Pix4Japan

2026-06-09

Nyukasa Marsh Ferns

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Ferns in the Tranquil Green of Mount Nyukasa, Japan

入笠湿原に広がる初夏のシダ｜長野県富士見町

Ferns have always appealed to me as they tend to flourish in damp places where the surrounding landscape is already rich with greenery, giving them an almost natural ability to make a scene feel cool, quiet, and alive, which is why these fresh fern fronds at Nyukasa Marsh immediately caught my attention.

I spent close to an hour experimenting with this composition. I wanted the delicate fronds to remain sharp while the wetland, boardwalk, and trees dissolved into a soft green background. Much of the fun came from adjusting my position and focus to see how the shapes and shades of green changed within the bokeh. I also had to pause whenever other visitors walked through the scene and wait for the boardwalk to become empty again.

The photograph proved more difficult to edit than I expected. Nearly everything in the frame is some shade of green, leaving very little color contrast to separate the ferns from their surroundings. It was a struggle to find a balance between helping the foreground stand out and preserving the gentle layers of green that had attracted me to the scene in the first place.

Throughout all this experimenting and waiting, Dale-chan, my border collie, remained remarkably patient. She quietly stayed beside me while I tried one composition after another. Looking at the finished photograph now, I remember not only the ferns and the soft green light, but also my faithful partner waiting without complaint for me to finally decide that I had taken enough pictures.

Location: Suwa Village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 2026/06/09・13:14
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
80 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6

Full write-up (1-minute read), Google Maps Links, and sources for a deeper dive:

https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260609-fujimi

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Dwarf Bamboo

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Kumazasa beneath Japanese Larches on Mount Nyukasa, Japan
入笠山のカラマツ林に広がるクマザサ｜長野県富士見町

The trail to nearby Nyukasa Marsh passes through a quiet forest of slender Japanese larches, with the entire forest floor carpeted in dwarf bamboo. This ground cover is commonly called kumazasa (隈笹・クマザサ) in Japanese.

When I first heard the name kumazasa, I assumed it was written 熊笹; literally “bear bamboo.” The interpretation seemed plausible: this dwarf bamboo carpets mountain forests where bears live, and I imagined that its leaves might even form part of their diet.

My father-in-law, however, corrected me. The traditional spelling is 隈笹, and the name has nothing to do with bears. Instead, it refers to the pale border, or kumadori, that forms around the leaves when their edges wither and turn white during winter.

Botanically, true kumazasa is generally identified as Sasa veitchii. In everyday Japanese, however, the name is sometimes used more loosely for several similar-looking species of dwarf bamboo. For that reason, identifying the exact species was a little difficult for a laymen like myself.

Interestingly, my first encounter with kumazasa leaves was not on a mountainside but at a traditional Japanese restaurant. The leaves are often placed beneath sashimi as an attractive serving liner and are also used to wrap regional sushi, rice dumplings, and other foods. In addition to providing a clean presentation, they impart a subtle fragrance and have traditionally been valued for helping food remain fresh.

I have also bought traditional rice balls, or onigiri, wrapped in kumazasa leaves. Whether or not the leaves offered much practical benefit in preserving the rice, they gave it a light, pleasant fragrance. That scent remains closely tied to memories of sharing a quiet lunch break with my border collie while climbing toward a mountain summit, and at other times, while exploring a rocky coastline.

Full write-up (1-minute read), Google Maps Links, and sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260609-fujimi

Location: Suwa Village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 2026/06/09・12:29
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/60 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Velvia/Vivid film simulation

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Yatsugatake Azaleas

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Japanese Azaleas above the Clouds at Yatsugatake Observation Deck
八ヶ岳展望台から望む雲海とレンゲツツジ｜長野県富士見町

The Yatsugatake Observation Deck is only a short walk northeast of the gondola’s upper station. From here, visitors can look across the valley toward Mount Akadake and the Yatsugatake Range, with bright green ferns and orange-red renge-tsutsuji (レンゲツツジ), commonly known as Japanese azaleas, framing the foreground.

On early mornings when conditions align, a temperature inversion can blanket the valley below with a sea of clouds. From this elevated viewpoint, Mount Fuji, which is approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) southeast, can appear to float above the clouds.

Full write-up (1-minute read), Google Maps Links, and sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260609-fujimi

Location: Suwa Village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 2026/06/09・11:55
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
80 mm ISO 100 for 1/30 sec. at ƒ/11

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Suzuran Park

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Summer Clouds over Fujimi from Nyukasa Suzuran Wildflower Park
雲間に望む富士見町と八ヶ岳｜長野県富士見町

Just after stepping off the gondola, I walked about 50 meters (164 feet) into Nyukasa Suzuran Wildflower Park. During the green season, wildflowers cover the upper reaches of the Konashi ski slope; in winter, the same hillside becomes a snow-covered ski run.

From there, I had an elevated view across the valley toward Mount Akadake in the Yatsugatake Range. Clouds drifted through the landscape, occasionally parting to reveal the mountain rising above them in the distance.

Full write-up (1-minute read), Google Maps Links, and sources for a deeper dive:

https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260609-fujimi

Location: Suwa Village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 2026/06/09・11:42
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
68 mm ISO 100 for 1/60 sec. at ƒ/11

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Fujimi Panorama Resort

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Summer at Fujimi Panorama Resort
雪のない季節の富士見パノラマリゾート｜長野県富士見町

The main entrance and ticket booth at Fujimi Panorama Resort in Fujimi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Best known for winter skiing, the mountain resort also welcomes visitors during the warmer months for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, and paragliding.

Full write-up (1-minute read), Google Maps Links, and sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260609-fujimi

Location: Suwa Village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 2026/06/09・11:07
Pentax K-1 II + Irix 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone
15 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/2.4

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Bakery

A Storybook Bakery in the Yatsugatake Highlands
八ヶ岳高原の苔むすカントリーキッチンベーカリー

Tucked in the forest of Fujimi-Kogen in Nagano Prefecture, this storybook-like bakery is known for stone-oven bread and baked goods featuring seasonal ingredients from Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures.

What captured my attention, however, was the building itself: its stone facade, weathered green shutters, climbing vines, and thick layer of moss covering the roof. With Dale-chan resting beside the entrance, I found myself wondering whether the moss is simply part of the bakery’s rustic charm or an ongoing maintenance challenge.

Full write-up (1-minute read), Google Maps Links, and sources for a deeper dive:

https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260609-bakery

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Location: Suwa Village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 2026/06/09・09:59
Pentax K-1 II + Irix 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone
15 mm ISO 100 for 1/50 sec. at ƒ/4

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Kousa Dogwood

Kousa Dogwood in Hokuto, Yamanashi・ヤマボウシ｜山梨県北杜市

While traveling to Nagano Prefecture, I stopped at Ciao Café in rural Hokuto, Yamanashi. Its simple outdoor seating—especially welcome when traveling with my border collie—rests beneath a large kousa dogwood covered in pale pink and creamy-white bracts. This short post shares a few photographs from the visit and a closer look at the tree known in Japan as yamabōshi (ヤマボウシ).

Full write-up (1-minute read), Google Maps Links, and sources for a deeper dive: