Wednesday, May 21, 2025
On Saturday, May 17th, a clear and refreshing day, I accompanied Kamii Tatsuya (representative of Self-Logging Forestry/Shizenshita) and his family into his forest.
Approximately 25 hectares of forest
The approximately 25-hectare forest is located south of the Azusawa Rice Center in Nishikawa, Hokuryu Town.
As we entered the forest, we could see red pine trees from the car window and shiitake mushroom logs placed on the side of the mountain road, and the car continued to drive up to the top of the mountain.
An unimaginable pioneering spirit
Felling trees, clearing bamboo thickets, and building a road through the mountains to get to this point was a series of monumental and incredible tasks that are beyond imagination!!!
"It took three to four years to prepare the mountain to this point!" says Kamii.
On the flat ground near the summit, there are huts constructed from felled timber here and there.
A unique space where nature comes to life
With sparkling new greenery stretching as far as the eye can see, a clear atmosphere, a refreshing breeze blowing, and dazzling sunlight filtering through the trees, it's a different world where nature comes to life...
Forests where black woodpeckers live are "good forests"
And there I found a beautifully large hole in a tree that had been dug by a black woodpecker! The hole was for the woodpecker to catch insects inside the tree.
The forests where black woodpeckers live usually have rich ecosystems where many plants and animals coexist, and are often considered "good forests" because they have rich soil and are full of nutrients.
After the hole was drilled, wood chips were piled up at the base of the tree.
Handmade hut
Snack time
The Kamii family lays out a picnic sheet and has snack time!
Exquisite iced coffee roasted in-house by Uwai
The drink we were treated to was iced coffee, home roasted and brewed with care by Kamii himself!
Enjoying iced coffee in the forest is so delicious!!!
Haruta and Asahi are fascinated by finding small insects.
I was intrigued to find the shell of a cicada larva!
Crispy bamboo shoots
Meanwhile, Haruta-kun picked some thin bamboo shoots that were quietly growing near the base of the bamboo grass, peeled off the thin skin, and ate them with a crunch, saying "Delicious!" He was impressed by the taste, which had a slight bitterness and sweetness.
Even so, a huge number of tiny caterpillars covered in white hair were flying through the air, spitting out threads.
Are they gypsy moth larvae? They seem to have appeared in large numbers last year and this year.
Natural Shiitake Mushroom Harvesting
After having fun to your heart's content, we went to pick shiitake mushrooms on the way home!
I was amazed to see the shiitake mushrooms growing so large in the forest!
The big shiitake mushroom I received as a souvenir and enjoyed at home was incredibly delicious!!!
With boundless love, gratitude and prayer, this was a precious forest experience where we could slowly and thoroughly experience a sacred forest where trees, plants and insects all coexist and resonate with each other, and where the life of nature circulates vibrantly.
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◇ ◇ Photography, editing and website management: Noboru Terauchi Writer: Ikuko Terauchi
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