Nagano - After 10 p.m., the clouds that had covered the sky above Shirakoma Pond gradually began to clear, revealing countless stars and the Milky Way rising vividly over the mountain lake in Nagano Prefecture's Northern Yatsugatake range.
At an elevation of 2,115 meters, Shirakoma Pond is surrounded by a primeval conifer forest of northern Japanese hemlock, Veitch's fir and other trees. With little interference from city lights, the area is known as one of Japan's outstanding spots for stargazing.
Morishige Tatsuno, 56, managing director of the Shirakomaso mountain lodge on the lakeshore and a stargazing guide, said that when the wind dies down, stars are reflected on the still surface of the pond, creating what looks like a natural planetarium.
"The sky is wide open, and there is also a good chance of seeing shooting stars," Tatsuno said. He recalled once seeing an exceptionally bright fireball while aboard a boat on the pond, describing the sight as breathtaking.
The surrounding conifer forest is also popular as a "healing forest," with 519 species of moss growing naturally in the area, including Mutsude-chochingoke and Iwadaregoke.
The ancestors of mosses evolved from algae about 460 million years ago and moved from the sea onto land. Through photosynthesis, they helped increase oxygen in the atmosphere, while contributing to the formation of fertile soil and laying the foundations for habitats that allowed diverse forms of life to flourish.
"The fact that humans can live on land today is also thanks to moss," said Takehiro Yamaura, 35, the third-generation owner of the Seitaiso mountain lodge, another accommodation facility standing beside the pond. Yamaura is also a member of the Bryological Society of Japan.
"Some people say moss is cute, but for me it is something I respect," Yamaura said. "I want people to discover its appeal and come to appreciate the importance of nature."
Yamaura organizes his own events and also promotes the moss forest through observation tours held by the Northern Yatsugatake Moss Association, a group formed by nearby mountain lodges and a local forestry cooperative.
Efforts are also underway to maintain hiking trails so visitors can walk safely through the forest without damaging tree roots or moss.
The wooden boardwalk circling Shirakoma Pond was begun about 30 years ago by Yamaura's predecessor, Kiyoshi Yamaura, 72, who eventually completed the route.
"The question is how to minimize the burden so that we do not damage nature," Kiyoshi said. "Protecting nature while living alongside it is the responsibility of humans who have entered the natural world."
His words continue to resonate even after leaving Shirakoma Pond behind.
Source: 産経ニュース
