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This is Page 3 of 3 - the best of April 2009!
posted: April 30th, 2009
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The photos on this page continue with April 17th, a trip to Niigata Prefecture, and go through the end of the month and a climbing trip in Gunma Prefecture. Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin April 17th, 18th & 19th
  On April 17, 18 & 19 Kazuya and I both had 3 day weekends, so we went up towards Niigata and climbed Mt. Kakuda (481.7 m = 1,580 ft), in the town of Maki. The first picture shows the routes we climbed and descended (we climbed this same mountain on 2 different days, using different trails every time). The 2nd shot is an interesting species of Jack-in-the Pulpit (Arisaema sp.) - note the incredibly long tail on this plant. The 3rd picture is a Heloniopsis orientalis.
Apr_17_MtKakuda003_BusMapCropRC.jpg
Apr_17_MtKakuda003
_BusMapCropRC
Apr_17_MtKakuda031_Arisaema_spRC.jpg
Apr_17_MtKakuda031
_Arisaema_spRC
Apr_17_MtKakuda067_Heloniopsis_orientalisRC.jpg
Apr_17_MtKakuda067_
Heloniopsis_orientalisRC

  Here is another shot of Heloniopsis orientalis and then 2 shots of Viola vaginata, both the flower and the leaves.
Apr_17_MtKakuda083_Heloniopsis_orientalisRC.jpg
Apr_17_MtKakuda083_
Heloniopsis_orientalisRC
Apr_17_MtKakuda092_Viola_vaginataRC.jpg
Apr_17_MtKakuda092_
Viola_vaginataRC
Apr_17_MtKakuda093_Viola_vaginataRC.jpg
Apr_17_MtKakuda093_
Viola_vaginataRC

  Here is a picture of the flower spur of Viola vaginata. The 2nd shot is a good one of Kazuya. The 3rd shot shows the scenery from the "up" trail on our 2nd days climb. The land off in the distance is Sado Island.
Apr_17_MtKakuda094_Viola_vaginataRC.jpg
Apr_17_MtKakuda094_
Viola_vaginataRC
Apr18_MtKakuda016_KakudaBeachScenery_KazuyaRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda016_Kakuda
BeachScenery_KazuyaRC
Apr18_MtKakuda010_KakudaBeachSceneryRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda010_
KakudaBeachSceneryRC

  The first shot here is a scenic shot looking inland, the 2nd shot is a scenic shot looking seaward and the 3rd shot is a Lithospermum zollingeri.
Apr18_MtKakuda019_KakudaBeachSceneryRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda019_Kakuda
BeachSceneryRC
Apr18_MtKakuda037_KakudaBeachSceneryRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda037_Kakuda
BeachSceneryRC
Apr18_MtKakuda043_Lithospermum_zollingeriRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda043_
Lithospermum_zollingeriRC

  Here is a shot looking towards the summit of the mountain we are climbing (the far ridge, not the near little mound) and then 2 shots looking seaward. The 3rd shot was taken at the same place as the 2nd shot, it is just zoomed in to the lighthouse.
Apr18_MtKakuda049_MountainSceneryRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda049_
MountainSceneryRC
Apr18_MtKakuda054_MountainScenery_LighthouseRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda054_Mountain
Scenery_LighthouseRC
Apr18_MtKakuda056_MountainScenery_LighthouseRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda056_Mountain
Scenery_LighthouseRC

  Here are 2 distant scenes of snow covered mountains from the summit of Mt. Kakuda and then a shot which shows how much Trout Lily (Erythronium japonicum) there was on this mountain.
Apr18_MtKakuda134_SceneryRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda134
_SceneryRC
Apr18_MtKakuda138_SceneryRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda138
_SceneryRC
Apr18_MtKakuda146_Erythronium_japonicumRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda146_
Erythronium_japonicumRC

  The first photo here shows an amazing root of Viola vaginata on Mt. Kakuda - looks like these plants live for several years, eh! The 2nd and 3rd shots are Viola brevistipulata. On our 3rd day we were heading for home and got off at a town called Ojiya and hiked from there up a small valley and found these yellow violets. We really wanted to find some yellow violets - and we succeeded!!
Apr18_MtKakuda088_Viola_vaginata_rootRC.jpg
Apr18_MtKakuda088_
Viola_vaginata_rootRC
Apr19_Ojiya_Viola_brevistupulata13RC.jpg
Apr19_Ojiya_Viola
_brevistupulata13RC
Apr19_Ojiya_Viola_brevistupulata20RC.jpg
Apr19_Ojiya_Viola
_brevistupulata20RC

