Hello Woods is just in the autumn season.
The sugar in the leaves changes to red, making them look red.
As you walk through the forest, which is filled with colorful fallen leaves,
you will see various types of birdhouses installed on trees
and everyone is fascinated by them.

"I wonder what is in there?" Every time we find a birdhouse, we get so excited.
In spring, small birds use the birdhouses for raising their young.
In autumn, we become curious about what might be inside,
"Let's check that birdhouse over there!" and
the children keep discovering things they want to try on their own,
making their way deeper into the forest.
When we look up at one birdhouse from below, we see the adorable face of a flying squirrel peeking out.
"Usually, they sleep during the day and come out at night to eat in the forest, but maybe today, since it's been a while since it rained, they're just watching the surroundings." The cast shares this, and
"So cute! I've never seen one before!!" The excitement of encountering such rare creatures fills the air.

As you walk through the forest, you see logs lined up in various places.
Logs that have been left in the forest for a long time grow mushrooms,
and larvae that eat the mushrooms gather, along with insects that eat the wood.
Between the logs, small creatures can hide or live,
and the logs are an important habitat for these living beings.
It is also an important role of Hello Woods to manage the forest so that many creatures can be born and thrive.
Not just the logs, but fallen leaves are the same.

If you gather a lot of fallen leaves, at the end of summer,
the mother rhinoceros beetle will come to lay her eggs.
The larvae that hatch from there
will eat the fallen leaves, grow big, and produce droppings.
The soil mixed with that droppings is full of nutrients!
"In the old days, people used the soil created by the larvae of rhinoceros beetles and
earthworms eating the fallen leaves collected from the mountains, and the compost made from fermentation,
as fertilizer in rice fields and farms.
Fallen leaves, logs, and rhinoceros beetles,
all have important roles in the forest."
Everyone was interested in this story!

Today's final destination is the "Animal Research Laboratory."
Here, we are conducting research to increase the dwindling population of aquatic insects.
When it gets cold, the giant water bug hibernates under fallen leaves or in the water.
The hibernation case at the laboratory has not only fallen leaves but also a water area,
which is said to be to prevent the fallen leaves area from drying out.
Living creatures cannot survive without moisture. Just like humans!

Usually, the water bugs and diving beetles that live in rice fields and the surrounding waterways are decreasing in number due to the use of pesticides to eliminate creatures considered pests, which pollutes the water and reduces their food supply.
Not only that, but the hatched water bug larvae have a cannibalistic nature, so even in a well-prepared environment, they do not increase rapidly.
Hearing this from the doctor, everyone was surprised!
The children, told by the doctor, "How can we create a healthy state for both the rice fields and the water bugs? This is your homework to create the future," nodded vigorously and said, "Yes!"

As we walked through the forest, we looked towards the mountains and saw clouds peeking through the trees.
The rain that fell on the ground evaporated and turned into clouds!
Finally, our guide from the forest told us an important message:
Learning about protecting nature and the environment doesn't have to be difficult,
we can do it while having fun.
We all nodded in agreement and the interview came to an end.

This time, the main areas are "Hatcho Tonbo no Tanada"
"Animal Research Laboratory (Mammals) (Aquatic Organisms)"
and "Plaza of Life".
Together with the forest producer, Ryuichiro Sakino,
we spent an hour and a half exploring the forest,
learning about protecting the forest and the many creatures that live there,
and the importance of coexisting with them.

First, Sakino speaks at the entrance of the forest.
"Animals need a place to hide in order to survive," she says.
There are many trees cut down in Hello Woods standing there.
From there, many creatures are born,
and it also serves as a place to quickly hide and
rest the body and mind when enemies come.
"People are the same. It's not embarrassing to hide. Because there is a place to relax and feel at ease,
we can stay energetic every day," she says.
I see, creating a forest also leads to awareness for people.

Now, we head down through the forest towards the "Hachou Dragonfly Rice Terraces."
This rice field is not for rice cultivation, but rather aims to conserve the living creatures, including rare species, that gather there.
The T-shaped poles visible between the rice fields were erected based on ancient documents, so that the Osprey, the Black Kite, and the Owl could perch on them!
"Because the hawks came, the sparrows disappeared, and many creatures gathered due to the food chain.
That’s how a rice field that requires no pesticides was realized."
Everyone was impressed by this explanation!
People in the past skillfully coexisted with living creatures while protecting rice.

After that, the Tower of Life. Everyone was very interested in the role of the tower and the ecosystem of the creatures living there, looking at the mushrooms growing on the surface of the wood and the internal structure.
It is said that it will completely decay after four years, so they have to rebuild this tower multiple times.
While it is challenging to circulate the blessings of nature,
it feels like a very beautiful task.
In the vast forest, encountering creatures that are not often seen, learning about the roles of living things and the forest,
it became a fun press conference filled with many questions and surprises.