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posted: November 30th, 2010 |
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This page begins with November 5th, a trip to Mt. Mitake and Mt. Hinode to check on the Fall Colors and to see if the Swertia japonica (Senburi in Japanese) was blooming yet (it was). Then we'll go to Jindai Botanical Garden on the 6th to check the fall colors there. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin November 5th |
As stated above, on November 5th Kazuya and I went out to Mitake. We took the Cable-Car up Mt. Mitake and from there we hiked around and looked at the Fall Colors, which are looking pretty good for this early in the season. It seems like this may be a good year for fall colors. All 3 of these shots were taken right at the very top of the Cable-Car. The 3rd image is 3 exposure-bracketed photos which have been Tone-Mapped with Photomatix Pro software, using the Tone-Compressor Option, and then combined into a single image.
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 Nov5_005_MtMitake _FallColorRC |
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After we got done with our photography at the top of the Cable-Car we hiked up further on the mountain. These 3 photos show some pretty fine fall colors.
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 Nov5th_Mitake Hinode015RC |
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And, three more fall color shots. The 1st and 3rd shots, by Kazuya, show a star shaped sun through the nicely colored leaves. I tried to do this same thing, but I was not successful.
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 Nov5th_Mitake Hinode031RC |
 Nov5_055_MtMitake _FallColorRC |
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Here are 3 amazing shots. The 1st and 3rd images are each 3 exposure-bracketed photos which have been Tone-Mapped with Photomatix Pro software, using the Tone-Compressor Option, and then combined into a single image.
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 Nov5_070_071_072_TMTC _MtMitake_FallColorRC |
 Nov5_079_MtMitake _FallColorRC |
 Nov5_076_77_78_TMTC _MtMitake_FallColorRC |
The first shot here is another image created from 3 exposure-bracketed photos which have been Tone-Mapped with Photomatix Pro software, using the Tone-Compressor Option, and then combined into a single image. It is looking across the valley to another mountain. The 2nd shot is Kazuya against a beautiful orange-red Maple tree. The 3rd shot exhibits more of an orange color.
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 Nov5_117_118_119 _TMTC_MtMitake_FallColorRC |
 Nov5_111_MtMitake _FallColorRC |
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In this row we are hiking to Hinode Mountain. Along the trail we found a very few of these Gentiana scabra var. buergeri flowers. The 2nd shot is an Allium thunbergii flower at the summit of Hinode Mtn. The 3rd shot is what we were specifically looking for - Swertia japonica (Senburi in Japanese). This is a very late fall flower.
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 Nov5_156_MtHinode _GentianaRC |
 Nov5_162_MtHinode _PurpleFlowerRC |
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Here are 2 more shots of Swertia japonica (Senburi in Japanese) - I especially like the effect with the first shot. The 3rd shot is another shot of Allium thunbergii. Note the Hover Fly hovering around in this photo.
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 Nov5_171_MtHinode _Swertia_japonicaRC |
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 Nov5_176_MtHinode _PurpleFlowerRC |
Here are 2 beautiful Thistle photos and then another Swertia japonica (Senburi in Japanese). Seeing as this is the flower which we specifically came here to find and photograph, you should expect to see a few more photos of this flower (only 4 more though).
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 Nov5_177_MtHinode _ThistleRC |
 Nov5_182_MtHinode _ThistleRC |
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Here are 3 more shots of Swertia japonica (Senburi in Japanese). All parts of this plant are supposed to be useful for medicine for various ailments. We tasted a leaf and it was VERY bitter!
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 Nov5th_Mitake Hinode102RC |
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The first shot in this row is an unknown flower seedhead. The 2nd shot is the final shot of Swertia japonica (Senburi in Japanese). The 3rd shot was taken looking east, towards Tokyo, from Hinode Mountain.
