Midoroga-ike Pond (深泥池)

Midoroga-ike Pond (also called Mizoroga-ike Pond) is a pond located in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.

Summary

The circumference and area of Midoroga-ike Pond are approximately 1.5 km and 9 hectares, respectively, with a floating island present at its center. Living things that are presumably survivors from the Ice Age and those that make the warm-temperature region their habitat coexist here, making Midoroga-ike Pond a pond of scientific value.
On June 14, 1927, the plant community in this pond was designated as a protected species referred to as the 'Midoroga-ike aquiherbosa' and, subsequently, in 1988, the scope of this designation was expanded to include all of living matter in the pond, referred to as the 'Midoroga-ike biological community.'
It is also posted as 'Requires continued conservation' in the Red Data Book of Kyoto Prefecture.

Fauna and flora

Various plants including those normally found in cold climates such as buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) and rannoch-rush (Scheuchzeria palustris), those that are grown wild in various regions such as water shields, carnivorous plants such as Utricularia japonica and roundleaf sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), and constituents of high moors such as Moliniopsis japonica (Hack.) Hayata and イヌノハナゴケ are coexisting in Midoroga-ike Pond.

Additionally, freshwater creatures including fish belonging to the Rhinogobius family and Lake Prawns (Palaemon paucidens) as well as turtles such as Kusagame (Chinemys reevesii) and Nihonishigame (Mauremys japonica) have made this pond their habitat. Further, it is said that some 50 species out of approximately 200 species of dragonflies found in Japan live around Midoroga-ike Pond. It is where water spiders were sighted for the first time in Japan in 1930, being one of their very few habitats in Honshu and the south.

Effects of foreign species

Foreign species of plants such as grassy arrowhead (Sagittaria graminea) and yellow flags (iris pseudacorus) and freshwater creatures such as bluegills, largemouth bass, alligator snapping turtles and red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta) are viewed as problematic. It is considered that, since these foreign species have high productive ability, they are negatively affecting the eco-system in that area and, in fact, some of the native species such as killifish and field gudgeon have disappeared due to the changes in predation in the environment. Additionally, water shields were removed to clear the way for lure fishermen and at one point became fairly rare. Local residents and researchers, consequently, are performing studies on native species and exterminating foreign species on a regular basis.

Transportation

Within walking distance from Kitayama Station of Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line

Within walking distance from Midoroga-ike Bus Stop of Kyoto City Bus or Kyoto Bus

Others

The road running on the west side of the pond is only wide enough for 1.5 or 2 car lanes but is well-traveled. Large buses on a regular route are also running on this road. Midoroga-ike Pond is particularly well known as a backdrop for ghost stories and unnatural phenomenon, with various stories having been told about this pond since ancient times to today.

[Original Japanese]