石坂の森

Seems like a great place for trekking but not a good place for inexperienced trekkers (like me) to start at. I love that this forest is preserved. You’ll really be walking in the real forest so you need to have good trekking shoes, insect repellent, outdoor wear, and so on. Parking is free. You need to walk for about 30 minutes from the entrance to get to the main spot. I gave up after just 5 minutes because it was slippery and I didn’t expect it. You shouldn’t go there a day after the rain because the ground will still be wet even after a day of sun.

Insects and animals are well researched periodically. would like to see more insects in the summer season as there's are many trees for beetles.

Great walk in the nature, multiple viewing points and paths to take. Relatively fast to walk around~

Ishizaka Forest is a forest park that preserves the nature and ecology of Satoyama. Inside the park, there are many oak trees and oak trees planted, and there is also a stream with flowing water. There are several walking routes within the forest, so you can choose your favorite route and stroll through the forest. The Nakano Ridge Road is a route that climbs from the parking lot to the overlooking hill, and there are some slopes. The route is a narrow stream road with many trees and dense forest. Due to the torrential rains in the summer, there was a lot of mud on the way, so if you weren't careful, you might fall. It is not recommended during the rainy season as the shoes will also get dirty. The east ridge road is a route that continues to Shimin-no-Mori, with a stream running through it, and is recommended for its scenic views. There are some steep climbs along the way, so you can practice mountain climbing. The walking path is a flat path through fallow rice fields, and the scenery is relatively open. You will arrive at the forest road in the citizen's forest, and from there you can also go to the observation hill and observation platform. If you walk along the southern ridge path through the forest with a slight slope, you will reach Earth Observation Center Street. I saw a building at a fork in the road, so I went there and found the water distribution station for Hatoyama Town. Beyond that was Hatoyama New Town. The West Ridge Road is a narrow, dark mountain road that branches off from the walking path and is short in distance. I don't recommend it as there is no sign of anyone passing by these days. This road also leads to the Earth Observation Center Road, so you can also go to the ridge road to the south. Ishizaka Forest is adjacent to Citizen's Forest, so if you go from Citizen's Forest, you will have to go downhill and return uphill.

Walking around the area is just the right distance for a walk with your dog. However, during the warm season, be careful of dangerous creatures such as ticks and wasps. The other day I brought home three ticks ((((；ﾟДﾟ)))) Although I have never encountered one, it seems that vipers also appear. There's a stream running through it, so that's not a problem.