Photo/Illutration Nutrias are seen in a pond in Harima, Hyogo Prefecture, in October 2019. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Koya-ike pond in the city of Itami in Hyogo Prefecture was built during the Nara Period (710-784) by Gyoki (668-749), a Buddhist priest.

The pond's perimeter is dotted with monuments engraved with poems by classical poets, including Saigyo (1118-1190) and Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241), who brought fame to this pond by mentioning it in their works.

But lately, something else has put this scenic body of water on the map.

Nobody knows exactly when, but nutria rodents began inhabiting it.

According to Itami city, about 10 sightings of these critters are reported every year, and the cases are not necessarily limited to the immediate vicinity of the pond.

Farmers have complained about damage to their daikon radish and "komatsuna" (Japanese mustard spinach) crops. Also, signs of erosion have been spotted on dams and footpaths between rice paddies.

City officials were mobilized to trap the nutrias after they were designated as an "invasive alien species" causing harm to the ecosystem.

Native to South America, these rodents were actively imported to Japan for their thick, warm fur before World War II. They were bred in Japan during the war to produce military uniforms and for their nutritional value in times of severe food shortages.

But when demand dropped after the war, the animals were released to the wild.

Hearing about their fate reminded me of raccoons that also went feral around the nation.

The success of "Araiguma Rasukaru" (Rascal the raccoon), a TV anime series, turned raccoons into much-sought-after house pets. But when they became ferociously aggressive as they matured, their owners could no longer keep them.

Abandoned raccoons caused severe damage to farm produce and became targets of ruthless pest control.

After interviewing the locals in Itami, I walked around Koya-ike pond.

I didn't even have to search for a nutria: One simply materialized before my eyes.

This particular specimen was too large to call a rat. It was not in a pack, and the way it swam freely left no doubt about its feral nature.

As soon as it sensed me coming closer, its eyes became alert. It immediately ended its leisurely swim and disappeared into the brush at lightning speed.

Gazing at the literary monuments around the pond, I imagined what sentiment this nutria would express in verse if it were a poet.

How about something like this?

"Kaeritashi / Kokyo wa toku / Yume no hate / Waga mi setsunaki / Koya-ike no mizu." (The home I dream of returning to / is too far away / even in my dream / woe is me / in the waters of Koya-ike pond.)

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 4

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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