Aokigahara Jukai : Discovering the story of the land through the forest.
Leaving Rausu, I headed south along the coastline towards the Notsuke Peninsula. On the sea, I spotted harlequin ducks, while Steller’s sea eagles and white-tailed eagles lined the shore. This peninsula, one of Japan’s largest sandspits, appears on the map as a fragile, slender thread of land jutting into the ocean. Driving further in, the …
Continue reading “An End is a Beginning: The Vanishing Land”
I recently travelled to Rausu and the Notsuke Peninsula in Hokkaido. When I first visited Shiretoko in winter about five years ago, I was simply overwhelmed by the sight of the Sea of Okhotsk covered in drift ice. At that time, I didn’t give much thought to its ecological role or the creatures living there. …
Continue reading “Life Comes Full Circle: The Blessings of Sea Ice”
The foothills of the Yatsugatake mountains were once a central hub of the Jomon culture. This time, I want to embark on a journey to experience the ancient beliefs and way of life in Japan. Day1 Mossy Forests and Primeval Woods Why was this area the center of Jomon culture? It’s said to be because …