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This is Page 2 of 4 - the best of May 2012!
posted: May 31st, 2012
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This page begins with May 11th and a trip out to FAR WESTERN Tokyo in search of some specific violets. Then, on May 12th, we went out to Mt. Mitake, Mt. Ohtake and Mt. Hinode in search of flowers and beautiful scenery. It was an extremely clear day and a person could see all the way from Mt. Mitake to Tokyo Sky Tree. One cannot generally see that far from here in the hazy spring and summer time. The distance is about 60 kilometers or around 37 miles. Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin May 11th
  On May 11th Kazuya and I got up early and went out to Far Western Tokyo. We had to spend about 3 hours on trains and buses before we got to the point where we could start climbing - that's how far into Western Tokyo we were! We went to the Tokyo Tomin-no mori (forest) and climbed up to Mt. Mito via Saiguchi Pass. The first photo here shows one of the Forestry Center Buildings and an abundance of Mountain Azalea. The 2nd photo shows a Paeonia japonica with a flower bud - possibly planted as it was in the developed area of the Forestry Center. The 3rd shot shows a Viola sieboldi.
May11_01_ItsukaichiArea_ForestCenter_RC
May11_01_Itsukaichi
Area_ForestCenter_RC
May11_03_ItsukaichiArea_Peony_RC
May11_03_Itsukaichi
Area_Peony_RC
May11_08_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_sieboldi_RC
May11_08_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_sieboldi_RC

  Here is a Viola grypoceras growing in a nicely visible spot - an easy photo. The 2nd photo is a plant which lacks chlorophyll - we don't know what it is. The 3rd shot is a species of Gentiana. It is a very tiny variety.
May11_10_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_grypoceras_RC
May11_10_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_grypoceras_RC
May11_19_ItsukaichiArea_UnknownPlant_RC
May11_19_Itsukaichi
Area_UnknownPlant_RC
May11_24_ItsukaichiArea_Gentiana_sp_RC
May11_24_Itsukaichi
Area_Gentiana_sp_RC

  Here are 2 shots of a beautifully colored Viola eizanensis followed by a shot of me at the summit of Mt. Mito (1,525 m = 5,002 ft).
May11th022_MtMitou_RC
May11th022
_MtMitou_RC
May11th025_MtMitou_RC
May11th025
_MtMitou_RC
May11th027_MtMitou_RC
May11th027
_MtMitou_RC

  Here is Kazuya at the summit of Mt. Mito and then a scenery shot from the summit of Mt. Mito - showing a clouded in Mt. Fuji. In 3rd position is a nice Viola rossii.
May11_32_ItsukaichiArea_MtMitoSUmmit_Kazuya_RC
May11_32_ItsukaichiArea_
MtMitoSUmmit_Kazuya_RC
May11th034_MtMitou_RC
May11th034
_MtMitou_RC
May11th040_SasaRidge_RC
May11th040
_SasaRidge_RC

  As we continued our hike/climb we found a place (a secret place) where these Viola hirtipes were growing. This is the 2nd time we've found this species this year. This is a relatively large-flowered violet which we searched for over the course of several years before we finally found a spot where they grow. The center shot shows the trail we were hiking.
May11_51_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_51_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11th046_SasaRidge_RC
May11th046
_SasaRidge_RC
May11_62_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_62_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_hirtipes_RC

  Here is a shot of a Viola chaerophylloides f. sieboldiana. That is followed by 2 shots of Viola hirtipes.
May11th080_MtMakiyose_RC
May11th080
_MtMakiyose_RC
May11_71_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_71_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_75_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_75_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_hirtipes_RC

  And here are 3 additional shots of Viola hirtipes.
May11_76_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_76_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11th106_MtMakiyose_RC
May11th106
_MtMakiyose_RC
May11_85_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_85_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_hirtipes_RC

  And here is a final shot of Viola hirtipes, followed by a scenic shot further down the mountain as we approached the bus stop.
May11_82_ItsukaichiArea_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11_82_Itsukaichi
Area_Viola_hirtipes_RC
May11th115_MtMakiyose_RC
May11th115
_MtMakiyose_RC
End May 11th, Begin May 12th
  Then on May 12th we got up early again and took an early train out to Mitake. From there we took the bus to the cable-car and took that to the terminus. From there we hiked to the summit of Mt. Mitake (929 m = 3,048 ft), then Okunoin Peak (1,000 m = 3,281 ft), Nabe-Wari Mountain (1,084 m = 3,556 ft) and then Mt. Ohtake (1,266.5 m = 4,155 ft). The first shot here shows some mountain scenery from the top of the Mt. Mitake cable-car. The 2nd shot shows a contrast enhanced, zoomed-in shot of Tokyo Sky Tree and the 3rd shot is another shot in which you can see Tokyo Sky Tree. In the center shot note how much taller Sky Tree is than any of the surrounding buildings. This is a clear day for this time of the year - Sky Tree is about 60 kilometers (37 miles) distant and is not usually visible except on clear winter days.
May12_01_MtMitakeScenery_RC
May12_01_Mt
MitakeScenery_RC
May12_03_MtMitakeScenery_SkyTree_RC
May12_03_MtMitake
Scenery_SkyTree_RC
May12th007_MtMitake_RC
May12th007
_MtMitake_RC

