Гора Цукуба: двойные вершины и мандариновые сады Японии

Mountain in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

Mount Tsukuba (筑波山) is an mountain located at the northern end of Tsukuba, Japan. It is one of the most famous mountains in Japan, particularly well known for its double peaks, Nyotai san (女体山) and Nantai san (男体山) Many people climb the so called "purple mountain" every year for the panoramic view of the Kantō plain from the summit. On clear days the Tōkyō skyline, Lake Kasumigaura and even Mount Fuji are visible from the summit. Japanese mountains are mostly volcanic, but Mount Tsukuba is non volcanic granite and gabbro in origin. Renowned beautiful granites are produced in the northern quarries even today.

Located at an elevation of approximately 140 meters, Mount Tsukuba is a site for the cultivation of mandarin oranges. Various varieties, including Unshu mikan and Natsumikan, are grown in this region. Notably, the cultivation of a native species called "Tsukuba mikan" or "Fukuremikan" is prevalent. This indigenous mandarin is small sized, with a diameter ranging from 2 to 3 cm, and is characterized by a thin peel and large seeds. Considered the sole native species of mandarin oranges in Japan, the Tsukuba mikan belongs to the Rutaceae family and has historical roots, with mentions dating back to the "Hitachi Fudoki." The successful cultivation of mandarin oranges on Mount Tsukuba is attributed to the presence of a "thermal belt" on the mountain slope. This thermal belt experiences higher temperatures compared to the foothills, especially during the cold winter months. In the elevation range of 170 270 meters on Mount Tsukuba, the thermal belt maintains temperatures 3 4 °C higher than the foothills, creating favorable conditions for mandarin orange cultivation. This phenomenon has allowed for the appearance of tourist oriented mandarin orchards since the 1980s. A similar utilization of a thermal belt for agriculture is observed in Shizuoka Prefecture, where tea cultivation takes advantage of comparable conditions.

Mt. Tsukuba is famous not only for the legends that have appeared in poetry anthologies since 710 A. D. Today, the mountain and its centuries old Shinto shrine Tsukubasan Shrine are both a source of blessing for the Japanese people and a must see attraction to both local and foreign tourists. As the peaks (male and female) make a couple, they are worshipped as kami in the Shinto religion and are believed to bestow marital harmony and conjugal bliss. At the foot of the southern face lies the main shrine called “Tsukuba san jinja” (筑波山神社). This ancient shrine is a popular destination for tourists, festival (matsuri) attendees and the occasional Japanese style wedding. It is from here where the main hiking trails up the mountain begin. One can choose to go straight up the mountain via the Miyukigahara course (御幸ヶ原コース), which parallels the Swiss made funicular, to the notch between the peaks. Or one can follow the Shirakumobashi course (白雲橋コース) up to the east ridge, where it joins up with the Otatsuishi course, and then continues on up to Mt. Nyotai. In addition to the funicular there is also an aerial tramway which follows the east ridge up the mountain, paralleling the Otatsuishi course (おたつ石コース). At the top of the mountain there are many gift shops and food stalls in the area between the two peaks. Here one can purchase ramen, omiyage, beer and the local cure all, toad oil (がま油). At both Mt. Nantai san and Mt. Nyotai san are small shrines devoted to their respective gods. The mountain is a popular starting point for parasailing.

Mount Tsukuba has an abundance of nature which covers the entire mountain. At lower elevations of the mountain are trees such as live oak (赤樫), mountain cherry (山桜), Japanese cedar (杉), Japanese red pine (赤松) and Hinoki cypress (檜). Higher in elevation, one can find species such as beech (ぶな), Japanese mountain maple (山紅葉) and a variety of conifers. Below these giants of the forest, the mountain is also home to hydrangea (紫陽花), rhododendron (つつじ), hosta, bush clover (ヤマハギ), five leaf akebia (アケビ), fern, gold banded lily (ヤマユリ) and the dog tooth violet (片栗), to name a few.

Amongst these exist a myriad of insects, including hairy caterpillars (毛虫), centipedes, giant hornets (スズメバチ), stick insects, praying mantis (カマキリ), cicada (セミ), a number of amphibians and over 70 species of butterfly (蝶). Larger animals such as the Japanese hare, mamushi pit viper (蝮), sika deer (鹿), Japanese boar (猪), raccoon dog (狸), Japanese badger (穴熊) and the Japanese red fox (狐) can be occasionally spotted. In addition, over 700 bird species are known to Mt. Tsukuba, these include the Japanese robin (駒鳥), Japanese pheasant, Japanese white eye (目白), Japanese grosbeak, cinnamon sparrow (すずめ), Japanese quail and the Japanese green woodpecker.