Biological monitoring in Tokyo (May 23, 2014)

Biological monitoring at Meiji jingu, Meiji jingu inner garden (Gyoen) and Yoyogi Park

 I visited Meiji jingu, Meiji jingu inner garden(Gyoen)  and Yoyogi Park in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo to see biological impacts of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant accident. Though I have visited various places in Japan to see the health consequences of the accident, I have never found any effect against creatures in Japan.
 Meiji jingu, which is shinto shrine, was established in 1920 as a dedication to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and the Empress Dowager. A forest covers the area of the shrine to the city. The one hundred thousand trees donated from people all over the country at the time of the shrine's establishment create this forest of the people.
 The Meiji jingu inner garden or Gyoen is a public garden adjacent to Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park in Shibuya, Tokyo. The garden was once part of the suburban residences of Katō Kiyomasa and later the Ii clan during the Edo period. During the Meiji period, the garden came under the supervision of the Imperial Household Agency and named Yoyogi Gyoen (Yoyogi Imperial Garden) and was frequently visited by Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken. The garden contains a tea house, an arbour, a fishing stand and an iris garden. It has an area of 83,000 square meters and is open to the public throughout the year.
 Yoyogi Park is the fifth largest urban park in the 23 wards of Tokyo. It is a vast park of greenery next to Meiji Jingu Shrine. It is a nice place to sit or take a stroll when you get tired of shopping and want to relax. There are many people in the park cycling, dancing, skateboarding and having a good time. Take in the air and the shining sun of Mother Nature!
They are so vast that various creatures are living there.
Of cause, they are famous for bird watching place too.
 Generally speaking, animal's growths are so fast than human beings that they are more sensitive to radioactive materials of the environment than us.
 So I visited there to see effects of the accident against creatures which are grown up by Japanese food and water. Fortunately, I could see them grown up safely and I couldn't find any impact of the accident. It seems that there is no problem for childbirth and child-rearing in Tokyo, Japan.
Posted by Yoshitaka Kiriake from Japan on May 23, 2014.





東京の原宿にある明治神宮と代々木公園ではバードウォッチングが楽しめる。ヤマガラ、シジュウカラ、カワウ、メジロ、コゲラ、スズメ、ツグミ、ヒヨドリ、ムクドリ、アオサギ、ドバト、ハシブトガラスなどが観察できた。2014年4月撮影。

Varied Tit

ヤマガラ

About Meiji jingu

Meiji Jingu enshrines the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort Empress Shoken.

http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/index.html

Google map

http://goo.gl/maps/9DaSa

Meiji jingu (Shrine) was established in 1920. A forest covers the area of the shrine to the city. The one hundred thousand trees donated from people all over the country at the time of the shrine's establishment create this forest of the people.

Gyoen ： The Meiji jingu inner garden

http://goo.gl/maps/5XVEQ

The garden contains a tea house, an arbour, a fishing stand and an iris garden. It has an area of 83,000 square meters and is open to the public throughout the year.

Well of Kiyomasa

Varied Tit

ヤマガラ

Japanese Tit

シジュウカラ

Great Cormorant

カワウ

Japanese white-eye

メジロ

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker

コゲラ

Sparrow

スズメ

Thrush

ツグミ

Brown-eared bulbul

ヒヨドリ

White-cheeked Starling

ムクドリ

Grey Heron

アオサギ

Spot-billed Duck

カルガモ

Oriental Turtle Dove

キジバト

Jungle Crow

ハシブトガラス

Yoyogi Park

http://goo.gl/maps/qi5Xu

Yoyogi Park is the fifth largest urban park in the 23 wards of Tokyo. Take in the air and the shining sun of Mother Nature!

Japanese foods are good and safe.

Because of stricter food safety law by Japanese government, we have no worry about foods.

Oden : Japanese pot-au-feu

Sara Udon : a noodle dish with fried udon noodles topped with vegetables and heavy sauce

Anmitsu : bean jam and pieces of fruit served in syrup

Ice cream

 About 3 years have passed since Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. I have visited various places of Japan to see the health consequence of the accident.

 Fortunately I have never found any impacts by the accident among Japanese creatures. As far as I know, nobody has health problem which is caused by the accident in Japan.

 Our Prime Minister Abe assures that "The situation is under control. The influence of the contaminated water is completely blocked within Fukushima. There are no health-related problems until now and there will never be health problems." He also said that "Tokyo is 250 kilometers away from Fukushima, and the kind of danger that you imagine does not exist in Tokyo. Tokyo is a very safe city."

 As PM Abe said, Tokyo is very far away from Fukushima, people in Tokyo have no concern about the nuclear power plant accident. People in Tokyo have already forgotten the accident, because they think radioactive materials cannot reach there.

 We know there is no problem for child birth and child rearing in Tokyo. So people in Tokyo are living without any concern about the accident.

 I continue to visit various places in Japan to see the effects of the accident, because I can meet various creatures which are more sensitive to radioactive materials from the environment. It is important to see their health for our safety.

公衆衛生ネットワーク

Public Health Network in Japan

http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/phnet/