  Here are 2 final shots of Viola brevistipulata. These 2 shots give you an idea of how prolific these violets were in the area where we searched for them. We were extremely fortunate to find them so easily and in such numbers.
    And that shows you the best of the best from our 3 day outing.
Apr19_Ojiya_Viola_brevistupulata39RC.jpg
Apr19_Ojiya_Viola
_brevistupulata39RC
April19th_Ojiya64_Viola_brevistipulataRC.jpg
April19th_Ojiya64_
Viola_brevistipulataRC
End April 17th, 18th & 19th, Begin April 24th & 25th
  On April 24th Kazuya and I went to Gunma Prefecture and climbed Mt. Narukami (980 m = 3,214 ft) in search of a violet we had never seen before - Viola eizanensis var. simplicifolia. The first shot shows you a scenery photo of beautiful delicate spring green colors. The 2nd and 3rd photos are the new violet. It is a simple leaved version of Viola eizanensis.
Apr24_MtNarukami003_SceneryRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami003
_SceneryRC
Apr24_MtNarukami011_Viola_eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami011_Viola_
eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC
April24th_MtNarukami046_Viola_eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC.jpg
April24th_MtNarukami046_Viola
_eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC

  Here are 2 more scenery shots along the trail up Mt. Narukami. Notice the first shot is 100% cedar forest and the 2nd shot is hardwoods. The 3rd photo is a shot of the flower spur of the Viola eizanensis var. simplicifolia.
Apr24_MtNarukami022_SceneryRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami022
_SceneryRC
Apr24_MtNarukami027_SceneryRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami027
_SceneryRC
Apr24_MtNarukami048_Viola_eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami048_Viola_
eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC

  The first shot here shows me hiking along the trail through more hardwood forest. The 2nd shot is a different place along the trail. The 3rd shot is a great flower photo of the Viola eizanensis var. simplicifolia which we traveled here to see.
April24th_MtNarukami155_SceneryRC.jpg
April24th_MtNarukami155
_SceneryRC
Apr24_MtNarukami081_SceneryRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami081_
SceneryRC
April24th_MtNarukami176_Viola_eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC.jpg
April24th_MtNarukami176_Viola
_eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC

  The first photo in this row is the final shot of the Viola eizanensis var. simplicifolia. The 2nd shot is me at the summit of the mountain and the 3rd shot shows you what we saw from the summit of Mt. Narukami.
Apr24_MtNarukami082_Viola_eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami082_Viola_
eizanensis_var_simplicifoliaRC
April24th_MtNarukami216_Summit_SceneryRC.jpg
April24th_MtNarukami216_
Summit_SceneryRC
April24th_MtNarukami218_Summit_SceneryRC.jpg
April24th_MtNarukami218_
Summit_SceneryRC

  The first photo here is the final shot taken on Mt. Narukami - a pretty waterfall. On April 25th we rode the Watarase Keikoku Railway from Kiryu to Mato - the entire length of this Railway Line - it follows the Watarase River through the middle of nowhere! An interesting train, as you can see, the train is only 1 car - and it was not crowded! The 3rd shot is at Mato - where we waited for a bus and took it to Nikko, and eventually took a train headed for home.
Apr24_MtNarukami135_SceneryRC.jpg
Apr24_MtNarukami135
_SceneryRC
Apr25_Watarase_Keikoku_Train13RC.jpg
Apr25_Watarase_
Keikoku_Train13RC
Apr25_Watarase_Keikoku_EndOfLine16RC.jpg
Apr25_Watarase_Keikoku
_EndOfLine16RC
End April 24th & 25, End Page 3, End April 2009's Photos
  This is a link to a separate web page showing some photos of our DVD Collection, an AVI Movie of our Home Theater System and 9 photos of our Sharp Aquos TV.
    February 22, 2009 DVD Collection,
Movie of Home Theater System
& Sharp Aquos TV Pictures
(new window)

Kazuya has his - blog all updated now with his latest photos and writings and it is very beautiful. If you want to take a look at it you can find it HERE. (Click on the "Studies of Plants and Wildlife" link in the new window.)

Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 3 for the conclusion of this month's adventures. Go To Page:


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