|
「森林浴の森１００選」桐生川源流林
Kiryuu River Woods, one of Japan's 'Top 100 Forests' |
桐生市織姫町
Orihime-cho Kiryu-city |
| Tel:(０２７７)４６-１１１１・市役所公害環境課
|
県指定の「鳴神山自然環境保全地域」(５１年)と「根本沢自然環境保全地域」(５４年)がある。鳴神山(９７９.７ﾒｰﾄﾙ)周辺はクリ・ミズナラ群落、クヌギ・コナラ群落など自然度の高い樹林、スギ・ヒノキ・サワラの植林。
カッコソウなど学術的に貴重な植物も自生している。根本沢にはイヌブナ、シオジ、ツガ、カエデ、サルグルミ、シオジ・ミヤマクマワラビ群落があり、カジカガエル、タゴガエル、ムカシトンボ、トワダカワゲラ、ガロアムシなどが生息。
「桐生川源流林」は６１年４月「温帯林の特徴を備えたわが国有数の植物の宝庫」として、全国５万３１５カ所の応募の中から「森林浴の森１００選」に選ばれた。桐生川源流の梅田町は市街地からクルマで十数分の至近距離にあることも評価された。
桐生川とこれに注ぐ忍山川(おしやまがわ)の渓流の浅瀬は子どもの絶好の遊び場で、蛇留淵(じゃるぶち)、石鴨の道祖神、根本山神社など、たくさんの景観地点や名所もある。
桐生出身の故神山恵三共立女子大教授は１００選の選考委員でもあり、「旧制桐生中学時代は友だちとよく梅田の沢や森を歩いたもんです」と、日ごろ、梅田のすばらしさを強調していた。
秋山智英元林野庁長官らと、わが国ではじめて森林浴を提唱した“森林浴博士”がすすめる森林浴の３方法は「森林の中で大いに汗をかき、休養と呼吸法を行い、思索すること」(『森の不思議』岩波新書)。
桐生☆街の美術館・ミニ博物館ガイド７−C「織物」
伝統の織物がつちかった技術 |
In the woods are the Narukamiyama and Nemotozawa nature reserves, designated as such by
the prefecture in 1976 and 1979 respectively. The Narukamiyama region (979.7 hectares) is
an area of rich natural beauty with groves of chestnut, Japanese oak, Japanese cedar and
cypress, and valuable plants such as kakkosoh growing wild.
The Nemotozawa reserve is filled with dog beech, Shioji, hemlock spruce, maple, monkey
walnut and Burmese bear bracken, and inhabited by Kajika frogs, Tago frogs, dragonflies,
Towada river mole crickets, Garoa insects and other creatures.
The Kiryuu River Forest was chosen from 50,315 entries from across Japan as one of the
top 100 forests in April, 1986. Called "one of Japan's important plant treasure
chests endowed with the special characteristics of a temperate forest", the woods
were also praised for their accessibility; it takes less than 20 minutes from the city to
Umeda-cho by car.
The shallows of the streams that form the Oshiyama and Kiryuu rivers are also a
favorite play spot of children, with many places of interest such as Jarubuchi, Ishigamo's
Dohsojin and Mt. Nemoto Shrine.
Kiryuu-born Keizo kamiyama (deceased), formerly a women's university professor and a
member of the 'Top 100' selection committee, used to stress the beauty of Umeda, saying
"I often used to walk through Umeda's swamps and forests with friends in the days of
the old Kiryuu junior high school system".
Tomoe Akiyama, former director of the Forestry Agency and the 'forest doctor' who was
the first Japanese to advocate basking in the woods, recommends three ways to enjoy a
forest - "In the middle of the woods, sweat a lot, breathe and rest, and
meditate" ('The Mystery of the Forest' - Iwanamisinsyo). Kiryuu - City
Art Gallery and Small Museum Guide Textiles ... techniques cultivated
through traditional fabric creation |
|
