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This is Page 1 of 2 - the best of September 2014!
posted: September 30th, 2014
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This page begins with September 6th and a trip to Katsunuma Budoukyo in Yamanashi Prefecture on a "grape adventure". After just 3 rows of photos from that day we then take you to Mt. Takao, Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama and Kobotoke Pass for the very first signs that autumn is coming. Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin September 6th
  On Saturday, September 6th, Kazuya and I got up kind of early and headed for Yamanashi Prefecture. We got off the train at Katsunuma Budoukyo and started walking down into the main part of the town in search of places to sample and purchase grapes. Katsunuma Budoukyo is famous for its grapes. We also came here in September last year to sample and purchase grapes, so if you want to see more grape photos please look at the photos from our September 2013 adventure HERE (new window or tab). The first photo in this row shows a small vineyard with the grapes covered in protective little bags. The second photo shows a different vineyard and a different type of grape, apparently less susceptible to insects or damage. The 3rd shot shows a fig tree, not a cash crop, just a tree growing in somebody's yard.
Sep06_01_KatsunumaBudoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_01_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_03_KatsunumaBudoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_03_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_04_KatsunumaBudoukyo_FigsRC
Sep06_04_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_FigsRC

  Here are three more images of grapes. Note that the 3rd image in this row is a portion of the first photo.
Sep06_08_KatsunumaBudoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_08_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_07_KatsunumaBudoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_07_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_08Part_KatsunumaBudoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_08Part_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_GrapesRC

  Here are the final two images which we want to show you from Katsunuma Budoukyo. Note that again, the 2nd image is a portion of the first photo. By the way, we ended up visiting 4 or 5 different commercial vineyards and sampling their grapes. They served generous portions at each of them and by the time we were done "sampling" we were full of too much sugar and experiencing an unpleasant sugar high. Oh, we bought a LOT of grapes, at least 6 large bunches, and brought them home with us. Our cost was a very reasonable ¥2,000 (about USD20.00).
Sep06_09_KatsunumaBudoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_09_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_09Part_AT_KatsunumaBudoukyo_GrapesRC
Sep06_09Part_AT_Katsunuma
Budoukyo_GrapesRC
End September 6th, Begin September 14th
  On September 14, Sunday, we went out and climbed Mt. Takao for the 106th time and Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama for the 52nd time. The three photos in this row are all of a single flower of Codonopsis lanceolata. Pretty, eh?
Sept14_01_Takao_Codonopsis_lanceolataRC
Sept14_01_Takao_Codonopsis
_lanceolataRC
Sept14th_02_Takao_CodonopsisLanceolataRC
Sept14th_02_Takao
_CodonopsisLanceolataRC
Sept14_02_Takao_Codonopsis_lanceolataRC
Sept14_02_Takao_Codonopsis
_lanceolataRC

  Here are three shots taken from the summit of Mt. Takao - the 1st and 3rd shots show Mt. Tanzawa on the left and Mt. Fuji, to the right of center and mostly clouded in. The center shot shows all the way to the ocean. That island with the tower on it is Enoshima (Eno Island). It was amazingly clear on this date.
Sept14_05_Takao_SceneryRC
Sept14_05_
Takao_SceneryRC
Sept14th_07_Takao_SummitSceneryRC
Sept14th_07_Takao_
SummitSceneryRC
Sept14_06_Takao_SceneryRC
Sept14_06_
Takao_SceneryRC

  As we hiked from Mt. Takao towards Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama and got close to I-Ccho-Daira we came across these Cimicifuga simplex flowers. We refer to this as the "bottle brush flower" because it reminds us of a bottle brush. The center shot is a Camellia fruit.
Sept14_10_ICchoDaira_Cimicifuga_simplexRC
Sept14_10_ICchoDaira
_Cimicifuga_simplexRC
Sept14_07_ICchoDaira_CammeliaFruitRC
Sept14_07_ICcho
Daira_CammeliaFruitRC
Sept14th_11_ICchoDaira_CimicifugaSimplexRC
Sept14th_11_ICchoDaira
_CimicifugaSimplexRC

