Podcasts about kagoshima prefecture

公開されたＨ２Ａロケット５０号機の機体。 The 50th and final H-2A rocket will be launched on June 24 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, it was learned Wednesday.

The 50th and final H-2A rocket will be launched on June 24 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, it was learned Wednesday.

鹿児島県の屋久島周辺で領海に侵入した中国海軍の測量艦、３１日防衛省は３１日、中国海軍の測量艦１隻が鹿児島県・屋久島周辺で日本の領海に侵入したと発表した。 A survey vessel from the Chinese navy entered Japanese waters near the island of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Saturday morning, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.

A survey vessel from the Chinese navy entered Japanese waters near the island of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Saturday morning, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.

Our guest is Kotaro Hamada who is the 6th generation of Hamada Shuzo in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Hamada Shuzo has been making shochu, the Japanese traditional spirit, since 1868. Hamada Shuzo's quality is highly recognized not only in Japan but also abroad and its shochu brands called Daiyame 25 and Daiyame 40 have received multiple prestigious awards, including the Gold Medal for Daiyame 40 at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2022. Japanese sake has once lost its popularity domestically due to various reasons such as declining alcohol consumption among the younger generations, competitive products such as wine and craft beer and the labor shortage. But thanks to the popularity of Japanese food abroad, Japanese sake has been repositioning itself in the market both in Japan and overseas. Shochu, however, is still an unknown beverage outside the country and the shochu industry has been striving to make it recognized as a precious spirit in the international market. So today, we will discuss what shochu is, the regionally diverse characteristics of shochu, how the younger generations of shochu makers like Kotaro are trying to introduce the beautiful Japanese tradition to the world, and much, much more!!!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Japan Eats by becoming a member!Japan Eats is Powered by Simplecast.

【図解】台風１４号の予想進路大型で猛烈な台風１４号は１７日夜、沖縄県・南大東島の北方海上を北上した。 The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special warning for violent wind for Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, excluding the Amami region, on Saturday evening.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special warning for violent wind for Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, excluding the Amami region, on Saturday evening.

Hello. Welcome to Jenni's Pika Pika Japanese. Yesterday, we reported that the Japanese government is considering resuming the acceptance of foreign tourists, and we introduced Hida Takayama. Today, I would like to introduce Kyushu. Kyushu, or the Nine Kingdoms, currently consists of only seven prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. Research shows that in the past, there were nine provinces: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Buzen, Bungo, Hizen, Higo, Hyuga, Satsuma, and Osumi, which is why they are called Kyushu. In this episode, we introduce Nanzoin Temple and the Statue of the Reclining Buddha in Fukuoka Prefecture, Sakurajima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, Yakushima Island, which is registered as a World Natural Heritage site and is also said to be the setting of the Ghibli animation "Princess Mononoke," Mount Aso and Kumamoto Castle in Kumamoto Prefecture, and Takachiho gorge in Miyazaki Prefecture. Please take a listen. こんにちは。 ジェニのピカピカ日本語へようこそ。 昨日は、外国人観光客の受け入れ再開を日本政府が検討していることをお伝えし、飛騨高山をご紹介しましたが興味を持たれましたか？ 今日は九州についてご紹介します。 九州、すなわち九つの国という事ですが、現在は福岡県、佐賀県、長崎県、大分県、熊本県、宮崎県、鹿児島県の7県しかありません。 調べてみると、かつては、筑前国、筑後国、豊前国、豊後国、肥前国、肥後国、日向国、薩摩国、大隅国の九つあったため九州と言われるようになったそうです。 このエピソードでご紹介しているのは、福岡県の南蔵院、釈迦涅槃像、鹿児島県の桜島、世界自然遺産に登録され、また、ジブリのアニメもののけ姫の舞台になったともいわれている屋久島、熊本県の阿蘇山、熊本城、宮崎県の高千穂峡などをご紹介しています。 ぜひお聞きください。

Local residents rejoice as Japan looks to welcome Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, as well as the northern part of the main Okinawa Island and Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture as new natural World Heritage sites designated by the UNESCO in late July 2021. Our resident news anchor discusses the number of World Heritage sites in Japan and gives an introduction to the four islands currently recommended to be added to the list by the International Union for Conversation of Nature. - Summary - What are World Heritage sites? 世界遺産とは - Introduction to the islands in Southwestern Japan 奄美、徳之島、沖縄島北部、西表島 - Becoming World Heritage sites 世界自然遺産に向けて Watch the news video with Japanese transcript here! http://perapera.ai/watch/youtube-_0jGjIqOAH0 --- This podcast episode is best listened to in conjunction with the following news video from FNN Prime Online. 「奄美・沖縄」世界遺産へ　登録勧告に“喜びの舞” https://youtu.be/_0jGjIqOAH0 FNN Prime Online YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/FNNnewsCH Disclaimer: News Anchor Japanese is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Fuji News Network, Inc., or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates. The official FNN Prime Online website can be found at https://www.fnn.jp/

Are you looking for something to energize your day and enhance your health? Leanne shares what’s been working well for her recently. Visit https://www.bodyshotperformance.com/topic/podcasts/ for the complete show notes of every podcast episode. Topics Discussed in this Episode: Tabata and the 3 ways you can use it to your advantage Key Takeaways: Tabata is a form in exercise that originates from the research of Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports at Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. It’s 8 cycles of 20 seconds of high-intensity activity followed by 10 seconds of rest. Their research found that this form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a very effective way of getting physiological adaptations in a very short space of time. Some exercises you can do for Tabata: Isometric holds Squats Burpees Tabata is a powerful way to exercise and has been proven to be good for cardiovascular fitness. Before a rich meal, when you want to control your blood sugar response to the food you’re about to eat, doing something like a Tabata sequence has been proven to help regulate your insulin sensitivity and, therefore, your glycemic variability. A short walk after a rich meal would also help to regulate your glycemic variability or blood sugar levels. Action Steps: Consider doing Tabata as an energizer. Do a Tabata sequence prior to eating a rich meal. Leanne said: “Any point in the day that you need to move, get a Tabata… and you’ll really feel the benefits, get all that fresh oxygenated blood moving through the body.” “If you’re short on time, always think about Tabata. It’s a fantastic bang for [your] buck in terms of the time you put in.” If you’re interested in finding out what your health IQ is, take the Health IQ test to find out, and get a free 39-page report built around our six signals, which are sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestion, and fitness. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve heard on this episode and it’s added value to you, share the episode with someone you think could benefit from it. And don’t forget to leave a rating or a review and subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. Links to things mentioned in the show: Check our upcoming online events here More from Leanne Spencer: Bodyshot Performance Bodyshot Performance Limited Facebook page Remove the Guesswork BOOK by Leanne SpencerRise and Shine BOOK by Leanne Spencer Leanne’s Email Twitter: @BodyshotPT   Instagram: @bodyshotperformance

In the news: Researchers looked at dinosaur hyoid bones to guess what their tongues may have been like; When The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History dinosaur hall reopens it will allow visitors to virtually feed an Edmontosaurus; In Ulan Bator, Mongolia, a man was recently arrested for hiding a Protoceratops fossil and planning to sell it; A hadrosaur thighbone from 70 million years ago was found in Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan, on Kamikoshikijima island; A new theropod footprint was found in northern Germany; An interactive map shows what Earth looked like at various periods in time, including at your address; A new Jurassic World Alexa skill; dinosaur exhibits; and more Dinosaur of the day Lophorhothon the "crested nose" hadrosauroid from Alabama, USA This episode is brought to you in part by TRX Dinosaurs, which makes beautiful and realistic dinosaur sculptures, puppets, and animatronics. You can see some amazing examples and works in progress on Instagram @trxdinosaurs To get access to lots of patron only content check out https://www.patreon.com/iknowdino For links to every news story, all of the details we shared about Lophorhothon, and our fun fact check out https://iknowdino.com/Lophorhothon-Episode-188/

