砂丘湖 / Sand dune lakes-Wild life Shimokita-6

東通村・大沼
東通村・左京沼
東通村・荒沼

"Sand Dune Lake" is a sandy beach that forms undulations due to the wind.、These are freshwater swamps that are naturally formed when rivers flow into depressions (Sagata, Niigata Prefecture, etc.)。Underwater sand swells up like an embankment due to ocean currents and waves, blocking the exit.、(It is formed differently from brackish water lakes such as Lake Saroma and Hachirogata)。The dune lake itself is a valuable entity that is being lost worldwide.、Creating a biologically valuable environment。

Sand dune lake is a natural freshwater pond in a sandhill. It was shaped by wind. The wind had been carring sand and formed ups and downs, and then water stream into hollow places. It is not only very valuable existence itself in the world but also it gives important environment for biodeversity that’s being lost.

In Higashidori Village、There are many large and small "sand dune lakes" (13 named swamps alone)。Higashidori Village, Sarugamori Sand Dunes, and Back Wetlands have been selected as one of Japan's 500 important wetlands (in fact, it can be said that most of the Shimokita Peninsula has been selected in this way).。This monkey ga forest sand dune (width 1-2 km)、"Shimokita Sand Dunes" is a combination of sand dunes (total length 17 km) and sand dunes that go slightly inland.、Although it is little known, it is actually the largest sand dune in Japan.。The reason it's not known is、Wind and sand protection forests surround the sand dunes.、Things that are difficult for people to see、Most of it is used by the Ministry of Defense and others for ballistic test sites, etc.、This is because entry is prohibited.。

There are many dune lakes in Higashi-dori village. Named lakes are minimum 13s. Salugamori sandhill (1~2 km width, 17 km length) include the rear wetland in this village has selected one of 500 of the important wetland of Japan (Actually most of Shimokita peninsula is selected also). Additionaly, Shimokita sandhill (includ this Salugamori sandhill with the next ones) is really the biggest one in Japan. However almost all japanese don’t know of it. One of the reason is that this place is hidden from the roads by pine grove for protect the wind and the sand. The other one, here is off limited, because this ares has been useing for test site of trajectory of Ministry of Defence (MD).

The dune lake itself is outside the Ministry of Defense area.、Some of them seem to be used for fishing purposes as well.。However, the pine forests used for wind and sand protection have also grown larger.、Many of the roads leading to the swamp are disappearing.。Population decline and aging continue here as well.、No academic research is currently being conducted.。

These are out of the area of MD. A few lakes of it look as useing fishery sometimes but not often. Most of the roads to go there is being lost by growing thickly weeds and pine grove. Creasing depopulation and ageing there. Academic reserch stopped now.

Photos are from top to bottom (arranged from north to south)、Onuma、Sakyo Marsh、Aranuma。The size and depth vary slightly, but they are all in their natural state.。Onuma is a big shrimp、Sakyo-numa is famous for Aegagropila Linnaei.、What happens now that no research has been done?。Aranuma is 1-2m deep.、Brasenia schreberi is being harvested.。

Photo:(above) O-numa. Small river prawn lives in. (midlle) Sakyo-numa. Sakyo-numa is famous for “Hime-malimo” (small moss ball), but how is it now? (bottom) An old woman was picking “Jun-sai” (the water shield) from the water at lake Ala-numa. ※numa means lake or pond. All of dune lakes are Nature.

 

Lace Flower / Lace flower(wild life Shimokita-5)

レースフラワーはただの雑草/Lace flower is just a weed
レースフラワー/ Laceflower

Lace flowers were in full bloom.。on both sides of the road、Around the house too。The vacant land is like a field where seeds have been sown.、It was blooming。It's a weed in Shimokita (especially in Higashidori village) at this time of year.、I didn't notice it until this time。I have not returned to Shimokita during this season for many years.、It was a feeling that was beautifully questioned.。I think it has increased rapidly in the last few years since I was away.。

There were so many laceflowres. Along every roads, surrounding the houses. It comes out in every vacant lots as a seeded fields. This flower is as typical one in Shimokita (especialy Higashi-dori villg) now, however I had not found it before. I felt it criticized me beautifully for not coming back home land for long time in this season. It may be planted for last few years and then reproduces rapidly, I think.

"Lace flower" is a generic term。Several types of lace flowers were confirmed locally.。All are basically flowers of the Apiaceae family.、color、shape、With or without thorns on the stem, etc.、There are considerable changes。In the city now、It seems to be surprisingly popular。When I looked into it、color is white、pink、blue、black、It seems that things with a purplish color are being cultivated.。Prices seem to range from around 90 yen to nearly 400 yen.。If each flower costs 100 yen and there are 10 million flowers blooming in the village.、10A billion yen worth of treasure is just floating in the wind.。Even if you say it's a waste, it won't start。We are blown by the Shimokita wind together.、This may be the most correct way to deal with it.。

“Laceflower” is the generic name of some kind of lacy flowers. I find it away. It has several variations on colors, shapes, prickles etc, although basicaly beongs to umbelliferae. In this time it looks popular in a city. It has been planted white ones, pink, blue, black! in many fields. These Prices are about from 90 to 400 yen per each. If it may be sold 100 yen as well, and 10 milion ones in this village, so it makes 100 milion yen. It just waves everywhere by free. But it is just a calculation. In a sense, it may be the best way that you just receive the wind in Shimokita with these laceflowers.

下北の自然4 / Wild life Shimokita-4 

 

下北半島北東端からの海/Sea from the north-east point of Honsyu-island

 

断崖上の植物群/Plants on the bluff

ほぼ2カ月ぶりの報告です忙しさや体調不良等いろいろあってどうにもできませんでしたコメント下さった方、Thank you very much。

Thank you very much for your coments. I couldn’t afford to have the time to uplord for two months.

8月10日から23日まで実家のある下北半島・東通村へ父の新盆と母の見舞いに行ってきましたついでに数十枚の簡単なスケッチもしてきましたそれらはいずれ公開したいと思います

I had been staying Higashi-dori village in Shimokita peninsula about two weeks from August 10 to 23, to hold a Buddist memorial service for my deceased father. In Japan, the term from August 13 to 16 is called “Obon”, is held a Buddist celemony for each famirial ancestors every year. I took care of my mother there and I sketched some decades of paper in landscape at the same time. I’ d like to show my drawings after now.

東通村は本州最北東端の尻屋崎を含むいわゆるマサカリ半島の柄の東側からてっぺんまでの青森県で2番目に広い村「ヤマセ」と呼ばれる海の湿気を大量に含んだ東風が低い丘陵に当たって渦を巻き霧を発生させて日光を遮るそのため恒常的に日射不足となり気候は青森県内でも特に冷涼な地域である県内の各地よりむしろ北海道・渡島桧山地方に近い気候で夏でも最高気温が30度を越えることはあまりない逆に20度を下回ることはままある

That village where is tha top of North-east of Hon-shu island, is the second largest village in Aomori pref. This is in microthermal climate zone. There is the east wind in summer called famous “Yamase” which is included large dame air from the sea. It makes fog which cover there and block off the sunlight. This climete is similar to east side of Hokkaido island’s rather than other place in Aomori pref. It isn’t often over 30℃ high but it is sometimes under 20℃ in summer.

このような北海道とは津軽海峡にて隔てられかつ海岸冷涼湿地帯という特殊な環境による独特の動植物の生態が見られるスケッチをしているとそういうことに敏感になる例えば上の写真は高さ200メートルを越える断崖でハヤブサの数つがいの営巣が見られるまた鷹の仲間であるノスリやミサゴも近くに生息する写真下は近くの断崖上の植物群いわゆる高山植物がここでは海抜0mから見られるのである(もう少し詳しい情報は東通村・老部(おいぺ)ノーザンホテルまで)

In addition, here is separated from Hokkaido with Tsugaru channel, so we can see several distinctive kind of plants, animals and the ecology of them. Durling the sketch, I felt it repeatedly. Some couple of falcon nest in over 200 or 300 meters bluff (photo above). It is easily to see some other kind of howks, for example common buzzerd and osprey etc. You can find many alpine plants at seaside also. (If you want more information, ask Nothern hotel in higashi-dori village)