Japan 3: A Cat Beckons

The Gotoku-ji Temple. Image source.

 

Editorial note: During 2026 Saint Michael's College academic study trip to Japan, our students were matched in small groups with students from Kokugakuin University in Shibuya, Tokyo. The groups set out from campus to explore Tokyo. The interaction was designed to facilitate cross-cultural exchange, provide an opportunity to practice English, and ways for St. Mikes students to explore with their Japanese peers. In many cases, the visits to culturally significant Tokyo attractions were a first both for our students and the Kokugakuin students. Following the tours, Kokugakuin students joined us for a dinner with Japan-based St. Mikes Alumni.

The Gotokuji Temple  

 Shane Geraldez 

    The Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo is famous for being the birth place of the Maneki-Neko cat (aka the beckoning cat or the lucky cat). During our visit at the temple, we got to see the different shrines and temples dedicated to the cat. They had a Grove or path filled with hundreds of tiny clay cats with pictures of deceased beloved cats. We noticed that the clay cats had names written on them. We greatly appreciated the chance to see this cat filled temple, and I hope to come visit again.
    During our outing, we took two trains to get to the temple and were grateful to our Japanese partners who navigated due to their familiarity with the metro system. When we arrived at appropriate station, we walked around 15-20 minutes through a suburban area. Along the way, the two Japanese students taught us some new words to express our feelings. Additionally, we found that it was very common for young children to be independently navigate the complex rail systems of Tokyo at a very young age. On every train journey we observed groups of young children and single individuals in their school uniforms confidently navigating by themselves. 
    In the the temple, we teamed up in groups of two to explore and choose a  tree and wooden structure to further look into. One group looked at a Japanese cedar tree and another looked at the history of the three story wooden temple. It was interesting experience to piece together information written in a different language: however, the Japanese students were very good at translating information.

 

 

Japan 2. Here there be Giants 2

The Japanese Giant Salamander: Folklore and Conservation Efforts

Dell Payne-Hoover

    During our stay in Nishawakura we spent a lot of time working with an environment restoration group. A main focus is on the Japanese giant salamander, a relic of the past with extensive folklore and culture surrounding it. In their prime they are known to grow to be 5 feet in length and weigh somewhere between 55-66lbs, with the capability to take someones fingers off if provoked. 
    These fierce creatures tend to feed on fish, bugs, and almost anything that will fit inside its mouth in adulthood, however according to a local folk story we heard they are also capable of eating children who wander too close to their dens.
    While in Nishiawakura a man currently leading the charge in giant salamander habitat restoration named Jimmy gave us a re-telling of local myths surrounding the giant salamanders in the area. 
    The story takes place a little over 300 years ago in Nishiawakura in a small rice farming town surrounded by forested hills and expansive streams. 
    It started small, with a few children here and there going out to play in the forest alone at night to never return, but those disappearances did not go unnoticed and the village went on an expedition to find their lost children only to stumble upon the biggest giant salamander any of the villagers had ever seen. Evidence of the children surrounding the den.
    No one in the village could take on such a foe alone and so they all gathered their coin together to hire a samurai from a few towns over to return the village safety. The samurai arrived and fought this slimy beast day and night. His endurance wearing thin, he hit a lucky blow on the monster finally putting him to rest for good. 
    The samurai settled down in the town, and for a while all was peaceful and the children ran safe in the woods once again. However mysteriously one by one, every few months a family member of the samurai would unexplainably fall dead. The samurai couldn't sit still and let this happen to his loved ones and so he and the town set off to investigate. They found the spirit of the salamander had come back, transformed by its hate into a demon spirit that was killing to seek revenge for its life cut short.
    To appease the salamander spirit a shrine was made and those from all around the town brought offerings and made prayers to the salamander. The gifts eased his aching spirit and finally, true peace was brought to Nishiawakura. 
    I cant say how much truth is hidden in this folk story, but still to this day every August the village holds a massive festival in honor of the giant salamander killed that day, keeping its angry spirit calm. 
    In the present day the Giant salamander faces extinction due largely to habitat loss from urbanization. Most of japans waterways are lined with concrete which makes nesting and safely laying eggs impossible for these creatures. Jimmy is attempting to track the salamander population in Japan and restore some of their nesting grounds, but its been difficult to secure any funding for the project. There is also the growing issue of hybridization, when Japanese giant salamanders crossbreed with Chinese giant salamanders imported and released by the illegal pet trade. These hybrids are known to be very aggressive in contrast to the Japanese giant salamanders generally docile unless provoked.
    I feel incredibly grateful to have seen and learned so much about the habitat restoration projects that are beginning to take place in Japan to save this incredibly special species. These salamanders hold such a special place environmentally and culturally and I'm honored to get to share a little of that history with you.

Japanese giant salamander photographed in its natural habitat by St. Michael's College Student Dell Payne-Hoover. While it is impossible to know precisely, this 60 cm (2 feet) individual could be upwards of 60 years old.

