May 3, 2022 Shishigahana Marsh - remaining snow and meltwater -

I visited Shishigahana Marsh in Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture.

Shishigahana Marsh isVisited in July 2021I remember being surprised at the incredible amount of water flowing, even in the middle of summer.

This time, the snow has just melted, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of scenery we'll see.

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The parking lot is fairly empty.

Start walking.

Young skunk cabbages are blooming along the side of the road.

A map of the walking trail. It's not complicated, so if you take a picture of it with your smartphone, you won't get lost.

We walk along the path lined with fresh green beech trees.

There was a stream that wasn't there in the summer.

The sound of water is amazing.

As we went further in, we began to see lingering snow.

The fresh greenery is beautiful. If the weather is nice, you can enjoy the sunlight filtering through the trees...

Unfortunately, it was cloudy, so we continued on our way.

There's still some fresh snow.

As expected from the mountains of Akita, it snows normally even in early May.

Is it a river of melting snow?

Soon we'll be heading to the main section.

The skunk cabbage has grown a little more compared to the area near the entrance.

I wonder if it's warmer around here?

Then I noticed some small water skunk cabbages.

Why are there Asian skunk cabbages at different stages of growth in the same area?

There isn't much difference in altitude, so I don't think there are any major differences in the environment.

Could the temperature of the surrounding water have something to do with it?

One of my favorite photos.

The river flowing out of the forest is fascinating.

Shishigahana Marsh boasts a volume of water that sets it apart from ordinary marshes.

It has more of a swamp-like atmosphere than a marsh.

However, the water flows constantly in one direction, creating a strange sensation.

As you go further, the footing becomes worse.

This place has a marsh-like atmosphere.

This area is known for its strangely shaped beech trees, such as King Agariko, but these beech trees are also quite strangely shaped.

As we went further, the road was finally covered with snow.

As you reach the very back, the atmosphere changes to a forest, perhaps because you are moving away from the water source.

Arrived at the waterway.

Skunk cabbage can also be seen around the waterways.

Is the water level controlled by a floodgate?

I'm curious to see what changes and to what extent when the floodgates are opened and closed.

There's water everywhere you look around here.

Finally, we arrived at the place where Chokai Marimo live, but once again, I had no idea which ones were Chokai Marimo.

Finally, I will finish with some photos of the landscape and flowers of this season.

summary

This was my first time visiting Shishigahana in spring, and I think it's a very good season.

This is the best season to enjoy the fresh greenery of beech trees and young skunk cabbage.

However, there is still snow and the footing is poor, so proper precautions should be taken.

The biggest feature of this marsh is the sound of large amounts of flowing water.

We highly recommend you visit this beautiful marshland, which is supported by the enormous amount of water that springs from Mt. Chokai.

Wetland Information

If you are planning to visit Shishigahana Marsh, please also read the following article:

Let's go to Shishigahana Marsh!