather forecasters say almost as a mantra, this is the weather for the end of September. Temperature et al are in a month delay. In Yokohama, this weekend has been more or less cloudy. The forecasters explained it was due to the autumnal rain front which was normally observed at the end of September. Oh, yes, we all know it. It’s hot these days. The temperatures are still dancing merrily above 20°C (68°F) during daytime. Still, early morning or late evening, it is chilly. Many people struggle to adjust to a rollercoaster ride of weather. Last Wednesday, some weather forecasters issued a warning for violent fluctuation of atmospheric pressure (and temperature) that may cause some people headaches, nausea, etc.

Such travail is not only for humans, perhaps. I told you a story about skinny vampire leeches in Tanzawa last week. Poor creatures. For more lovable organisms, narrative is more or less the same. Flowers are strange this month. Lots of news reported awkward flowering patterns all over Japan. Famous gardens for cosmos or roses do not have enough opening even at the end of October, the high season of autumnal tourism. Maybe, summer-like October lets the vegetables miss the chances of blossoming. They are confused, I guess.

Even sweet autumn clematis open its flowers
 in the end of October, a month late.

In my neighborhood, there are home gardens having full opening of morning glories. In Yokohama, morning glories are flowers for July and August. It is almost a summer tradition for the 1st graders to record and report how they open the flower as homework. I wonder how they managed such a difficult task this year. Morning glories did not open during their summer holidays. Poor kids …

Yeah. Certainly they are lovely. But it is the end of October.

Seniors of Niiharu Lovers murmured their concern for cherry trees in a park near Nagatsuda Station. One of them is flowering. “Isn’t it a kind that has flowers in fall?” “No, no. It’s Someiyoshino. The tree gives us every spring a chance for cherry blossoms party in spring. It’s flowering now.” “Wow.” “Something is happening definitely.” “No doubt.” When flowers are strange, it follows odd fruiting. Japanese snowbell has lots of pretty starshaped flowers in late spring here. In October, when it is a normal year, the flowers become tiny fruits dangling from the twigs. Come December they would be fully-ripen and become nice meals for small wild birds in sleepy winter forests in Yokohama. Sadly this year, the tits could have a harsh winter with fairly limited supply of food, including the fruits of snowbell. Not only that, some snowbells have flowers now. *Gee … what’s going on now …” Poor birds.

Still Chinese hwawei are now singing around in Niiharu.

I’m also worried about Harlequin Glorybower. They should flower during summer here in Yokohama. In standard October, they give us a view of charming blue fruits wrapped in lovely purplish red calyx. For several years by now I’m collecting their blue fruits for my winter project. I need lots of them. I collect them in forests and freeze the bounty for the use. Now in October, I should be busy collecting the fruits of Glorybower. This October, nope. They are flowering now. Yeah, their white and pink at the bottom flowers are lovely. But they should come in July or August … What would happen for my project in this changing climate? Can I report you my adventure with Glorybower fruits soon?

Flowering Harlequin Glorybower in late October …!?

Fruits are there, but in October their calyx is still closing.

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 Green Environment Bureau

横浜市みどり環境局

Phone：045-353-1166
FAX：045-352-3086
mk-hokubukoen@city.yokohama.jp

Vampires Strike Back! … not yet Halloween

 

Finally, it seems to me, fall has begun honestly for Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s about time. Although flower cycles are still in confusion (that’s for next week), all creatures including humans are feeling respite from LONG, HARSH, BOILING summer. Yeah. It’s a good thing. Autumn. We should be fair for all living things around us enjoying easier weather. Yet … the same condition also gives OK for vampire leeches in Tanzawa to be active.

Somewhere here, vampires are waiting …

In Yadoriki Water Source Forest, especially after showers, the blood suckers are eager to paste on the skins of mammals and amphibians. We simply walk around the strolling courses off the paved path, and they appear here and there, trying to reach our bare skin for blood. Poor creatures. They must have been starved during the days of baking sunshine + occasional downpouring of summer 2024. I guess those which poke out from the crannies of trekking roads are survivors. They endured strong sunlight, laying down under the pebbles for 3 or so months. They escaped landslides when torrential rains attacked the water source forest and washed over the topsoil. Vampire leeches. Tough guys. Still, I think they are smaller than in the previous years.

An apparent scenery of landslide in Tanzawa

I would say such foggy trekking road is so beautiful.
But … be ware of vampires.

