Part of the junior high school curriculum focuses on the geopark and is titled, "Hometown and Apoi Studies." This year's studies have been conducted in the following steps:

Step 1. Preparational studies

Step 2. Field trip on October 20

Step 3. Group research projects, including interviews with local experts on November 5

Step 4. Poster presentations on December 8

Group research projects began on November 5th. The flora/fauna group and the geology group came by the Visitor Center. The other groups (tourism, industry, history, etc.) visited other areas around the geopark such as the Samani Industry Department, Board of Education, Tourism Information Center, the Oyaki shop, Hotel Apoi Sanso, Tojuin Temple, the Agricultural Cooperative, etc.

The flora group was shown around the Visitor Center exhibits by Mr. T, then visited Cape Enrumu to see the site of the Apoi Dream Project. The Apoi Dream Project is a nature restoration project where the students grow endemic Mt. Apoi alpine plants from seed, then transplant the seedlings back onto the mountain.

The geology group listened to a lecture at the Mt. Apoi Scientific Research and Support Center and visited the plate boundary site. They also learned about the different rocks and the National Park that includes part of Mt. Apoi Geopark. Academic advisor, Prof. N, talked about a project called "Rock Density & Mineral Hardness Experiment," and had the students conduct their own experiments to explore the diversity of the rocks for themselves. The students were surprised when they had to use arithmetic to calculate the rock density difference between peridotite and limestone, even though they were here to study geology! I was impressed when the students started connecting the dots between rocks and other things outside of earth sciences. Some of the students began to wonder out loud about how they would take the knowledge they gained from these experiments and turn it into their poster presentation.

Due to the GIGA School Concept, all the students carried their own tablet and took many photos. They asked me a variety of questions while taking photos. I was rather impressed when the students began to answer each other's questions. Later they will summarize their group research project experiences to create a poster presentation. (K)

In the early hours of Sunday, January 16th, a tsunami advisory was announced for the entire Pacific coastline of Japan from Hokkaido (including Samani) to Miyakojima. It was a cold winter night in snow-covered Samani. I talked to several people about their experience of that night and would like to record it here.

"This reminded me of when I evacuated to high ground during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. It also reminded me of the 1960 Chile Earthquake and tsunami. There were around 30-40 cars that evacuated to the area around Mt. Kannon which is about 80m above sea level. I went to my closest evacuation area at Sobira-so and saw several cars doing the same. There were several trucks (not local residents) that stopped at Mt. Kannon as well. While I prepared to evacuate from my home, I turned on the news. I understood that this was a scientifically unpredictable phenomenon."

Jan 16, 12:45 AM, Cars lined up around Mt. Kannon
An employee from the Board of Education provided this photo.

Record-breaking eruption in Tonga

On Saturday, January 15th around 1:10 PM, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in the Tonga archipelago in the South Pacific erupted. Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai is the name of a volcanic island that was part of a sunken caldera created by previous eruptions. It is a submarine volcano located about 65km north of the capital of Nuku'alofa. The Tonga islands were covered in ash and overwhelmed by a tsunami with a height up to 15 meters. There were some islands that sustained damage to every building, 3 lives lost, and 14 injuries were confirmed. It was estimated that over 80% of the 100,000 population were affected by the tsunami and ashfall. As of January 31st, the full damage to all 170 islands was still being confirmed.

What was particular about this event is the tsunami was caused by a shockwave from the large-scale eruption. In Japan, it is thought that a large change in tide level appeared after a sudden change in the atmospheric pressure. Additionally, this tsunami made landfall faster than a typical tsunami that occurs in distant seas. It's thought that the tide level along Japan rose as waves began to overlap the farther it traveled from the eruption point. The tsunami's mechanism is historical, with no previous examples, and will continue to be difficult to predict.

While this event was very different from a tsunami caused by an earthquake, in a broad sense it is still a tsunami. This tsunami's characteristics include a relatively short-wave cycle and fast flow, with the force to move ships and rafts. For anyone who lives in an area where these high tides continue, please do not go close to the shore.

Jan 16, 2022 NHK News

Jan 31, 2022 Hokkaido Newspaper

It was determined that the change in tide level during the Krakatoa volcanic eruption in Indonesia in 1883, was not a tsunami. There is also a "seiche," where the tide level changes due to changes in atmospheric pressure, wind, and the topography of the bay, but overseas it's referred to as a "meteotsunami." The phenomenon of a seiche, or "abiki" in Japanese, where the sea level repeatedly rises and falls in a short period of time caused by resonance. A seiche was observed in Samani and all along the Hidaka region.