  The first shot in this row shows Mt. Hinode, we will not summit it today, but we will take a trail which passes just below the summit. The 2nd shot is more mountain scenery and the 3rd shot shows a nice Disporum smilacinum.
May12_05_MtMitakeScenery_MtHinode_RC
May12_05_MtMitake
Scenery_MtHinode_RC
May12_06_MtMitakeScenery_RC
May12_06_Mt
MitakeScenery_RC
May12_08_MtMitake_Disporum_smilacinum_RC
May12_08_MtMitake_
Disporum_smilacinum_RC

  Here are 3 shots of Viola sieboldi f. variegata - a violet which we have not yet seen this year until today. Sorry, but I have included several - maybe too many - shots of it. The variegations are the white lines along the veins of the leaves.
May12th012_MtMitake_RC
May12th012
_MtMitake_RC
May12th013_MtMitake_RC
May12th013
_MtMitake_RC
May12th017_MtMitake_RC
May12th017
_MtMitake_RC

  These 3 overview shots show both Viola sieboldi f. variegata and the normal Viola sieboldi.
May12th021_MtMitake_RC
May12th021
_MtMitake_RC
May12th023_MtMitake_RC
May12th023
_MtMitake_RC
May12_18_MtMitake_Viola_sieboldi_RC
May12_18_MtMitake
_Viola_sieboldi_RC

  In first position in this row is the normal Viola sieboldi. In 2nd and 3rd position is the 5-leaflets per leaf Rhododendron - Rhododendron quinquefolium. This is not a good year for this species. Usually we find many more flowers on this species. There were not many flowers at all, no finished flowers and very few buds still to bloom. Possibly this species has a good flowering year every 2nd year? Check out last year's photos HERE and examine Rows 2, 3 and 4 if you want to see more shots of this bush. This is the only place where we know of to find this species.
May12_22_MtMitake_Viola_sieboldi_RC
May12_22_MtMitake
_Viola_sieboldi_RC
May12th029_MtMitake_RC
May12th029
_MtMitake_RC
May12_24_OkunoinPeak_Rhododendron_quinquefolium_RC
May12_24_OkunoinPeak_
Rhododendron_quinquefolium_RC

  Here are 3 more shots of Viola sieboldi f. variegata.
May12th030_MtMitake_RC
May12th030
_MtMitake_RC
May12_25_OkunoinPeak_Viola_sieboldi_f_variegata_RC
May12_25_OkunoinPeak_
Viola_sieboldi_f_variegata_RC
May12th034_MtMitake_RC
May12th034
_MtMitake_RC

  And here are two final shots of Viola sieboldi f. variegata - the 2nd one being a nice overview shot. The 3rd shot is a nice scenery shot which also shows some leaves (left side) of Rhododendron quinquefolium.
May12th035_MtMitake_RC
May12th035
_MtMitake_RC
May12_33_OkunoinPeak_Viola_sieboldi_f_variegata_RC
May12_33_OkunoinPeak_
Viola_sieboldi_f_variegata_RC
May12th044_MtMitake_RC
May12th044
_MtMitake_RC

  In first position is a final shot of Tokyo Sky Tree. In 2nd position is a final shot of the Rhododendron quinquefolium and in 3rd position is a final shot of Viola shikokiana.
May12_42_OkunoinPeakArea_Scenery_RC
May12_42_Okunoin
PeakArea_Scenery_RC
May12th046_MtMitake_RC
May12th046
_MtMitake_RC
May12th050_MtOhdake_RC
May12th050
_MtOhdake_RC

  In first and 3rd position are shots of Schizocodon ilichifolious f. purpureiflorus. It was a bit too early for this flower. We only found one small area where it was blooming, and that area was so dangerous to get to that we had to be satisfied with these few telephoto shots. The center photo is the summit sign for Mt. Ohtake.
May12th061_MtOhdake_RC
May12th061
_MtOhdake_RC
May12_46_MtOhtakeSummitSign_RC
May12_46_MtOhtake
SummitSign_RC
May12_47_MtOhtake_Schizocodon_ilichifolious_f_purpureiflorus_RC
May12_47_MtOhtake_Schizocodon_
ilichifolious_f_purpureiflorus_RC

  In first position is a photo of a Veronica - Veronica miqueliana and in the center is Kerria japonica. The 3rd shot shows some Mountain Azalea (Rhododendron kaempferi) flowers which we found on our descent of Mt. Hinode.
May12th070_MtMitake_RC
May12th070
_MtMitake_RC
May12th067_MtMitake_RC
May12th067
_MtMitake_RC
May12_51_MtHinode_Mtn_Azalea_RC
May12_51_MtHinode
_Mtn_Azalea_RC

  Here are 3 additional shots of Rhododendron kaempferi. It was so beautiful in the forest - these photos do not do it justice at all.
May12_52_MtHinode_Mtn_Azalea_RC
May12_52_MtHinode
_Mtn_Azalea_RC
May12th076_MtHinode_RC
May12th076
_MtHinode_RC
May12_55_MtHinode_Mtn_Azalea_RC
May12_55_MtHinode
_Mtn_Azalea_RC

  Here is a shot of a Disporum smilacinum with 3 flowers on one plant. Not common! The final 2 shots on this page show Polygala japonica - such an amazingly tiny flower that we really should have used something for scale (but we didn't).
May12th_80_MtHinode_Disporum_smilacinum_RC.jpg
May12th_80_MtHinode_
Disporum_smilacinum_RC
May12th083_MtHinode_RC
May12th083
_MtHinode_RC
May12_60_MtHinode_Polygala_japonica_RC
May12_60_MtHinode_
Polygala_japonica_RC
End May 12th, End Page 2
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