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This is Page 1 of 3 - the best of June 2013!
posted: June 30th, 2013
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This page begins with June 1st and a long hike from Minami (South) Takao to Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama. Then we jump to June 2nd for a climb of Mt. Takao itself (599 m = 1,965 ft) and a search for Dendrobium moniliforme - the Japanese Stone Orchid (Sekkoku in Japanese). After that there are just a few photos from June 8th and trip to Kawaguchiko (Kawaguchi Lake) in Yamanashi Prefecture and a climb of Mt. Kurotake (1,793 m = 5,882 ft). Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin June 1st
  On Saturday, June 1st, Kazuya and I went out to Minami (South) Mt. Takao and hiked from the bus stop all the way through the Minami Takao area and all the way to Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama. You may (or may not) recall that we hiked this same route back on March 23rd. You can review those photos HERE (new window or tab). All 3 photos in this row show shots of Campanula punctata var. hondoensis.
June1st007MinamiTakao_CampanulaPunctataVarHondoensisRC
June1st007MinamiTakao_
CampanulaPunctataVarHondoensisRC
June01_03_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Campanula_punctata_var_hondoensisRC
June01_03_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_
Campanula_punctata_var_hondoensisRC
June01_07_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Campanula_punctata_var_hondoensisRC
June01_07_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke
_Campanula_punctata_var_hondoensisRC

  At this time of the year there are not so many flowers, so we'll show you photos of other things. The first shot in this row shows the first sign which we saw that shows our progress to Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama. It says 7.1 km and we have already been hiking for 1 hour and 7 minutes. We were thinking that we would show you every sign that we passed to show our progress, but rather than do that, there is one sign collage at the end of the presentation and between here and there are only 3 more sign photos. The 2nd photo in this row shows an example of Scutellaria brachyspica. The 3rd shot shows another progress sign. Now we have either 6.3 or 6.4 kilometers to go, depending on which fork of the trail we choose to hike. We have now been hiking for 1 hour and 25 minutes.
June01_13_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_SignRC
June01_13_Minami
Takao_Kobotoke_SignRC
June1st009MinamiTakao_ScutellariaBrachyspicaRC
June1st009MinamiTakao
_ScutellariaBrachyspicaRC
June01_15_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_SignRC
June01_15_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_SignRC

  In 1st and 3rd positions in this row is an unknown white-flowered plant. In the center is a view of Mt. Fuji.
June1st013MinamiTakaoRC
June1st013
MinamiTakaoRC
June01_17_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC
June01_17_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC
June01_19_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_WhiteFlowersRC
June01_19_MinamiTakao_
Kobotoke_WhiteFlowersRC

  Here are 3 shots taken from the overlook at Tsukui Lake. If you want to compare this area to what we saw back on March 23rd CLICK HERE (new window or tab). You'll note that there is a little more water now than there was then and you'll also notice that we could not see Mt. Fuji on that date.
June01_23_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_TsukuiLakeRC
June01_23_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_TsukuiLakeRC
June01_24_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_TsukuiLakeRC
June01_24_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_TsukuiLakeRC
June01_25_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC
June01_25_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC

  Here are 2 shots of a species of Wild Rose - Rosa luciae and one more progress sign - 4.3 kilometers to go and we've been hiking for 2 hours and 29 minutes.
June1st019MinamiTakao_RosaLuciaeRC
June1st019MinamiTakao
_RosaLuciaeRC
June1st021MinamiTakao_RosaLuciaeRC
June1st021MinamiTakao
_RosaLuciaeRC
June01_29_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_SignRC
June01_29_Minami
Takao_Kobotoke_SignRC

  Here is another view of Mt. Fuji. As you'll note, it is cloudy, but they are high clouds and we can actually see pretty good. In 2nd position is the summit marker for Mt. Ooborayama (536 m = 1,759 ft). In 3rd position - this is one reason we hiked this long trail - we hoped to find this (or any) orchid. Here is the Calanthe discolor Orchid. By the way - this is the first of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages.
June01_31_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC
June01_31_Minami
Takao_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC
June01_33_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_OoborayamaRC
June01_33_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_OoborayamaRC
June1st028MinamiTakao_CalantheDiscolorRC
June1st028MinamiTakao_
CalantheDiscolorRC

  Here are 2 more photos of the Calanthe discolor Orchid and those are followed by a shot of some mushrooms growing on an old log.
June01_38_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_38_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke
_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_41_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_41_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke
_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_42_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_MushroomRC
June01_42_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_MushroomRC

  In this row is another shot of the mushrooms and 2 more shots of Calanthe discolor Orchids.
June01_43_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_MushroomRC
June01_43_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_MushroomRC
June01_50_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_50_MinamiTakao_
Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June1st038MinamiTakao_CalantheDiscolorRC
June1st038MinamiTakao
_CalantheDiscolorRC

