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posted: September 30th, 2014 |
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This page begins with September 6th and a trip to Katsunuma Budoukyo in Yamanashi Prefecture on a "grape adventure". After just 3 rows of photos from that day we then take you to Mt. Takao, Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama and Kobotoke Pass for the very first signs that autumn is coming. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin September 6th |
On Saturday, September 6th, Kazuya and I got up kind of early and headed for Yamanashi Prefecture. We got off the train at Katsunuma Budoukyo and started walking down into the main part of the town in search of places to sample and purchase grapes. Katsunuma Budoukyo is famous for its grapes. We also came here in September last year to sample and purchase grapes, so if you want to see more grape photos please look at the photos from our September 2013 adventure HERE (new window or tab). The first photo in this row shows a small vineyard with the grapes covered in protective little bags. The second photo shows a different vineyard and a different type of grape, apparently less susceptible to insects or damage. The 3rd shot shows a fig tree, not a cash crop, just a tree growing in somebody's yard.
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Here are three more images of grapes. Note that the 3rd image in this row is a portion of the first photo.
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Here are the final two images which we want to show you from Katsunuma Budoukyo. Note that again, the 2nd image is a portion of the first photo. By the way, we ended up visiting 4 or 5 different commercial vineyards and sampling their grapes. They served generous portions at each of them and by the time we were done "sampling" we were full of too much sugar and experiencing an unpleasant sugar high. Oh, we bought a LOT of grapes, at least 6 large bunches, and brought them home with us. Our cost was a very reasonable ¥2,000 (about USD20.00).
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| End September 6th, Begin September 14th |
On September 14, Sunday, we went out and climbed Mt. Takao for the 106th time and Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama for the 52nd time. The three photos in this row are all of a single flower of Codonopsis lanceolata. Pretty, eh?
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 Sept14_01_Takao_Codonopsis _lanceolataRC |
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 Sept14_02_Takao_Codonopsis _lanceolataRC |
Here are three shots taken from the summit of Mt. Takao - the 1st and 3rd shots show Mt. Tanzawa on the left and Mt. Fuji, to the right of center and mostly clouded in. The center shot shows all the way to the ocean. That island with the tower on it is Enoshima (Eno Island). It was amazingly clear on this date.
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 Sept14_05_ Takao_SceneryRC |
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 Sept14_06_ Takao_SceneryRC |
As we hiked from Mt. Takao towards Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama and got close to I-Ccho-Daira we came across these Cimicifuga simplex flowers. We refer to this as the "bottle brush flower" because it reminds us of a bottle brush. The center shot is a Camellia fruit.
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 Sept14_10_ICchoDaira _Cimicifuga_simplexRC |
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In first and third position is something which we've never shown you before. It is the fruit of the Benthamidia japonica (Mountain Dogwood) tree. In center position is another "bottle brush flower" - Cimicifuga simplex.
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In first position in this row is a small portion of the previous photo. It is cropped to show the Benthamidia japonica (Mountain Dogwood) fruit. In second and third position are examples of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass. Note that the center one has more straw-color seeds, while the final one has red seeds. By the way - the titles UNDER the photos all say Suzuki grass - that was a typo and too much of a bother to go back and correct a bunch of photos, so just ignore it and remember that it is supposed to be Susuki Grass.
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 Sept14th_17Part_ICcho Daira_Benthamidia_japonicaRC |
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Here are 2 more examples of Benthamidia japonica fruits (Mountain Dogwood) in 1st and 3rd position. In the center is a red-seeded Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - taken while looking through a bush.
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In first position is a portion of the previous photo of a Benthamidia japonica fruit (Mountain Dogwood). In 2nd and 3rd position are examples of the red-seeded Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass. These photos were all taken at I-Ccho-Daira.
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 Sept14_18Part_ICchoDaira _Benthamidia_japonicaRC |
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In first position you can see Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass with the straw-colored seeds on the left and the red-colored seeds on the right. In center position is a zoomed in photo of the straw-colored seeds type and in final position is a zoomed in shot of the red-seeded type.
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Here are 3 more images of Benthamidia japonica fruits (Mountain Dogwood). The center image is a portion of the 1st image. This one is really quite ripe, too bad they are not edible.
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In first position in this row is a branch of Benthamidia japonica (Mountain Dogwood) with many fruits on it. That is followed by a shot of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - with me standing there taking a shot of something. In 3rd position is an amazing shot of a thistle flower with a butterfly on it.
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Here are 3 shots of thistle flowers with butterflies on them. At one point we saw a flower with 3 butterflies on it, but we weren't quick enough to capture it.
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Here is a final shot of a thistle flower with 2 butterflies on it. That is followed by 2 shots of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica - the Japanese lady bell.
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Here is a final shot of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica - the Japanese lady bell, another shot of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - and then a shot of Lespedeza bicolor.
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Here are 2 more shots of Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass - one with me and one with Kazuya. The 3rd shot shows Mt. Tanzawa from the overlook at I-Ccho-Daira. You may note that Mt. Fuji is now 100% hiding behind the clouds, not a trace of it shows.
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The first shot here shows me climbing the steps which lead towards Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama, the very first portion of the trail from I-Ccho-Daira to Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama. That is followed by a final shot which shows Miscanthus sinensis - Susuki Grass and mountain scenery. The final shot in this row shows the ample servings of Shaved-Ice (Sno-Cones) which they serve at the shop at the summit of Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama. The blue one is considered full-size and the purple one is considered one-half size!
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Here are 3 shots of Far-Away Tokyo and Sky Tree from the summit of Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama. The 1st and 2nd shots have not been manipulated in any way, while the 3rd shot is identical to the center shot, but it has been "Auto-Toned" with Photoshop. Note the difference.
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 Sept14th_89_Kobotoke _FarAwayTokyoRC |
 Sept14th_90_91_AutoPano_ Kobotoke_FarAwayTokyoRC |
 Sept14th_90_91_AutoPano_Kobotoke _FarAwayTokyo_AutoToneRC |
These two 2-shot panorama shots are identical, but the first one has not been manipulated in any way. The 2nd shot has had several Photoshop "tweaks" performed on it to bring out the real stuff which is hiding behind the haze.
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 Sept14_66_67_ReposPano_ KobotokeArea_FarAwayCity_AdjFrRC.jpg |
After we finished up on Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro-yama we descended via the Kobotoke Pass trail and found the Chelonopsis moschata shown in 1st and 3rd positions. In the center is Polygonum filiforme, a very tiny red flower which we have NEVER succeeded in getting what we'd like to get in a photo.
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In this final row is a portion of the Chelonopsis moschata shown in final position in the previous row. That's followed by another unsuccessful attempt to get a great shot of Polygonum filiforme.
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 Sept14_69Part_Kobotoke Pass_Chelonopsis_moschataRC |
 Sept14_70_KobotokePass _Polygonum_filiformeRC |
| End September 14th, End Page 1 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Now, please go on to Page 2 for the continuation of this month's adventures. |
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