Mt. Iwate

Mt. Iwate is a relatively young volcano that is still active. The vegetation on the mountainside tells its story: There are areas of sparse plant growth, but some sections of slope are still bare rock. For now, the mountain is not yet forested. In contrast to the patchy vegetation on the mountainside, the plains at the foot of the mountain are a mosaic of diverse landscape elements, including pastureland, Japanese red pine and larch plantations, and other types of managed and cultivated countryside. The diversity of plant life on the plains is clearly visible in this rich patchwork landscape.