  Here is another shot of the Calanthe discolor Orchid, a shot of Mt. Fuji, from the summit of Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama (we hiked/climbed for 4 hours and 42 minutes from our starting point to get here). In 3rd position is another Calanthe discolor Orchid.
June01_53_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_53_MinamiTakao_
Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_60_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC
June01_60_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_MtFujiRC
June01_54_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_54_MinamiTakao_
Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC

  Here are 2 more shots of the Calanthe discolor Orchid. You may have noticed that we are being very vague about our precise location. That's because we do now want to give orchid/plant thieves any more hints than necessary as to the location.
June01_70_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June01_70_MinamiTakao_
Kobotoke_Calanthe_discolorRC
June1st065KobotokeShiroyama_CalantheDiscolorRC
June1st065KobotokeShiroyama
_CalantheDiscolorRC

  All 3 shots in this row show the Rubus hirsutus edible berry. It's a strange one. It's sweet, but not too sweet, but after you eat about 10 or 12 of these berries you don't want any more of them. It is not like blueberries or strawberries of raspberries and you just want to keep eating. There is some trace amount chemical in it which tells your body to stop eating. Kazuya researched it and found that people mostly use it for making jams and jellies, so whatever chemical is in it must be neutralized by cooking.
June1st069KobotokeShiroyama_RubusHirsutusRC
June1st069Kobotoke
Shiroyama_RubusHirsutusRC
June01_72_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Rubus_hirsutusRC
June01_72_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_Rubus_hirsutusRC
June01_73_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Rubus_hirsutusRC
June01_73_MinamiTakao
_Kobotoke_Rubus_hirsutusRC

  Another Orchid - Cremastra appendiculata. This is the second of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. We also showed you a few examples of this species last month on page 3. And, in final position for this date, the collage of the progress signs as we hiked along. Of course after we arrived at Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama we still had to hike a few kilometers down to a bus stop, we were not finished when we got to Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama, not at all! One must assume that these distances are horizontal distances and not slope distances, but one never knows for sure! Maybe they rolled a wheely-dealy along the trail - if they did that then it would be slope distances!
June01_81_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Cremastra_appendiculataRC
June01_81_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke
_Cremastra_appendiculataRC
June01_75_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke_Cremastra_appendiculataRC
June01_75_MinamiTakao_Kobotoke
_Cremastra_appendiculataRC
Signs_MinamiTakao_KobotokeRC
Signs_Minami
Takao_KobotokeRC
End June 1st, Begin June 2nd
  On June 2nd Kazuya and I went out to Mt. Takao in search of the Dendrobium moniliforme - the Japanese Stone Orchid (Sekkoku in Japanese) again. We showed you several photos of this orchid last month and if you want to review those PLEASE CLICK HERE (new window or tab). Those photos were mostly zoomed in photos, so this month we'll show you mostly overview shots. The first shot in this row shows that the Mountain Hydrangea is beginning to bloom. The 2nd and 3rd photos are Dendrobium moniliforme - the Japanese Stone Orchid (Sekkoku in Japanese) high in the Old Cedar Trees. This is the third of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages.
Jun02_002_MtTakao_HydrangeaRC
Jun02_002_MtTakao
_HydrangeaRC
June2nd_MtTakao003_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao003
_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao008_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao008
_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC

  Just look at all of the Dendrobium moniliforme - the Japanese Stone Orchid (Sekkoku in Japanese) flowers in these trees! Amazing, eh!?
June2nd_MtTakao013_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao013
_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao010_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao010
_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
Jun02_006_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_006_MtTakao_
Dendrobium_moniliformeRC

  Here are 2 overview shots and in the center is a 2 shot panorama of a large branch with an uncountable number of flowers on it.
June2nd_MtTakao027_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao027
_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
Jun02_011_012_Panorama_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_011_012_Panorama_Mt
Takao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao029_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC
June2nd_MtTakao029
_DendrobiumMoniliformeRC

  And here are 3 more overview shots.
Jun02_015_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_015_MtTakao
_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_022_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_022_MtTakao
_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_026_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_026_MtTakao
_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC

  And pretty much the final shots - note that we said "pretty much" - you will see a couple more.
Jun02_027_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_027_MtTakao_
Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_030_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_030_MtTakao_
Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_036_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_036_MtTakao_
Dendrobium_moniliformeRC

  The first shot in this row was taken at the summit of Mt. Takao (599 m = 1,965 ft). The crowd is not too large today. The 2nd shot is a Clematis flower, precisely it is Clematis japonica. The 3rd shot is one more of Dendrobium moniliforme - the Japanese Stone Orchid (Sekkoku in Japanese). This small clump of flowers is on a nearly dead branch, so it is very easily visible.
Jun02_064_MtTakao_SummitRC
Jun02_064_MtTakao
_SummitRC
June2nd_MtTakao074_ClematisJaponicaRC
June2nd_MtTakao074
_ClematisJaponicaRC
Jun02_065_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_065_MtTakao_
Dendrobium_moniliformeRC

  All 3 shots in this row are Pseudopyxis depressa. Last month we found another type of Pseudopyxis depressa and showed you some photos - that was Pseudopyxis depressa f. angustiloba.
June2nd_MtTakao095_PseudopyxisDepressaRC
June2nd_MtTakao095
_PseudopyxisDepressaRC
Jun02_084_MtTakao_Pseudopyxis_depressaRC
Jun02_084_MtTakao_
Pseudopyxis_depressaRC
June2nd_MtTakao096_PseudopyxisDepressaRC
June2nd_MtTakao096
_PseudopyxisDepressaRC

  Here are 2 more of our best shots of Pseudopyxis depressa. This is a small plant with a small flower. The flower has a very light pink edge on it, which never shows up well in photos.
June2nd_MtTakao099_PseudopyxisDepressaRC
June2nd_MtTakao099
_PseudopyxisDepressaRC
Jun02_094_MtTakao_Pseudopyxis_depressaRC
Jun02_094_MtTakao_
Pseudopyxis_depressaRC

  Here is the final shot of Pseudopyxis depressa for this year and also the final shot of Dendrobium moniliforme - the Japanese Stone Orchid (Sekkoku in Japanese) until next year.
Jun02_099_MtTakao_Pseudopyxis_depressaRC
Jun02_099_MtTakao_
Pseudopyxis_depressaRC
Jun02_101_MtTakao_Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
Jun02_101_MtTakao_
Dendrobium_moniliformeRC
End June 2nd, Begin June 8th
  On June 8th Kazuya and I got up at 3:30 AM, got ready and left at about 4:10 AM for Kawaguchiko (Kawaguchi Lake) in Yamanashi Prefecture. We arrived at Kawaguchiko Station at 7:14 AM and took the 7:18 AM bus for the Mitsutouge Iriguchi Bus Stop. We started climbing toward the summit of Mt. Kurotake (1,793 m = 5,882 ft) at about 7:40 AM and arrived at the summit at about 11:30 AM. In this first row are 2 shots of Aquilegia buergeriana f. flavescens and 1 shot of Vincetoxicum acuminatum.
June8th_MtKurotake001_AquilegiaBuergerianaFFlavescensRC
June8th_MtKurotake001_Aquilegia
BuergerianaFFlavescensRC
Jun08_03_MtKurotake_Aquilegia_buergeriana_f_flavescensRC
Jun08_03_MtKurotake_Aquilegia
_buergeriana_f_flavescensRC
June8th_MtKurotake005_VincetoxicumAcuminatumRC
June8th_MtKurotake005_
VincetoxicumAcuminatumRC

  In 1st and 3rd positions in this row are photos of the Silver Orchid - Cephalanthera erecta. This is the fourth of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. In center position is another shot of Vincetoxicum acuminatum.
Jun08_14_MtKurotake_Cephalanthera_erectaRC
Jun08_14_MtKurotake_
Cephalanthera_erectaRC
Jun08_05_MtKurotake_Vincetoxicum_acuminatumRC
Jun08_05_MtKurotake_
Vincetoxicum_acuminatumRC
June8th_MtKurotake010_CephalantheraErectaRC
June8th_MtKurotake010
_CephalantheraErectaRC

  In 1st position in this row is a nice specimen of Rhododendron kaempferi. In 2nd are 3rd positions are photos of Maianthemum dilatatum.
June8th_MtKurotake011_RhododendronKaempferiRC
June8th_MtKurotake011
_RhododendronKaempferiRC
June8th_MtKurotake016_MaianthemumDilatatumRC
June8th_MtKurotake016
_MaianthemumDilatatumRC
June8th_MtKurotake017_MaianthemumDilatatumRC
June8th_MtKurotake017
_MaianthemumDilatatumRC

  In this, the final row of this page, is another type (species) of the Silver Orchid - Cephalanthera longibracteata - you may notice that it has longer bracts than the usual Cephalanthera erecta. This is the fifth of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. In 2nd are 3rd positions are nice shots of a Geranium - Geranium eriostemon var. reinii f. onoei. And that's the end of this page. The final photo here was taken at 10:24 AM. We'll continue on Page 2 at exactly 11:00 AM.
June8th_MtKurotake018_CephalantheraLongibracteataRC
June8th_MtKurotake018_
CephalantheraLongibracteataRC
June8th_MtKurotake022_GeraniumEriostemonVarReiniiFOnoeiRC
June8th_MtKurotake022_Geranium
EriostemonVarReiniiFOnoeiRC
June8th_MtKurotake023_GeraniumEriostemonVarReiniiFOnoeiRC
June8th_MtKurotake023_Geranium
EriostemonVarReiniiFOnoeiRC
End Page 1, but June 8th Continues on Page 2
Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 2 for the continuation of this day's and this month's adventures. Go To Page:


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