Nijinomatsubara
Pine forest in Karatsu, Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nijinomatsubara (虹之松原) is a pine forest stretching along the sand dunes of Matsuragata, in the innermost part of Karatsu Bay, which faces the Genkai Sea in northern Kyushu. Located in the city of Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, it is considered one of Japan's three great pine groves, along with Miho no Matsubara and Amanohashidate, and is a nationally designated Special Place of Scenic Beauty.[1] It stretches approximately five kilometers from east-to-west and is roughly 400 to 600 meters wide from north-to-south. It consists of as many as a million Japanese black pine trees. It is part of the Genkai Quasi-National Park.
| Nijinomatsubara 虹之松原 | |
|---|---|
Nijinomatsubara from Mount Kagami | |
  Location of Nijinomatsubara  Nijinomatsubara (Japan) | |
| Location | Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan |
| Coordinates | 33°26′38.6″N 130°00′48.8″E |
| Length | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| Width | 0.5 km (0.31 mi) |
| Established | 17th century |
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History
In the early 17th century, Terazawa Hirotaka, the daimyō of Karatsu Domain, planted trees as a windbreak and sandbreak as part of land reclamation project. Under the protection of the domain, strict restrictions were imposed not only on logging (cutting was punishable by death), but also on the collection of fallen branches for fuel. The pine grove continued carefully managed even after changes in the ruling clan of Karatsu Domain. Due to its length, this pine grove was called "Niri Matsubara" (二里松原) (Two-Ri Pine Grove), which evolved into the present "Niji no Matsubara" (Rainbow Pine Grove), during the Meiji era].[2]
In 1771, it became the site of the "Matsubara-ikki (虹の松原一揆, Niji no Matsubara Rebellion)," a peasant uprising against Karatsu Domain.[2]
After the Meiji Restoration, it was incorporated into the national forest system. Despite its protected status, Saga Prefectural Road 347 runs through the pine grove, and the JR Kyushu Chikuhi Line runs along its southern edge. Exhaust fumes, pine beetles, coastal erosion, and urban encroachment have threatened the survival of the grove. The adjacent beach is known as Higashi-no-hama Beach and features hotels, a national guesthouse, and a campsite.[2]
See also
Gallery
Saga Prefectural Road 347
Nijinomatsubara Pine Forest Aerial photograph.1974
Stele of Nijinomatsubara
References
- Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, Teikoku-Shoin Co., Ltd. Tokyo 1990, ISBN 4-8071-0004-1
External links
- Karatsu Tourist Association homepage (in Japanese)
- Yokatoko (in Japanese)