Pix4Japan: February 2022

2022-02-16

Jogashima Island

Check out the beautiful views of Tokyo Bay and Sagami Bay from the shores of Jogashima Island at the tip of the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Located only about 76 km south of Tokyo, visitors can easily access the island by train, bus, taxi, and private vehicle.

On a clear day, photographers and tourists can enjoy a clear views of Mt. Fuji to the east, Oshima Island to the south, and Chiba Prefecture to the east.

Access by Car:

There are several large parking lots located on the island making this destination easily accessible by car. Parking lots are reasonably priced as well. If you have a large dog or small children, I’d recommend driving to this location. If you take a combination of the Shuto Expressway and the Yokohama-Yokosuka Expressway, you can easily reach the island in less than two hours depending on traffic.

Access by Public Transportation:

By Train: Take the Keikyu Main Line to Misakiguchi Station. Take the “三９” bus to the “Jogashima Bus Stop,” which is the last stop.

Maps for walking trails can be found here:

Japanese (more detailed information with photos):

https://www.shizensyokuhin.jp/archives/articles/127#outline2

English (basic details with a simple map):

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/japan/kanagawa/jogashima-island-loop

On this photo shoot, I arrived at one of the large parking lots on the island and waiting for the sunrise. Overall, I spent about 6 hours on this photo shoot. Parking only cost ¥450.

References:

城ヶ島 | Jogashima

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/23DLTXfngttxYW266

Address: Jogashima Misakimachi, Miura, Kanagawa 238-0237

城ヶ島灯台 | Jogashima Lighthouse

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/m8razbRwQPbMCq3WA

Jogashima Lighthouse (Kanagawa Prefectural Government):

Source: https://trip.pref.kanagawa.jp/destination/jogashima-lighthouse/37

The lighthouse was designed by a French engineer, Francois Leonce Verny and completed in 1870. The lighthouse collapsed in the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923), so it was reconstructed in 1926. The height of lighthouse is 11.5 m and it stands on a cliff top, which is 30 m above sea level.

みはらし広場 | Miharashi Lookout Point

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/8rLPzv3yXu6iqFTa7

Monument Calls for Lovers with Spectacular View of Jogashima (Miura Town News Co., Ltd.)
The monument was established in September 2016 to provide a park with benches to attract young lovers to the island to enjoy the romantic views from the look-out point. From the spot, one can see Boso Peninsula and Izu Oshima Island on a clear day.

馬の背洞門 | Uma-no-se (Horseback) Cave

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/5H6dGv2aTaCES6ae7

“馬の背洞門” (Umanose Cave/Arch) by Nippon Travel Magazine

Source: https://tabi-mag.jp/kn0131/

馬の背洞門（赤羽根崎）(Umanose Cave/Arch (Akabanezaki)) by Miura Hanto Biyori

Source: https://miurahantou.jp/umanose-domon/

150 Years of Service | Past and Present of Japanese Aids to Navigation

Japan Coast Guard Maritime Traffic Department

Source: https://www.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/soshiki/koutsuu/kikaku/kourohyousikipanfu_e.pdf

旧安房埼灯台跡 (Kyū awasakitōdai ato) | Awasaki Lighthouse

Source: https://www.townnews.co.jp/0502/2019/04/19/478544.html

ニ代目安房埼灯台 | 2nd Generation Awasaki Lighthouse

Source: https://www.kanaloco.jp/news/life/entry-293701.html

野草紀行　城ヶ島 | Wild Grasses on Jogashima

Source: https://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~uu2n-mnt/yaso/kiko/jogasima/yas_kik_jogasima.html

Geoeducation and disaster prevention through exploring the Jogashima geosites | Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2015 (English)

Source: https://confit.atlas.jp/guide/event-img/jpgu2015/00123/public/pdf?type=in

Gallery

Sunrise over Island

Winter sun rising over the island of Jogashima located at the tip of the Miura Peninsula jutting out into Sagami Bay near the mouth of Tokyo Bay.