"Tsunami Advisory Announced in Samani"
Sunday, Jan 16 at 1:15 AM, a Tsunami Advisory was announced in Samani and neighboring Urakawa. The tide levels are as follows:

Jan 15, 8:29 PM - low tide (tide level 23)

Jan 16, 4:08 AM - high tide (tide level 125) and 1:29 PM (tide level 14

Central Hokkaido Pacific Coast Urakawa Tsunami Arrival Times
1st wave Jan 15 9:43 PM
Largest wave Jan 16 5:15 AM Height 0.7M

Looking at the actual tide level condition graph at Urakawa Port on the NOWPHAS website, the tide level continued to fluctuate during the following day.
(NOWPHAS : Nationwide Ocean Wave information network for Ports and HArbourS

The tsunami was recorded in 8 different locations around Hokkaido; no damage was reported. Around 9AM an NHK helicopter took video from the air of the estimated 70cm tsunami wave that hit Urakawa shores, but did not find any effect on the harbor or the boats lined up along the coastline. Video from Erimo that was hit by a 50cm tsunami wave confirmed that there was no damage to the fishing harbor.

NHK News "Tsunami Advisory Canceled"
Jan 16 2:00 PM - Tsunami Advisory Canceled
Some sunken or capsized boats were reported in Kochi, Tokushima, and Mie prefectures.

Part of the junior high school curriculum focuses on the geopark and is titled, "Hometown and Apoi Studies." This year's studies have been conducted in the following steps:

Step 1. Preparational studies

Step 2. Field trip on October 20

Step 3. Group research projects, including interviews with local experts on November 5

Step 4. Poster presentations on December 8

This year's theme is focusing on Samani and the Mt. Apoi Geopark as an essential part of our world. In addition to introducing aspects in town that we are internationally proud of, the students will also learn about the global geoparks and will continue their studies while appreciating Samani as an important part of the world. As part of Step 1, Mr. T gave a presentation outlining what makes our town special in comparison to the rest of the world, and Ms. D introduced a different Global Geopark, the Adamello-Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark in Italy, to the junior high school students.

Then, on October 20th we held a field trip. The students traveled around town to see different geosites like the old rock quarry behind the elementary school, Okada chise (Ainu house), Jomon period archeological site in Horoman, Toho Olivine Company, and a strawberry greenhouse. The students had the opportunity to talk to professionals in each area including local workers, Board of Education Curators, and staff from Samani's Industry Department and Commerce & Tourism Department.

Being able to experience these locations firsthand and to hear directly from the individuals who work in the fields of nature, history, and industry is a very valuable experience. I hope that as the students will expand their horizons as they learn more about places overseas, and I also hope that they enjoy this change to learn more about their hometown as well.

On November 1st, we held an online learning course about kelp harvesting in Samani for the Himeshima Junior High School 1st year students in the Oita Himeshima Geopark. This activity is part of the student's "Himeshima Hijiki Branding" education. The online session was held at Mt. Apoi Geopark Visitor Center, where a Samani kelp fisherman came to talk to the students about what it's like to harvest kelp and answer their questions. The students were surprised by the different ways you can eat kelp and how it's harvested from the ocean.

A short article was included in Samani's monthly PR publication.

http://www.samani.jp/koho/ (Japanese Only)

I, myself noticed several new things about Hidaka Kelp and the whole process after overseeing both learning sessions. Particularly when it comes to why Hidaka Kelp thrives in this region and why it's so delicious. A couple of topics that stood out to me were how the natural land features (shape of ocean floor and climate) affect kelp growth and about the history of harvesting kelp. Before the Japanese people migrated to Hokkaido the indigenous Ainu had been harvesting kelp for some time and set a precedent for the branding of Hidaka Kelp. I hope to continue to unfold the story of how the landscape is connected to ocean products by interacting and talking more with the locals. (K)

On Tuesday, November 16^th we removed some of the anti-deer netting on Mt. Apoi. It was very cold that day and it even hailed. The wind above the 7^th Station was quite strong.

The deer nets were installed by the Rakuno Gakuen University and the Mt. Apoi Fanclub in 2011. 55 nets were setup in order to survey how the Ezo deer affect the vegetation on Mt. Apoi. Today we had four people split into two groups take down the last 15 nets. Thank you very much for your hard work.

This net was used for I or S's graduation research/doctorate research and teacher S's vegetation survey. The survey was designed to compare the vegetation in the covered and non-covered spaces and reveal the impact that the Ezo deer have on the surrounding area. Only miyakozasa, a variety of bamboo grass, remained inside the nets along the base of the mountain. I was reminded of the surprising effects of the deer and memories about setting up the nets from 10 years ago came rushing back to me.

Members of the Mt. Apoi Fanclub, town curators and survey volunteers have climbed this mountain countless times. Over many years I've been asked by hikers and students alike what the nets are for. But now it's time for the nets to retire. The only ones left are the square and metal nets. Those will probably be removed next April.

Lastly, I finally found the mistletoe that was a popular topic at a guide meeting in March of last year. (photos above and below)

It was easier to see now that the leaves have fallen. The bushy parts attach to other trees to steal nourishment. In other words, mistletoe is a parasitic plant. When the waxwing bird, most likely the Hokkaido bohemian waxwing, eats the berries, the hard seeds are excreted since it cannot be digested. The excrement is very sticky and strong so it stays where it drops onto the tree trunks. The seeds then adhere to the trees and begin to grow. In other words, the waxwing bird and mistletoe have a mutually helpful relationship. Thanks to T & T for teaching me about mistletoe.