If during summer they had sufficient nutrients = blood, they should be 3+cm long in October. This year, nope. They are skinny. They are more or less 1cm long. They move almost frantically on our trekking shoes for finding skins, even when we drenched our gear with DEET or some leech repellent. In encounter with tiny blood suckers trying to reach my skin for blood, I unusually felt sympathy for them. Oh, so, you must be very hungry, aren’t you? Haven’t you noticed your entire body is absorbing strong venom, called DEET, which would be lethal for you? Are you OK? What a Faustian question …

Japanese skimmia are having lots of fruits
these days in Yadoriki Water Source Forest.
Caution:
the plant is poisonous from the root to the tip of head.
Their ripening red fruits are attractive
but lethal for kids when they eat them.

I haven’t heard any news reporting annihilation of vampire leeches due to climate change. Rather, they say their habitat range is expanding. Previously snow-covered mountains during winter are now snow-less or ice-less, which is easy for leeches to ride over the cold days. Then, there is a nation-wide exploding population of deer. They can move around in mountains carrying leeches between the nails. Now, leech problem is in Sizuoka, Tokyo, and Yamanashi which are surrounding prefectures of Kanagawa. No need for sympathy for blood suckers. Yup.

Nonetheless, I feel sorry for the animal who do not have any means of changing the course of climate. Or they could be wise enough not to fight a losing battle. They would be clever by adapting the changing climate and spreading their “home” … What will happen in 5 years’ time for Tanzawa and vampire leeches on boiling planet?

By the way, sweet osmanthus are at last opening in Yokohama. I think they are 2 weeks late. Still, it is the time when our ordinary suburbia is in sweet natural fragrance. Thank God, at least we have them flowering as previous years …

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/

Moving Zelkova Walk: 2024 Laboratory of Forest Art 2

 

In my previous post for September 29, I showed you this year’s installation by Yoshikawa Youichiro, “Walking companion.” I introduced you tools he provided in the forest. They are

The intention of Yoshikawa-san is using these to walk around his “Lordless Garden” like

A visitor put the wheel before him and
 walked circle around the “Garden.”

Yoshikawa-san secretly invites whoever interested in this year’s exhibition to walk with him “driving” the handheld wheel. Secret? Yep. He did not put the notice in net-sphere. He casually left a pile of cards at the entrance of their forest, inviting anybody who find the card to join him. The itinerary is from JR Nakayama Station to the venue, every day till October 20 (the last day of the show). He waits at the outside of ticket gate of the Station till 13:00 (for 10/20 till 10:00) and walk with us to the Forest Lab via Shikino-mori Forest (my post on June 26, 2020). He carries a wheel bigger than those provided in the forest. It’s made of Japanese zelkova, aka Keyaki 欅 in Japanese. So, he calls his walk “Keyaki’s stroll 欅乃散歩.” The other day, I walked with him to the Forest Lab from Nakayama Station. This week is about my adventure of Keyaki’s stroll 😊

This is Yoshikawa-san’s Keyaki wheel.

I’ve been to ticket gate of JR Nakayama Station. Sure enough, Yoshikawa-san was standing there. He said he always waited till 13:04 when the trains from both directions arrive at Nakayama. We waited a couple of minutes, then started walk. He had an IKEA’s large blue bag with him. Inside was his wheels. But he did not take it out at the station. “I noticed maneuvering the wheel can be intimidating for passers-by. And I’m relatively tall. Naomi, do you know tall guys are always very careful in Japan? If I walk with the wheel in this lively but crowded train station, the situation itself becomes too theatrical. I just want to stroll, not to demonstrate or else.” Oh, is it so? We left Nakayama Station and walked southwest toward Prefectural Road 109 where the promenade to Shikino-mori Forest begins. When we entered the path, he finally brought out the wheels from his IKEA bag, and assembled the doble-wheel.

No, we did not use the wheel for the steps of the train station.

We entered the Promenade to the Park.

Yoshikawa-san opened the bag.

Assembling.

Done!

Yoshikawa-san’s doing it every day during the exhibition. He said the sense of touch was recalled through the vibration of the wheel. He guessed when we were kids, strolling was an adventure of this kind. Now we adults walk to a “defined destination.” Senses of sight and hearing are fully deployed to achieve this goal without accident, like crashing with a car. Senses of smell and touch are not used unless there is an accident along the way, especially such an urban stroll like Nakayama Station to Shikino-mori Forest. Sense of Taste? It should be a rarer occasion when we need this sense to walk as an adult. In contrast, when we were kids all the 5 senses were very busy. We noticed on the ground some sparkling thing (which would turn out to be a chocolate wrapper somebody threw out). We were excited to discover such treasure. Or, we touch the ground that could have different roughness from place to place on a road. Was that sound a chat of grown-up ladies including mammy? What was this smell? A poop of a dog? There were so many wonders in 10m. Now we forgot all. Though, when we walk with the wheels, we naturally concentrate to walk with this tool, and recall the wonders we knew when we were toddles.

