Nature in KEEP, Kiyosato,Yamane,Pika guide.

Nature in KEEP, Kiyosato 2 days trip, <all season> Kiyosato Educational Experimental Project, is located on the foot of Mt. Yatsu, roughly 1000 m elevation where a pasture with forest and beautiful valley. You see Mt. Fuji far away (see picture below). KEEP is a mecca of the Environment Education in Japan. I joined a voluntary work in 1980's. Then I'd became a lecturer of the Nature School (right is the book published 1996) and made a couple of seminars for my students of univ. Nature Center and Yanane Museum. Get more infos of ecology, birds, plants and flowers at the Nature Center, you can enjoy a ranger's guide or self-guide tour. You'll know much about Yamane, Japanese Dormouse at Yamane Museum.
Nature trails. Visit Nature Center and get infos from a ranger. Valley trail goes down to the valley floor, is most enjoyable for seeing birds, trees and falls. It takes 2- 4 hours hard walk, check your shoes and rain gears, bring a lunch and water with you. Flycatchers, howks in a valley trails, cuckoos, warblers, Japanese Robin at higher elevation. You see Narcissus Flycatcher, Japanese Thrush and Tits around the lodge.
Seisen-ryo Lodge There is a big lodge, you can enjoy staying without TV and phone. A brand new lodge with hot spring and an open-air bath built in 2010, it is lke a resort facility in the US A morning guide-tour is available for guests in all season. I and wife love to stay in a cottage with pets, and wake up by bird-chorus and go for a morning walk in a forest. A morning buffet is our great enjoy.