{
  "id": 1763800,
  "title": "Moss-Covered Healing Forest Draw Visitors",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/moss-covered-healing-forest-draw-visitors",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T18:01:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "News On Japan",
    "slug": "news-on-japan",
    "url": "https://newsonjapan.com/article/150422.php"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "After 10 p.m., the clouds above Shirakoma Pond in Nagano Prefecture gradually cleared, revealing a celestial spectacle of countless stars and the Milky Way over the mountain lake. Nestled at an elevation of 2,115 meters, Shirakoma Pond is enveloped by a primeval conifer forest, home to northern Japanese hemlock, Veitch's fir, and other trees. The area is renowned for its exceptional stargazing opportunities, free from city light interference. Morishige Tatsuno, a stargazing guide at the Shirakomaso mountain lodge, noted that during calm nights, stars reflect on the pond's still surface, creating a shimmering natural planetarium. The moss-covered forest surrounding the pond is equally captivating, boasting 519 species of moss, including Mutsude-chochingoke and Iwadaregoke. These ancient plants, which evolved from algae 460 million years ago, have played a pivotal role in shaping Earth's atmosphere, soil, and life as we know it. Takehiro Yamaura, the third-generation owner of the Seitaiso mountain lodge, expressed his reverence for the moss forest, emphasizing the need for visitors to appreciate its intrinsic value. Yamaura leads observation tours organized by the Northern Yatsugatake Moss Association, alongside other nearby lodges and a local forestry cooperative. Efforts are underway to maintain hiking trails while minimizing human impact on the delicate ecosystem. The wooden boardwalk around Shirakoma Pond, constructed about three decades ago by Yamaura's predecessor, Kiyoshi Yamaura, continues to provide safe access for visitors.",
  "summary": "After 10 p.m., the clouds that had covered the sky above Shirakoma Pond gradually began to clear, revealing countless stars and the Milky Way rising vividly over the mountain lake in Nagano Prefecture's Northern Yatsugatake range. (News On Japan)",
  "key_points": [
    "Shirakoma Pond stargazes with Milky Way over conifer forest",
    "519 species of moss thrive in ancient moss-covered forest",
    "Observation tours preserve moss forest ecosystem"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}