Japanese Rabbit (Part 2) - Interview Yudai Tanabe - White Rabbit - Shrines - Zodiac - Japanese Hares - Fox Glove - Sandwiches Feel free to visit the website: http://www.hareoftherabbit.com/ If you would like to support the podcast either visit the link for Amazon, then make your purchases as normal.  I cannot see who purchases what, but a small percentage of your purchase will benefit the podcast: https://www.amazon.com/?&tag=haroftherab-20&camp=228761&creative=536025&linkCode=ur1&adid=0Z1J5SZGFHE81DASKT78& Or you can donate to the podcast at: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4748024 This episode: Interview with Yudai Tanabe: The venerable legend of "The White Rabbit of Inaba" Kojiki version One version of the tale of the Hare of Inaba is found in the Kojiki, the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, which dates from early in the 8th century (711-712).  The legend appears in the first of the three sections of the Kojiki, the Kamitsumaki, also known as the Jindai no Maki, or "Volume of the Age of the Gods".  This section of the Kojiki outlines the myths concerning the foundation of Japan prior to the birth of the Emperor Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan. In the Kojiki version of the myth, a hare tricks some wanizame into being used as a land bridge in order to travel from the Island of Oki to Cape Keta.  Cape Keta is now identified with the Hakuto Coast in the present-day city of Tottori.  The hare challenges the sharks to see whose clan is larger—that of the sharks, or that of the hares.  The hare had the sharks lie in a row across the sea. The hare then hopped across them, counting them as he went. Nearing the end, the hare exclaims that he has deceived the sharks in order to use them as a bridge. The last shark attacks the hare, ripping his fur from him.  Ōkuninushi and his eighty brothers were traveling through the Inaba region to woo Princess Yakami of Inaba.  While the brothers were on their way to visit the princess, the flayed hare stopped them and asked them for help. Rather than helping the hare, they advised it to wash in the sea and dry itself in the wind, which naturally caused it great pain.  In contrast Ōkuninushi, unlike his quarreling elder brothers, told the hare to bathe in fresh water from the mouth of a river, and then roll in the pollen of cattails.  The body of the hare was restored to its original state, and after its recovery, revealed its true form as a god.  In gratitude, the hare told Ōkuninushi, the lowest born in the family, that he would marry Princess Yakami.  Hare of Inaba legend emphasizes the benevolence of Ōkuninushi, who was later enshrined at the Izumo-taisha.   Japanese scholars have traditionally interpreted the struggle between the kind Ōkuninushi and his wrathful eighty brothers as a symbolic representation of civilization and barbarism in the emergent Japanese state.  The version of the Hare of Inaba legend told in the Kojiki has been compared to similar myths from Java in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. Ise ga Naru version Long ago, when Japanese goddess Amaterasu and her entourage traveled around at the boundary of Yakami in Inaba, they were looking for a place for their temporary palace, suddenly a white hare appeared. The white hare bit Amaterasu's clothes and took her to an appropriate place for a temporary palace along Nakayama mountain and Reiseki mountain. About two hours' walk, accompanied by the white hare, Amaterasu reached a mountain top plain, which is now called Ise ga naru. Then, the white hare disappeared at Ise ga naru. The place of this legend is in Yazu town and Tottori city, in Tottori Prefecture (ancient Inaba and Houki), where the shrine Hakuto Jinja reveres the white hare. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_of_Inaba Rabbits, so cute and gentle, so furry, soft and warm are one of the animals which the Japanese are most familiar with.  Not only are they popular pets ( there was a veritable house-rabbit craze in the Meiji Period), but most schools and kindergartens keep them ( in a pen outdoors), to teach kids about resposibility and caring for living creatures. It is because of this connection with fertility and abundant offspring that the ancient Asians (Indians, Chinese, Japanese, etc) have long said that there is a rabbit (hare) on the moon ( in Japan it is actually pounding mochi rice cakes).  It seems perfectly logical to me since I have to know that THE MOON has also been considered to be deeply connected to pregnancy and childbirth. Thus, the MOON, a God of Conception and Childbirth, with a servant, the symbol of fertility- the HARE – are a natural combination. Since rabbits were associated with having children, there were various folk beliefs which existed throughout Japan linking rabbits with prayers for easy delivery.  Eating rabbit meat to ensure the mother and child`s safety was customary in certain parts of Japan, while in others ( interestingly) it was shunned- in the belief that doing so would lead to the chlid being born with a hare-lip ( mitsu-guchi, 三っ口). And though the practice of eating rabbit meat before delivery (or the belief that it should be avoided) have completely died out, there are still a few shrines around Japan which are dedicated to rabbits as  messengers of the God(s), that are popular places to pray for conception and then easy delivery. Another reason that hares have been have been worshipped at certain shrines, or in some places are believed to have the power of prophecy ( for example, predicting the weather) is because of a very famous story in Japan`s oldest text, the KOJIKI. Another interesting Hare related myth which has led to the animal`s deification.  At Uji Shrine  there is a story of the Emperor Nintoku`s son, while once fleeing  for his life, was guided to safety by a hare (what probably really happened is that he  followed the trails in the bush made by rabbits or other small animals). That is why a Hare-Deity is believed to protect the shrine.  Some even say that the place name UJI derives from Usagi- miCHI- Rabbit-Road!. On the volcanic island of Sakurajima (桜島) in Kagoshima Prefecture, there also seems to have been a belief in a rabbit/hare deity which was called O-Mimi-Naga-Sama (お耳長様)- Lord long-Ears! An Edo Period text contains thid story:  On Sakurajima Island there lived a large hare which was believed, by the local residents, to be the deity of the mountain ( the island is a volcano).  Because of that, no one there ever ate hare meat. In fact, even mentioning the word hare ( USAGI), was believed to bring on a stomachache. Thus, in conversation everyone would refer to this animal as Lord Long Ears ( O-Mimi-Naga-Sama). Once a member of the Satsuma Clan ( the rulers of that region) came to island for a hunting expedition, and killed an big, old hare. The Volcano erupted. Hunting was subsequently banned. http://blog.alientimes.org/2011/01/for-the-year-of-the-rabbit-some-musings-on-rabbits-and-hares-in-japanese-culture-and-history/ A place related to the legend of the white rabbit of Inaba, one of the most well-known myths in Japan. https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/spot/natuscen/hakuto-beach.html Hakuto Coast is a beautiful beach of white sand. It is included as one of the 100 Selected Beaches in Japan, and is a popular spot for sea bathing in summer and surfing in winter. You can see the pretty pink Japanese rose flowers, for which this place is the southern limit for growing naturally.  It is a very famous place in Japan as the setting of the myth of the white rabbit of Inaba. Now it seems the Japanese love the rabbit, and have many Rabbit Shrines Nearby the coast, is Hakuto Shrine, enshrining the legendary white rabbit as well as, and Mitarashi-ike, a pond in which the white rabbit apparently washed its body.  There is a mysterious legend about Mitarashi-ike, which states that the water level remains the same in any kind of weather.  As a result, it is also known as “Fuzou Fugen No Ike” (a pond with unchanged water level).  