Shunkunitai

The migration of fall comes

The birds, which finish raising their children, return to Shunkunitai.  Many kinds of Curlews come here from across the sea.  They eat Neanthes japonica(shell), crabs and shellfish in the mudflats. There are many kinds of Curlews.  The size of bodies and the shapes of the beaks are different for each kind.  They have adapted to change their bodies for the kind of food they will likely eat.  There is enough food for them in the mudflats.  They take enough nourishment there and then leaving for the Southern Hemisphere where they spend the winter.

Flowers in fall color the grassland

The marsh and mudflats in August and September are colored with purple and yellow flowers.  Lobelia sessilifolia and Gentana triflora, which blossom at the marsh are representative.  Around Hinbri course appears like a light green carpet.  At the same place, rare Salicornia europaeas can be seen.  They start to turn red at the end of September.  Yellow flowers such as Linaria Japonica, Senecio pseudo-arnica and Ixeris dentata can be also seen.  Aconitum sachalinense blossoms at the same season in the forest next to The Nature Center.  How about looking for the cool and fall flowers.

Scene, the sunset of romantic fall

The fall sunset of Shunkunitai is more romantic than any other scene in Japan.  ThePhragmites communis is lit golden by the setting sun and an ear of Miscanthus sinensis silver.  At the moment of sunset, the sun sets into the deep forest of Pinus densiflora Siebold (pine) as it turns from yellow to orange and then turns to red.  On a day with no wind, the sky of the sunset reflects at the surface of the water, and makes the forest and marsh a fantastic world.

back