Nature of Kagamiganaru Marshlands
At 920 m above sea level, the Kagamiganaru Marshlands are a rare example of a mountain wetland. Water and melting snow collect in the flat area between Mt. Karasugasen (1448 m), Mt. Zoyama (1085 m), and Mt. Giboshi (1110 m), creating this unusual wetland ecosystem. Human activity, including the use of the land for the grazing of military horses, had dramatically decreased the natural wetlands over time. In recent years, however, researchers, volunteers, and various organizations have been actively restoring this important ecological resource. As a result, native wetland flowers like false hellebore (Veratrum oxysepalum), Japanese iris (Iris ensata var. spontanea), kiseruazami thistle (Cirsium sieboldii), sawahiyodori (Eupatorium lindleyanum), and hangonso ragwort (Senecio cannabifolius) have increased in number, and even rarer plants like yanagitanpopo hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum) can now be seen growing in the Kagamiganaru Marshlands.