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This is Page 3 of 4 - the best of April 2013!
posted: April 30th, 2013
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This page begins with April 14th and the continuation of our trip of that weekend. We went to Kakizaki Beach in search of a new violet for us. We were amply rewarded for our efforts and found 2 new violets for us! The next adventure after that was on April 19th - a trip to Western Tokyo to search for violets. Following that is a trip to the Kawaguchi Lake Area of Yamanashi Prefecture, and a climb of Mt. Kurotake (1,793 m = 5,882 ft) in search of Violets and other spring flowers and beautiful scenery. Click on any thumbnail to begin.

Begin April 14th
  Okay, from our hotel in Niigata City we took trains on Sunday morning, April 14th, to the Sea of Japan and got off at Kakizaki Station, which you can see in the first photo in this row. From there we walked to Kakizaki Beach in search of a violet we had never before seen - Viola grayi. For a while we thought that we would not find it, but then we started finding a few of them and after we learned how and precisely where to look for them, we found lots of them. The 2nd and 3rd photos here show the flowers of this violet. In the center photo you can see the Sea of Japan in the background.
Apr14_01_KakizakiBeach_StationRC
Apr14_01_Kakizaki
Beach_StationRC
Apr14_02_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_02_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki026_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
026_ViolaGrayiRC

  Here are 3 more examples of Viola grayi. As this was a new violet for us, you can expect to see several photos of it. The first photo shows several flowers on a single plant. The center photo shows the flower spur and the reverse side of the flower and the 3rd photo shows another plant with several flowers on it.
April14th_Kakizaki032_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
032_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki036_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
036_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki040_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
040_ViolaGrayiRC

  Here are 3 more examples of Viola grayi.
Apr14_13_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_13_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_15_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_15_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_17_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_17_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC

  The 1st photo in this row shows a beautiful flower, the 2nd photo shows a plant and the 3rd photo shows the beach where we found this species. That's me kneeling down to take a photo.
Apr14_19_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_19_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki058_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
058_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki059RC
April14th_
Kakizaki059RC

  Here is another photo of the flower - notice that this is one of the few species of plants growing here. There are beach grasses and beach lettuce and not too much else. The 2nd photo was put in here to show the amount of garbage on this beach. This entire area looked like this - abandoned Styrofoam and pet bottles, rope chunks and other junk lost or tossed over the side of fishing boats probably. The 3rd photo shows an entire plant - half buried in the blowing sand.
Apr14_29_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_29_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_34_KakizakiBeach_GarbageRC
Apr14_34_Kakizaki
Beach_GarbageRC
Apr14_35_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_35_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC

  These 3 photos were included expressly to show the amount of garbage on this beach. Are there beaches which are so very garbage filled in your country? I, personally, would be embarrassed to show this beach to people if this was my home country. The person in all 3 photos is Kazuya. If you have an inclination to do so, please e-mail me from the link at the bottom of the page and let me know the condition of beaches in your country. Again, this is Kakizaki Beach at Kakizaki, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. I worked on a fishing boat in Alaska in the 1970's and even that many years ago, we were not allowed to throw anything over the side except actual leftover food from our meals. All Coca-Cola Bottles, plastic bags, etc. (all in-organic materials) were kept on board and taken back to the marina for proper disposal.
Apr14_37_KakizakiBeach_Garbage_KazuyaRC
Apr14_37_KakizakiBeach
_Garbage_KazuyaRC
Apr14_38_KakizakiBeach_Garbage_KazuyaRC
Apr14_38_KakizakiBeach
_Garbage_KazuyaRC
Apr14_39_KakizakiBeach_Garbage_KazuyaRC
Apr14_39_KakizakiBeach
_Garbage_KazuyaRC

  Here is a beautiful Viola grayi flower in 1st position. In 2nd position is another polluted beach shot, with Kazuya walking along looking for violets. In 3rd position is a shot which shows you the flower spur.
Apr14_47_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_47_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_50_KakizakiBeach_KazuyaRC
Apr14_50_Kakizaki
Beach_KazuyaRC
April14th_Kakizaki076_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
076_ViolaGrayiRC

