Pancakes for weekend afternoon: Komorebi-no-mori Forest of Sagamihara 相模原中央緑地「こもれびの森」, II

 

First, let me tell you about a caution for walking in Komorebi-no-mori. Perhaps due to the history of the place, the forest has several commuter roads where cars are coming and going busily. Also, in our stroll, we can suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a housing area. Please be careful in many ways. Being hit by a car or regarded as trespassers is foolish conclusion of a leisurely walk. Having said that, enjoying the Forest is easy. It’s FLAT. No arduous ups and downs, inevitable for most Yokohama’s forests. Also, many trekking roads are well-maintained. Enthusiastic volunteers and the City Office do frequent maintenance works. The routes are (relatively) wide enough for wheelchair users. i.e. The forest is more or less barrier-free. It is an enviable condition from Yokohama’s point of view. The forest’s map is here.

Thank God, no car now.

One road goes the center of the forest,
and beyond is suburbia.

Whoops,

Roughly speaking, Komorebi-no-mori can be categorized into two areas, east and west. I surmise oak-tree wilt has responsibility for the difference. The west part of the forest has lots of large stamps treated by insecticide sheets. According to the people taking care of the place, the damage done by the wilt is subsiding this year, at least in the west forest. In any case, it may still be wise to be there watchful for above our head if boughs or the things are falling … Very ironically, because of the intensive treatment of the wilt = strong thinning of big trees, the west forest of Komorebi-no-mori has lots of “Komorebi,” aka “sunlight filtering through the leaves.” We can have relatively bright forest walks there. Especially when you’re with kids, elderly, and/or handicapped companion, it will be a nice relaxing walk in a forest. Inevitable buzzing noise of cars aside, we can also enjoy birds’ singing somewhere high above. (Another reason to look up.) Enjoy!

The central open space.
If you come from JR Kobuchi Station on foot,
and takes the pedestrian road straight
starting at the corner of the hospital,
this is the place you first find.

And the only toilet for the forest is
at “keep-on-going straight” from the open space.

The part treated for oak-tree wilt

Admitting it requires some technique
to manoeuvre the road for wheelchair users.
Still, it is enviable condition here, as a barrier-free forest.

The east part of the forest has an atmosphere of deeper vegetation. I don’t think trees here have escaped the oak-tree wilt. Rather, the kinds of trees in this part of the forest are not so loved by Platypus quercivorus, the vector of Raffaelea quercivora, yeast fungus which is a real culprit of the wilts. Yeah, the place also has lots of big trees but there are more bushes and shrubs where Platypus quercivorus cannot make home (; my post on August 23, 2019). The trekking route in this part is narrower. Though flat, it may be difficult for wheelchair users to explore … Even though, we can enjoy delicate vegetation including Japanese beautyberries and silvervines. Without venturing in more remote areas of Tanzawa 丹沢, it’s a casual refreshing walk in a forest in the middle of suburbia. Not bad.

East forest is bushier.

Trees are thinner.

White flowers of a silvervine

Entire roads in Komorebi-no-mori have lots of benches here and there (though not many picnic tables). If you’re coming here for an occasional refreshing stroll on busy days, it’s a good choice. Maybe, that’s the reason why Sagamihara Plateau quickly became suburb of Megalopolis Tokyo. Once the water problem has been solved, flat space with greeneries is a relaxing neighborhood for the 21st century urbanites. Please visit there, and have a nice weekend afternoon. 😊

If you find environmental issues in Sagamihara’s City Parks, please make a contact with

Water Green Environmental Division, City of Sagamihara
相模原市水みどり環境課
2-11-15, Chuo, Chuo-ku, City of Sagamihara 252-5277
〒252-5277　中央区中央2-11-15　市役所本館5階

Phone: 042-769-8242
FAX: 042-759-4395.

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at https://www.city.sagamihara.kanagawa.jp/cgi-bin/contact.cgi?mail=52150000