BBQ? Or Quiet Lunch? Nanasawa Forest Park 神奈川県立七沢森林公園

Now we are in November, and finally air gets chilly in Yokohama. Though, Meteorological Agency says compared with the annual average it’s still about a week late for having this temperature … As I posted on 11 October 2019, in Yokohama and Kanagawa we have time for prep to enjoy the climax of autumn colors till early December. This week, I tell you one of the picnic spots for autumn leaves in Kanagawa’s forest, i.e., Kanagawa Prefectural Nanasawa Forest Park 神奈川県立七沢森林公園 in Atsugi City 厚木市.

Pertya scandens

The park locates itself at the entrance to Nanasawa Spa village (Nanasawa Onsen 七沢温泉), and so, it has 3 ample parking spaces for tourists (; map of the Park is here). If you go there by car, please set your navigation system to Nanasawa Onsen, and done. The Park has three car-accessible entrances. One, Central Parking Lot, is at the main gate from Nanasawa community 七沢, and another two, Third Parking Lot, and North Parking Lot, are from residential Morinosato community 森の里. From the Third Parking Lot, the entry to the Park is Morinosato Entrance. From the North Parking Lot, the entrance is from North Entrance, obviously. The Main Gate area has park’s admin office and a multipurpose hall named Mori-no-Minwa-kan (Folk Tale House of the Forest 森の民話館). North Entrance area has Mori-no-Atelier 森のアトリエ where artists and crafts people come and create their work using the material mainly harvested from the forest. Both places have maps and the other information about the park, but inevitably the amount of info available is larger in the main entrance area. Please choose your gate.

The Central Parking of Nanasawa Forest Park

Approach to the Main Gate is recognizable
 from Nanasawa side with this bridge
 which connects north and south of the forest.
 The car road goes through a tunnel
 after this bridge to Morinosato side.

Admin Office of Nanasawa Forest Park

Inside of Mori-no-Minwa-kan

When you enter from Morinosato Entrance,
 you’ll find this wooden chair comfortably situated
 at the view point named Yamayuri (Golden-rayed lily)
 which is the official flower of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Mori-no-Atelier

If you use public transportation, please take Kanachu bus services from Odakyu Hon’atsugi, Aiko-Ishida, or Isehara Stations. (From Hon’atsugi, we have to go Atsugi Bus Center, 5 minutes, walk from the station.) To the main entrance of the Park, catch Atsu 厚-33, 34, or 39 services from Atsugi Bus Center (; time table is here), Ai 愛-11 service from Aiko-Ishida Station (; time table), or I 伊-31, 34, 36 from Isehara Station (; time table). The nearest stop to the main entrance of Nanasawa Park is Nanasawa On’sen Iriguchi 七沢温泉入口 that is a 30-45 minutes’ bus ride. To Morinosato entrances, please take Atsu-43, 44, 45 from Atsugi Bus Center (; time table here and here), or Ai-15, 16, 17 (time table is here and here) from Aiko-Ishida Station. To Morinosato Entrance, the destination bus stop is either Morinosato 3-chome 森の里三丁目, or Morinosato Chugakko (Morinosato Middle-high) Mae 森の里中学校前. To the Atelier, please get off at the terminal stop, Morinosato 森の里. These are also 30-45 minutes’ drive by bus.

Nanasawa On’sen Iriguchi Bus Stop, near the fire station.
 Next to the fire station is Tourism Info Office
 where we can have info about Nanasawa Spa area.
 One option of your weekend is
 spending a day in Nanasawa Park,
 and relax in Spa afterwards.
 How’s that?

