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posted: April 30th, 2010 |
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This page begins with April 11th, a climb of Takamizu 3 Mountains Trail, near Mitake. Takamizu 3 Mountains Trail include climbs of Mt. Sougaku (759 m = 2,490 ft), Mt. Iwatakeishi (793 m = 2,602 ft) and Mt. Takamizu (756 m = 2,480 ft). It takes all day. The next outing was a trip to Jindai Botanical Garden on April 17th. We had planned a different outing, but we got up on the morning of the 17th and it was snowing, so we changed our plan. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin April 11th |
On April 11th Kazuya and I hiked the Takamizu 3 Mountains Trail. That involves crossing the summit of 3 peaks; Mt. Sougaku (759 m = 2,490 ft), Mt. Iwatakeishi (793 m = 2,602 ft) and Mt. Takamizu (756 m = 2,480 ft). It is a day-long hike. This was the 6th time we did it. We always find the most incredible hybrid violets along this trail. This year we were a bit early for many of them, although it was exactly the same date we climbed it last year and had great success. In this row you can see a very beautifully colored Viola grypoceras, the first Viola violacea var. makinoi we've seen this year and also the first Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana we've seen this year.
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 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_ 009_Viola_grypocerasRC |
 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns _027_Viola_violaceaRC |
 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_035_Viola _tokubuchiana_var_takedanaRC |
In this row you can see one more Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana and then 2 shots of Shortia uniflora. The Shortia uniflora only grows on the most dangerously steep rock faces. It is always a challenge to get to it to photograph. This year was no exception.
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 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_045Crop_Viola _tokubuchiana_var_takedanaRC |
 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_ 059_Shortia_unifloraRC |
 April11thTakamizu3Mts 054_Shortia_unifloraRC |
Here is a final shot of Shortia uniflora, followed by a Viola sieboldi. The 3rd shot is Viola X taradakensis var. eizalacea, one of the Violets we had REALLY hoped to find this trip - and we found it. It is a cross between Viola eizanensis and Viola violacea var. makinoi. In all of our years and miles of hiking we have only found 3 of this plant. We were able to photograph this very same plant last year too.
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 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_ 068SIP_Shortia_unifloraRC |
 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns _070_Viola_sieboldiRC |
 April11thTakamizu3Mts064 SIP_Viola_X_savatieriRC |
Here are 3 more shots of this exceedingly hard to find Violet; Viola X taradakensis var. eizalacea, the cross between Viola eizanensis and Viola violacea var. makinoi.
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 April11thTakamizu3Mts 065_Viola_X_savatieriRC |
 April11thTakamizu3Mts 066_Viola_X_savatieriRC |
 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_100 TMPS_Viola_X_savatieriRC |
Here are 2 final shots of Viola X taradakensis var. eizalacea. The 3rd shot in this row was taken from the summit of Mt. Iwatakeishi. It is actually 3 shots, Tone-Mapped with Photomatix Pro Software to create a single "High Dynamic Range" (HDR) Photo.
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 April11thTakamizu3Mts 072_Viola_X_savatieriRC |
 April11thTakamizu3Mts 071_Viola_X_savatieriRC |
 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_117_18_19 TM_IwatakeIshiSummitSceneryRC |
And here are the final 2 shots of April 11th. The first is a Trout Lily (Erythronium japonicum). It is actually 3 shots which have been "Fused" into a single photo - again using the Photomatix Pro Software. The final shot has been enhanced with Shadow Illuminator Pro to reduce the dark shadows - it was getting late in the day and I actually used the flash for this photo. It is Oxalis griffithii var. kantoensis - one of the many Sorrels.
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 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_140_41_42 Fused_Erythronium_japonicumRC |
 Apr11_Takamizu3Mtns_148SIP_ Oxalis_griffithii_var_kantoensisRC |
| End April 11th, Begin April 17th |
On April 17th we had planned to go to the mountains to find violets, but when we got up it was snowing. So, we went back to sleep and went to Jindai Botanical Garden later in the day - after the snow had stopped and melted off. The first photo is a type of Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton camtschatcense) in the Aquatic portion of the Botanical Garden. The 2nd shot is a very small piece of a Primrose (Primula sieboldii) exhibition which was happening on this date. The 3rd shot is a Tone-Mapped image - the result of Tone-Mapping 3 "Exposure Bracketed" shots taken in the Aquatic portion of the Garden.
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 Apr17_JindaiBG_17_Aqua_ Lysichiton_camtschatcenseRC |
 April17thJindaiBG006TM _PrimulaSieboldiiRC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG_Aqua _025_26_27_TM_RC |
The first shot in this row is identical to the 3rd image in the previous row, but on the right-hand side you can see the 3 original images which this photo resulted from. The top image is the correct exposure, the center photo is under-exposed and the bottom image is over-exposed. The Tone-Mapped image is one possible result of using Photomatix Pro 3.2 software and Tone-Mapping those 3 photos. The 2nd shot is a beautiful shot of the amazing greenery of early spring. The 3rd image is another Tone-Mapped image of one of the Pavilions inside of Jindai Botanical Garden.
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 Apr17_JindaiBG_Aqua _025_26_27_And_TM_RC |
 April17thJindai BG037RC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG _028_29_30_TMRC |
The first photo in this row is inside of the greenhouse at Jindai Botanical Garden. It is a Strongylodon macrobotrys. I don't know where it originates. The 3rd shot is also inside of the greenhouse - a "Battle of Egypt" Orchid. The center photo is NOT in the greenhouse. it is one of several Rhododendron sp. bushes which they have planted.
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 Apr17_JindaiBG_041_Greenhouse _Strongylodon_macrobotrysRC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG_ 066_RhododendronRC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG_048 _Greenhouse_OrchidRC |
Here are 2 more Rhododendron sp. bushes with a beautiful blue-sky background. The 3rd shot is a Viola confusa ssp. nagasakiensis, a very small plant, which you can recognize by the toothpick which I used for scale. It is Tone-Mapped from a single photo and the brightness and contrast have also been adjusted.
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 April17thJindaiBG 065_RhododendronRC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG_ 075_RhododendronRC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG_085TMBC_Viola _confusa_ssp_nagasakiensisRC |
Here is an Ajuga reptans - I like the shade of blue of this flower and it records correctly with a digital camera. The 2nd shot is a Viola verecunda. You can easily see the hairs inside of the flower. The 3rd shot is a Lamium galeobdolon - it has a beautifully variegated leaf. According to Wikipedia it is an invasive species of weed.
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 Apr17_JindaiBG_104 _Ajuga_reptansRC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG_099 _Viola_verecundaRC |
 Apr17_JindaiBG_109 _Lamium_galeobdolonRC |
| End April 17th, 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 of this month's adventures. |
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