Hi
I have visited #7 #18 #46 #48 # 49 . #7 is my hometown. You shold visit to Saitama shokubutsu mihohen, Kawaguchi city, Saitama. where you want go is depend your time abelible . traveling budget. some place you have mentioned are new, some are few hundred years old. #7 Hachioji Asakawa station is famus of collection of cherry trees. it's name has been chaneged however .The place is about 10 minuts taxi ride from Takao station or you can take bus. near by Mt Takao you can see towering Cryptmeria japanica 150 feet tall 3 ~ 5 feet diameter. also Mausoleum of Taisho empror is near by. each place are 3~5 miles part.

#46 If you are intersting Bamboos # 46 is good place to visit. also kyoto has 3 bamboo gardens. Dr kashiwagi is reserching over there. It may take 3~ 4 hours from Tokyo
some place is purly for academic, some place are for entertainment. If you are going to visit your self you have much more choice , If you are takeing your wife and kids, then when you visit # 7 you have to waer sneker and have towel and bottled water. And carefull with poisin snake. No English sign warning you . no visitors bit by snake yet. ^-^ .

#23 Makino memorial Botanical garened is nice place to vist. I have not visited yet. Dr Makino is father of Japanese society of Botany. many plants are named after him. .........mike

Dear Yama,

Thanks for your descriptions.

I thought you might could (as we say in the Amer. South) help me with another question.

I'm trying to find places where I can see old growth Sciadopitys verticillata (Japanese Umbrella Pine) (and called Koyamaki in Japanese, I believe) in a natural environment -- in other words, in a forest.
Does any of the national parks or other preserves in Japan have forest with it in the wild?

Here's a link someone showed me with its range:

http://www.pinetum.org/RMsci_ve.htm

I have the same question with respect to Cryptomeria (sugi). I would love to go to Yakushima, but it may be too far for this trip.
Do you know of the national parks or other preserves in Japan (other than Yakushima) where I can see old growth Cryptomeria forest?

Hi
I am in the midle of important things next few days. If you send me e mail, and give me your Phone #, I can give you better answer, If I have to write it , it have to be short explnation. writing will take me lot's more time than talking ^-^. I don't mind give you my phone # , but if your phone # is unlisted or not showing name , then I do not answer/ do not pick phone. .............mike

I was told by a not so reliable source that old growth umbrella pine (Koyamaki in Japanese) can be found at Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture. This area recently received a UNESCO World Heritage site designation for its pilgrimage route through a heavily forested area, It is squarely in the range map that was posted. But nothing I could find clearly identified the tree species to be found at Koyasan.
Before I make the trek, I'd like to confirm. Does any of you have sources?

Many thanks,

Arauquoia