I think the best approach to a park anywhere is to visit its info center first. For the case of Nanasawa Forest, the admin office of the main gate distributes a free English map so that you may find this route is easier to enjoy the park. Bonus: the admin office is doing a questionnaire survey (in Japanese) about the park. If you answer, and submit it to the office, you can have a small objet d’art in pottery created in Mori-no Atelier, free of charge, as a souvenir. They are cute. 😊 All the roads, paved or otherwise, in the park are well-maintained. Fully equipped toilets (in western and Japanese styles) are here and there. In the middle of the park, they have an amphitheatre where regular performances are held several times in a year. Near Morinosato Entrance, they have a space of field athletics equipment for kids. Mori-no-Atelier and Mori-no-Minwa-kan have regular classes for crafts, music, yoga, and physical activities. (Please check here for enrollment.) Walking leisurely from the main entrance for about 15minutes, there is a quasi-restaurant for BBQ, open during March to November. RSVP (from here; you have to complete your order by 5 days before of your visit). We can go there without any preparation, rent tools and buy BBQ ingredients from them. Or, you can bring your veggies, meats, et al and pay only for rental fees of tools and places. I guess final weeks of November would be the best time to have an outdoor BBQ party there surrounded by autumn color. All in all, Nanasawa Forest Park is a nicely prepared and taken-care-of place for family. So, you may think “Huh, it would be a boring place.” Please, not so fast.

The toilets near the admin office. Fully equipped!

The park has traditional Japanese pond gardens
 near the admin office, with carps.

Nanasawa Park’s amphitheatre

My souvenir 😊.
 We can choose one out of about 20 pieces.

The road to BBQ place.

Going up these steps leads us to …

A picnic open space,
 called Oyama Open Space おおやま広場,
 observing Mt. Oyama (ASL 1252m) in front.

Before BBQ place, we have this forest scene.
 This is a well-maintained Kanagawa’s forest.
 Trees are thinned and mantle vegetation is
 nicely developed with sunshine.
 i.e. The park is managed enough.

BBQ Place.

The facilities within the Nanasawa forests are connected not only by paved ways but also standard trekking roads. They are fun. If lucky, we can meet wild animals like sika deer, Japanese serow, and Japanese macaque within the Nanasawa Forest Park (as I did). From any entrance of the Park, we go up to the ridge way that has several view spots to observe Kanto Plain to the east. Near Mori-no-Atelier, the ridgeway meets with Junrei Pass 巡礼峠. The place has a legend. The roads in Nanasawa forests were once utility roads for villagers of the area. One of the routes was a pilgrimage road to Mt. Oyama 大山. Once upon a time, a farther and a daughter came to the point now it is Junrei Pass for praying in temples and shrines along the route. Alas, they were so unlucky to meet with burglars there and killed. Villagers found them dead in the pass, and mourned them by locating a Jizo statue (Kṣitigarbha) there. We are still welcomed by the statue at Junrei Pass …

The ridge way.
 Could you see the road sign in the left corner?
They are ubiquitous within the Park
 so that we can walk safely.

And the ridge repeats ups and downs.
 It is a popular training route for local trail runners.

Looking Kanto Plain and Pacific Ocean.

Beautiful silver grasses …

Junrei Pass

The exhibit at the Pass explains the story.

For the killed …

Actually, we have visited this place, a bit, last year (my post on November 30, 2018). The exit from Hakusan 白山 - Iiyama Kan’non 飯山観音 Hiking Course was Nanasawa Forest Park. At that time, we’ve just gone down the park to Nanasawa On’sen Iriguchi bus stop. Hakusan - Iiyama Kan’non Hiking Course is a part of registered trekking route for Kanto Fureai no Michi (関東ふれあいの道・首都圏自然歩道 Metropolitan Natural Walk Way). Park’s ridge way going from Morinosato Entrance meets with Kanto Fureai no Michi from Hakusan Hiking Course at Junrei Pass. It then descends into Nanasawa Spa and goes to Hinata Yakushi Temple 日向薬師 and Mt. Oyama 大山 we’ve visited on 21 April 2017. Area-wise, the park situates itself within the atmosphere of Oyama Pilgrimage Road.

An approach to Junrei Pass
 from Hakusan-Iiyama Kan’non Hiking Course

Junrei Pass is a crossing of 5 roads, one from Hakusan Hiking Course, the road to Nanasawa and Hinata Yakushi Temple, another to Mori-no-Atelier, the ridge way of Nanasawa Park, and the road going down along a small stream, and ending with the main entrance of the Park. The flow is a tributary of Tama River 玉川 which runs through Nanasawa Spa and joins with Sagami River 相模川 eventually. This route, though steep, is a gorgeous trekking course with well-maintained board passes and mini suspension bridges. It goes within afforested cedar forest whose floor is covered by large ferns. Chirping of birds is above somewhere near tree canopy. Sounds of water stream is very calming. It’s amazing to enjoy such adventure so near the residential area. I loved that.