He let me experience the wheels. Yeah, the trembling motions coming from the wheels were different according to the condition of the road. An asphalted way and the road of stone paving has definitely different touches. Besides, sometimes I could lose control of the wheels. Naturally, I concentrate on driving them. Yoshikawa-san said, “So, it’s a difficult point. Stroll is something for relaxing movement. But walking with the tool, we can become so attentive at least at the beginning … Now I’m used to walking with the wheels and my body almost automatically adjusts to the variety of the way in the sense of touch. Then, the experience of five senses begins to be enhanced during the walk!”

I’m losing control!

Having said that, once we entered Shikino-mori Forest, very adult requirements ask to join our walk. First, Yoshikawa-san had to say “hello” to the office of Shikino-mori Forest standing at the main entrance. “You know? It’s a prefectural park. I’m a sort of asking permission to do my installation here, although I don’t want to make it a show.” If Yoshikawa-san does it as a performance, the spectator of his act is ready to watch works of an artist as something non-ordinary. No. He just wants to recall the joy of using five senses that were so natural when we were young. It was not at all extraordinary when we were 3 years old, don’t you think? After clearing courtesy ritual at the admin office, when we pass the photo-point for common kingfisher, he carried his wheels on his shoulder, not drove it. “Those photographers with bazooka-sized lens do not want to have noise of wheels. I always shoulder my gadget when I walk through their point.” (My *sigh*.)

Be careful not to disturb these ferocious creatures.

We kept on going southwest, and entered the Hikarigaoka Housing Complex. It’s almost the end of our journey to Forest Lab. The final part within Shikino-mori Forest was along an unpaved trekking road. I found the touch coming from the wheel was softer in trekking roads, though we could be taken the control of the instrument by mud. Once we entered the housing area, it was paved road again till the entrance of the Forest Lab. By then, I’m kind of accustomed to Keyaki’s Stroll. It’s a fun walk. Am I recovering my sense of wonder in daily life?

This part of Shikino-mori Forest is not paved.

Nearly there.

Goal!

After we reached the forest, Yoshikawa-san kindly did a gallery walk for 2024 show. When we reached Yoshikawa-san’s installation, the Lordless Garden, he nudged us to use the wheel provided at the site. I chose one with an iron ball with a flexible handle. It gave me a different touch from the wheels of zelkova. The ball tumbled at the tip of springy metal handle and moved along the circle road. It was like walking with a dog. It was a fun!

I found several installations with new words from the author. Below is what they said.

Are they ascending or descending?

ISHIKURO Kazuo 

A white oak wood ladder stretches up into the sky. There are also some places where it branches out along the way. Is the tower man ascending? Or descending?

Is there a country in the forest

ASADA

In the forest, I created borders for red countries, white countries, blue countries, yellow countries, black countries and green countries. Why?
The world is divided into countries, but if you look closely, you will see that there are countries in the sea, sky and forests too. It's the same forest, but there are red forests, white forests, yellow forests, black forests and green forests. Even the forests have countries? Why is that?

Woods or something else?

KIGA Youko

Unfortunately, woods near residential areas are often overgrown with vine and ivy due to lack of care, and littered with what looks like industrial waste.
In many cases, they are not so clean.
Even such overgrown mountains, there are times when a flash of light shines through from the sky and transforms the place into a place of purity.
The light is gone in an instant, but it is breathtakingly refreshing.
Longing for such a place of prayer, I am trying to create a convenient and instant place of prayer by hand.

If art of near future becomes like “Keyaki’s Walk,” what kind of world we would live? 

2024 the Laboratory of Forest Art will be held during September 29 – October 20 in the same forest of the previous years. Since there is no parking, a recommended access to the Forest is by bus. The most convenient transportation is a bus ride to Yokohama Zoorasia, from JR Nakayama 中山 Station, Sotetsu Tsurugamine 鶴ヶ峰 Station, or Sotetsu Mitsukyo 三ツ境 Station. (Timetables are here.) Get off the bus at the North Gate of Zoorasia that is the closest to the art exhibition entrance. When you leave the terminal stop of Zoorasia North Gate, go back a bit along the bus road, and on your left is the sign for the GROUP. From there enter the forest. The road is a relatively wide walking promenade. Soon you can see a big banner over there saying “the Creation and Voice of the Woods 創造と森の声.”

When you find a problem in the site introduced in this post, the best contact address will be GROUP the Creation and Voice of the Woods.

https://morilab.amebaownd.com/
e-mail: morinokoe7@yahoo.co.jp

The city office which is in charge of this forest is

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