Misawa, Aomori
No buildings, no glaring billboards here are. Not a place to get together, nor a statue nor a tourist attraction. With your back to the sea, only the reed field stretched as far as the eye could see. It seems improbable that this place would be the destination of any trip.
This marsh, “Hotokenuma” was reclaimed from a fresh water lake by fire and draining to make farmlands. Yet it has been left as it is for half a century owing to a policy of reducing rice acreage.
Since various species of birds, flora, mammals, amphibians, fish, and insects including some near-threatened one have been found here, subsequently, this site received national protection. This reclaimed land did not benefit us after all. However, the longer-term outlook for humanity should involve conserving the nature, not only urban or economic development.