There is an island offshore from which the white rabbit returned, so you can imagine what it was like in the mythological age.  It is also a place with a beautiful sunset view.  Supposidly you will have a romantic time if you visit this place with your partner. The oldest shrine of Japan https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/spot/shritemp/o-miwa-shrine.html based on the old Shinto that worships mountains Omiwa Jinja in Yamato, current Sakurai City, of Nara is said to be the oldest shrine of Japan that date back to the age before emperors. The shrine is dedicated to Omononushi-no-mikoto who appears in myths.  Because his soul was comforted in Mt. Miwa just behind the shrine, the entire mountain is the subject of worship. Omononushi-no-mikoto is the god known for saving the white rabbit of Inaba, so “Nadeusagi (rabbit to stroke)” is placed at the entrance of the gathering hall.  It is said that stroking the rabbit will take away your pain.  Stroked by so many people the rabbit is now mirror-shiny. The "Rabbit Shrine" The Higashitenno-Okazaki Shrine in Kyoto, not far from the much larger famous Heian Shrine. This smaller shrine is usullay empty and you m ay be abe to roam around in solitude and appreciate the Kawaii (cute in Japanese) rabbit statues. Only in Japan could there be an entire shrine built with rabbit statues and miniature rabbit figurines lined up perfectly straight trusting that no one will remove them.  This is an “off the beaten track” shrine, and is worth checking out. Okazaki Shrine has served as a shrine for safe birth since 1178, and the Ujiko-sai festival is held every October in celebration.  The rabbit is considered a helper spirit of Okazaki Shrine. This is because many rabbits lived in the mountain behind the shrine. There are many sculptures of rabbits on the precincts (they are seen on pedestals of guardian dogs, in dedicatory lanterns, and above doorways). Notably, there is a black granite statue of a rabbit in the washbasin. This rabbit statue is for the believer who wishes to have a baby. Okazaki Shrine is also a shrine for marriage. This is because the famous heroic god Susano Ono Mikoto, who is enshrined at the shrine, slayed a demon to marry the goddess Kushi Inada Hime. For these reasons, many couples hold their wedding at Okazaki shrine. http://kyoto-weddings.jp/okazaki-shrine.html http://www.afar.com/places/higashitenno-okazaki-shrine-sakyo-ward What Is called the Bunny Shrine, is officially called Jyusozan-Mojyubosatsudo (鷲巣山文殊菩薩堂). This magical place is about a 15 minute walk away from the famous Hachiman Shrine. Just walk upstream of the Hirose River on the Sakunami Highway, then look for stairs that lead up into a cluster of towering cedar trees.   Go up and you will find a mix of Shinto, Buddha, and funny bunny images abound.  There is so much going on at this shrine that it is even hard to begin to explain.  In 1603, founder of Sendai feudal lord Date Masamune built Jyusozan-Mojyubosatsudo.  However, in fact, this place is neither shrine, nor temple. It is a place to worship, or at least give thanks and gratitude to, the spirit of the rabbit. Why?  The real reason would be because Date Masamune was born in the year of the rabbit, according to the Chinese lunar calendar.  As such, there are several rabbit images including pictures, wooden votive tablets, a statue at the second set of stairs, and the massive bunny ready to scare any unknowing visitor that walks through the front gate and glimpses to the right!  Look closely at the roof on the main shrine building and from the right angle you can see some rabbit decorations doing handstands!  Upon a little more research, I learned this is one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animal pilgrimage sites in Sendai.  The Bunny Shrine makes for a few fun photos, is not crowded, and is full of mystery.   http://en.japantravel.com/miyagi/bunny-shrine-in-sendai/26984 Since in days of old, the zodiac system used for designating years, months, days, time of day, and direction was adopted by the Japanese.  This happened officially during the reign of the Empress Suiko in the early 7th century.  Over the subsequent centuries, this system- called ETO, or JU-NISHI in Japanese, gained terrific popularity ( because of the fortune telling and decorative opportunities)- especially in the Edo Period (1600-1868).  Even after the Japanese abandoned their old calendar and started using the Western (Gregorian) system, they have still clung firmly to the Zodiac.  In fact now it might be more to be more popular than ever.  Included in the zodiac is the Rabbit/Hare The only problem with this current image of rabbits is that the animal adopted as the fourth sign in the Chinese/Japanese zodiac was not exactly the rabbit ( an animal which breeds in burrows underground and which was introduced from Europe probably just before the Edo Period) but THE HARE- an animal native to Japan (in several species) and which has played a major role in folklore and mythology. As oppossed to symbolizing cuteness, these animals were considered cunning tricksters.   Evidence of this belief can be found in various folk tales featuring very tricky and mischivious hares.  The most famous of these stories is probably KACHIKACHI YAMA-  a childrens story in which a rabbit cruelly tortures and finally kills a tanuki, which had killed an old woman (Yes, Japanese old children`s stories are just as violent and gruesome as European children`s stories!)  Importantly, hares were also considered symbols of  fertility (as they are in most of the rest of the world). for the reason that they breed like……. well, uhh,…. like….RABBITS (as the phrase goes). Besides being symbols of peace, docility and cuteness, they are also considered to be lucky. This is because the Chinese character usually used to write this animals name- 兎　(another character – 卯, is used to represent the rabbit as a zodiac sign) is very similar to the character 免 ( manukareru), which means to get rid of, or make vanish- in other words- rabbits some believe that rabbits will make BAD LUCK DISAPPEAR.  Just in the same way as when you spot a rabbit in the wild and- in the blink of an eye- ITS GONE! Now I am going to discuss the Lepus brachyurus or Japanese hare.  Most of the information I learned was from an article  By Jennifer Holmberg The Japanese hare is reddish-brown, with a body length that ranges from 45 to 54 centimetres (18 to 21 in), and a body weight of 1.3 to 2.5 kilograms (2.9 to 5.5 lb). Its tail will grow to lengths of 2 to 5 centimetres (0.79 to 1.97 in). Its front legs can be from 10 to 15 centimetres (3.9 to 5.9 in) long and the back legs from 12 to 15 centimetres (4.7 to 5.9 in) long. The ears grow to be 6 to 8 centimetres (2.4 to 3.1 in) long, and the tail 2 to 5 centimetres (0.79 to 1.97 in) long.  Adult Japan­ese hares are mid-size mam­mals with body masses rang­ing from 1.3 to 2.5 kg. There are vari­a­tions in color from a dark brown to a red brown with areas of white. All four sub­species are brown­ish in the sum­mer, but L. brachyu­rus an­gusti­dens and L.​b.​lyoni change their coat col­ors to white in the win­ter.  In areas of northern Japan, the west coast, and the island of Sado, where there is heavy snowfall, the Japanese hare loses its coloration in the autumn, remaining white until the spring, when the reddish-brown fur returns.   