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1. History and Overview

• The Fuji Iyashinomori Woodland Study Center (FIWSC) was established in 1925 as the name of The University Forest at Yamanakako with the donation of approximately 12 hectares of land owned by Sengen Shrine and the villagers of Yamanakako. The following year, in 1926, the forest leased land owned by Yamanashi Prefecture and established its foundation as university forest. After the transfer of public land to Yamanakako Village and the return of borrowed land, it now consists of 41.05 hectares of land. In 2011, the forest was renamed the Fuji Iyashinomori Woodland Study Center (“Iyashinomori” means forest with amenity), and has been conducting research on the creation of forests with excellent recreational and restoring functions and the development of communities that are friendly to forests.

2. Location

• FIWSC is located in Yamanakako Village, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture, one of the most famous resort areas in Japan, on the shore of Lake Yamanakako at the foot of Mt. Fuji. To get to FIWSC, take a local bus from Fujisan Station on the Fujikyu Line or Gotemba Station on the JR Gotemba Line, or a Chuo Express Bus from Busta Shinjuku in Tokyo, and get off at "Yamanakako Village Office". 　　The forest extends on a gentle slope from 990m to 1,060m above sea level on the shore of Lake Yamanakako. The soil is a volcanic gravelly immature soil, and it is located at the transition point from the oceanic climate of Omote-Fuji to the inland climate of Ura-Fuji, which is a slightly humid and cold region. The average annual precipitation at the nearby AMEDAS Yamanaka station for the past 10 years (2011-2020) is 2,355mm, the average annual temperature is 9.9℃, and the minimum temperature is -19.4℃. There is usually 50 to 60 cm of snow at the deepest point.

3. Characteristics of the forest

• The forest is in the upper part of the cool temperate zone, where larch forests planted since the 1920s dominate the canopy, while a variety of broadleaf trees in the sub-temperate to shrub layer are interspersed, and the transition to deciduous broadleaf forests is underway. By 2013, approximately 400 species of vascular plants have been identified.

4. Facilities

• FIWSC has a Fuji Iyashinomori Lecture Room (Lecture Room) and self-catering accommodations, and the Yamanaka-Ryo Naito Seminar House (Yamanaka Ryo), operated by the University of Tokyo Athletic Association, is located in the forest. These are used as bases for practical training, exercises, extracurricular activities, and laboratory seminar camps. 　The Lecture Room is equipped with wifi and a large touch screen for online meetings. The self-catering dormitory has a kitchen and unit bath and is available for long-term stays. Yamanaka Ryo is an accommodation facility available for all U-Tokyo members including alumni/alumnae and their companions, with three large and small seminar rooms, fully equipped with communication environment, and can be used not only for educational and research activities but also for various training programs.

5. University Education

• As an educational field, FIWSC is located on a flatland or gentle slope, making it ideal for those with little outdoor experience. The forest is mainly a planted larch forest, but the understory vegetation is rich, and a variety of plants, vegetation landscapes, and animal traces can be observed. There are also facilities and fields in the surrounding area that can be visited to enhance educational activities. Yamanaka Ryo can be a comfortable accommodating base; therefore, educational activities can be carried out to the fullest on multiple dates. Because of its easy access from central Tokyo, students can also take day trips for practical training. 　By using indoor facilities such as the Lecture Room and the seminar room in Yamanaka Ryo, the program can effectively combine fieldwork and indoor exercises. The Yamanaka Ryo, which serves as a base for overnight stays, is also available for international students. When conducting long-term research for graduation projects, etc., it is recommended to use the self-catering accommodations managed by FIWSC. 　As an educational program led by FIWSC, lectures and practical training on the theme of “Iyashinomori” are practiced mainly in the liberal arts program.

6. Research

• FIWSC is conducting multifaceted research on technologies and social systems to realize forests with excellent recreational and restoring functions. (1) Forest management of the "Iyashinomori” 　The basis of forest management is to understand the current state of the forest, but there are few methods for understanding the forest with a focus on its recreational and restoring functions. As basic research for the management of "Iyashinomori," we will develop methods for observing and evaluating forest landscapes on site. (2) Recycling and Utilization of Resource 　　Effective use of dead wood, branches and other forest materials can be a means of managing “Iyashinomori”. We will study the recycling of low-quality wood that is not available in the general market, and the appropriate technology for this purpose. In particular, we will develop a firewood utilization system that is linked to forest management, and evaluate how it can contribute to forest management and local communities. We will also work to develop educational and experiential programs that provide the knowledge and skills necessary to make better use of forest-derived materials and forest space in local communities. (3) Social Design 　In order for "Iyashinomori" to be maintained autonomously in local communities, it is necessary for the people who enjoy the benefits to cooperate and be involved in forest development. We will examine the way of self-governing forest governance in the region, and the rules and norms for the use of "Iyashinomori" for everyone to enjoy comfortably and safely.

7. Social cooperation

• Based on a community exchange agreement with Yamanakako Village, FIWSC is engaged in joint projects related to forests and tourism, forests and health, forests and education, and other situations where forests are related to the lives and industries of local residents. We also hold events such as public lectures for local residents in general. 　Together with the "Iyashinomori Association" made up of volunteers from the local community, we regularly hold activities aimed at fostering a culture of familiarity with forests in the local community, and we also collaborate with organizations that are engaged in forest development, mainly in the adjacent areas.

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