Special Limited Event: Oomegasasou Tour (Hitachi Seaside Park)

Oomegasasou has bloomed at the 'Hitachinaka Nature Forest' in Hitachi Seaside Park. It is a rare plant often called the 'fairy of the forest' due to its mysterious appearance and the way it blooms with a drooping posture. During the 'Oomegasasou Guide Tour,' held to coincide with the blooming season, park volunteers known as 'Satoyama Partners' will guide visitors through the natural preserve in the Hitachinaka Nature Forest, which is usually closed to the public.

*For detailed flowering information, please contact the Park Management Center.

Small but a member of the tree family Oomegasasou is an evergreen shrub of the Pyrolaceae family. Standing 5cm to 15cm from the base to the flower, it blooms with lovely, drooping, plum-like pink flowers about 1cm in diameter. It is designated as Near Threatened on the Ministry of the Environment's Red List (2020) and Critically Endangered (IA) in the Ibaraki Red Data Book (2012). It is found only in limited areas of Japan, including Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Ibaraki prefectures, with this park marking its southern natural limit.

[Oomegasasou] Blooming season: Early to mid-June Location: Hitachinaka Nature Forest

The importance of red pines for Oomegasasou At first glance, it may look like a colony of several to dozens of plants, but it is actually a 'single plant' connected underground to red pines. It relies on the fungi symbiotic with pine roots for nutrition, making the presence of red pines crucial.

'Special Guide Tour' Now Underway Park volunteers, the 'Satoyama Partners,' are holding a limited-time observation tour to introduce the appeal of Oomegasasou and its habitat, centered on the natural preserve that is not usually accessible.

[Oomegasasou Guide Tour] Dates: June 4 (Thu) – June 7 (Sun), 2026 Times: Weekdays 10:00, 11:00; Weekends 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15 Location: Hitachinaka Nature Forest Reception: Advance registration required Participation fee: Free Capacity: 20 people per session Cooperation: Ibaraki Biological Society, Satoyama Partners Rain policy: Event proceeds in light rain

Activities of 'Satoyama Partners' The 'Satoyama Partners' work to preserve and nurture the Satoyama woodlands as healthy forests, focusing on rare organisms like Oomegasasou. They engage in activities such as surveying habitats, cutting down broad-leaved trees to maintain environments, and clearing undergrowth.