Senjogahara

Senjogahara is a moor wetland in Nikko National Park. It’s name, meaning "battlefield," comes from the myth of the God of the Mt. Nantaisan and the God of Mt. Akagi-Zan fighting here over the possession of Lake Chuzenji. The elevation is 1,394 meters above sea level and it is 120 meters higher than Lake Chuzenji. This vast area of wetlands covers about 85 Tokyo Domes. A cleverly designed sidewalk called a "Shizen Kenkyu-Ro," meaning natural research road, is a hiking trail that you can walk along for about two hours. In fact, Senjogahara once was a lake and features 350 species of native plants. The middle of June until the beginning of August is when beautiful Eriophorum and Spiraea flowers bloom. Late September to early October is another recommended time to visit when the leaves are at their most vibrant. You can also spot many species of wild birds. In 2005, it was registered as a wetland of the "Ramsar Convention" as "Oku-Nikko Wetlands."