Like all mem­bers of the Order Lago­mor­pha, Japan­ese hares have a sec­ond set of in­cisors, or peg teeth, be­hind their first upper in­cisors. Japan­ese hares are en­demic to Japan. They are com­monly found on the main­land is­lands of Hon­shu, Shikoku and Kyushu and most of the sur­round­ing Japan­ese is­lands, ex­clud­ing Hokkaido. There are four sub­species of the Japan­ese hare found in dif­fer­ent ge­o­graph­i­cal re­gions. Lepus brachyu­rus an­gusti­dens is found in north­ern Hon­shu, L. b. lyoni is found on Sado Is­land, L. b. brachyu­rus is found in south­ern Hon­shu, and L. b. ok­ien­sis is found on the Oki Is­lands. There are vari­a­tions be­tween Japan­ese hare sub­species found on the main is­land and those found on sur­round­ing is­lands. The di­men­sions of a main­land fe­male Japan­ese hare de­scribed in 1905 were 505 mm head and body length, 40 mm tail length, 135 mm hind­foot length and 78 mm ear length. Mea­sure­ments from a fe­male Japan­ese hare from Oki Is­land were a 506 mm head and body length, a 54 mm tail, a 138 mm hind foot and a 78 mm ear. The sub­species found on the smaller is­lands ap­pear to have sex­ual di­mor­phism, with the vast ma­jor­ity of skull char­ac­ter­is­tics being smaller in males than in fe­males. On the main is­land, the only fea­ture that is not equal in size is the width of the palate. In gen­eral, the sub­species on the small is­lands are often larger in mass, length of head, and length of body. The sub­species on the main is­land have larger ears, hind feet length and skull size com­pared to those on the is­lands. It has been sug­gested that this vari­a­tion is not due to in­su­lar vari­a­tion, but that the is­land forms are ac­tu­ally closer to the an­ces­tral form and the main is­land sub­species has evolved and adapted to a chang­ing en­vi­ron­ment. Lepus brachyu­rus has been di­vided into two clades and four sub­species. The two clades are found in south­ern and north­ern Japan and ap­pear to be the re­sult of these groups evolv­ing dif­fer­ently in these dif­fer­ent re­gions ap­prox­i­mately 1.24 mil­lion years ago. and the TOHOKU NO-USAGI, Lepus brachyurus angustidens, which is quite similar in habit and appearance, except for one astounding characteristic: these hares turn pure white in winter! Another reason why the ancients might have considered them as sacred creatures. The KYUSHU type live mainly on the eastern side of the mountains which run down the center of Japan. The TOHOKU type live on the western, snowier side. Habitat Japan­ese hares can be found through­out Japan in urban, rural and for­est set­tings, but the vast ma­jor­ity are found in rural areas. They are typ­i­cally found in areas with dense shrub-like veg­e­ta­tion and a low tree canopy, often near the edge of forests. Japan­ese hares are pre­dom­i­nant in young, Japan­ese cedar plan­ta­tions where there is plenty of in­com­ing light and an abun­dance of veg­e­ta­tion. Japan­ese hares are also found near and around rivers or streams. They range from sea level to 2700 m. Japan­ese hares do not in­habit moun­tain­ous areas.  It is mostly found in mountains or hilly areas. It also inhabits forests or brushy areas.  Due to human encroachment, though, this hare has thrived in and around urban environments, so much so that it has become a nuisance in some places. Reproduction The litter size of the Japanese hare varies from 1 to 6. The age of maturity is uncertain, but females probably breed within a year of birth. Breeding continues year round. Several litters are born each year, each of which contain 2–4 individuals. Mating is promiscuous; males chase females, and box to repel rivals. Behavior The Japanese hare, like most hares and rabbits, is crepuscular (feeds mainly in the evening and early morning). It is silent except when it is in distress, and gives out a call for the distress. It can occupy burrows sometimes. Japan­ese hares are soli­tary and noc­tur­nal. When they are ac­tive at night, they can travel about 1000 m in a sin­gle night in forested areas and can cover ap­prox­i­mately 6 hectares.  While noth­ing is known about com­mu­ni­ca­tion be­tween Japan­ese hares, in­for­ma­tion may be in­ferred from other hare species. There ap­pears to be var­i­ous types of vo­cal­iza­tions, mostly high-pitched, that occur when hares are con­fronted with un­com­fort­able or fright­en­ing sit­u­a­tions. Like other hares, hear­ing is an im­por­tant mode of per­cep­tion. It is a solitary animal except during mating season, when males and females gather for breeding.  Not much is known about Japan­ese hare mat­ing sys­tems.  There is, how­ever, gen­er­al­iz­able in­for­ma­tion re­gard­ing other species of hares. Aside from arc­tic hares, which pair each breed­ing sea­son, most male and fe­male hares are promis­cu­ous. Male and fe­male hares come to­gether dur­ing the breed­ing sea­son and males some­times dis­play ag­gres­sive be­hav­ior, such as box­ing, in order to com­pete for mates.  Japan­ese hares have a long breed­ing sea­son, be­gin­ning in early Jan­u­ary and end­ing in Au­gust. The num­ber of lit­ters per sea­son ranges from 4 to 5. The av­er­age lit­ter size ranges from one to four, with 1.6 ba­bies being the av­er­age and the av­er­age weight of the young at birth is 132 g. There is a 1:1 ratio of males to fe­males born in each lit­ter. Within one breed­ing sea­son, a typ­i­cal fe­male will av­er­age 7.4 young. The wean­ing pe­riod typ­i­cally takes place 2 to 3 weeks after birth. Fe­male hares be­come sex­u­ally ma­ture at ten months old. The ges­ta­tion pe­riod ranges from 43 to 45 days and the pe­riod be­tween births ranges from 33 to 109 days. An in­ter­birth pe­riod shorter than the ges­ta­tion pe­riod sug­gests the pos­si­bil­ity of su­per­foeta­tion. This is fur­ther sup­ported by the oc­cur­rence of post­coital ovu­la­tion in Japan­ese hares. At the other end of the spec­trum, there can also be de­lays be­tween birth and the next cop­u­la­tion. Some­times fe­male Japan­ese hares will chase away males with whom they do not want to cop­u­late. There is some vari­abil­ity in breed­ing pat­terns be­tween north­ern and south­ern Japan­ese hares as breed­ing ap­pears to be af­fected by tem­per­a­ture, pho­tope­riod, and pre­cip­i­ta­tion. En­vi­ron­ments in higher lat­i­tudes have de­creased tem­per­a­ture and pho­tope­ri­ods through­out the ma­jor­ity of the year and stud­ies of cap­tive an­i­mals have found that with in­creas­ing lat­i­tude, the breed­ing sea­son, ges­ta­tion pe­riod and lit­ter size de­creases. Food Japan­ese hares are op­por­tunis­tic her­bi­vores that typ­i­cally eat newly planted grasses, grasses at plan­ta­tions, and young trees and shrubs. Saito and Koike de­ter­mined that their main source of food dur­ing the sum­mer comes from the Fam­ily Gramineae, which in­cludes the grasses and many com­mer­cial crops. In north­ern Japan, when these grasses are un­avail­able due to win­ter snow cover, Japan­ese hares eat the buds and seedlings of young trees, often found in plan­ta­tions.  Vegetation found in and around its habitat is where the Japanese hare gets most of its nutrients. Grasses, shrubs, and bushes are all eaten by the hare. The Japanese hare is one of the few hares that will eat the bark off of trees and it does so occasionally which can cause major damage to trees and forests.   Tori and Suzuki ex­am­ined which trees were fa­vored in the win­ter and con­cluded that the vast ma­jor­ity of trees were Phyl­lostachys prae­cox, a bam­boo which is high in crude pro­tein con­tent.  Other pop­u­lar win­ter trees in­clude Acer, Paulow­nia, Acan­thopanax, Ar­alia and Legu­mi­nosae. The trees and shrubs cho­sen by Japan­ese hares often have in­creased amounts of branches and stems, which are typ­i­cally found in young forests. Most of the trees that are con­sumed have high pro­tein con­tent.   Japan­ese hares also en­gage in co­prophagy, or the reinges­tion of feces. While co­prophagy is com­mon in most hares, what is unique in L. brachyu­rus is that it reingests both soft and hard feces, as they are ob­served sim­ply swal­low­ing soft feces and chew­ing hard feces. Co­prophagy is done to ex­tract as many nu­tri­ents as pos­si­ble from their dif­fi­cult to di­gest plant food. There is also a pos­i­tive re­la­tion­ship with the lack of avail­able food and an in­creased oc­cur­rence of con­sum­ing hard feces. Japan­ese hares are read­ily preyed on by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), golden ea­gles (Aquila chrysae­tos) and Japan­ese martens (Martes melam­pus). The color change in the north­ern sub­species of Japan­ese hares, from brown to white in the win­ter, is likely a cryp­tic color change to blend into their sur­round­ing en­vi­ron­ment and avoid pre­da­tion. Due to the large pop­u­la­tion sizes of Japan­ese hares, they are ex­tremely im­por­tant in the food web. They are prey for larger mam­mals and they im­pact the veg­e­ta­tion on which they feed. They can cause dam­age to woody trees and plants when they are for­ag­ing for buds in the win­ter The Japanese hare population seems to be stable; in some places, it has become a nuisance animal. It is hunted in certain regions for food, fur, pelts, and to help curb its growing numbers.  It is estimated that Japan­ese hares do not live longer than 4 years in the wild. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_hare http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lepus_brachyurus/ http://blog.alientimes.org/2011/01/for-the-year-of-the-rabbit-some-musings-on-rabbits-and-hares-in-japanese-culture-and-history/ Plant of the Week: Fox Glove Word of the Week: Sandwich

