Ukijima no Mori, Natural monument floating forest in Shingū, Japan
Ukijima no Mori is a forest growing on a peat island in Shingū, with the woodland sitting atop a floating mass of organic material in the marsh. The forest displays layers of vegetation and appears to rise and sink slightly with water levels and seasonal changes.
This floating forest formed during the Jomon period, when the Shingū area was a bay with extensive wetlands. Over thousands of years, marsh vegetation accumulated and consolidated into the living peat island that stands today.
The place is tied to the Oino legend, a folk tale about a girl swallowed by a large serpent dwelling in the bottomless marsh. This story remains part of how locals and visitors understand the forest and its mystical character.
The forest is a short walk from Shingū Station and opens daily throughout the year, though hours shorten during winter months. Wear sturdy shoes since the paths on the peat bog are soft, uneven, and can be slippery, especially after rain.
The forest harbors over 130 plant species, including cold-climate plants like cinnamon fern growing alongside southern vegetation. This unusual mix thrives because of the floating peat bog conditions and stands out as a rare botanical environment in Japan.
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