European Spruce Forest

This grove of around ten thousand European spruce trees covers 60 hectares outside Niigata, planted in 1984 as part of a prefectural water resource conservation effort. Most trees reach about 20 meters, with some measuring over 40 centimeters in diameter. Japanese larch is scattered throughout the grove as well. European spruce, also called Norwegian or Alpine spruce depending on the country, is prized for its stiffness-to-weight ratio and used in violin and guitar soundboards, furniture, and as Christmas trees. The grove begins at the entrance to Sasagamine Farm and extends nearly to the Seki River, offering a quiet walk through an unexpectedly tall and dense forest.