  Now, we have unexpectedly run across another violet which is new to us. It is Viola mandshurica var. crassa. It occupies the 1st and 2nd positions in this row. We did not find so many of this species and it seemed that we were a bit early to find this at its peak as we eventually found several plants with buds. In 3rd position is another example of Viola grayi.
Apr14_60_KakizakiBeach_Viola_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
Apr14_60_KakizakiBeach_Viola
_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
Apr14_63_KakizakiBeach_Viola_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
Apr14_63_KakizakiBeach_Viola
_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
April14th_Kakizaki098_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
098_ViolaGrayiRC

  Here are 2 shots of Viola grayi, the second one showing the surf pounding in the background. The 3rd shot is another Viola mandshurica var. crassa.
Apr14_72_KakizakiBeach_Viola_grayiRC
Apr14_72_Kakizaki
Beach_Viola_grayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki119_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki
119_ViolaGrayiRC
April14th_Kakizaki138_ViolaMandshuricaVarCrassaRC
April14th_Kakizaki138_Viola
MandshuricaVarCrassaRC

  These 3 final shots from this outing are all Viola mandshurica var. crassa. Note the buds on the plant in 3rd position. I can see at least 5 of them!
Apr14_80_KakizakiBeach_Viola_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
Apr14_80_KakizakiBeach_Viola
_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
Apr14_83_KakizakiBeach_Viola_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
Apr14_83_KakizakiBeach_Viola
_mandshurica_var_crassaRC
April14th_Kakizaki154_ViolaMandshuricaVarCrassaRC
April14th_Kakizaki154_Viola
MandshuricaVarCrassaRC
End April 14th, Begin April 19th
  On April 19th we went out to Western Tokyo and started to climb one mountain, in search of spring violets, but it was disappointing - very few violets - so we went back down and went to climb another mountain. I was not feeling very great, so I went home and Kazuya climbed that mountain, with good success. In this row you'll see 2 examples of Viola rossii taken while we were climbing the first mountain and then a rare Viola grypoceras f. albiflora which Kazuya found on the 2nd mountain.
Apr19_2_MtHonita_Viola_rossiiRC
Apr19_2_MtHonita_
Viola_rossiiRC
Apr19_7_MtHonita_Viola_rossiiRC
Apr19_7_MtHonita_
Viola_rossiiRC
April19th_MtSougaku061_ViolaGrypocerasFAlbifloraRC
April19th_MtSougaku061_
ViolaGrypocerasFAlbifloraRC

  Here are 3 more examples of the Viola grypoceras f. albiflora. The center photo is a crop of the 3rd photo, to show you that a distinctive feature of this violet is the fine hairs on the flower stem.
April19th_MtSougaku062_ViolaGrypocerasFAlbifloraRC
April19th_MtSougaku062_
ViolaGrypocerasFAlbifloraRC
April19th_MtSougaku063Crop_ViolaGrypocerasFAlbiflora
April19th_MtSougaku063Crop
_ViolaGrypocerasFAlbiflora
April19th_MtSougaku063_ViolaGrypocerasFAlbifloraRC
April19th_MtSougaku063_
ViolaGrypocerasFAlbifloraRC

  In this row are 2 shots of Viola violacea var. makinoi, and in center position is a Viola sieboldi.
April19th_MtSougaku070_ViolaViolaceaVarMakinoiRC
April19th_MtSougaku070_
ViolaViolaceaVarMakinoiRC
April19th_MtSougaku082_ViolaSieboldiRC
April19th_MtSougaku
082_ViolaSieboldiRC
April19th_MtSougaku073_ViolaViolaceaVarMakinoiRC
April19th_MtSougaku073_
ViolaViolaceaVarMakinoiRC