Pentax K1-II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

58 mm ISO 100 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/11

#seascapephotography #ocean #sunrise #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #Japan #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #日の出 #海の景色 #海岸 #馬の背洞門 #岩の海岸 #海景 #海景写真

Jogashima Lighthouse

Located at the western end of Jogashima Island (Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture), the Jogashima Lighthouse was designed by Francois Leonce Verny, a French engineer, and completed in 1870 with a brick structure. As was the case with so many structures, the lighthouse collapsed during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

The current structure is a concrete reconstruction dating back to 1926. Even with the advent of modern technologies for Tokyo Bay maritime traffic (VTS in 1977 and DGPS in 1997), the lighthouse is still in operation.

If you visit the eastern end of the island, there is a nice, well-maintained park and the recently constructed Awasaki Lighthouse.

Access is easiest by car, but you can catch a bus from Misakiguchi Station on the Keikyu Line (approx. 76 min. from Shinagawa Station in Tokyo) and get off at the Jogashima bus stop. From there, it is a short walk to the top of the island.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

31 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/11

#seascapephotography #lighthouse #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#灯台 #城ヶ島灯台 #城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #海の景色 #海景 #海景写真

Wild Grasses of Jogashima Island

In this shot, I was drawn to the golden morning light reflected off of the slender stems of the grass in stark contrast with the dark blues and grays of the cold ocean waters of Sagami Bay. I also liked how the grass was nearly perfectly perpendicular to the horizontal lines of the shore and horizon.

The grass, hachijo-susuki (八丈薄), is a perennial plant that grows everywhere along the coast of Jogashima Island. At 1.5 to 2 meters tall, this grass is similar to Japanese pampas grass, but differs in that the back of the leaf is tinged with a white powder (during full bloom) and serrations on the edge of the leaf are sparse.

According to a pamphlet titled, “三浦三崎の白秋碑,” (Miura-Misaki Hakushuuhi), there are nearly 40 native species of wildflowers growing on the island. In addition to the large number of decorative flowers brought over to the park on the eastern end of the island, there is a large number of flora for visitors to enjoy.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

88 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/11

#seascapephotography #grass #islandflora #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#八丈薄 #ハチジョウススキ #島の植物相 #島の花 #城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #海の景色 #海景 #海景写真

Sedimentary Record of Island Formation

The exposed coastal rocks of Jogashima Island (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) reveal alternating layers of pyroclastic sandstone and mudstone that were deposited on the seafloor about 10 to 4 million years ago. Throughout the island’s shoreline visitors can see a low coastal terrace that was formed by uplift during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

The western end of the island has been a popular destination not only for tourists, but also for many high school and college students who use the island for geological field trips. Various deformations in the sedimentary record can be seen with the naked eye including imbricate thrusts, slumps, and flow folds.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

28 mm ISO 100 for 1/25 sec. at ƒ/16

#seascapephotography #geology #coastalrock #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#沿岸の岩 #堆積記録 #城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #海の景色 #海景 #海景写真

Waves Crashing on Fisherman

Jogashima Island has a fishing port that is home to tuna (maguro) fisherman. The port and coastline has a “rough around the edges” vibe with a touch of charm. Weekend fishermen enjoy offshore fishing on smaller fishing boats and cruisers, or can venture out to the water’s edge to catch fish in the deep waters surrounding the island.

In this shot, a wave crashes onshore as a fisherman seems to be casting a line. Shortly after this shot, the fisherman packed up his gear before the high tide came in.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

105 mm ISO 100 for 1/25 sec. at ƒ/16

#seascapephotography #fishing #waves #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan

#pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#漁師 #海の波 #城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #海の景色 #海景 #海景写真

Border Collie on Coastal Rocks

My border collie taking a break from slipping and sliding on wet, mossy rocks close to the water’s edge. Fortunately, she is a good swimmer and loves the water. Even in the dead of winter, she can’t resist playing in the freezing waters.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

63 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/4.5

#dog #pet #bordercollie #wet #coastalrocks #seascapephotography #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan #犬 #ペット #愛犬　#濡れた犬 #城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #海景 #海景写真

Stone and Moss

The exposed coastal rocks of Jogashima Island (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) reveal sandstone and mudstone that have undergone interesting erosion from the constant forces of wind and waves creating microecosystems of flora and fauna that thrive in these tide pools peculiar stone and various colored moss.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

34 mm ISO 100 for 1/6 sec. at ƒ/11

#seascapephotography #tidepool #moss #coastalrock #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#沿岸の岩 #苔 #城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #海の景色 #海景 #海景写真

Cloudy Island Coastline

Southern coastline of Jogashima Island (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) with a view of the Umanose Arch in the far distance.

Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

28 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/11

#seascapephotography #arch #coastalrocks #JogashimaIsland #MiuraPeninsula #KanagawaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#沿岸の岩 #馬の背洞門 #城ヶ島 #三浦半島 #海の景色 #海景 #海景写真

Below is a list of the equipment I took with me on this photo shoot.

Camera Gear:

Pentax K-1 Mark II (K1-II)
https://amzn.to/3gM4KqJ
Standard zoom lens: Pentax D FA 28-105mm f3.5-5.6ed DC WR HD Lens
https://amzn.to/3JlBBPs
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
https://amzn.to/2Fqpghd
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate
https://amzn.to/3g6WI9j

Video Gear:

Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
https://amzn.to/2Ef3mNg
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
https://amzn.to/3axkn1w
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
https://amzn.to/2FUTBVS
Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
https://amzn.to/32c0FFL
RODE Road Wireless GO Wireless Microphone System WIGO
https://amzn.to/35lygz1

Filters & Filter Systems:

PolarPro QuartzLine ND 64 Filter - 67mm (ND64 6-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/2J9VSOM
PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/39rwWwW
PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/3q7YHAm
PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
https://amzn.to/3fOwgCY
PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)
https://amzn.to/37hjkBv

Pack:

F-stop Tilopa 50L Adventure and Travel Camera Backpack (Essentials Bundle: backpack, rain cover, internal camera unit)
https://amzn.to/2XfjDIE
F-stop Tripod Bag (large)
https://amzn.to/3pXW57n

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission, which has no effect on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music tracks used in the YouTube video were licensed through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe:

https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/0uag9f/

“Calme” composed by Jakob Ahlbom and performed by Ever So Blue.

“Empty Sky” composed and performed by Victor Lundberg.

“Bermuda” composed by Henrik Olsson and performed by Ooyy.

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Stock Photos:

https://www.eyeem.com/u/pix4japan

Quality Prints:

https://pix4japan.darkroom.tech/

Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at Pix4Japan.

2022-02-02

Jukkoku-Toge Pass

Assuming you have good weather, Jukkoku Pass offers photographers and tourists clear views of Sagami Bay to the east, Suruga Bay to the west, Izu Peninsula to the south, and Mt. Fuji to the north. The summit is mostly covered in various kinds of tall grasses, meaning that there are no tall trees to obstruct your view.

For this photo shoot, we (my border collie and I) arrived at the summit around 1:00 a.m.

My first stop was at a small observatory in Himenosawa Park (姫の沢公園展望台). From the observatory, I was able to locate the trailhead to the summit and catch a view of the nightscape of city lights on the coast of Surga Bay to the west.

After reaching the summit of Jukkoku-Toge Pass (十国峠), I made an attempt at astrophotography. Unfortunately, I had not anticipated the amount of light pollution that would be present, and more importantly, I had not considered the wind-chill factor when selecting the gloves I took with me.

With the winds blowing hard over the summit in the dead of winter at night, I should have brought gloves that provide greater protection against the cold.

I gave up on shooting the stars and went with some nightscape photography Yugawaramachi (湯河原町), a coastal town to the east on the shores of Sagami Bay (相模湾).

Reaching my limit of cold endurance, we headed back to the car to wait out the cold winds until sunrise.

We headed back to the summit just after sunrise as the summit warmed up under clear skies and light winds.

The first shot of Mt. Fuji was mediocre. The foreground has a lot of distractions and manmade objects in the scene. In the future, I would like to come back and reshoot Mt. Fuji with a longer lens. I would also like to scout around for some mountain trails nearby where I can recompose the shot with some trees or grasses in the foreground to obscure the buildings and power lines.

The next shot is looking south along the eastern coastline of the Izu Peninsula (伊豆半島). Again, with a longer lens or shooting from a lower shooting position, I could have cut out the man-made structures.

The snapshot of Suruga Bay (駿河湾) is nothing special. I just wanted to give future visitors an idea of how far away you can see to the west assuming you have good weather.

