Home garden in Japan

Hello and greetings from Shizuoka

With the back of the property right up behind what is essentially a cliff I think you need to put some thought it how you want the water to flow around, past and through your property. Especially with "Tsu Yu" approaching in July.

The trees at the back of the property are exposed to falling rock but I suppose thats its better to have them there to block any flow off the cliffside.

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Regarding mosquitoes I was able to reduce their numbers in the house by patching gaps in the roof shingles, mounting nets on every window and door and by encouraging others to keep doors and windows closed. Sadly if there any standing water on the land above your house then these blood predators will be swarming. Is there any way to get to the top of the rise to get a good lay of the land from above ?

Water flow from the mountain is negligible. It all channels into a waterfall and stream nearby. Likewise barring the nankai earthquake in it's worst incarnation, the retaining walls will hold the landslides.

Yes, windows are also vectors that need checking annually. I've also netted our kitchen ventilation hood fan. I also recently discovered the front door had a small bottom gap that needs to be addressed.

Lew Johnson wrote:Water flow from the mountain is negligible. It all channels into a waterfall and stream nearby. Likewise barring the nankai earthquake in it's worst incarnation, the retaining walls will hold the landslides.

Yes, windows are also vectors that need checking annually. I've also netted our kitchen ventilation hood fan. I also recently discovered the front door had a small bottom gap that needs to be addressed.

even during the rainy season ?

wow what good fortune

Paul Canosa wrote:
wow what good fortune

I would attribute it to good civil engineering following a disastrous landslide 50 years ago.

Our village has had bad fortune with water. There has been a tremendous amount of money and work spent on flood management.

Lew Johnson wrote:

Paul Canosa wrote:
wow what good fortune

I would attribute it to good civil engineering following a disastrous landslide 50 years ago.

Our village has had bad fortune with water. There has been a tremendous amount of money and work spent on flood management.

So it did give way after all eh ?

I've been doing some more plant IDs. I filled in a few more of the question marks on my overlay. Today I learned of the existence of the Barberry plant. I still have a couple plants that I'm having trouble IDing.

I use the English name when it's easily identifiable, or the Japanese name when the species is uncommon outside of Japan or it's a Japanese cultivar, especially with citrus fruits.

Could be a momiji maple. Once the leaves fill out, it will be easier to tell...

Hi Lew,  

Somewhere in here -- I can't recall where -- there is a post on a guy who dug out an old swimming pool and inadvertently turned it into a frog pond. One of the good things about it was that the frogs ate most of the mosquitoes.  If you can encourage insect-eating birds to hang out around your property that would also be a plus, but I can't help you with a specific species.  You'll never get rid of them completely because of your proximity to the National Forest.  I just moved to Nikko, purchasing a home near Urami Falls in the National Forest, so I have a similar problem (plus monkeys and the rare but scary bear). I have a very small but beautifully aged water vessel.  I'm thinking of turning it into the world's tiniest frog pond for the same reason -- mozzie control. Best of luck with all your projects, and good for you to take on the inherited land.