National Park of Japan_There is nature we want to pass on to future genereations

Located in Daio-cho, Shima City, in the southeastern part of Ise-Shima National Park, Funakoshi Oike preserves a valuable wetland environment where rare plants, such as the Japanese arum, thrive. Since ancient times, people have harvested a tall plant called “Ampe-rai” (Nebikigusa) from Funakoshi Oike to use for making straw sandals and as fertilizer. This human intervention helped maintain the balance of the ecosystem. However, in recent years, changes in lifestyle and the widespread use of chemical fertilizers have reduced opportunities to harvest Ampe-rai, causing it to grow excessively and adversely affecting the rare plants. To preserve the vegetation of Funakoshi Oike, we are undertaking initiatives to pass down and promote the traditional craft of making “Funakoshi zori” sandals from Ampe-rai. Funakoshi zori are available for purchase at the Yokoyama Visitor Center and Shinjuku Gyoen, so please be sure to check them out.