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 Nov5_217_MtHinode _SeedheadRC |
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After we finished up here we hiked back to the top of the Cable-Car, went back to the bottom of the mountain, took a bus back to the station and then hiked down the beautiful Upper-Tama River from Mitake to Sawai. We wanted to check out the Famous Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) to see how the colors were progressing. As you can see, the colors are not yet great. This is the same photo which is ONE of the images on this month's Index Page. Last year we got some fantastic shots on November 15th. If you perform a text search (using the Google Search link below) for Ginkgo you'll see that there are photos of this tree every year in November. We'll surely come back here again later this month and after that visit I'll most likely show you some incredible photos of this Famous Ginkgo Tree. The 2nd shot is some Susuki Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) with the Upper-Tama River in the background.
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When we arrived at Sawai we stopped at the Sawanoi Sake Brewery and sampled 2 kinds of Sake. Here are the cups they serve in, you can keep these cups - they are called Snake-Eye Sake Cups. The 2nd shot is Kazuya with our Sake Samples. In this shot I should have thought and turned the cups - the company logo is a crab and it is on the side of the cups. You can see a shot of the logo on the side of the cup in a photo which Kazuya took in September of 2007 HERE in Row 6. Whenever we are in the vicinity of here we stop for some Sake tasting.
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 Nov5_263_Sawai_ SawanoiSakeBreweryRC |
 Nov5_265_Shadows_Sawai_ SawanoiSakeBrewery_KazuyaRC |
| End November 5th, Begin November 6th |
On November 6th we bicycled to Jindai Botanical Garden to check out the progress of fall colors there and also to see the Chrysanthemum displays. The 1st shot is a single beautiful Chrysanthemum Blossom. The 2nd shot is a Chrysanthemum plant which has been sculpted into this shape. I don't know what this shape is supposed to be. The 3rd shot is the Chrysanthemum Waterfall, which they have every year. This shot has been cropped, Tone-mapped with Photoshop and then been enhanced with Shadow Illuminator Pro. The right portion of this area was in the shadows and the left side was in the sun - a difficult shooting situation.
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 Nov6_002_JindaiBG _ChrysanthemumRC |
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Here is another single Chrysanthemum Plant, followed by a further distance shot of the Chrysanthemum Waterfall. The 3rd shot is another single Chrysanthemum Plant.
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 Nov6_015_JindaiBG _ChrysanthemumRC |
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We also visited the Rose Garden portion of the Botanical Garden and found some amazingly colored flowers. Many of them had some frost damage on them, but we were able to find some nice ones. The center shot was taken on the way to the Rose Garden, but I put it in center position for balance.
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Here are 3 more shots of the Rose Garden - a beautiful Yellow Rose in first position. Kazuya with his camera in his hand in 2nd position and an overview of the Rose Garden in 3rd position, with the greenhouse in the background.
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And of course a visit to Jindai Botanical Garden at this time of the year has to include some photos of the Cortaderia selloana - Pampas Grass! The light is now fading and becoming reddish, so it lends a nice color to the remainder of the photos. The 2nd image is, once again, 3 exposure-bracketed photos which have been Tone-Mapped with Photomatix Pro software, using the Tone-Compressor Option, and then combined into a single image - note the movement of the people! The 3rd shot is another of Cortaderia selloana - Pampas Grass - with the light becoming even more red.
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Here is Cortaderia selloana - Pampas Grass - with some pretty good Fall Colors in the background. The 2nd shot is a Sapindus mukorossi - In Late Afternoon Sun. The 3rd shot is a Bonsai Chrysanthemum - It was getting fairly shady now and this was taken with the flash.
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 Nov6_108_JindaiBG _Cortaderia_selloanaRC |
 Nov6_112_JindaiBG_ Sapindus_mukorossiRC |
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Here is another Bonsai Chrysanthemum and then a final shot of the Chrysanthemum Waterfall. The entire Waterfall is now in the shade so it was somewhat easier to use Shadow Illuminator Pro to lighten it up than it was with the shot in Row 13.
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 Nov6_120_JindaiBG _BonsaiChrysanthemumRC |
 Nov6_123S_JindaiBG_ ChrysanthemumWaterfallRC |
| End November 6th, End Page 1 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 2 for the continuation of this month's adventures, starting with November 12th and another trip to Jindai Botanical Garden. |
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