2022.5.4 Karimegi Marsh - A quiet marsh deep in the mountains -
I visited Karimegi Marsh in Ugo Town, Ogachi District, Akita Prefecture.
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Park the car and start.
It seems that "Karimegi" is pronounced "Garimegi."
It's a pretty impressive name.
At the entrance there was a reservoir or a swamp?
Cherry blossoms were blooming on the banks of the river.
We continue along the road where snow still remains.
Perhaps due to melting snow, it had turned into a stream.
The further we go, the deeper the snow gets.
Is it because of the lack of sunlight?
After walking for about 20 minutes, I saw a sign.
It seems like the marsh is just ahead.
As I walked further along the road, I found what looked like a path.
It looks like a thicket, but if you go further...
We arrived at a place that looked like a marsh.
The sign indeed says Karimegi Marsh.
I walked across a somewhat unreliable boardwalk and photographed the atmosphere of the marshland.
This is towards the entrance.
This one goes further inside.
It seemed dry here, perhaps because we were moving away from the swamp.
If you look closely at the marshland, you can see that it is submerged in water.
However, when I think about the amount of water in early spring, I worry about whether it will be okay in the summer.
I later learned that this area is home to an endemic species called the Garimegi Inunohige.
In terms of season, it seems to be after summer.
Here is a summary of the plants we saw.
Although we visited in early spring, the harvest was small.
Anemone nigricans
Skunk cabbage
Butterbur sprouts
summary
Despite its harsh name, Karimegi Marsh is a very calm and quiet marsh.
According to the sign, in addition to being home to 64 plant species, the marsh is a valuable habitat for the marsh's endemic species, the Galium nigricans.
As it was out of season, I was unable to see any Garimegi Inunohigashi, but I would like to visit someday at a better time.
If you are planning to visit Karimegi Marsh, please also read the article below.
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