 |
posted: June 30th, 2014 |
Go To Page:
|
|
This page begins and ends with June 15th and a trip to and climb of Mt. Mitsutouge (1,786.1 m = 5,860 ft) in search of the elusive Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum - the Japanese Pink Lady Slipper - Orchid. We found it too! Click on any thumbnail to begin.
|
| Begin June 15th |
These first 2 shots of the day show Mt. Fuji and were taken from Kawaguchi Lake Station. There were a lot of electrical wires in both of these photos, but both photos have been cleaned up significantly with Photoshop to at least reduce their prevalence.
|
 June15_02_MtFuji FromKawaguchiLkStaRC |
 June15_03_MtFuji FromKawaguchiLkStaRC |
These 2 photos both show a single specimen of Dichocarpum stoloniferum. This was the only one of these we saw all day.
|
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 001_DichocarpumStoloniferumRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 002_DichocarpumStoloniferumRC |
These 3 images all show Neottia asiatica - an orchid. This species has no chlorophyll. The 3rd image is a small piece which was extracted from the 2nd photo. The portion which was extracted is outlined in the center photo.
|
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 003_NeottiaAsiaticaRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 004_NeottiaAsiaticaRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge004_ Part_NeottiaAsiatica |
These 2 photos both show a violet which is a relative rarity for us to find - Viola acuminata. It is a species which was added to the Some Violets of Eastern Japan - 2nd Edition when it was updated earlier this year.
|
 June15_06_MtMitsutouge Climb_Viola_acuminataRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 007_ViolaAcuminataRC |
Here are the final 2 shots which show Viola acuminata.
|
 June15_07_MtMitsutouge Climb_Viola_acuminataRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 054_ViolaAcuminataRC |
Last year when we visited this area on June 9th we found a single plant of Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum in this secret area. It is a very rare Japanese Pink Lady Slipper Orchid. We were not sure that we could find this spot again, but after scouring the mountainside area where we were sure that we had found it last year, we finally found the very same plant. Last year we were too early and it had only a very large bud, but this year it was fully open. This year we found 3 plants in this area. In the 3rd photo you can see a second flower behind and to the left of the one in the photo center.
|
 June15th_MtMitsutouge009_Cypripedium MacranthumVarSpeciosumRC |
 June15_08_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge015_Cypripedium MacranthumVarSpeciosumRC |
Due to its extreme rarity, combined with its extreme beauty, you should expect to see several shots of this Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum. Here are 3 more of them.
|
 June15_11_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15_09_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15_12_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
From near the area where we found the Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum we had a good view of some distant mountains on this date.
|
 June15_15_MtMitsutouge _FarAwayMountainsRC |
 June15_16_MtMitsutouge _FarAwayMountainsRC |
Here are 3 more shots of the Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum orchid. The center shoy has been cropped to enhance the orchid flower.
|
 June15th_MtMitsutouge026_Cypripedium MacranthumVarSpeciosumRC |
 June15_20_Crop_MtMitsutouge _Cypripedium_macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge027_Cypripedium MacranthumVarSpeciosumRC |
Here are 2 more shots of Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum. The center image is an extract taken out of the 1st photo. The extracted area has been outlined in the 1st photo. In the 3rd photo you can once again see a 2nd flower behind and to the left of the center orchid flower.
|
 June15_21_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15_21_Part_MtMitsutouge _Cypripedium_macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15_24_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
Here are the final 3 photos of Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum in this secret area. In all 3 photos you can spot a 2nd flower behind and to the left of the main flower.
|
 June15_30_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15_29_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15_31_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
Now, as we leave the secret spot we once again have a good view of the distant mountains with an abundance of snow on them. The center shot on this row shows Vincetoxicum acuminatum.
|
 June15_34_MtMitsutouge _FarAwayMountainsRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge053 _VincetoxicumAcuminatumRC |
 June15_35_MtMitsutouge _FarAwayMountainsRC |
In first position in this row is a wide angle view of the distant mountains. In the center is a view of the summit area of Mt. Mitsutouge. In 3rd position is a far away view of Mt. Yatsugatake. We have climbed Mt. Yatsugatake a few times now and it will be the subject of Volume 13 of the Climbing a Few of Japan's 100 Famous Mountains series of books.
