長野県安曇野市穂高有明

中房川支流の黒川沢を有明山に向かって登っていくと、ジブリの「もののけ姫」の世界を思わせる森が広がっています。曲がり、よじれ、裂けた大木があちこちに見られます。
As you climb Kurokawasawa river, a tributary of the Nakafusa River, toward Mt. Ariake, you will find a forest that reminds you of the world of Ghibli’s “Princess Mononoke”. Large, bent, twisted and split trees can be seen here and there.

Tree in the forest of Mononoke

Tree in the forest of Mononoke

Forest of Mononoke

 

森の中を流れる川の所々にとても雰囲気のある小さな滝つぼがあります。静かな森の中に佇み、このような滝つぼを眺めていると、もののけ姫の世界のシシ神様がやって来てもおかしくないとさえ感じられます。
There are small waterfall basins with a very peaceful atmosphere here and there on the river flowing through the forest. Standing in a quiet forest and gazing at a waterfall basin like this, it feels like it wouldn’t be strange if the “Shishi-gami(The Forest Spirit)” from the world of “Princess Mononoke” came to this waterfall basin.

small waterfall basin

small waterfall basin

 

下の写真のニホンカモシカはお隣の大町市で撮ったものですが、もちろん、この辺りでも運が良ければニホンカモシカに遭遇する事ができます。ちなみにニホンカモシカはシカと名前がついていますが、牛の仲間です。
The Japanese serow in the photo below was taken in the neighboring city of Omachi, but of course, if you are lucky, you can also encounter a Japanese serow in this area. By the way, the Japanese serow is called Kamo deer in Japanese, but it belongs to the cattle family.

japanese serow

japanese serow

 

ということで、こちらのニホンカモシカの写真と黒川沢の小さな滝つぼの写真を合成して、もののけ姫世界を再現してみました。笑
So, I tried to recreate the world of Princess Mononoke by compositing the above photo of the Japanese serow and the photo of Kurokawasawa river’s small waterfall basin. lol

The Forest Spirit