Japanese Rabbits (Part 1) Interview with Yudai Tanabe Rabbit Island:   When I think about Japan and rabbits the first thing that comes to mind for me is the video's of Rabbit Island.  As islands that are occupied by wild animals go, Okunoshima, better known as Usaga Jima or Rabbit Island, is probably the cutest.  Ōkunoshima (大久野島?) is a small island located in the Inland Sea of Japan in the city of Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture.   It is accessible by ferry from Tadanoumi and Ōmishima.  There are campsites, walking trails and places of historical interest on the island.  It is often called Usagi Shima (うさぎ島?, "Rabbit Island") because of the numerous feral rabbits that roam the island; they are rather tame and will approach humans.  Situated in the East Sea/Inland Sea of Japan, the small island is occupied by hundreds of wild rabbits that roam the forests and paths, chase tourists, appear in viral videos and just generally lounge around.  They also provide a much needed counterbalance to the island's otherwise dark history – as the production site for Japan's chemical weapons during the second world war. Of course, Japan being the birthplace of kawaii – the distinct cultural appreciation of all things cute – the bounding herds of friendly rabbits are a much bigger attraction than the Poison Gas Museum.   The source of the rabbits remains a mystery, it may be that the origins of the island's fluffy residents is intertwined with its history as manufacturer of chemical weapons.  The ruins of the gas manufacturing plant are still standing today.  The island was a cultivated area until the Russo-Japanese War when ten forts were built to protect it.  Three fishing families lived on the island.  In 1925, the Imperial Japanese Army Institute of Science and Technology initiated a secret program to develop chemical weapons, based on extensive research that showed that chemical weapons were being produced throughout the United States and Europe.  Japan was a signatory on the 1925 Geneva Protocol which banned the use of chemical warfare.  Although the development and storage of chemical weapons were not banned, Japan went to great lengths to ensure the secrecy of construction of the chemical munitions plant begun in 1929, even going so far as to remove records of the island from some maps. The plant was built over the period of 1927 to 1929, and was home to a chemical weapon facility that produced over six kilotons of mustard gas and tear gas.  Between 1929-1945, the Japanese army secretly produced over 6,000 tons of poison gas on Okunoshima, which was removed from maps of the area and chosen because of its discreet location and distance from civilian populations.  At the time, an unfortunate colony of rabbits was brought to the island in order to test the effects of the poison.  Ōkunoshima played a key role during World War II as a poison gas factory for much of the chemical warfare that was carried out in China.  The island was chosen for its isolation, conducive to security, and because it was far enough from Tokyo and other areas in case of disaster.  Under the jurisdiction of the Japanese military, the local fish preservation processor was converted into a toxic gas reactor.  Residents and potential employees were not told what the plant was manufacturing and everything was kept secret; working conditions were harsh and many suffered from toxic-exposure related illnesses.  With the end of the war, documents concerning the plant were burned and Allied Occupation Forces disposed of the gas either by dumping, burning, or burying it, and people were told to be silent about the project.  Several decades later, victims from the plant were given government aid for treatment.  In 1988 the Ōkunoshima Poison Gas Museum was opened. While some claim the rabbits that live there now are relatives of the test bunnies that were freed by the workers at the end of the war, others are less convinced; it has been reported that all the rabbits were killed when the factory ceased production.  The other theory is that eight rabbits were brought to the island by schoolchildren in 1971, where they bred (presumably like rabbits) until they reached their current population, which is potentially in the thousands.  With the island being a predator-free zone – dogs and cats are banned – if the number of rabbits hasn't hit the thousands yet, it's inevitable it will do soon. The island now has a hotel"Kyukamura Ohkunoshima National Park Resort of Japan", a six-hole golf course and a small camping ground.  Visitors are able to swim in the clean water surrounding the island, regardless of the tide, and enjoy a day trip.  Visitors can eat lunch at Rabbit restaurant or cafe, take a hot spring bath and rental bicycles. According to Murakami, the former director of the poison gas museum, the current rabbits have nothing to do with those that were involved with chemical weapon tests.  Hunting these creatures is forbidden, and dogs and cats may not be taken onto the island.  The ruins of the old forts and the gas factory can be found all over the island; entry is prohibited as it is too dangerous.  Since it is part of the Inland Sea National Park system of Japan, there is a resource center and across the way is the museum.  In 2015, the BBC presented a short television series called Pets - Wild at Heart, which featured the behaviours of pets, including the rabbits on the island. The series depicted various tourists coming to feed the rabbits. Poison Gas Museum The Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988 to educate people about the island's role in World War II.  Opened in 1988, the museum "was established in order to alert as many people as possible to the dreadful truths about poison gas." Only two rooms large, the small building provides a basic overview of the construction of the plant, working conditions and the effects of poison gas on humans.  Families of workers who suffered the aftereffects of the harsh working conditions donated numerous artifacts to help tell the story of the workers' plight when handling the gas with poor safety equipment that often leaked.  The second room shows how poison gas affects the human body through the lungs, eyes, skin, and heart. Images of victims from Iraq and Iran add to the message of the museum.  As expressed by the curator Murakami Hatsuichi to The New York Times, “My hope is that people will see the museum in Hiroshima City and also this one, so they will learn that we [Japanese] were both victims and aggressors in the war. I hope people will realize both facets and recognize the importance of peace.".  In the museum one can pick up a guide to the numerous remains of the forts from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the poison gas factory.  Most of the buildings are run-down and condemned, but recognizable.  The museum is aimed mainly at the Japanese people, but English translations are provided on the overall summary for each section. Other buildings and structures The island is connected by Chūshi Powerline Crossing, the tallest powerline in Japan.  The best way of accessing the island from the mainland is to take the Sanyō Shinkansen train to Mihara Station (only the Kodama stops there); at Mihara, catch the Kure Line local train to Tadanoumi, from there walk to the terminal and catch a ferry.  Now the island, a short ferry ride from the mainland, is a popular tourist resort with a small golf course, camping grounds and beautiful beaches. Tours are also given of the now derelict poison gas facilities, while ruins of military outposts are dotted around the island. In some ways the allure of the bunnies is similar to that of Japan's and, more recently, England's cat cafes.  Most apartments in Japan forbid pets, so an opportunity to enjoy the company of a furry friend is a welcome one.  Visitors to Okunoshima can buy food for the remarkably tame rabbits, who became an online hit when this video of a woman being chased by a "stampede" of rabbits was posted online.  The videos from Japan’s Ōkunoshima Island are undeniably cute: excited tourists laughing and screaming in joy as dozens of fuzzy, semi-wild rabbits swarm over them, looking for a bite of food.  But those viral videos, which have inspired thousands of people to visit the so-called Rabbit Island over the past two years, hold a dark secret.  The rabbits are dying.   The very thing that inspires people to come to the island—the YouTube videos that have been watched by millions—is creating an unsustainable situation that puts Ōkunoshima’s wildlife and ecosystem at risk.  