|
 June15th_ MtMitsutouge056RC |
 June15_38_Mt Mitsutouge_SummitRC |
 June15_40_MtMitsutouge _ToYatsugatakeRC |
Here is a zoomed-in shot of Mt. Yatsugatake in first position. In 2nd position is a cropped shot of Mt. Yatsugatake.
|
 June15_41_MtMitsutouge _ToYatsugatakeRC |
 June15th_ MtMitsutouge057RC |
Here are 3 shots of our 3rd orchid of the day - Galearis cyclochila - the Seagull Orchid. Last year we found this species on June 8th, in a different location and only a few here on June 9th. We were thinking that it may have already finished at this location this year, but we were wrong. We found a great number of them.
|
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 067_GalearisCyclochilaRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 063_GalearisCyclochilaRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 069_GalearisCyclochilaRC |
Here are 3 more shots of Galearis cyclochila - the Seagull Orchid.
|
 June15_45_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
 June15_46_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
 June15_50_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
Here is one shot of another Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum. This is in a very visible location, so it has been put in "jail" to protect it from plant thieves. Look at the great number of flowers on it! The 2nd shot shows Galearis cyclochila - the Seagull Orchid again. The outlined portion of this photo has been extracted and is used for the 3rd image in this row.
|
 June15_54_MtMitsutouge_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
 June15_57_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
 June15_57_Part_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
In first position in this row is a shot of Kazuya as he shoots the Galearis cyclochila - the Seagull Orchid. The outlined area has again been extracted and is used in center position - can you find the orchids? The 3rd shot is another one of Galearis cyclochila - the Seagull Orchid
|
 June15_63_MtMitsutouge_ Galearis_cyclochila_KazuyaRC |
 June15_63_Part_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochila_Kazuya |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge079 _GalearisCyclochilaRC |
Here are 3 additional images of Galearis cyclochila - the Seagull Orchid. In the center image the outlined area has once again been extracted and is used for the 3rd image in this row.
|
 June15_64_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
 June15_67_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
 June15_67_Part_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
Here are the final 3 shots of Galearis cyclochila - the Seagull Orchid.
|
 June15_68_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
 June15_69_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
 June15_82_MtMitsutouge _Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
The 1st and 3rd shots in this row show Enkianthus campanulatus f. albiflorus. The center photo is the summit marker for Mt. Mitsutouge. I have added the 1786.1 alongside the appropriate Japanese characters. The sun was in front of the camera, so I had to use the flash to capture the carving on the rock and that is what resulted in the bright spot near the bottom of the rock.
|
 June15_88_MtMitsutouge _UnknownFlowerRC |
 June15_85_MtMitsutouge _SummitRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge133_Enkianthus CampanulatusFAlbiflorusRC |
Here is a single shot of Viola biflora, which we found just below the summit. The 2nd and 3rd shots - show Iris sanguinea. This was not found until about 1/2 way into our descent of the mountain.
|
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 135_ViolaBifloraRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 137_IrisSanguineaRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 138_IrisSanguineaRC |
Here is a distant shot of Mt. Fuji, by now it had clouded up around its summit, which is the reason we took no photos of it from the summit of Mt. Mitsutouge. The 2nd shot is the final one from this climb - a final shot of Iris sanguinea. The 3rd image in this row and on this page shows our newest book Climbing a Few of Japan's 100 Famous Mountains - Volume 10: Mt. Mizugaki, which went on sale on June 18, 2014. You can find a Details page and a sample PDF file for this book HERE (new window or tab).
|
 June15_92_MtMitsutouge _ToMtFujiRC |
 June15th_MtMitsutouge 140_IrisSanguineaRC |
 Volume10_Mizugaki _Cover_CroppedRC |
| End June 15th, End Page 2 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 3 for the continuation and conclusion of this month's adventures. |
Go To Page:
|
 (will open in new window) |
 (will open in new window) |
 (will open in new window) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Link to Amazon.com (new window).
We get 2% of whatever you spend if you go to Amazon from this link!! Please shop on Amazon from here.
| If you would like to donate to our hiking & traveling fund or show your appreciation for our efforts you can donate through PayPal. A single donation will entitle you to request a single full-sized photo IN THE DONATION MONTH - which you may then use as a desktop wallpaper or whatever. The copyright will be retained by us and the photo will be inconspicuously marked with the copyright symbol (©), year and photographer's name. (Donation probably not tax deductible.) |