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Tree swallows sign in Japan, proves nature is hungry by continuing to eat it for 12 years

Oona McGee May 17, 2019
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Photos of other hungry forest trees are now beginning to surface online.

Mother Nature is an ever-present force in Japan that makes her presence felt throughout the year with the beautiful change of seasons, and also with some more fierce displays, in the form of earthquakes, tsunami and typhoons.

Now, Mother Nature has just served up another fearful display of power, this time with a series of hungry trees. As these photos show, forest trees are able to latch onto metal signs and swallow them up into their trunks, devouring them for years.

寄居町の林道馬騎ノ内線の、木に喰われた #まといリス。12年ぶりに行ったらまだいたけど、ほぼ飲み込まれる寸前だった！ pic.twitter.com/M59mzMvXtC

— ナノレカワ (@nanorekawa) May 11, 2019

These before-and-after photos, taken by Twitter user @nanorekawa over the space of 12 years, show that nature is truly an unstoppable force, constantly moving and evolving over time while letting nothing stand in the way of its growth.

And for this particular tree, located by a forest trail in Yorii, a town in Saitama Prefecture, the preferred delicacy is a sign that comes with an image of a cute cartoon squirrel.

かつて林業が盛んだった頃に、まだ若い木に括り付けられて、木の成長と共にこうやって姿を隠していった #まといリスが全国にはたくさんいるんだろうなあ... pic.twitter.com/aCNllPGeXG

— ナノレカワ (@nanorekawa) May 11, 2019

It turns out that these particular signs are placed on trees along trails in Saitama, to alert people to the dangers of fires in the forest, which can be started by open fires or poorly discarded cigarettes.

#まといリス
ずっと前に作った謎画像 pic.twitter.com/GiYF7FTni3

— 越乃 (@60judge) May 11, 2019

However, as this angle shows, the cute squirrels can end up entirely disappearing into the tree if they’re not careful.

たぶん、あと10年もしないうちに完全に埋もれちゃうだろうな。 pic.twitter.com/7KGFfHPAQH

— ナノレカワ (@nanorekawa) May 11, 2019

Scenes like this make you wonder how many trees have totally devoured signs inside their trunks, hidden from view by the outside world after years of consumption.

あと何年かして完全に埋もれたとして、外からは全く見えないのに実は中に看板が埋もれてるって、ちょっと怖くない？ｗ pic.twitter.com/B7NxgcdICL

— ナノレカワ (@nanorekawa) May 11, 2019

As it turns out, there are plenty more of these hungry trees around, and it looks like they’ve been swallowing up signs for years, with this photo taken in Okayama Prefecture in 1994.

#もの喰う木木に喰われる「まといリス」がツイッターで話題になってたのでご紹介。こちらは河原馨さん（おかやま路上観察学会代表）の報告物件。1994年撮影。路上観察学会では「植物は強し」と総称されるジャンルです。 pic.twitter.com/bnP2QCnjaC

— 内海慶一 (@pictist) May 13, 2019

▼ And at Kanasana Shrine in Saitama Prefecture.

金鑚神社と言うところです。
神社の奥の檻の方にあります。
１０年後が楽しみです。 pic.twitter.com/iABxjUIaVE

— ガチで頼れるラテン系おにいさん！ (@suv12oooo) May 11, 2019

横から失礼
別の木ですがリスの看板はこうなる運命なんですかね(笑)#まといリス
ちなみにこの看板は埼玉県の神川町です。 pic.twitter.com/udKoVbshEp

— ガチで頼れるラテン系おにいさん！ (@suv12oooo) May 11, 2019

There are so many of these trees that there’s even a hashtag for them online: #もの喰う木 (#TreesEatingThings).

流行りに便乗😌#もの喰う木 #まといリス？ pic.twitter.com/c1oZ4j3qnm

— Mr.ビビルラッキー✌️™® (@messagefromSS) May 13, 2019

https://twitter.com/tamagoiron/status/1127931694193889280

Trees eating things is a sight that’s both awesome and disturbing, and kind of makes them look like characters from a magical forest in a Studio Ghibli film.

Given that the Totoro Forest is located in Saitama, we can’t help but wonder if there really is a bit of magic in the prefecture. It might be time to go for a walk along one of their forest trails to meet these hungry trees face-to-face, and while we’re at it, stop off at the mysterious Ghibli moss art appearing in the mountains there too!

Source: Hachima Kikou
Featured image: Twitter/@nanorekawa
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