The direction to the road
 along a stream from Junrei Pass.

One of the suspension bridges.
 Don’t you think it’s a nice scenery?

Eating lunch in one of the view spots along the ridge way of Nanasawa Forest Park, I find it interesting to be on the border between the busy metropolitan Tokyo and calm forest pass. In front of me was an expansion of Kanto Plain, and just below me were several research labs for Nissan, NTT, and the other big names. Around me was a chorus of brambling waiting for my bread crumbles … Birds, could you please wait for just few more minutes before I complete my lunch?

This was a nice point for lunch!

<Park administrator>

Park Administration Office, Kanagawa Prefectural Park Association

901 Nanasawa, Atsugi, 243-0121

Phone: 046-223-1711

http://www.kanagawa-park.or.jp/nanasawa/index.html

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/

The Forest of Princess Mononoke, up-to-date: Kanazawa Citizen Forest 金沢市民の森

25.7 ha Kanazawa Citizen Forest was established in 2011, i.e. new, with 2.1 k road. In the map of Enkaisan Area, Kanazawa Citizen Forest is the area surrounded by a residential area of detached houses to the west, and 3 forests (Segami Citizen Forest, Kanazawa Natural Park, and the Nature Sanctuary) to the other directions. As such, the access to the Forest via mechanized transportation is limited. The nearest bus stop for the Forest is Shodo Stop 庄戸停留所 for Kanachu-bus Minato-35 港-35 service from JR Konandai Station 港南台駅. (Time table, here.) But, frankly, not many people come to the Forest via this route. At the moment for hikers and trail-runners, the Forest is a corridor, not a destination, to Nature Sanctuary and to Kamakura. One of the reasons why it is so is obvious in the map: the way to venture into Kanazawa Forest is quite limited. The allowed roads in the Forest are from A7 point to A10 for north-south, and to H2 to the east. G13-G16 is also the road within the Forest, and a part of Rokkoku-toge Hiking Course 六国峠ハイキング・コース. (We try this route later.) All are running on the circumference of the Forest, and the rest is off-limit. Even so, there is a motivation for the people to walk / run these roads.

The houses in the west of Kanazawa Forest

The north-south road of the Forest runs
almost on the border between
the Forest and the residential area.

So, to visit Kanazawa Forest, we first go to Kamakura, Nature Sanctuary, or Issindo Plaza of Segami Forest. Here, I tell you “Beetles Trail,” the way from Issindo Plaza. When it is written in Japanese, it’s pronounced like “Beatles Trail” so that many people imagine this place might be loved by Fab 4. Though the local consensus is for Beetles Trail, probably during summer we may be able to meet lots of beetles there. Anyway, from Isshindo Plaza, a reasonably big road starts to the south, that has the heaviest traffic among the 3 roads going into the Forest from the point. We simply follow the crowd, which brings us to the ridgeway running on the western edge of Kanazawa Forest. This road ends with the Visitor Center at the Nature Sanctuary. Although it is prohibited for motorized vehicle to enter this road, the entire route is wide enough even for mountain bikers to pass each other. i.e. The promenade is easy to walk for kindergarteners and groups of abuelitas with Nordic poles. One fine winter weekend, I’ve met dozens (yes, plural) of trail runners who are preparing for Tokyo and/or Yokohama Marathons in the Forest.

Yayyyyy! This time I managed to meet Mt Fuji at A1!

Isshindo Plaza: Sunday is the activity day
for the volunteers of Segami Forest.

Preparing for 42.195K

This road goes like this to the end.

A part is even cobbled.

Actually, the road is the watershed between Katase River pouring to Sagami Bay at Enoshima and Ooka River going to Tokyo Bay. Historically, it acted as a border between Musashi 武蔵 and Sagami 相模, both of which are names of the old administrative districts in Japan till 1890. Musashi was for the present-day Tokyo Prefecture, a part of Saitama Prefecture, and a part of the City of Yokohama. Sagami is for the rest of the current Kanagawa Prefecture. The road has been used heavily for millennia and was popular for ironmongers: Enkaisan area has several remains for the workshops of ancient ironmongery, called Tatara たたら. Aside from iron ore, in order to forge a beautiful Japanese sword, people needed tons of fuel that was supplied from forests. Enkaisan area with several Tatara factories means, until the modern ironmongery started, Segami, Hitorizawa, and Kanazawa Forests could have experienced several times of deforestation for generations. The place is the forest of Princess Mononoke. The wide road in the forest frequented by humans is a remnant of the memory of the community.

