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posted: July 31st, 2011 |
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This page begins with July 15th, a trip to Oze National Park, takes you all the way through the 15th and then we'll start the 16th on this page - but not finish it. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin July 15th |
On Friday, July 15th, Kazuya and I got up at 4:00 AM and headed off, via trains and buses, and ended up at Oze National Park at 11:40 AM. This first shot is at the entryway to the National Park. The 2nd shot is an amazingly huge Trillium tschonoskii Seedhead and the 3rd shot is an amazingly huge Paris tetraphylla Seedhead. When walking into this place some of the plant growth is so huge that it makes one feel like one must have stepped back into some prehistoric time when everything was really huge. You should note that we came here in both June and July of 2010, so if some of these shots seem familiar it is because we've been here before. In fact - I am even going to recycle 6 different collages of flowers. If you want to review the June and July 2010 trips here then please go to the bottom of this page and click on the "All Photos List" Button and then find the June 2010 photos and/or the July 2010 photos and click on those.
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 July15th 002_OzeRC |
 July15_003_OzeNP_ Trillium_tschonoskiiRC |
 July15_010_OzeNP_ Paris_tetraphyllaRC |
As we hiked the trail in to the camp spot we passed this scenic overlook where one can look up at Mt. Shibutsu (2,228.1 m = 7,310 ft). We'll be climbing up there tomorrow - same as we did last year. The 2nd shot is a Polygonatum macranthum and the 3rd shot is Thalictrum filamentosum var. tenerum - both of these are very interesting flowers.
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 July15_011_OzeNP_ MtShibutsuRC |
 July15_019_OzeNP_ UnknownFlowerRC |
 July15th 014_OzeRC |
The first 2 shots in this row were taken as we hiked in to the camping place. The first shot is an unknown thistle Cirsium sp. and a bee. The 2nd shot is a Crowfoot - an Aquilegia sp. We arrived at the camping place at around 12:30 PM, purchased a ticket giving us the right to set up a tent and allowing 2 people to sleep in it. Then we set up our tent - we were the 2nd - note this for later reference - the 2nd tent which was set up there, so we had a good choice of spots. Then we hiked out into the marsh. The 3rd shot was taken out in the marsh and shows Iris laevigata and Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum).
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 July15_024_OzeNP _Thistle_BeeRC |
 July15_022_ OzeNP_CrowfootRC |
 July15_035_OzeNP_ MarshFlowersRC |
Now we'll be hiking in the marsh for the next few hours. The first shot shows several Marsh Flowers, but primarily Cottongrass and Lilies. The 2nd shot is a Platanthera hologlottis - a White Flowered Orchid. The 3rd shot shows more marsh and Iris laevigata mixed with Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum).
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 July15_036_OzeNP _MarshFlowersRC |
 July15_039_OzeNP _WhiteOrchidRC |
 July15_041_OzeNP_ Cottongrass_IrisRC |
Here is a zoomed in shot showing Iris laevigata mixed with Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum) in first position. The 2nd shot shows the boardwalk and Mt. Shibutsu - the mountain we'll climb tomorrow. The 3rd shot is looking in the opposite direction across the marsh at Mt. Hiuchigatake. Mt. Hiuchigatake is the highest mountain in the Tohoku Region (2,356 m = 7,730 ft). I wanted to climb it this summer, but the summer is quickly passing and it doesn't seem like we'll get a chance to do so.
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 July15_043_OzeNP_ Cottongrass_IrisRC |
 July15th 024_OzeRC |
 July15_055_OzeNP_Mt_ HiuchigatakeRC |
In the first photo in this row you can see several Orchids - Pogonia japonica and Eleorchis japonica. The 2nd photo is a single Pogonia japonica Orchid and the 3rd shot is a single Eleorchis japonica Orchid.