  In 1st and 2nd position are 2 more shots of Viola sieboldi and in 3rd position is a Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana.
April19th_MtSougaku083_ViolaSieboldiRC
April19th_MtSougaku
083_ViolaSieboldiRC
April19th_MtSougaku089_ViolaSieboldiRC
April19th_MtSougaku
089_ViolaSieboldiRC
April19th_MtSougaku108_ViolaTokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC
April19th_MtSougaku108_
ViolaTokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC

  Here is the final row from this date. In first position is a shot of a Viola violacea var. makinoi, in which you should note a lack of hairs in the center of the flower. In center position is Viola X pseudo-makinoi f. concolor, a rare hybrid of Viola violacea var. makinoi and Viola sieboldi - note the hairs in the center of the flower. In 3rd position is another shot of the Viola X pseudo-makinoi f. concolor.
April19th_MtSougaku122_ViolaViolaceaVarMakinoiRC
April19th_MtSougaku122_
ViolaViolaceaVarMakinoiRC
April19th_MtSougaku138_ViolaXPseudo-makinoiFConcolorRC
April19th_MtSougaku138_Viola
XPseudo-makinoiFConcolorRC
April19th_MtSougaku139_ViolaXPseudo-makinoiFConcolorRC
April19th_MtSougaku139_Viola
XPseudo-makinoiFConcolorRC
End April 19th, Begin April 26th
  On April 26th we again got up early - 3:30 AM - and headed off for some adventuring! We took trains to Kawaguchi Lake, Yamanashi Prefecture, and then took a bus to the "Mt. Mitsutouge Entry" bus stop and climbed up the Misaka Pass trail to Mt. Kurotake (1,793 m = 5,882 ft), ate our lunch which we took with us, and then continued on to Mt. Hafu (1,674 m = 5,492 ft). We then hiked to Ooishi (Big Rock) Trail Junction and descended via that course. We took a bus to Kofu and stayed there on this night.

In this row, in first position is a photo showing Viola keiskei & Viola grypoceras in the same shot. In 2nd position is a shot of 2 beautiful Viola rossii flowers. In 3rd position is a Viola grypoceras f. pubescens - a new 'forma' for us. Note the hairy (pubescent) flower stem, from which it gets it's Latin 'forma' name.
Apr26_002_Kawaguchi_Viola_keiskei_V_grypoceras_RC
Apr26_002_Kawaguchi_Viola
_keiskei_V_grypoceras_RC
Apr26_026_Kawaguchi_Viola_rossii_RC
Apr26_026_Kawaguchi
_Viola_rossii_RC
April26th_MtKurotake014Crop_ViolaGrypoceras_RC
April26th_MtKurotake014
Crop_ViolaGrypoceras_RC

  In first position in this row is Viola grypoceras f. rosipetala - another new 'forma' for us! Usually Viola grypoceras is bluish/purplish but, as you can see, this one has rosy petals! In 2nd position is a scenery shot along the trail - note that not very much is growing on the ground yet. In 3rd position is a Viola variegata var. nipponica - a species of violet which we have only seen one time before this - and in this same location.
Apr26_030_Kawaguchi_PinkViola_grypoceras_RC
Apr26_030_Kawaguchi
_PinkViola_grypoceras_RC
Apr26_036_Kawaguchi_TrailScenery_RC
Apr26_036_Kawaguchi
_TrailScenery_RC
Apr26_040_Kawaguchi_Viola_variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_040_Kawaguchi_Viola
_variegata_var_nipponica_RC

The Violets Page
Click the above button for a Special Page dedicated to most of the Violets which we have identified with confidence.