The route has several points
suggesting ancient civil engineering.

The roots of the large trees are bare here and there
over the compacted soil,
 often with a polished feature even like furniture.
I think it is due to sustained heavy human traffic.

There also is a new bridge.

Coming from Isshindo Plaza, the road first meets with an entrance from Shodo Bus Stop at A7, which is Baitakusan Rest Area 梅沢山休憩所. This is the start of Kanazawa Forest. Just keep going to the south along the ridge way, and we find A9 point. When we turn left here, the road goes down to the point G12 where we can meet the hiking road from Kanazawa Bunko 金沢文庫 to Kamakura Ten’en 鎌倉天園. Although this road is a detour around the prohibited area, it is still wide comparing with the standard trekking roads in a mountain. So, we still meet trail-runners here often.

Baitakusan Rest Area

This is a new “monument” of Ksitigarbha. Cute. J

A9

The road going down from A9

With provisional signs

The crossing to H2

To G12, there are long stairs.

Without going to the detour on the left at A9, we eventually reach to A10, the end of Kanazawa Forest, or the beginning of the Nature Sanctuary. On the left, there are another stairs going up steeply. This route leads us to the Peak of Oomaruyama Mountain 大丸山 of 156.8 m. (Well, you can call it a hill, if you like.) This is the highest “mountain” in the City of Yokohama!  The top of Oomaruyama has lots of picnic benches with a spectacular view of Tokyo Bay. In a fine day, we can see Chiba Prefecture over there. By the way, the highest point of the City is not Oomaruyama, but Ohirayama 大平山 (alt. 159.4m) that is on our way to Kamakura along Rokkoku-toge Hiking Course. Stay tuned!

Tatara Road

The west side of the wide road is
sharply tumbling down to the residential area.

It says, “Oomaruyama Mountain, this way.”

“Final Attack”

Why did you want to climb Mt. Oomaruyama?
"Because it's there."

Kites are eyeing for the lunch of hikers …

Could you figure out Boso Peninsula 房総半島over there?

So, why can’t we enter the center of Kanazawa Forest? Is it because the landlord, Keikyu Co., has a nefarious plan of world domination? Are they Spectre and do we need 007? (I hope) Not. Currently, there a road construction work of the national level is underway. It is the most delayed part for the building of Metropolitan Intercity Express Way (Ken-o-do 圏央道). Do you remember the protest banners we found near Araizawa Citizen Forest? That part of the City is planned to have an open-air interchange of Ken-o-do from Chigasaki City, and thus raises a strong objection of residents. From there, the high-powered road goes underground to Kamariya JCT we observed from Nabana Rest Area of Hitorizawa Forest, and joins to the Yokohama-Yokosuka Road. The underground of off-limit area of Kanazawa Forest is now dealt with the Japanese tunnel digging technology used for the Channel Tunnel and the Bosporus Subway System. For a wider populace of the metropolitan Tokyo, once the Ken-o-do is completely open, the congestion of Tomei Expressway, Road 246, Road 16 and Road 1 shall be relieved. But apparently the neighborhood of Araizawa Forest doesn’t like it, and Kamariya JCT is emitting exhausts to the largest forest complex of the City of Yokohama (whose possible effect is …, wait for our next destination, the Nature Sanctuary). Inevitably, the consortium of constructors has chosen to proceed with the matter slowly, with lots of town meetings, environmental impact reports, and photo exhibitions of their CSR activities. Is it all about NIMBY with urbanization, or something else calling for Princess Mononoke? … It is certain we cannot enter the center of Kanazawa Forest for a foreseeable future.

If you find a problem in the Forest, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the South 南部公園緑地事務所

Yokohama Municipal Government Creative Environment Policy Bureau 横浜市環境創造局

Phone: 045-831-8484 (I guess in Japanese only)

FAX: 045-831-9389 (I hope there is somebody who can read English …)