The rabbit population, which was apparently stable for many years, has exploded since the first YouTube video appeared in 2014. “It’s amazing how many tourists we interviewed came to the island just because of the video,” said Margo DeMello, program director for the Animals and Society Institute, an Ann Arbor, Michigan–based nonprofit.  The tourists often come bearing food, and that’s creating an unsustainable population boom.  “There are now about 1,000 rabbits on this two-mile island,” DeMello said. “They’ve destroyed the ecosystem.”  As a result of the lack of vegetation and the inappropriate food that tourists provide for the animals, the rabbits suffer from a variety of health problems and now have a life expectancy of just two years, DeMello and her fellow researchers found.  The findings were presented on Wednesday at the World Lagomorph Conference in Turlock, California.  Although the resort’s website contains warnings not to pick up the rabbits or feed them snacks, DeMello said most tourists ignore the cautionary instructions.  Tourists’ photos from the island posted online are proof of that.  The tourists, she said, often come bearing cabbage, one of the cheapest vegetables in Japan and a big part of the Japanese diet.  Cabbage is a bad food choice for rabbits, as it causes dangerous and potentially deadly bloat. It is also low in fiber, something rabbits require for what DeMello called their “very particular digestive system.  The supplemental food—which the rabbits now rely on because there’s so little natural vegetation left to eat—also comes irregularly, especially when cold or rainy weather or school schedules keep tourists off the island.  “Rabbits need to eat all the time and consistently,” DeMello said.  “Now they get huge amounts of food on some days and no food on other days.  They’re not like other animals that can adapt to that.”  The situation on Rabbit Island is far from unique. Experts warn that social networking—from YouTube videos to posting selfies taken with wildlife—all too often inspires behavior that is unhealthy for animals.  Adam Roberts, chief executive of Born Free USA, expressed concern that “seemingly benign social media” can lead to poor behavior by humans that is detrimental to animals.   “Social media can glorify the cruel consumption of animals, which leads people to buy animals, including from irresponsible breeders, and even wild animals, which should remain in the wild,” he said.  “Tourists should avoid feeding wild animals when it is not regulated,” said Laëtitia Maréchal, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom and lead author of the study.  “It not only presents potential risks for animal welfare but also for the tourists themselves, as they might be injured or risk potential disease transmission.”  Even official warnings don’t appear to stop the behavior, she said. “As people often believe that feeding animals is an act of kindness, they seem surprised or skeptical that this behavior can potentially harm the welfare of the animals involved.”  On Rabbit Island, DeMello and her fellow researchers found that the rabbits are fighting over even the least nutritious food provided by tourists.  “Of the 728 rabbits that we counted on the island, 28 percent had visible injuries or illnesses,” she reported.  The percentage grew to 50 percent in the areas of the island closest to humans. “The more humans interfered, the sicker and more injured the rabbits appeared to be,” she said.  Because the rabbits are officially considered wild animals, the national park and resort take no active role in their care.  “We as a hotel do nothing that might impact the wild nature of these animals, such as feeding or veterinary treatment,” Christoph Huelson of the Kyukamura Hotels sales department said in an email.  DeMello said she and others worry that word about the condition of the animals could lead to tourism restrictions or even to some of the rabbits being killed off.  Instead, she hopes her research will inspire some change that will benefit the animals.  “I would like to see a dialogue between the government, the hotel, and some of the local people who care about the rabbits,” she said.  Until then, she said, talking about the issues raised by social media might create some change in time to let the rabbits recover from the effects of the wrong kind of publicity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Ckunoshima https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/02/rabbit-island-okunoshima-japan-holiday-resort-bunnies http://www.takepart.com/article/2016/07/14/viral-videos-are-destroying-japans-super-cute-rabbit-island In my research I found Another Rabbit Island!!!! AMAMI-OSHIMA https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spn/kagoshima/map_plus_info/locations.html By air from Tokyo: 2:20h; from Kagoshima: 50 min. Amami-Oshima: Mangrove Among the special natural attractions of Amami-Oshima are a species of black rabbit, dense virgin forests, and mangroves. The mangrove forest can be explored by canoe, and sea-kayaking is also popular. The beauty of the coral reef can be viewed by means of a glass-bottomed boat. The island has examples of traditional "taka-kura", which are storehouses built on stilts. While they may seem typical of a south-sea island culture, they were originally used not only in the islands but throughout Japan to store rice. The island has a centuries-old tradition of manufacturing pongee silk fabric, which is known for its fineness of pattern and pleasant feel on the skin. Agricultural products include sugarcane, sweet potatoes, pineapple, papaya, and bananas. Now I am going to cover the Amami rabbit The Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi; Amami: [ʔosaɡi]), or Amamino kuro usagi (アマミノクロウサギ 奄美野黒兔?, lit. "Amami wild black rabbit"), also known as the Ryukyu rabbit, is a primitive, dark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Ōshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyūshū and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture (but actually closer to Okinawa) in Japan.  Often called a living fossil, the Amami rabbit is a living remnant of ancient rabbits that once lived on the Asian mainland, where they died out, remaining only on the two small islands where they survive today. With its small ears and eyes and its dense dark fur, it looks very different from a typical rabbit or hare. It lives in or on the edge of old-growth forests, away from human activity. Although the rabbit has been declared as a Japanese National Monument, its existence is not widely known, even amongst the people of Japan. The species is protected from hunting, but populations have decreased in the last few decades due to extensive habitat loss and predation by introduced carnivores. This ancient species looks very different from a typical rabbit or hare. It has retained several primitive characteristics, such as small eyes and ears and a long snout. The rabbit’s distinctive fur is dense and woolly, and is dark-brown in colour, fading to reddish-brown on the sides and underbelly. Its body is heavily built with short limbs that end in unusually long curved claws.  The Amami Rabbit has a body length between 42 and 51 cms (16.5 - 20 inches), a tail length between 1 and 3.5 cms (0.4 - 1.4 inches) and they weigh between 2 and 3 kgs (4.4 - 6.6 lbs).  They are a distinctive rabbit with a bulky body and dark brown fur. They have a pointed nose, small eyes and short ears.  The Amami rabbit has short hind legs and feet, a somewhat bulky body, and rather large and curved claws used for digging and sometimes climbing. Its ears are also significantly smaller than those of other rabbits or hares.  The pelage (the fur, hair, or wool of a mammal) is thick, wooly and dark brown on top and becomes more reddish-brown on the sides.  The eyes are also small compared to more common rabbits and hares. The average weight is 2.5–2.8 kg. The only species in its genus, the Amami rabbit is one of the most primitive lagomorphs in the world. It is so different from other rabbits and hares that it is considered to belong to an early branch of the main rabbit-hare evolutionary tree.  Its ancestors are believed to have diverged from other leporids between 10 and 20 million years ago, about half as long ago as ancestral rabbits separated from pikas. Behavior Predominantly solitary and nocturnal. Individuals spend their days sleeping in a den, usually an underground tunnel or a space between rocks and trees.  At night the rabbits forage for food amongst the forest undergrowth.  