{"id":3685,"date":"2026-01-09T15:26:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T06:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/?p=3685"},"modified":"2026-01-10T12:34:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T03:34:22","slug":"%e5%ae%ae%e5%8f%a4%e5%b3%b6%e3%83%9e%e3%83%b3%e3%82%b0%e3%83%ad%e3%83%bc%e3%83%96","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/archives\/3685","title":{"rendered":"Miyakojima Mangrove"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>1. what are mangroves?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4244\" src=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6\u2460IMG_5982-640x427.jpg\" alt=\"mangrove\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><br \/>\nWhat is a mangrove?<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although often misunderstood, mangrove is a general term for plants that grow near the mouths of rivers where seawater and freshwater mix, and is not the name of a specific plant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, mangroves grow on land that is flooded with water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miyako Island has no rivers flowing into the sea; instead, there are many underground water vein outlets near the coast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mangrove forests of Miyakojima have continued to develop in a way that is unique to the island, growing in clusters around them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In mangrove forests, trees grow so densely together that their roots and branches intertwine with each other, forming a characteristic surface structure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because the intertwined roots and branches serve as shelter for a variety of animals, mangrove forests are home to many creatures such as crabs and birds, creating a rich ecosystem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mangrove plants can spread their roots into salt water where trees normally cannot grow naturally.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how does one enable it to grow wild in salt water?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two features of mangroves that solve this problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(First) Root Mechanism<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mangrove roots have a mechanism to control the inflow of salt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This allows only fresh water to be assembled and flushed from salt water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Second) Leaf Mechanism<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mangroves can pass through salt-blocking mechanisms in their roots and salt accumulated by direct sea breezes can accumulate in their leaves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By defoliating leaves that have accumulated salt, the mangroves themselves are prevented from accumulating salt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this way, mangroves have adapted themselves to their environment so that they can survive in harsh conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, mangrove seeds germinate where they drift, with some of their fruit falling down as they grow, being carried away by water currents or pierced by mud.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Shimajiri mangrove forest<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4246\" src=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u5cf6\u5c3b\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6IMG_9329-640x480.jpg\" alt=\"Shimajiri mangrove\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u5cf6\u5c3b\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6IMG_9329-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u5cf6\u5c3b\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6IMG_9329-1280x960.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u5cf6\u5c3b\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6IMG_9329-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u5cf6\u5c3b\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6IMG_9329-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u5cf6\u5c3b\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6IMG_9329-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u5cf6\u5c3b\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6IMG_9329-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The largest mangrove forest on Miyako Island is the Shimajiri Mangrove Forest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is located in the northern part of Miyako Island, in front of Ikema Island.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the parking lot, there is a boardwalk that leads directly to the mangrove forest. Although it is a boardwalk, it is a wooden walkway, so it is recommended that visitors wear comfortable shoes and clothing, not pin-heels or other shoes that are hard to walk in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, since there is no shade near the Shimajiri mangrove forest, it is a good idea to bring a hat, sunglasses, or other sun block and sunscreen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trip from Miyako Airport takes about 20 minutes by car.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it takes about 10-15 minutes each way to walk the boardwalk from the parking lot to the mangrove forest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, it takes up to 30 minutes for a round trip, so it is advisable to plan your schedule well in advance for sightseeing and other activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The major attraction of the Shimajiri mangrove forest is the variety of mangrove species it contains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All mangroves on Miyako Island, including \"Yaeyama Hirugi,\" \"Ohirugi,\" \"Mehirugi,\" \"Hirugi damashi,\" and \"Hirugimodoki,\" can be seen in the Shimajiri mangrove forest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sea activities are also popular among tourists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canoe and kayak tours are available throughout the year to enjoy observing the mangroves and aquatic life, and you can also observe the mangroves from a closer distance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tour start times are in the morning or afternoon and reservations are required.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Kawamitsu Upkar<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another mangrove community on Miyako Island is the Kawamitsu Mangrove.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although much smaller than Shimajiri, it offers a creative sight of mangroves spreading out in a spring-fed waterway that empties into Yonaha Bay.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upuk\u0101\" generally refers to a \"big river,\" and even in Kawamitsu there are many springs, and the village has developed supported by the river and its waters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kawamitsu Mangrove is located not far from Miyakojima Airport on National Route 390.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mangroves such as \"Yaeyama Hirugi\", \"Ohirugi\", and \"Mehirugi\" have been identified in Kawamitsu Upukar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also a spot where you can see butterflies such as the giant sesame butterfly, wild birds, and various other creatures living in harmony with the mangroves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Along the boardwalk surrounding Kawaman Upkar, there is a viewing deck and pavilion, as well as benches and tables, so that visitors can take a stroll while viewing the mangroves and take a break if they are tired.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The boardwalk turns into a stone path in the middle of the road, but be careful, as it sinks into the water at high tide.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, please note that it is slippery after rain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>2. what are the types of mangroves?<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4247\" src=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30de\u30f3\u30b0\u30ed\u30fc\u30d6\uff12IMG_5990-640x427.jpg\" alt=\"mangrove\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In the mangrove forest<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you know the time of low tide on the day you visit, it is recommended to visit around that time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is because it is possible to observe the mangrove footprints that emerge as the tide recedes and the interesting organisms of the mudflats.