  In first and third position is something which we've never shown you before. It is the fruit of the Benthamidia japonica (Mountain Dogwood) tree. In center position is another "bottle brush flower" - Cimicifuga simplex.
Sept14th_16_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_16_ICcho
Daira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14_14_ICchoDaira_Cimicifuga_simplexRC
Sept14_14_ICchoDaira
_Cimicifuga_simplexRC
Sept14th_17_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_17_ICcho
Daira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC

  In first position in this row is a small portion of the previous photo. It is cropped to show the Benthamidia japonica (Mountain Dogwood) fruit. In second and third position are examples of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass. Note that the center one has more straw-color seeds, while the final one has red seeds. By the way - the titles UNDER the photos all say Suzuki grass - that was a typo and too much of a bother to go back and correct a bunch of photos, so just ignore it and remember that it is supposed to be Susuki Grass.
Sept14th_17Part_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_17Part_ICcho
Daira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_18_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_18_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_20_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_20_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC

  Here are 2 more examples of Benthamidia japonica fruits (Mountain Dogwood) in 1st and 3rd position. In the center is a red-seeded Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - taken while looking through a bush.
Sept14th_21_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_21_ICcho
Daira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14_17_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_17_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_18_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14_18_ICcho
Daira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC

  In first position is a portion of the previous photo of a Benthamidia japonica fruit (Mountain Dogwood). In 2nd and 3rd position are examples of the red-seeded Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass. These photos were all taken at I-Ccho-Daira.
Sept14_18Part_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14_18Part_ICchoDaira
_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_23_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_23_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_23_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_23_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC

  In first position you can see Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass with the straw-colored seeds on the left and the red-colored seeds on the right. In center position is a zoomed in photo of the straw-colored seeds type and in final position is a zoomed in shot of the red-seeded type.
Sept14th_25_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_25_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_29_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_29_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_30_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14_30_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC

  Here are 3 more images of Benthamidia japonica fruits (Mountain Dogwood). The center image is a portion of the 1st image. This one is really quite ripe, too bad they are not edible.
Sept14_33_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14_33_ICchoDaira
_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14_33Part_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14_33Part_ICchoDaira_
Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_30_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_30_ICchoDaira
_Benthamidia_japonicaRC

  In first position in this row is a branch of Benthamidia japonica (Mountain Dogwood) with many fruits on it. That is followed by a shot of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - with me standing there taking a shot of something. In 3rd position is an amazing shot of a thistle flower with a butterfly on it.
Sept14th_34_ICchoDaira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_34_ICchoDaira
_Benthamidia_japonicaRC
Sept14th_38_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrass_DanielRC
Sept14th_38_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrass_DanielRC
Sept14th_43_ICchoDaira_ThistleButterflyRC
Sept14th_43_ICcho
Daira_ThistleButterflyRC

  Here are 3 shots of thistle flowers with butterflies on them. At one point we saw a flower with 3 butterflies on it, but we weren't quick enough to capture it.
Sept14_45_ICchoDaira_ButterflyOnThistleRC
Sept14_45_ICchoDaira
_ButterflyOnThistleRC
Sept14_46_ICchoDaira_ButterflyOnThistleRC
Sept14_46_ICchoDaira
_ButterflyOnThistleRC
Sept14th_45_ICchoDaira_ThistleButterflyRC
Sept14th_45_ICcho
Daira_ThistleButterflyRC

  Here is a final shot of a thistle flower with 2 butterflies on it. That is followed by 2 shots of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica - the Japanese lady bell.
Sept14_53_ICchoDaira_ButterflyOnThistleRC
Sept14_53_ICchoDaira
_ButterflyOnThistleRC
Sept14th_51_ICchoDaira_SmallBellflowerRC
Sept14th_51_ICcho
Daira_SmallBellflowerRC
Sept14th_52_ICchoDaira_SmallBellflowerRC
Sept14th_52_ICcho
Daira_SmallBellflowerRC

