Source: The Meiji and Taisho Eras in Photographs
Deforestated and bared "Iwakurayama" hill can be seen in this photo.
Originally these area were covered by evergreen forest,
but because of human activities,
such as timber production,
obtaining wooden fuel or gathering natural fertilizer,
it had tured into secondary or poor forest,
then in the end of Edo Era and Meiji Era
forest devastation became more terrible.
This photo might be taken
in the most serious period for the natural vegitation.
In these Rokko area,
the erosion control works started in 1895,
then the afforestation started in 1902.
More than a hundred years have passed,
today, though some lower part
have been developed for residencial area,
hills in Takarazuka are covered
with secondary decedious forest or evergreen forest again.
Iwakurayama hill. February 2016
