Blog
2024.11.11
Mt. Apoi Conservation Efforts
From November 11-13, we conducted some conservation efforts near Mt. Apoi's Uma-no-se area.
Heading out on Nov 11
It was lightly raining that morning so we stopped at the 5th Station for a bit before continuing up the mountain.
It was sunny by the time we reached Uma-no-se.
I found a single Ibukijakoso in bloom.
Our conservation work consisted of picking up litter. This prevents ants, which are a natural enemy of the himechamadaraseseri butterfly, from creating ant hills and prevents acidification of the soil.
We also pruned kinrobai plants. The difficult part was carrying all of the litter and debris down the mountain.
2024.11.08
Frost
The top of Mt. Pinneshiri was sparkling white on November 8th.
I also went to the Shintomi area to take a look. The white limestone surrounded by white frosty grass was beautiful.
2024.10.30
Samani Junior High School 1st Years: Samani Origins Tour
Every year the Samani Junior High 1st year students participate in the "Samani Origins Tour" where the students travel around town by bus and observe various locations and businesses. Afterward, the students are split into groups who decide on a particular theme and create a poster presentation based on their research. The poster session is held every December during the school's general assembly.
The theme of this year's tour was to learn about the history of Samani and to realize the relationship between the formation of the history and the topography of the area. The tour took participants to a stone quarry behind Samani Junior High School, the Samani Tourist Information Center, the mouth of the Horoman-gawa River, the peridotite quarry, and a strawberry greenhouse. At each location, the students listened to the guides and staff in charge, asked questions, took pictures, and summarized the information.
We set off on the tour after listening to an explanation about a new program, "SDGs Initiatives in Samani." Many were wondering what the history and topography of Samani and its industries would be like from an SDG perspective.
From the former Samani Station
The Tourist Association office is here and we learned about their ongoing efforts.
The new Hidakaso flower hand towels were on sale.
At the mouth of Horoman-gawa River
After explaining the history of the Samani Mountain Path and how difficult it was to travel, we asked the students to get close to the cliffs of the old national road to see just how steep the terrain is.
Horoman-kyo Gorge as seen from Izumi Bridge on the road to the peridotite quarry.
Many rarely visit here but it has some beautiful fall colors.
Inside the strawberry greenhouse
The students asked questions about management and operations.
2024.10.08
University Geological Tour & Autumn
On October 8, I accompanied third-year Tohoku University students who had come to Samani on a geological field trip to visit a small mountain of peridotite and the former plate boundary.
Horoman area as viewed from a small mountain of peridotite
Autumnal plants were in full bloom!
Hidaka-misebaya or Apoi-misebaya?
Yakushisou
Hosobatouki and Yakushisou
I also saw some yukimushi (snow bugs) flying around in the morning. This is a sign that winter is on its way.