[02] Learning from the forest ~Co-prosperity of the kinder heart~

9月 02, 2019

The forest is full of stories. No, it is the drama itself.

There was a small, short grass catches our attention when we were about to start our Tsumetazawa Course.

“This is Coptis Quinquefolia (baikouren), a medicine to treat dyspepsia that grows in the mountains,” says Setsuko, a knowledgeable guide.

When workers in the mountains get stomachaches, it is difficult for them to meet up with a doctor. Therefore, it seems that they will dried up the root of this Coptis Quinquefolia, roasted it and boil to drink. Plants are sometimes referred to as “green medicine” and there must be many other green medicines in the mountain cure or give relief to people.

Coptis Quinquefolia is also written as “梅花黄連” (umebana hou ren), is a white and cute flower which is very similar to plums that bloom in early spring. Unfortunately, we only get to see the lush leaves without the flowers. But who is the first person that have noticed the power of the root? The forest is full of wonders.

A Beautiful Concession of Magnolia Leaves

“This is a leaf of a magnolia. It is used during the Boy’s Festival in Kiso.” Settsuko criticized and explained. We thought he walked rise a little, but this time he faced up and talk to us.

Kiso Boy’s Festival is celebrated on June 5th, one month behind, instead of May 5th in the old calendar since a very long time ago. At this time, rice cake is rolled and wrapped with magnolia leaves and steamed as an event food called “Hoba Maki”, and it will be dedicated to God.

Talking about Boy's Festival, it is common that people use the leaves of “oak” to make the “Kawashi Mochi” (Japanese rice cake wrapped with oak leaf and red bean filling) as the event food. But as a high altitude place in Kiso, oak trees are not suitable for planting, therefore they use magnolia leaves instead of oak leaves.

Magnolia leaves, which are strong, fragrant and highly bactericidal, seemed to be useful daily in the Kiso. When Settsuko was a child, Settsuko went to buy tofu with two pieces of magnolia leaves and a bowl. When Settsuko arrive at home and found out that magnolia leaves help to release the water of the Tofu. What a useful things that help your life get easier. I was so amazed.

Why is Magnolia leaves that are familiar to everybody are now used for the Boy’s Festival? There seems to be such a reason.

“Magnolia trees will grow strongly toward the light of the sun. At that time, they still grow strongly when moving around or changing their place even without the sunlight.

All of it grown up strongly without fighting for spaces among each other.

The wish “Hoping all the children grow up well” are use to pray during the Boy’s festival.”

Everyone will grow up vigorously by sharing the sunlight.

How wonderful.

Are plants naturally or man made?

Even if I know it in my head, when at the critical moment, people will think of “me” of own self. In such a case, I would like to recall memory of the magnolia leaves that grows toward the blue sky to remind me about the moral values of sharing.

Shares and roles

There are other gentle forest rules. Here, in Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest, various broad-leaved trees and alpine plants are growing which include Hinoki Sawara, Asunaro, Nezuko and Koyamaki. The 5 types of Kiso trees is an evergreen conifer, but as the seasons change, the leaves of broad-leaved trees drop, and the other plants die eventually

But the forest accepts all of it as its life. Fallen leaves and fruits returned back to the soil and becomes a soft and warm humus. The soil was full of nourishment and ready to help the growth of Kiso-Hinoki. Kiso-Hinoki received the benefit and will be the one supporting the growth of the forest.

It becomes a splendidly give-and-take.

There was a balance of life.

It is not only the plants that are responsible for the harmony of the forest. The animals that live in the forest such as antelopes, wild boars, bears, and others also play an important role.

They never eat all the tree shoots and nuts. Even if they eat the tip, they won’t finish it all, but keep it to let the plants sprout, grow, and bear fruit again.

Commensurate

This is also the knowledge of nature, the rules of the forest.

The more you know about forests, the more you learn from the forests. How much can we learn from a silent forest?