  In this row are 3 shots of Viola variegata var. nipponica. Because we see this species so rarely, we took many photos of it. We have attempted to limit the number we will show you though!
Apr26_045_Kawaguchi_Viola_variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_045_Kawaguchi_Viola_
variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_056_Kawaguchi_Viola_variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_056_Kawaguchi_Viola_
variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_057_Kawaguchi_Viola_variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_057_Kawaguchi_Viola_
variegata_var_nipponica_RC

  In this row are the final 3 shots of Viola variegata var. nipponica. Enjoy them, you probably won't see any more photos of this species for a couple of years, unless we are extremely fortunate.
Apr26_058_Kawaguchi_Viola_variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_058_Kawaguchi_Viola_
variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_060_Kawaguchi_Viola_variegata_var_nipponica_RC
Apr26_060_Kawaguchi_Viola_
variegata_var_nipponica_RC
April26th_MtKurotake051_ViolaVariegataVarNipponica_RC
April26th_MtKurotake051
_ViolaVariegataVarNipponica_RC

  All 3 shots in this row show examples of Erythronium japonicum - Trout Lily. These shots came out extremely nice.
Apr26_066_Kawaguchi_Erythronium_japonicum_RC
Apr26_066_Kawaguchi_
Erythronium_japonicum_RC
Apr26_070_Kawaguchi_Erythronium_japonicum_RC
Apr26_070_Kawaguchi_
Erythronium_japonicum_RC
Apr26_075_Kawaguchi_Erythronium_japonicum_RC
Apr26_075_Kawaguchi_
Erythronium_japonicum_RC

  Here are 3 shots of Viola yazawana. We saw more of this species on this date than we have seen previously - even if you count every time we have ever seen it! We were extremely fortunate. This is a very tiny flowered species, as you can see in the 3rd shot, where there is a toothpick for scale.
Apr26_091_Kawaguchi_Viola_yazawana_RC
Apr26_091_Kawaguchi_
Viola_yazawana_RC
Apr26_094_Kawaguchi_Viola_yazawana_RC
Apr26_094_Kawaguchi_
Viola_yazawana_RC
Apr26_102_Kawaguchi_Viola_yazawana_RC
Apr26_102_Kawaguchi_
Viola_yazawana_RC

  Here are the final 2 shots of Viola yazawana. You may not see any more photos of this species here for another couple of years either - again, only if we are extremely fortunate. The 3rd shot is a yellow colored Viola orientalis, the common color of this species.
Apr26_107_Kawaguchi_Viola_yazawana_RC
Apr26_107_Kawaguchi_
Viola_yazawana_RC
April26th_MtKurotake137_ViolaYazawana_RC
April26th_MtKurotake
137_ViolaYazawana_RC
Apr26_118_Kawaguchi_Viola_orientalis_RC
Apr26_118_Kawaguchi_
Viola_orientalis_RC

  In first position in this row is another yellow colored violet - Viola orientalis. In 2nd position is a shot of Kazuya on the trail. This trail goes down so steeply and quickly that after we had already gone past many switchbacks we questioned "wonder how many switchbacks this trail has altogether?" At that point we started counting and there were 17 more switchbacks! In 3rd position is a shot showing a Viola orientalis and a Viola grypoceras in the same shot.
Apr26_120_Kawaguchi_Viola_orientalis_RC
Apr26_120_Kawaguchi_
Viola_orientalis_RC
Apr26_122_Kawaguchi_KazuyaOnTrail_RC
Apr26_122_Kawaguchi
_KazuyaOnTrail_RC
Apr26_128_Kawaguchi_Viola_orientalis_V_grypoceras_RC
Apr26_128_Kawaguchi_Viola
_orientalis_V_grypoceras_RC

  The final 2 shots from this adventure. As we hiked down the final stretch of the trail, which follows a road and a bunch of fields, we saw this Japanese Pheasant (aka Green Pheasant) - Phasianus versicolor - sitting there posing for us! Thank you!
Apr26_133_Kawaguchi_Oishi_Pheasant_RC
Apr26_133_Kawaguchi
_Oishi_Pheasant_RC
Apr26_137_Kawaguchi_Oishi_Pheasant_RC
Apr26_137_Kawaguchi
_Oishi_Pheasant_RC

End April 26th, End Page 3
Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Please continue on to page 4 for the conclusion of this month's adventures and photos! Go To Page:


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