They eat a variety of plants and fruits depending on the season, with Japanese pampas grass forming the bulk of the diet in the summer months, and acorns during the winter.  The rabbit breeds twice a year, producing two or three young which are raised in a safe den. This species of forest-dweller reproduces once in late March–May and once in September–December, having one or two young each time.  The mother visits the den at night to nurse her young. When she leaves she carefully seals the den with dirt and plant material to protect them against predators.  They are also noted for making calling noises, which sound something like the call of a pika.  Amami Rabbits communicate with each other using clicking sounds and calling noises, which is unusual among rabbit species. Distribution and habitat The ideal habitat for these rabbits is in an area between mature and young forests. They use the dense mature forests as protection and for the presence of acorns for their diets. More common in secondary forests close to mature forests than in those further from mature forests, indicating that a mosaic of mature and young forests is the most suitable habitat type for this species. Population surveys carried out between 1985 and 1990 indicate that the rabbits are most common in secondary forests, 10 to 40 years after clear-felling.  The species is not found in cultivated or residential areas.  They also use the high density of perennial grasses and herbaceous ground cover in the young forests for their diets during different times of the year.  Therefore, the best habitat for them to live in is where they have easy access to both young and mature forests with no obstructions between the two forest types. The species is only known to occur on the islands of Amami (820 km²) and Tokuno (248 km²) in the Ryukyu Archipelago, southwest of Japan. The distribution has been estimated to be around 370 km² on Amami and 33 km² on Tokuno Island. Some populations are completely isolated and thought to be very small. The population has been estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000, of which the majority are found on the island of Amami.  There are believed to be fewer than 500 individuals remaining on the island of Tokuno.  Using fecal pellet counts and resident surveys, the number of rabbits is estimated at 2000–4800 left on Amami Island and 120–300 left on Tokuno Island. Population Trend In spite of an increase in the area of young forests due to continuous cutting, surveys have indicated a significant decline in the distribution and abundance of the species over the past 20 years.  In particular, populations of Amami rabbit have decreased in the central part of the island, where mongoose numbers have rapidly increased in recent years. Threats The rabbits initially became endangered as a result of hunting for meat and oriental medicine.  Before 1921, hunting and trapping were another cause of decline in population numbers.  In 1921, Japan declared the Amami rabbit a "natural monument" which prevented it from being hunted.  Then in 1963, it was changed to a "special natural monument" which prevented it from being trapped as well.  Even with Japan giving the species full legal protection, it is still under threat from predation by stray dogs, feral cats and other animals introduced by humans.  In particular, Java mongooses Herpestes javanicus have killed large numbers of Amami rabbits, following their introduction in 1979 to control the population of venomous habu pit vipers Trimeresurus flavoviridis.  Unfortunately, the mongooses devastated populations of the islands’ native small mammals instead. In the last few decades, habitat loss due to extensive logging operations has also been a major contributor to the rabbits’ decline.  Less than 1% of the forests on Amami Island have been protected from development activities such as logging resort development and road construction. The total area of mature forest in 2000 was estimated to be about 40% of that in 1970, accounting for about 9.1% of the forest area on the island.  Young secondary forests, resulting from complete clearance of mature forests, now cover much of the island. However, rabbits are less common in areas of secondary forest far from mature forest patches. Conservation Underway The species has been declared as a Japanese National Monument, and as such receives protection from hunting and capture. Some animals are further protected in national reserves such as the Amami Gunto Quasi-National Park.  A number of population surveys (consisting of rabbit pellet counts and community interviews) have been carried out over the past two decades.  These surveys have yielded important data on the population and conservation status of the species, and have confirmed the negative effect mongooses are having on rabbit populations. The results of these studies have led to recent culls of this alien invasive predator by the federal and local government. Conservation Proposed A combination of habitat restoration and predator control initiatives are required to mitigate the threats to the Amami rabbit.  Careful habitat management is needed to maintain a mosaic of mature oak forests and young second-growth so that the rabbit can obtain food throughout the year.  Such mosaics are still fairly abundant in the central and the southern parts of Amami Island.  The primary conservation measure in such areas would be to limit forest road construction.  This measure would restrict the logging of more mature forests, help prevent the further expansion of predators into the forest, and ensure that local rabbit populations do not become isolated.  Increased habitat protection would be beneficial in the southern part of Amami Island, where the population density of rabbits is still quite high.  Populations of predators (feral cats and dogs and introduced mongooses) should be controlled, particularly in areas of important habitat. Long-term research and monitoring programmes are also required to continue to assess the conservation and management needs of the species  A small area of the Amami Island has the Amami Gunto Quasi-National Park that further protects the population. Some attempt at habitat restoration has been made, but the Amami rabbit needs a mosaic of mature and young forest in close proximity, and when a young forest is regrown nowhere near a mature forest, this rabbit is not likely to inhabit it.  Research and population monitoring also is underway to try to keep the numbers from declining, even if they can not be increased. The Lagomorph Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources proposed a plan of conservation in 1990. The Amami Wildlife Conservation Center of the Ministry of the Environment was established in 1999. It restarted a mongoose eradication program in 2005 and designated the Amami rabbit as endangered in 2004 for Japan. Japan really loves its cats.  This makes managing stray overpopulation in ecologically vulnerable areas a challenge, at least if you believe it should be done in a way that doesn’t involve cruelty to animals.  Other nations, take a horrific and merciless approach with “culling” that often uses brutal tactics such as trapping and mass poisoning, even though these methods often have unintended consequences.  For Japan, these options were a nonstarter when looking at how to protect the fragile Amami rabbits of Tokunoshima island, so the nation devised a better solution: a mass spay/neuter program.   2,200 cats have been altered already, with around 1,000 to go — shows that it’s possible to control a very large population of strays effectively, and to the benefit of all parties involved. There is some more good news for the Amami Rabbit.  As of last month in Tokyo, on Jan. 18 (Jiji Press)—Tokyo will recommend soon that islands in the Amami-Ryūkyū region in southwestern Japan be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide said.  The government will make its official decision on the matter as early as this week, Suga told a press conference.  Set to be recommended as World Heritage sites are the northern part of the main island of Okinawa Prefecture and Iriomote Island, also in Okinawa, as well the islands of Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.  An urgent task in the region is the protection of endangered native species such as the Okinawa rail, known as “Yanbaru Kuina,” and the Amami rabbit, or “Amami no Kuro Usagi,” as well as the preservation of subtropical laurel forests. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amami_rabbit http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=44 http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/japan-saves-native-rabbits-by-neutering-thousands-of-cats http://www.nippon.com/en/genre/politics/l10103/ http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/rabbits_hares_pikas/amami_rabbit.html Why the Rabbit is a Bird: For those of you who study Japanese, you might have come across this curious feature of the language. When counting rabbit/hares the word WA ( 羽) is used ( in Japanese different counting words are used for different things). The odd thing is that this is the counting word used for counting BIRDS! ICHI WA, NI WA – one bird, two birds.   Some explain  this by saying that is because rabbits/hares jump ( like flying) and their ears look like feathers ( and also because their meat tasted like chicken!). The real reason, however, is more interesting. Since the adoption of Buddhism, the eating of the meat of four-legged animals has been frowned upon ( though not anymore!). In fact, during the Edo Period, the Tokugawa Family officially banned the eating of such animals. The trouble was, that the Tokugawa`s in fact loved eating RABBIT. In fact it was a regualr feature of their New Year`s Dishes ( O-Sechi). How did they get around the law that they themselves promulgated and enforced? Easy. They called hares BIRDS ! Case closed! By the way, besides eating the meat, the Japanese also used the fur, to make brushes for calligraphy. Such brushes were long considered to be The highest quality. http://blog.alientimes.org/2011/01/for-the-year-of-the-rabbit-some-musings-on-rabbits-and-hares-in-japanese-culture-and-history/ Back when nights were pitch dark, people would be very imaginative when looking at the brightly shining full moon in the night skies. People in different countries see different things when looking at moon patterns, such as a standing lion, a crab with one large claw, or the profile of a man or woman. The Japanese say that "a rabbit is pounding mochi. In Japanese folklore there are rabbits living the moon which keep busy making mochi.  Mochi is a sticky rice snack. http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/cultural/kie/moon/kie_moon_06.html The venerable legend of "The White Rabbit of Inaba," and the fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare" are proof that Japanese have been interested in rabbits through the ages. The fact that these creatures are so prolific has made them an appropriate symbol of wealth. Perhaps the first linkage of hoppers and the moon came from India, where one legend tells of a rabbit that cannot bear to see people starve and jumps into the fire so they can have food.  As a reward for this self-sacrifice, the god Indra is said to have taken the rabbit to the moon. The story then traveled to China. There, the rabbit has become a pharmacist, mixing medicines with mortar and pestle. The tale then passed to Japan, where the rabbit is pounding mochi rice cakes, instead of pulverizing medicinal herbs.  All over the world, people have likened the shadows on the moon to all sorts of things, but the Japanese have always been infatuated with the idea of the rabbit pounding mochi. This can be seen at traditional confectionary shops throughout the nation, where people stand in line to buy cakes with a rabbit motif for the autumn moon-viewing season. He was said to descend to Earth around the time of the three-day moon, and return home when the moon was full.  Some artwork includes images of a rabbit or hare stands gazing wistfully at the moon,  In the midst of a field of wild autumn grasses, as if longing to return home. Now for a Japanese story: The Rabbit in the Moon (A Japanese Tale) http://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/1996/8/1/the-rabbit-in-the-moon-a Every night the Old Man in the Moon looks down on Earth to see how his animals and people are doing. He smiles to see them resting after a hard day's work. He winks at sleeping children. He hovers over rivers and lakes, lighting the waves and the shore. Then he sails on to other lands. One night long ago, the Old Man lingered in the sky over a forest in Japan. The animals below seemed to him to live in peace and harmony. Suddenly he spotted a monkey, a fox and a rabbit who were living side by side. The Old Man began to wonder about these animals that he knew only by sight. After a while he began to long to know them better. "Which of these friends is the kindest creature?" he asked himself as he watched the rabbit dash across the fields. "I wonder which is most generous?" he said softly as he watched the monkey swing from a tree. "I wonder what they are truly like," he said as he watched the fox paw at the forest floor to make his bed. "I need to know more about my creatures." The Old Man floated a while longer, but finally his curiosity got the best of him. "I must go and see for myself," he said, and because the Old Man in the Moon is a magical creature, he was able to transform himself into a poor beggar. In this disguise he floated down to Earth. He walked through the forest until he came to the clearing where the monkey, fox and rabbit lived. When the creatures saw him, they looked up at him with bright shining eyes. "Good day, sir," the rabbit said. "How do you do?" "Welcome to our forest," said the monkey, and the fox bowed low. "Oh, friends," the Old Man said, leaning heavily on his walking stick, "I am not doing well. I am old and poor, and I am very hungry. Do you think you could help me?" "Of course we'll help," the monkey chattered. "We always help our friends," the fox agreed. "We'll fetch some food for you," the rabbit added, and without a moment's hesitation, the three ran off, each one in search of food to offer the poor beggar. The Old Man sat down and leaned against a tree. Looking up into his sky, he smiled. "These are good animals," he said to himself, "and I am curious to see who is most generous." Before long the monkey returned, carrying an armload of fruit. "Here you are," the monkey said. "The bananas and berries are delicious. And take these oranges too, and these pears. I hope you will enjoy my gift," and he lay his fruit before the beggar. "Thank you, my friend. You are kind," the beggar said, and before he had finished speaking, the fox raced into the clearing. He carried a fat, fresh fish between his teeth, and this he laid before the beggar. Again he bowed. "My friend," the fox said, "I offer you a fresh fish to ease your hunger. I hope this will satisfy you." "You also are kind," said the Old Man. "I never knew how kind the forest animals were." "Of course we are kind," the monkey said proudly. "And we are skilled at finding food," the fox added. Now all three sat waiting for the rabbit to return. Meanwhile, the rabbit dashed this way and that through the forest, but no matter how he tried, he could not find food for the beggar. At long last he returned to the clearing. "Friend," the monkey cried, "you have returned!" "I have," the rabbit said sadly, "but I must ask you to do me a favor, dear friends. Please, Brother Monkey, will you gather firewood for me? And Brother Fox, with this firewood will you build a big fire?" The monkey and the fox ran off at once to do as their friend asked, and the beggar sat quietly by, watching in wonder. When the fire was blazing, the rabbit turned to the beggar. "I have nothing to offer you but myself," he said. "I am going to jump into the fire, and when I am roasted, please feast upon me. I cannot bear to see you go hungry." Rabbit bent his knees, preparing to jump into the fire. The beggar at once threw away his stick and cast off his cloak. He stood straight and tall and proud, and the animals, seeing this strange transformation, began to shake with fear. "Don’t be afraid," the Old Man said. "You see, Rabbit, I am more than a beggar, and I have seen that you are more than generous. Your kindness is beyond price, but you must understand, I wish you no harm. I do not want you to sacrifice yourself for my comfort. I will take you home with me, where I can watch over you and make sure you are never harmed." The Old Man in the Moon lifted the rabbit into his arms and carried him up to the moon. The monkey and the fox watched in amazement, but they were grateful, for they wished their friend no harm. If you look carefully at the moon when it is full and bright, you will see the rabbit living there in peace, resting in the Old Man's arms, helping him to watch over us all. Plant of the week: Raspberry Word of the week: Impress