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posted: June 30th, 2011 |
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This page begins with June 12th, a trip to Mt. Takao to search for Dendrobium moniliforme Orchids. The next adventure on this page is the first day (June 17th) of a trip north to, and climb of, Mt. Akita-Komagatake - obviously in Akita Prefecture. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin June 12th |
Every year, sometime near the first part of June, we try and make it to Mt. Takao for the "Sekkoku" Orchids (Dendrobium moniliforme). We went on June 12th this year and we found them to be just about at their peak of blooming. These Orchids are in the heights of the tallest and oldest Cedar Trees, so there is no danger of anybody stealing them. In this row you can find 3 photos of them.
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 Jun12_01_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
 Jun12_03_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
 Jun12_16_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
Here are 3 more photos of the Dendrobium moniliforme orchids. The 2nd and 3rd photos in this row give you a better feel for the size of the trees and the abundance of the orchids.
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 Jun12_18_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
 June12th_MtTakao010 _DendrobiumMoniliformeRC |
 Jun12_20_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
It is truly amazing, is it not?
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 Jun12_21_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
 Jun12_23_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
 June12th_MtTakao020 _DendrobiumMoniliformeRC |
Here the size of the trees is especially evident as we zoom out and go for the overview.
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 June12th_MtTakao032 _DendrobiumMoniliformeRC |
 Jun12_29_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
 June12th_MtTakao036 _DendrobiumMoniliformeRC |
Here are the final 2 shots of Dendrobium moniliforme ("Sekkoku") Orchids. The 3rd shot is a flower which we always hope to find on the same day we find the Dendrobium moniliforme - but this is a forma which we have never found before. We generally find the Pseudopyxis depressa, but we have never found the Pseudopyxis depressa f. angustiloba before this year.
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 June12th_MtTakao 038_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC |
 Jun12_37_MtTakao_ Dendrobium_moniliformeRC |
 June12th_MtTakao062_ PseudopyxisDepressaFAngustilobaRC |
Here are 2 more shots of the Pseudopyxis depressa f. angustiloba.
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 June12th_MtTakao065_ PseudopyxisDepressaFAngustilobaRC |
 Jun12_49_MtTakao_ Pseudopyxis_depressa_f_angustilobaRC |
Here are 2 shots of the regular Pseudopyxis depressa. And that ends the photos from the trip to Mt. Takao.
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 June12th_MtTakao078_ PseudopyxisDepressaRC |
 Jun12_70_MtTakao_ Pseudopyxis_depressaRC |
| End June 12th, Begin June 17th |
On Friday, June 17th we took a Shinkansen Train north to Akita Prefecture with a special discount ticket. We got up at 4:00 AM, got ready and left the apartment via bicycle at about 4:25 AM. We took a train from our local station at 5:24 AM bound for Tokyo Station. From there we took a 6:40 AM Shinkansen Train bound for Akita. We got off the train at 10:34 at Tazawako Station - a place where we have been before (search this website from the main page to discover when). We bought a bento lunch at Tazawako Station and then took a taxi to the end of the road on Mt. Akita Komagatake. Our plan was to sleep in the free hut at that point. We got there a while before noon, ate our bento lunch and then hiked up the mountain with the time we had left. We would be hiking the same trail tomorrow, but that was okay with us. The first shot here shows where we would be sleeping tonight (we ended up having to share this large space with only 2 other people). The 2nd shot shows this hut from the outside - that's me standing there. The 3rd shot is a very beautiful Viola selkirkii flower. These were in great abundance along the trail we hiked this afternoon. This was special for us as we have only seen this violet once or twice before.
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 June17th_MtAkita komagatake001RC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake002RC |
 Jun17_008_AkitaKomagatake _Viola_selkirkiiRC |
Here are 3 more shots of Viola selkirkii. We had never seen so many of this violet!
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 Jun17_013_AkitaKomagatake _Viola_selkirkiiRC |
 Jun17_031_AkitaKomagatake _Viola_selkirkiiRC |
 Jun17_051_AkitaKomagatake _Viola_selkirkiiRC |
Here is a snowfield and clouds - the weather was not great, but it was not raining. The 2nd shot is a Viola brevistipulata. We have seen this violet in several places. The 3rd shot is another snowfield which we crossed today - note the 4 people coming down.