  Here is a final shot of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica - the Japanese lady bell, another shot of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - and then a shot of Lespedeza bicolor.
Sept14_58_ICchoDaira_ChineseBellflowerRC
Sept14_58_ICchoDaira
_ChineseBellflowerRC
Sept14th_55_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_55_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_64_ICchoDaira_LespedezaRC
Sept14th_64_ICcho
Daira_LespedezaRC

  Here are 2 more shots of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - one with me and one with Kazuya. The 3rd shot shows Mt. Tanzawa from the overlook at I-Ccho-Daira. You may note that Mt. Fuji is now 100% hiding behind the clouds, not a trace of it shows.
Sept14th_67_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrass_DanielRC
Sept14th_67_ICchoDaira
_SuzukiGrass_DanielRC
Sept14_62_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrass_KazuyaRC
Sept14_62_ICchoDaira
_SuzukiGrass_KazuyaRC
Sept14_63_ICchoDaira_SceneryRC
Sept14_63_ICcho
Daira_SceneryRC

  The first shot here shows me climbing the steps which lead towards Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama, the very first portion of the trail from I-Ccho-Daira to Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama. That is followed by a final shot which shows Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass and mountain scenery. The final shot in this row shows the ample servings of Shaved-Ice (Sno-Cones) which they serve at the shop at the summit of Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama. The blue one is considered full-size and the purple one is considered one-half size!
Sept14th_85_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassDanielStepsRC
Sept14th_85_ICchoDaira_
SuzukiGrassDanielStepsRC
Sept14th_71_ICchoDaira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_71_ICcho
Daira_SuzukiGrassRC
Sept14th_88_Kobotoke_KakiGoriRC
Sept14th_88_Kobotoke
_KakiGoriRC

  Here are 3 shots of Far-Away Tokyo and Sky Tree from the summit of Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama. The 1st and 2nd shots have not been manipulated in any way, while the 3rd shot is identical to the center shot, but it has been "Auto-Toned" with Photoshop. Note the difference.
Sept14th_89_Kobotoke_FarAwayTokyoRC
Sept14th_89_Kobotoke
_FarAwayTokyoRC
Sept14th_90_91_AutoPano_Kobotoke_FarAwayTokyoRC
Sept14th_90_91_AutoPano_
Kobotoke_FarAwayTokyoRC
Sept14th_90_91_AutoPano_Kobotoke_FarAwayTokyo_AutoToneRC
Sept14th_90_91_AutoPano_Kobotoke
_FarAwayTokyo_AutoToneRC

  These two 2-shot panorama shots are identical, but the first one has not been manipulated in any way. The 2nd shot has had several Photoshop "tweaks" performed on it to bring out the real stuff which is hiding behind the haze.
Sept14_66_67_ReposPano_KobotokeArea_FarAwayCityFrRC
Sept14_66_67_ReposPano_
KobotokeArea_FarAwayCityFrRC
Sept14_66_67_ReposPano_KobotokeArea_FarAwayCity_AdjFrRC
Sept14_66_67_ReposPano_
KobotokeArea_FarAwayCity_AdjFrRC.jpg

  After we finished up on Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama we descended via the Kobotoke Pass trail and found the Chelonopsis moschata shown in 1st and 3rd positions. In the center is Polygonum filiforme, a very tiny red flower which we have NEVER succeeded in getting what we'd like to get in a photo.
Sept14_68_KobotokePass_Chelonopsis_moschataRC
Sept14_68_KobotokePass
_Chelonopsis_moschataRC
Sept14th_94_Kobotoke_PolygonumFiliformeRC
Sept14th_94_Kobotoke
_PolygonumFiliformeRC
Sept14_69_KobotokePass_Chelonopsis_moschataRC
Sept14_69_KobotokePass
_Chelonopsis_moschataRC

  In this final row is a portion of the Chelonopsis moschata shown in final position in the previous row. That's followed by another unsuccessful attempt to get a great shot of Polygonum filiforme.
Sept14_69Part_KobotokePass_Chelonopsis_moschataRC
Sept14_69Part_Kobotoke
Pass_Chelonopsis_moschataRC
Sept14_70_KobotokePass_Polygonum_filiformeRC
Sept14_70_KobotokePass
_Polygonum_filiformeRC
End September 14th, End Page 1
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