Griffith’s ash (Fraxinus griffithii) is a tall evergreen tree that is distributed from the Okinawa Islands in Japan to Taiwan, the Philippines and India.
Griffith’s Ash, Kofu, Yamanashi, 09/29/2023
Griffith’s Ash
Yabusame Horseback Archery Festival
The Yabusame Horseback Archery Festival which boasts an 800 year tradition was held at the Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine in the Shimoyoshida district, the city of Fujiyoshida, in Yamanashi Prefecture on September 19, 2023. Unlike other Yabusame festivals which are meant as samurai skill training, in this Yabusame Festival, a fortune is ritually told based on the horses’ hoof prints (https://fujiyoshida.net/event/155, https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiyoshida/event/yabusame.html).
Shimoyoshida Station and Honcho Street, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, 9/19/2023
Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine and Its Mikoshi Shrine, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, 9/19/2023
Yabusame Horseback Archery, Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, 9/19/2023
Purification of the ground and Fortune Telling Ritual, Yabusame Horseback Archery Festival, Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, 9/19/2023
Enjoy Jazz Standards
One of the Jazz At Mountain Temple series featuring The Swing’n Melrose and FEELING JAZZ ORCHESTRA was held at the Nagasaka Community Center on September 17, 2023.
The Swing’n Melrose: Akiko Nakajima (piano and vocal), CHIEMI (vocal), Masashi Yamaguchi (bass) and Hideo Yamazaki (drums), https://www.facebook.com/groups/1386494028425776
The Swing’n Melrose, Nagasaka Community Center, Nagasaka, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 9/17/2023
FEELING JAZZ ORCHESTRA is a big band based in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, https://www.facebook.com/fjo.kofu/
FEELING JAZZ ORCHESTRA, Nagasaka Community Center, Nagasaka, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 9/17/2023
Kawaguchi Asama Shrine
Kawaguchi Asama Shrine was established in 865 in order to bring Mount Fuji’s volcanic eruptions under control. It has been known for its huge seven cedar trees which are said that they are about 1200 years old. (https://asamajinja.or.jp/; https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/english/discover/kawaguchi-asama-shrine.html). Also, please refer to the article on Japanese Swordsmanship, 2017/2/11 (EXPERIENCE YAMANASHI AND MORE https://etsuo.tokyo/).
Kawaguchi Asama Shrine
The cedar avenue approaching to the shrine from the front Torii (gate) is magnificent.
Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 9/14/2023
The shrine and the cedar trees including the seven huge trees, Kawaguchi Asama Shrine, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 9/14/2023
Itchiku Kubota Art Museum
Itchiku Kubota has been known for his Tsujigahana-dyeing technique for the kimono. Most of his works are displayed at the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum in the town of Fujikawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture (https://www.itchiku-museum.com/en.pdf).
The garden has a nice walking path surrounding the main and the new wing buildings.
Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 9/14/2023
Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 9/14/2023
One Autumn Afternoon
Grapevines and Koshu grapes (Vitis vinifera), Ichinomiya, Fuefuki, Yamanashi, 9/07/2023
Mount Michibata, the peak of the Michibata ridge, Yamanashi-shi, Yamanashi, 9/07/2023
Acorns of the sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) and Chestnuts (Castanea cerenata), Michibata-ridge, Yamanashi-shi, Yamanashi, 9/07/2023
Lake Yamanakako Flower Park
Yamanakako Hana-no-miyako (flower palace) Park is located 1,000 meters above sea level near Lake Yamanakako overlooking Mount Fuji in the village of Yamanakako in Yamanashi Prefecture. You can enjoy several species of flowers from April through October in the fields of a 30,000ha area. There is a huge greenhouse where warm season plants, orchids and some other tropical species are grown throughout the year.
Lake Yamanakako, Yamanakako-village, Yamanashi, 8/28/2023
Yamanakako Hana-no-Miyako Flower Park, Yamanakako-village, Yamanashi, 8/28/2023
Sunflowers And Apples
The Akeno Sunflower Festival 2023 was held in the fields of the Akeno area in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture during 7/22 to 8/20, 2023.
Common Hybrid Sunflowers (Helianthus annus) and Sunfinity Sunflowers (Helianthus interspecific), Akeno, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 8/23/2023
Ripening Apples, Akeno, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 8/23/2023
Around Noon in Aokigahara Woodland
The Aokigahara Woodland is formed on the Aokigahara lava flow that was created by the eruption of Mount Nagao and other volcanoes located next to Mount Fuji. Over the course of a thousand and two hundred years, the vegetation on the lava flow has gradually progressed and the woodland which spans an area of 3,000 hectares has eventually been formed; however, the sedimentary soil in the woodland is shallow (about 10cm), therefore trees cannot grow beyond a certain height.
Lake Sai Bat Cave is located at the end of the Aokigahara Woodland. There are Japanese hemlock, Nikko fir, Japanese cypress, Japanese oaks, various types of Japanese maples and other tall and mid height trees. The floor of the woodland is rather dark even in daytime and it is covered with lichens, mosses and ferns. The dominant species are mosses.
The formation of the Aokigahara Woodland and the vegetation surrounding the Bat Cave, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 8/18/2023
Aokigahara Woodland, Mosses and Lichens, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 8/18/2023
Vois Vert Trio _ Yatsugatake Concert
Vois Vert Trio, consisting of three members: Seizo Azuma (piano), Akihiro Miura (violin) and Ryoichi Fujimori (cello), held an afternoon concert named Yatsugatake Concert at the Yatsugatake Yamabiko Hall, in the city of Hokuto, in Yamanashi Prefecture, on August 16, 2023. They played four pieces composed by Franz Peter Schubert. The trio holds a similar concert on August 16 annually. The Yatsugatake Yamabiko Hall has been known for its good acoustics.
(https://www.azuma-seizo-fan-club.com/cont1/main.html; https://akihiro-miura.com/; https://vc-fujimori.com/)
(https://www.city.hokuto.yamanashi.jp/life/maps/list/yamabiko/)
Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) flowers, Yatsugatake Yamabiko Hall, Takane-town, Hokuto-city, Yamanashi, 8/16, 2023