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 Jun17_037_AkitaKomagatake _Snow_CloudsRC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake027RC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake039RC |
The first shot in this row shows the clearest shot we had all day today. The 2nd shot is the summit of a minor peak - Mt. Katakuradake (1,440 meters = 4,724 feet). The 3rd shot is another snowfield - the snow was soft, so we did not need crampons.
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 June17th_MtAkita komagatake041RC |
 Jun17_067_Akita Komagatake_KatakuradakeRC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake044RC |
Here is a collage of Viola blandaeformis. This is a violet which we had only seen once or twice before. We got the best photos we have ever gotten of this violet and therefore I made this collage, which will soon appear on our special "Violets Page" (new window). The 2nd shot is an Oxalis acetosella and the 3rd shot is a nice image of a branch tip of some kind of mountain pine.
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 Jun17_070_others_Akita Komagatake_Viola_blandaeformisRC |
 Jun17_079_Akita Komagatake_OxalisRC |
 Jun17_085_AkitaKomagatake _MountainPineConesRC |
In the first shot in this row we once again got to see down into the valley below us. The 2nd shot is a large patch of Viola selkirkii in beautiful blooming status. The 3rd shot is a Mountain Cherry Tree (Prunus nipponica) in full bloom.
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 Jun17_086_Akita Komagatake_SceneryRC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake063RC |
 Jun17_095_Akita Komagatake_CherryRC |
Here are 3 shots of a Primrose - Primula nipponica. We found a great deal of this flower. You can expect to see more of it.
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 Jun17_101_Akita Komagatake_Primula_spRC |
 Jun17_105_Akita Komagatake_Primula_spRC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake082RC |
As we got up towards the summit the whiteout got much worse. We passed a pond - Amida-ike (Amida Pond) and we could not even see it from more than 5 or 10 meters away. It was good that the trail was well marked. The 2nd and 3rd shots are Glaucidium palmatum. This was in abundance around this area. We had only seen this plant in bloom once before and at that place (Oze National Park - last year) it was rare. So, this flower was pretty special for us and you will see several photos of it.
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 June17th_MtAkita komagatake080RC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake086RC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake087RC |
Here is an additional shot of Glaucidium palmatum in first position. The 2nd shot is the summit marker of Mt. Yakemori (1,551 meters = 5,089 feet). The 3rd shot shows the first Viola crassa we had ever seen. We had seen various subspecies and varieties of Viola crassa, but had never seen the original plant. We were hoping to find it in bloom (and we finally did).
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 Jun17_112_AkitaKomagatake _Glaucidium_palmatumRC |
 Jun17_124_Akita Komagatake_MtYakemoriRC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake095RC |
Here are 3 more shots of Viola crassa. Note how the leaves, as they unfold, resemble a drinking cup.
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 Jun17_128_Akita Komagatake_Viola_crassaRC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake113RC |
 Jun17_144_Akita Komagatake_Viola_crassaRC |
Here is a magnificent shot of Viola selkirkii, followed by 2 more shots of Glaucidium palmatum.
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 Jun17_149_Akita Komagatake_Viola_selkirkiiRC |
 Jun17_153_AkitaKomagatake _Glaucidium_palmatumRC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake122RC |
Here are the 2 final shots of Glaucidium palmatum for today.
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 June17th_MtAkita komagatake129RC |
 Jun17_172_AkitaKomagatake _Glaucidium_palmatumRC |
Here is the final shot of Primula nipponica for today. We got back to the hut and cooked our supper which we brought with us. Shortly after we finished eating we got to see the sun for a few seconds - we managed to squeeze off 3 shots each of this setting sun. The first floor of the hut was designed as a dining area and the 2nd floor was the sleeping area - it was very nicely set up. We were fortunate that we only had to share it with 2 other people.
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 June17th_MtAkita komagatake152RC |
 June17th_MtAkita komagatake153RC |
| End June 17th, 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. |
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