スケッチは、太平洋を眼下に望む尻屋崎灯台から、南へほんの少し離れたところに建っている、高さ数十ｍのアンテナとその基部を描いた。基部の構造物はちっぽけな、コンクリート製の装置室。だが、なぜかここへ来るたびに、（有名な灯台を描かないことはあっても）必ずこのアンテナは描きたくなる。何かが無性に心をかきむしる。小学四年生のバス遠足で、初めて来た時もこれを描いたのを覚えている。このアンテナを見ると、今でもその時とほとんど同じ気持ちになるから不思議だ。
空にノスリ（中型の鷹）が飛んでいる。遠くに背の低い松林が続き、その奥で尻労（しつかり）の高さ２、３百ｍのl断崖絶壁が、画面右から左に太平洋を押し出している。私の絵としてはこれで完成。毎日人と車の間で生活している私は、最近少し疲れている。このスケッチを描くことが別世界に飛んで行く切符のようなもの。…心のどこかでノスリに憧れているのかも知れない。
下北を代表する木、とアンケートすれば100％ヒバだろう。青森ヒバなどと言うが津軽地方にはヒバは多くない。ヒバの名産地は何と言っても下北半島だろう。私の実家もヒバ山を持ち、それを製材して売り、そうやって祖父や父は私たちを養ってきた。いわばヒバを食べ、その芳香を吸って私は育ってきたようなものだ。その意味で何が何でもヒバをナンバーワンに挙げなければならない義理が私にはある。But、私は敢えてここで「ヤシャブシ」を挙げる。
If we have a questionnaires survey in Japan as what is the tree of representative Shimokita , it must be “Hiba ” trees that wii get 100 ％ of votes. As famous “Aomori-hiba” , but Hiba lives in Tugaru area in Aomori pref a little. It is the best location of product is Shimokita. My grand and my father have brought up our family by keeping Hiba forests and selling those trees. In a sense, it looks like that I heve grown up by eating “Hiba” trees and brething its beautiful perfume. So I know that I have to push it up as Nunber 1 of the tree of Shimokita. However , I’d like to nominate “Yasyabushi” as No, 1 in this time.※”Hiba” is a kind of “Hinoki ” trees. This kind of tree is valued at the best of woods from the old time in Japan.
ヤシャブシはどんな荒れ地にも生える強い木だ。この木が生えることによって土壌は安定し、次のステップに入ることが出来る。ヤシャブシはグネグネと曲がり、建築材として強度も無く、何の役にも立たないどころか、開発を邪魔する木だと地元では嫌われているほどだ。But、よく考えてみればヤシャブシは荒れ地への斬り込み隊長であるともいえる。ある意味では次世代への捨て石に徹する木。人間に例えてみれば、私などには及びもつかぬ偉い奴だなあ、という畏敬の念を私の胸に巻き起こす木でもある。
“Yashabushi” is very strong trees lived in all kind of the wasteland. The soil of damp ground is stabilised by this tree that live in. That wasteland will be good condition for people’s usu. However this tree itself is not only completely usufull at timber, but it also interrut grow other plant’s up. So it has been hatred by local people. Howevew, from the other point of view, Yashabushi is like a pioneer of opening bushes. So I feel like to respect it.
"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.