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, around high tide, you can see completely different scenery, such as mangroves immersed in water and shimmering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Also, before visiting a mangrove forest, it is helpful to learn what kind of mangroves can be seen so that you can enjoy the experience more when you actually visit.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some of the types of mangrove forests.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>0 Yaeyama hirugi<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The roots emerge like octopus legs from the base of a single trunk, and the tips of the leaves are spiky.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trees are 4 to 8 meters tall and grow on the seaward side of mangrove forests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Celastrus orbiculatus<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is 5 to 10 meters tall, and its name comes from its masculine appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has roots above the ground and small red flowers when in bloom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The salt from the seawater that is sucked up can be collected on the leaves, which absorb the salt and turn yellow, causing the leaves to defoliate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It grows relatively landward among mangroves and is characterized by the appearance of roots called knee-roots above the ground from roots below the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This mangrove is listed as Endangered II VU.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Corbicula leana (species of basket clam)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tree is 2 to 5 meters tall, and its name comes from its neat and neat shape.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It grows on the landward side of the mangrove and has distinctive plate roots.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is somewhat more cold hardy than other mangroves and can grow in areas with higher longitude than Okinawa, such as Kagoshima Prefecture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like the mangrove, the mehirugi is also a semi-endangered mangrove species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Celastrus orbiculatus<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not a member of the hirgitaceae family, but a close relative.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was named hirugimodoki because it resembles hirugi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tree is 2 m to 4 m tall, has brightly colored glossy leaves, and can be established in sandy soil.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This mangrove prefers to grow in the hinterland in colonies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its roots are horizontal and it is listed as an endangered species IIA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>0hrnian worm<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tree is 50 cm to 2 m tall and, like hirugimodoki, is not a member of the hirugi family but is closely related.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is characterized by the production of bamboo shoot roots that resemble disposable chopsticks, and it grows on the seaward side of the mangrove.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is listed as Endangered I B.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Zebrasoma flavescens (species of goby found in Japan and Palau)<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4248\" src=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30df\u30ca\u30df\u30c8\u30d3\u30cf\u30bc-640x480.jpg\" alt=\"Eviota japonica (species of pygmy goby found in Japanese waters)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30df\u30ca\u30df\u30c8\u30d3\u30cf\u30bc-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30df\u30ca\u30df\u30c8\u30d3\u30cf\u30bc-1280x960.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30df\u30ca\u30df\u30c8\u30d3\u30cf\u30bc-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30df\u30ca\u30df\u30c8\u30d3\u30cf\u30bc-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30df\u30ca\u30df\u30c8\u30d3\u30cf\u30bc-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30df\u30ca\u30df\u30c8\u30d3\u30cf\u30bc-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Locals call it \"tonton-mi,\" a member of the goby family.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fish has large eyes and is about 10 cm long. It is adorable as it moves about, skipping along on the mud.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Zebrasoma flavescens (species of Pacific wildebeest)<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4249\" src=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30d9\u30cb\u30b7\u30aa\u30de\u30cd\u30ad-640x480.jpg\" alt=\"long-billed curlew (Numenius arquata)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30d9\u30cb\u30b7\u30aa\u30de\u30cd\u30ad-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30d9\u30cb\u30b7\u30aa\u30de\u30cd\u30ad-1280x960.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30d9\u30cb\u30b7\u30aa\u30de\u30cd\u30ad-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30d9\u30cb\u30b7\u30aa\u30de\u30cd\u30ad-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30d9\u30cb\u30b7\u30aa\u30de\u30cd\u30ad-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/pipicms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/\u30d9\u30cb\u30b7\u30aa\u30de\u30cd\u30ad-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a crab with a red body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the first sign of human presence, they all hide at once in their mud holes, but after a few moments of quiet, the benishiomane mushrooms gradually emerge, revealing red dots here and there on the ground, as shown in the photo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Cirrhoscyllium japonicum (species of sandpiper)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is another crab species, which was found to be a new species in March 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The male of the Blue-breasted Nuthatch has a larger scissors on one hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The larger the scissors, the more popular they are with females.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hemigrammocypris rasborella (species of cyprinid crab)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like the southern striped mantis, this is also a crab that turned out to be a new species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although crabs are imagined to be moving horizontally, the rice cracker crab can walk not only horizontally but also vertically.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When people approach, these crabs hide in the mud all at once, but if you watch quietly for a while, they gradually emerge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Corbicula leana (species of basket clam)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is edible on Miyako Island.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Known as \"Watarigani\" in some regions, this crab is widely found from Hokkaido to Miyako Island.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>3. vicinity<\/p>\n<p>00 parantou<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shimajiri is famous for its \"P\u0101ntu\" festival, in which people dressed as gods with mud all over their bodies walk around the village and smear mud on the villagers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Various goods are sold at the Shimajiri purchase store in the village.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is said that the person who is covered with mud will fall from misfortune and good luck will come to him or her in this festival.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a rare festival in Japan that takes place around the beginning of September in the lunar calendar, so why not visit?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Conclusion<\/p>\n<p>Numerous plants and organisms can be seen in the mangrove forests.<\/p>\n<p>It is highly recommended as a spot where you can feel the magnificent nature.<\/p>\n<p>When you travel to Miyako Island, you can enjoy the Shimajiri mangrove forest and<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why not visit Kawamitsu Mangrove?<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1. what is a mangrove? Mangroves are often misunderstood, but mangroves are a general term for plants that grow near the mouths of rivers, where saltwater and freshwater mix, and are a specific plant [...].<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sightseeing_spots"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3685"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5552,"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3685\/revisions\/5552"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miyako-pipi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}