Mt. Strange ('Kimyo-san')

There are three chains of mountains between Suzaka and Matsushiro area in the east from Nagano. From north, they are Mt.Myotoku, Mt.Taro, and Mt.Kimyo.

These three have so similar shapes that you might fail to identify. I have ever been to the former two mountains. So I decided to try Mt.Kimyo this time.

A week ago I could see the pretty flowers of Anzu trees but they were no more then;-(

It took an hour and a half to the summit of it. I thought this Mt.Kimyo was more fun than I imagined. On the way back, I went around to Mt.Amakazari too. This one is also a nice mountain. You don't need so much time for it, and you would enjoy it a lot, therefore I really recommend this route.

'Ikariso', fairy wings or horny goatweed in English
View from 'Takami-iwa'
'Kobushi'
View from the top of Mt.Kimyo
'Akebi' flowers, Chocolate vine
View from 'Tachimi-iwa'

'Mizubasho' in Iizuna

Most cherry blossoms are past the time of full bloom this week even here in Nagano area. However, it is really nice to see those flowers that are fluttering and flaking off the trees. I definitely like it. Most Japanese must feel taste for the simple and quiet when seeing such scene.

By the way, I went for a short drive to Iizuna area to see log houses. I found the clumps of 'mizubasho' in bloom along a road on my way. I was a little surprise to see them grow fast as I didn't see anything on the ground when I passed by there a few weeks ago.

They are still small but I believe they would grow more and become more beautiful a few days later.

Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom

There is a famous spot, Garyu Park, where we can enjoy to see cherry blossoms in my town. It's at the foot of Mt. Garyu in Suzaka. We have a pond named as Ryuga-ike there and there are hundreds of cherry blossoms tree around it.

Since it has been very fine and warm days lately, the flowers are now in full bloom this weekend. So many visitors were there today.

I prefer the beuty of falling flowers rather than the full bloom of them. So I look forward to next weekend to enjoy them.

By the way, 'ryu' in Japanase means a dragon. This mountain and the pond have an old folk tale. I can't tell you what exactly is, however, Mt. Garyu means that a large dragon was dead and lied his body there, and then it became a body of mountain long long time ago. When he was dead, he shed a tear and ran into this pond, 'Ryuga-ike'.

ANZUNO SATO, Apricot Park, in Chikuma city

Anzu, apricot, in Chikuma city are reported to be in full bloom this week. I went for a drive to see them with my friend this weekend.

It was very fine this morning and we could see thousands of apricot trees with beautiful views in the back. They are Mt. Iizuna, Takatsuma, and North Alps from the right.

Lately my friends and I are argueing over how to identify cherry blossoms, ume, peach and apricot. How could you identify them? It's so hard to tell that!

To hear that even experts couldn't easily identify ume and apricot, I felt easy to be bothered.

Anyway, it has been nice season to enjoy the flowers blooming by turns. Ume, apricot, cherry blossoms, peach, and apple... How amazing season of the year!

KATAKURI, Dog's tooth violet, in full bloom @Nagano

I visited the place with my friend where we can see a big clump of Katakuri, dog's tooth violet, in Nagano city last Sunday. It is at the foot of Mt. Asahi in Nagano, and famous spot for who know that.

They are very beautiful in full bloom early April every year, and so they are last weekend.

The flower of Katakuri blooms facing downward so it's sometimes difficult to take a nice picture of them. I could finally find the best one and took some photos with my old single lens reflex film camera. I could take some nice photos as below. How do you think?




I must add that the title back image of this blog is the photo I took last year at the same spot.

'SATOYAMA' SEASON IN!

Mt. Karita is located in Obuse town, a next-door town of my city. It's hight is only 786m. I have once climbed it a few years ago. This is the second time.

There are two variation routes to the top. I chose an easy one, from Suberi-yama, because the other one, from Gansho-in, is told to be more tough. Gansho-in is well known for its cealing picture drawn by a famous Japanese artist, Katsushika HOKUSAI.

It took just an hour from the entry to the top. There were not so many flowers yet, but only yellow small flowers of Dankobai (Lindera obutsiloba) were full blooming.

Along the walking path, I found some leaves of "dog's tooth violets". Their flowers tell us that spring has come. They tend to root in dark place and their color of beautiful violet stand out very well in such a place. We, Japanese , tend to love such flowers. Anyway, they may bloom elegant flowers a couple of weeks later.

There is an Azumaya, bower, on the top and I saw all the maountains of Hokushin Gogaku in the line. They were very beautiful. Unfortunately North Alps were hardly seen because of hazing atmosphere then.

Good luck.

'Veronica persica'

When april is coming, this flower starts to bloom in Nagano. It is called as 'OHINUNOFUGURI' in Japanese. It means...a puppy's 'it'. Why?

Anyway, when I see the flowers blooming, I feel spring has come.