About the Institute for Nature Study
Overview
The Institute for Nature Study preserves a sanctuary of natural beauty in the heart of metropolitan Tokyo. It is a verdant oasis amid the urban desert.
This mixed forest contains deciduous trees such as konara oak, Japanese zelkova and dogwood, as well as conifers such as sweet-acorn tree, bamboo-leaf oak and pine. Grasses such as Japanese silver grass and reeds blanket the landscape, which features marshes and creeks.
This lush nature preserve is rich in educational value, with flowers and other flora that change with the passing seasons and insects and other creatures that can be observed at close range.
We at the Institute for Nature Study hope that this beautiful park will bring people in touch with nature, induce peace of mind in the presence of living things that change with the seasons, and inspire them to think about the relationship between people and nature.
History
The Institute for Nature Study is located in Shirokanedai, a region of Tokyo that was created by marine erosion during a diluvial epoch some 200,000 to 500,000 years ago.
Although it is not known when the first humans settled this area, pottery and shell mounds from the mid-Jomon period (about 2,500 years ago) have been discovered here, suggesting that the region was already settled by this point.
In the Heian period (794-1185), it is thought that rice paddies were cultivated in the swampy lowlands of the Meguro and Shibuya Rivers, while gromwell, an essential ingredient in dyemaking, was grown in the broad plains above. With the start of the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the powerful clans of this area built mansions here; earthen walls found in Shirokanedai are believed to be the remains of these houses. Though the masters of these houses are unknown, the place name “Shirokanedai” first appears in records dated to 1559, and one Shinrokuro, a grandson of military commander Ota Dokan (1432-1486), is listed as the area's governor in period records. Moreover, legend has it that Shinrokuro was “rich in silver” (shirokane-choja).
In the Edo period, Shirokanedai came under the control of Zojoji, a Buddhist temple. In 1664, it became the villa of Matsudaira Sanukinokami Yorishige (1622-1695), lord of Takamatsu and elder brother of the shogun Tokugawa Mitsukuni (1628-1701). Some of the older, larger pines in the Institute for Nature Study's modern gardens are thought to have been among the very trees that grew in Matsudaira's garden.
In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the site was used as a gunpowder magazine, under the control of the Naval Ministry and Army Ministry. It was taken over by the Imperial Family Forests and Fields Bureau of the Imperial Household Ministry in 1917, whereupon it was renamed the Shirokane Imperial Estate.
The site passed to the Ministry of Education in 1949, whereupon it was designated a “national monument and historical landmark” and opened to the public as a national natural-education park. It obtained its current status as the Institute for Nature Study of the National Museum of Nature and Science in 1962.
Remains of the earthen wall of a feudal mansion
Meiji Era: The Days of the Powder Magazine (Meiji 5)
Conservation and Utilization Plan
The Institute for Nature Study preserves the natural landscape of the former Musashino region. Recognizing both the academic value of its ecosystem and the historical significance of features such as earthen mounds and the remains of the former land, the area was designated on April 12, 1949, as the “Former Shirokane imperial land” and classified as a national Natural Monument and Historic Site.
To ensure the valuable natural and historical heritage of the Institute for Nature Study is properly preserved and utilized for future generations, a "Conservation and Utilization Plan" has been formulated as a guideline for the institute’s medium- to long-term activities. At the Institute for Nature Study, we carry out our activities based on this Conservation and Utilization Plan.
Initiatives to Protect Nature
The Institute for Nature Study is a precious green space in the heart of the city, preserving traces of the former satoyama landscape Due to its academic and ecological importance, it has been designated a national Natural Monument and Historic Site.
Over many years, this area has nurtured an irreplaceable ecosystem. To pass this valuable natural environment on to future generations, the Institute carries out various conservation initiatives.
Conservation of Genji Fireflies (Luciola cruciata)
Genji fireflies can still be found at the Institute for Nature Study. However, in recent years, the population of Genji fireflies has declined, increasing their risk of extinction.
At the Institute, a range of conservation efforts are underway to help restore the endangered Genji fireflies, including improving their habitat and increasing populations of freshwater snails (Semisulcospira libertina), which serve as their food.
Genji Fireflies at the Institute for Nature Study
Flying Genji Fireflies 
You can see various habitat improvement activities here, including measures taken for the fireflies.