 

Japan1: Here there be Giants 1

 

 The Japanese Giant Salamander and Habitat Restoration Efforts 

Gianna Borelli 

    The Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) is a species native to parts of southern Japan. The salamander is most notable for its ability to grow upwards of five feet in length and live for approximately 70 years. Presently, this species is in decline due to a lack of proper habitat. The giant salamander prefers aerated waters with plenty of nooks to hide in. Most importantly, it requires muddy riverbanks in order to dig out a burrow for rearing juvenile salamanders.

 

    With the current landscape of rivers in Japan being built to include artificial concrete banks, in order to contain and guide rivers in a predictable manner, there is a need to transform available spaces into habitable zones. Moreover, there is an urgency to keep specific locations where giant salamanders live secret. This is done to protect the species from illegal pet sales and consumption by humans, which was done extensively in the past and has also contributed to their depleted population.  

    While traveling around the Japanese countryside, we were lucky enough to partner with a group working on revitalizing their giant salamander population. The project we assisted on was construction of a small pond directly off of the main river going through town. This pond would provide habitat for breeding and nesting giant salamanders as well as for other species, including, freshwater crabs, snakes, frogs, other salamanders, fish, water bugs, and many more.  

    The construction of the pond included three major steps. First we collected rocks and positioned them against the river bank. This step was intended to minimize erosion, so the pond wouldn’t join back with the main river. In this step we also created a rock dam at the downstream end of the future pond. Next we filled in between the cracks with mud, to more efficiently hold water. The last step was to plant native vegetation around the pond. This was intended to help hold the pond bank together against erosion, provide shade, food, and shelter for species encouraged to live there. 

     Unfortunately, this kind of restoration is rare due to the lack of funding for Japanese giant salamander protection. With the introduction of the Chinese giant salamander into Japan, there have been cases of hybridization. However, these hybrid salamanders are often larger and more vicious than either of their parental counterparts, and so this repopulation in an area lacking Chinese salamanders is ideal.

 

 

 

    While working with the restoration team, they shared a traditional story about the giant salamander I believe worth sharing: 

The legend of the Giant Salamander 

    Long ago in a small village, the people noticed their children were going missing. After searching for the reason, they concluded it was a giant salamander who had been eating their children. So they called upon a samurai hero to save their village. The samurai accepted their plea and went off to battle the giant salamander. In the end the samurai won and the salamander was slain. 

    However, after some time, the samurai’s family started dying of unexpected causes. They consulted a priest who said the slain giant salamander had turned into a demon and was seeking revenge for its death. The priest advised to create a shrine and offer gifts to the salamander's spirit. Once done, the spirit was purified and the samurai’s family was safe. Now, in some places a festival still occurs to honor the giant salamander and remember this story.  

 

Galway 11: Longship on the River Shannon - Fenn

 

On June 1st, we boarded Viking Mike’s modern longship after visiting Athlone Castle, 

and we proceeded to make our way down the River Shannon. Shortly after boarding the 

boat, we found out first-hand the workings of one of Ireland’s “canal locks”. These 

structures are meant to change the water elevation for boaters in the canal. In our situation, 

we were coming from a higher part of the canal, to match the water level of the River 

Shannon, hydraulic arms opened and closed the gates of the lock. When ready, the water 

is drained and the boat lowers. It was an interesting experience, just like riding a water 

elevator. I have never experienced a mechanism like this firsthand, although its purpose 

was explained on our first day in Ireland by Professor McCabe. Being able to witness 

the method for allowing native boaters to navigate the Shannon was a good insight on 

part of the day-to-day life of the people of Galway. 

After getting through the canal’s locking system, we proceeded to move down the Shannon 

on our way to the nearby monastic site, Clonmacnoise. The banks of the Shannon were lush with

 vegetation, livestock, and a number of bird species. Seeing the Shannon serve as a natural fence 

for horses and cattle gave the livestock fields a more open and almost “free-range” feeling. Cows 

would graze all around their pastures up to the river, horses would chase after each other in their 

open fields. While I’ve seen cows grazing before, I have never seen them doing so with as much 

freedom as they have along the Shannon. Small electric fences kept several groups of fifteen to 

twenty-five of the largest cows I have ever seen, and each one that I saw seemed happier than the 

last. Too content to do anything else besides graze by the riverside. 

The trip down the river also allowed us to see new species of birds in a new habitat. The 

river provided a perfect environment for Mute Swans (Cygnus olor), Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), 

and Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea), to name a few. One of my favorite things to do in my free time, 

ever since taking the Biology of Birds class with Professor Constantino in the Spring, is increasing 

my “life list” by adding new birds that I record on Merlin and eBird. Doing so measures how many 

different species of birds I have seen in my lifetime using these birding apps. Prior to the trip, I had 

around 96 different species, and at this point in the trip, I have 129 different species. The River 

Shannon helped me secure some rare birds to this list, which just made the river voyage all the better. 

