Red maple
Japan has many species of maples – here are just a few of them: Irohamomiji / Enkoukaede / Oomiji / Hananoki / Karakogikaede / Ooitayameigeji / Kajikaede / Urikaede / Hosoekaede / Kominekaede
Japan is a country mad about maples, it has maples in its literature, songs and poetry, kigo seasonal language and food decorations, etc. – we can see maples everywhere we go in Japan it seems. So it would come as a surprise for some to know that the Japanese red maple is an endangered species.
I found this bit of info, “Whereas the American red maple is one of the most widely distributed and abundant species in eastern North America, Japanese red maple is an endangered species in central Honshu, Japan. It is an obligate species of forested wetlands that has persisted for millions of years due to unique geological, topographic, and soil conditions. Because of the rarity of these wetland sites, its inability to colonize upland sites, and the encroachment of agriculture and urbanization the occurrence of Japanese red maple is increasingly limited.” – Forestry Professor at the School of Natural Resources Dr Burton Barnes.
NATURE IN JAPAN 