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 July15_072_OzeNP_ Pogonia_japonicaRC |
 July15th 032_OzeRC |
 July15th 045_OzeRC |
Here is another stunningly beautiful shot of Mt. Hiuchigatake in first position. This shot is the one which was used for this month's Favorite Photo. In 2nd position is Eleorchis japonica (the Pink Flower) & Narthecium asiaticum (the Yellow Flower). In 3rd position is the first of the recycled collages from last year. It shows several shots of Pogonia japonica Orchid.
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 July15_081_OzeNP_Mt_ HiuchigatakeRC |
 July15_091_OzeNP_Eleorchis _japonica_YellowFlowerRC |
 Pogonia JaponicaRC |
Here is the 2nd recycled photo from last year - another collage of Pogonia japonica. This photo can also be found on page 115 in our book "Outdoor Photography of Japan: Through the Seasons". The 2nd shot shows Kazuya pointing at something down in the water. The 3rd shot shows several leaves of Drosera anglica - Sundew - an insectivorous plant.
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 Pogonia Japonica1RC |
 July15_113_Oze NP_KazuyaRC |
 July15_111_OzeNP_ Drosera_spRC |
Here is a red dragonfly - a Nannophya pygmaea. This is the smallest dragonfly in Japan, measuring about 2 cm. The 2nd shot is a closer shot of a leaf of Drosera anglica - Sundew - an insectivorous plant. The 3rd is a scenic shot showing marsh and Mt. Hiuchigatake.
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 July15_122_OzeNP_ RedDragonflyRC |
 July15_118_OzeNP_ Drosera_anglicaRC |
 July15_131_ OzeNP_SceneryRC |
Here is a zoomed in shot showing marsh and Mt. Hiuchigatake. This was taken from the same spot as the previous photo. The 2nd and 3rd shots are amazing shots of the Pogonia japonica Orchid.
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 July15_133_ OzeNP_SceneryRC |
 July15_137_OzeNP_ Pogonia_japonicaRC |
 July15_148_OzeNP_ Pogonia_japonicaRC |
In first position in this row is a shot of the flower of Drosera anglica and in 3rd position is a shot of the leaf of the same plant - remember that this is an insectivorous plant - the sticky substance on the little arms is for catching small insects. The center shot is once again, Mt. Hiuchigatake.
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 July15_152_OzeNP_ Drosera_spRC |
 July15_151_OzeNP_ Mt_HiuchigatakeRC |
 July15_153_OzeNP_ Drosera_spRC |
Here is a beautiful shot of an Iris laevigata flower by Kazuya. The 2nd and 3rd shots show you that we are now approaching an area that appears to be filled with Yellow Lilies - Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta.
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 July15th 118_OzeRC |
 July15_173_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
 July15_179_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
Yes, it's true - as shown in these 3 shots - this area is filled with - Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta Lilies.
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 July15_184_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
 July15th 144_OzeRC |
 July15th 146_OzeRC |
We just couldn't stop taking photos of all the - Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta Lilies. It was unbelievable.
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 July15_191_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
 July15_200_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
 July15th 172_OzeRC |
Kazuya caught me sitting down on the job - taking an easy close up photo of a Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta. The 2nd shot is another shot of Platanthera hologlottis - the same White Flowered Orchid as shown in Row 4. The 3rd shot is, of course, familiar to you by now.
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 July15th 180_OzeRC |
 July15_219_OzeNP_ WhiteOrchidRC |
 July15_221_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
There is Kazuya in the first shot of more Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta. The 2nd shot is the same. In the 3rd shot, we are on the way back to the camping spot and the sun is now getting low enough in the sky (5:06 PM) so that it is shining through the Drosera anglica leaves very interestingly.
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 July15_232_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
 July15th 208_OzeRC |
 July15_243_OzeNP_ Drosera_spRC |
Here is a low sun angle shot of Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum), followed by an even lower sun angle of Eriophorum vaginatum and Iris laevigata. The final shot for today, a Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta, was taken at 6:53 PM. We have returned to our tent, cooked our supper and cleaned up and now we are walking around the loop trail near the camp spot.
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 July15_244_OzeNP_ Eriophorum_vaginatumRC |
 July15th 250_OzeRC |
 July15_252_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
| End July 15th, Begin July 16th |
Now it's July 16th, we've cooked and eaten breakfast, cleaned up and now we are hiking the trail that will take us to the summit of Mt. Shibutsu (2,228.1 m = 7,310 ft). The first shot here of Mt. Shibutsu was taken at 5:45 AM. The 2nd shot was taken at 5:49 AM - it shows Mt. Shibutsu and its perfect reflection in a small pond. The 3rd shot is a dew covered Eleorchis japonica orchid which we could not pass by without taking a photo.
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 July16_001_ OzeNP_MtShibutsuRC |
 July16_011_OzeNP_ MtShibutsu_ReflectionRC |
 July16_017_OzeNP_ Eleorchis_japonicaRC |
Here is another dew covered Eleorchis japonica orchid and that is followed by 2 more recycled collages from last year. The 3rd shot in this row is another which can be found in our book "Outdoor Photography of Japan: Through the Seasons" on page 116.
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 July16_018_OzeNP_ Eleorchis_japonicaRC |
 Eleorchis JaponicaRC |
 Eleorchis Japonica1RC |
In first position in this row is a Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta, some Eleorchis japonica orchids and another Hemerocallis dumortieri var. esculenta.
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 July16th 026R_OzeRC |
 July16th 028_OzeRC |
 July16_024_OzeNP_Hemerocallis _dumortieri_var_esculentaRC |
Now we are getting some elevation on Mt. Shibutsu - already above tree line - and we have found our first type of Edelweiss. This one is Leontopodium japonicum var. shiroumense. The 3rd shot is a different Iris - this one is Iris setosa.
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 July16th 041_OzeRC |
 July16_030_OzeNP_Leontopodium _japonicum_var_shiroumenseRC |
 July16th 043_OzeRC |
Here are 3 shots of Enkianthus campanulatus var. palibinii - all zoomed in to a different extent. As you can see, this is a fairly good sized bush.
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 July16th 047_OzeRC |
 July16_036_ OzeNP_FlowersRC |
 July16th 066_OzeRC |
Here is a hazy shot of Mt. Hiuchigatake and the marshland. If you study hard enough you can just barely make out the boardwalk snaking across the marsh. The 2nd and 3rd shots are 2 additional shots of the Leontopodium japonicum var. shiroumense type of Edelweiss.
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 July16th 055_OzeRC |
 July16_052_OzeNP_Leontopodium _japonicum_var_shiroumenseRC |
 July16_051_OzeNP_Leontopodium _japonicum_var_shiroumenseRC |
Here is an amazing blue sky scenery shot and then a hazy shot of the marsh - in this one you can easily see the boardwalk crossing the marsh. The 3rd shot is another type of Edelweiss - Leontopodium fauriei var. angustifolium. This one is much more photogenic than the other type.
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 July16th 060_OzeRC |
 July16_057R_Oze NP_SceneryRC |
 July16_059_OzeNP_Leontopodium _fauriei_var_angustifoliumRC |
In this, the final row on this page, you can see an Anemone narcissiflora in first position, an amazing blue sky shot in 2nd position and a Primula modesta in 3rd position. Last year we were here one week earlier and there were many more of this flower. This year, the few which we found were fading out and not very pretty any more. We were just a bit late for several flowers which we had hoped to see. As stated below, this final photo was taken at 7:57 AM, so please go on to Page 4 for the continuation of June 16th.
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 July16_063_OzeNP _WhiteFlowerRC |
 July16_067_Oze NP_SceneryRC |
 July16_068_OzeNP_ Primula_modestaRC |
| End Page 3, but July 16th continues on Page 4 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 4 for the continuation of this Oze National Park adventure and the continuation of July's photos. The final shot on this page was taken at 7:57 AM, the following page will continue at 8:03 AM. |
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