The group was lucky enough to spot a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and with Constantino’s 

help identifying this species previously, I was able to determine a European Shag (Phalacrocorax 

aristotelis) from their “cousins” the abundant Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). When it 

comes to a species like the White-tailed Eagle, they are not native to North America, and even if they 

are native to this region, they are still uncommon among birders. Being lucky enough to see a 

magnificent bird of prey like this was very important to me because I do not believe I will see one 

again. In my experience, a confirmed rare bird species sighting is a special occurrence that I always 

look forward to. 

While the cruise was taking place, Professor Constantino tasked a select few with data 

collection on this river cruise. They were to record the species spotted in eBird to later transfer 

the collected information to the class spreadsheet, which lists the different species, their 

location, habitat, and the number of individuals in the different species. This assignment makes 

up our Ireland Bird Survey assignment. So, as I was looking for birds for my personal interest, 

I also did my best to help my group members with their data collection when asked. I would 

also let them know some tips and tricks with the birding software and identification techniques, 

as well as helping them confirm their sightings with my limited knowledge of the species that 

make up the Irish-native birds that were present. Professor Constantino would do this for me 

while taking the previously mentioned class, and continues to pull me aside whenever he sees 

something new. I try to pay these actions forward by helping out my peers.

The Viking Boat continued to its final destination of the monastery of Clonmacnoise. This 

gave the feeling of belonging to one of the Viking raids and later the Norman invasion of the 

nation of Ireland. I am an avid history fan, and one of my favorite times in history is that of 

the Viking/Norman activity in Ireland, Scotland, and England, which took place approximately 

793-1066. Seeing the stone buildings and other masonry from the riverside would add to this 

vision and give me an experience that I will not forget. After we finished the tour on the river, 

we explored the monastery before returning to Galway with the help of the Viking Tour shuttles. 

Quite an exciting and worthwhile day indeed. 

Galway 10: Day 5 – Galway Adventures & Conservation at Terryland Forest Park - Will

 

We’re five days into our study abroad trip in Galway, and it’s already been an incredible journey through some of the most beautiful parts of Ireland. Today was especially memorable, as our group joined a local team of volunteers working to enhanc
e the biodiversity of Terryland Forest Park.

The day got off to a bit of a rocky start when what was supposed to be a 25-minute walk turned into an hour-long trek across Galway. Despite the unexpected detour, it ended up being a blessing in disguise, we got to see all corners of Terryland before starting our volunteer work. We walked by a local stadium where soccer or futbol, to the locals, was being played, and got some eyes on other habitats like grasslands with hidden streams running through them. Even though we were only supposed to be in a small part of the park, we got to see its entirety and walked from one side to the other using Merlin to ID birds and iNaturalist to do the same for unique flora species.

We met the volunteers at one of the park entrances, and the leader explained to us the importance of the work that we are doing and gave us some insight into the invasive species that are impacting the park. The volunteer group we worked with focuses on removing an invasive plant species called Heliotrope. This fast-spreading plant is often used as ground cover, but it’s now beginning to overrun native species in the area. Once Heliotrope starts to grow, it can take over a large area, blocking sunlight from reaching the plants underneath and reducing their ability to reproduce.

What surprised me most was learning how Heliotrope spreads underground through its rhizomes, which are plant stems that send out roots and shoots from their nodes. This method of spreading makes it especially difficult to control, as the damage isn’t always visible above the soil. This was unique to us because most of the time, we assume that the damage is always above the ground where we can see it, but that isn't always the case. Because of this, the park relies heavily on volunteers like us to help manage it. 

The solution? A process that involves cutting the plant back, laying down decomposable fabric, and covering it with a thick layer of mulch. This material is similar to the black mulch fabric that we use on our own SMC Farm to help block weeds from growing. This method helps suppress the Heliotrope, but also helps maintain an aesthetically pleasing landscape. I had never seen this method used before, but even students in our group with no prior experience were excited to get their hands dirty and help out.

After a quick overview from the group leader, we grabbed our gloves and tools, spade shovels for digging and flat-head shovels for loading mulch, and headed down the trail to our work site. We lucked out with the weather today; after several rainy days, we finally had warm sunshine to keep us company during our work.

Equipped with wheelbarrows, rakes, and lots of energy, we split into teams. Some students filled the wheelbarrows with mulch, while others raked it evenly over the fabric. After two hours of hard work, we had completely covered the fabric and used up the entire mulch pile. It was satisfying to see how much we’d accomplished, knowing it would help protect the park from invasive species and promote healthier biodiversity.

To wrap up, we gathered in a circle to reflect on what we’d done. The work reminded us of similar conservation efforts we participate in back home in Vermont. In our natural area, we have species such as black locust trees and buckthorn, which can spread quickly and threaten our native species. Invasive species may differ from country to country, but their environmental impact is the same, and so is the importance of addressing the issue.

After our time in Terryland, our group, along with a few volunteers, headed to a local hotel for coffee and lunch. It was a great way to wind down, reflect on the day’s efforts, and chat with some locals who shared tips on places to explore around Galway. I am looking forward to the next 9 days of our trip where will still have fun activities planned such as deep sea fishing and an overnight in Dublin and Inishmore. Stay tuned for more updates on our trip around this amazing country!