The shot of the cable car tracks is probably my favorite shot from this outing. The sun was still low enough to not wash out the colors of the roofs, trees, bushes and train tracks. I love the straight lines of the galvanized metal roof and the curved lines of the tracks in the mid-ground. The aluminum parts of the concrete poles have a grayish silver tone that complimented the dark green and gray winter foliage on both sides of the tracks.

The next shot of my dog warming up in a sunny spot under the huge Jukkoku-Touge (十国峠) sign is just the classic tourist snapshot that tourist take. This shot is to simply document the fact that my dog and I were here in person.

The shot of Mt. Fuji with the cable-car station and grassy fields in the foreground is my second favorite shot. There was a similar photo like this online with drab colors. Their composition is what tempted me to come here and try my hand at shooting this location in hopes of adding drama by making use of early morning golden light.

Furthermore, this shot cuts out all of the distracting houses, factories, buildings, and power lines that could be seen in previous shots. The contrast of gold in the foreground, brown in the mid-ground, and the deep blues and pure white of Mt. Fuji is pleasing to my eye. I like the three major tones, and the station building on the upper right helps to show the scale of Mt. Fuji I hope.

The shot of me with my border collie was purely accidental. I tried to get her to pose for me so that I could focus my lens directly on her. Sadly, I ran out of doggie treats and she kept following me back to the camera. I set the timer on the shutter and planned on stepping back out of the scene. Later when checking the shot, I realized this was a warm shot between me and her, so I just kept it.

The final shot is my third favorite shot. Two primary colors: gold and blue. And, a small dabble of faint clouds softly floating by. This is more of an abstract shot, which looks like it could have been taken anywhere in the world where tall grasses grow or even on the sides of a corn field in the American Midwest.

I hope you enjoyed this mishmash of snapshots, carefully composed landscape shots, the nightscape photo, and the overall natural scenery presented throughout the video.

Hakone Jyukkokutouge Rest House | 十国峠ケーブルカーレストハウス

https://goo.gl/maps/NBFRB1ZY7hT9PwUN8

Jukkoku Pass Parking Lot | 十国峠駐車場

https://goo.gl/maps/9UvhRjPfLPfWFLYD7

Circle Garden | サークルガーデン

https://goo.gl/maps/awqQzyoeFfcmL6g69

Dog runs | 天空のドッグラン

https://goo.gl/maps/95nfoeHauZUY1PNeA

Himenosawa Park Observation Point | 姫の沢公園展望台

https://goo.gl/maps/QRmfGLDjJmy11zAa6

Jukkoku Pass access details by bus provided by Atami City Tourism Association (English).

https://travel.ataminews.gr.jp/en/what-to-see/24/

Access details by train and bus provided by Jukkoku-Toge K.K. (Japanese), about 40 minutes by Izu-Hakone Bus from JR Atami Station.

https://www.jukkoku-cable.jp/jukkoku-cable/access/index.html

Jukkoku Toge Pass geographical, historical, and cost information provided by Guidoor (Mobile Smart Town Foundation). Information is available in 12 languages.

https://www.guidoor.jp/en/places/193

Stunning Views of Mount Fuji from Jukkoku Pass. Excellent cost and access information provided by Fabienne of Voyapon.

https://voyapon.com/stunning-views-mount-fuji-jukkoku-pass/

十国峠（日金山）じっこくとうげ（日金山・ひがねさん）Cultural and Historical Information provided by The Agency for Cultural Affairs. Japanese only.

https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/299579/3

十国峠から展望できる10国とはどこ！？In depth information on why Jukkoku-Toge is named as such, and helps explain the names and locations of the 10 “countries” that can be viewed from the summit. The summit name Jukkoku (十国 Jukkoku lit. 10 countries) comes from the fact that you could see 10 provinces that existed during feudal Japan. According to the medieval Japanese historical chronicle titled "Azuma Kagami," the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan, Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, made two visits to this summit during January and September in 1214.
Information provided by Shizuoka-Hamamatsu-Izu Information Bureau. Japanese only.

https://tabi-mag.jp/10view/

Izu Peninsula Geopark. Official documentation used for the application to UNESCO for the Geopark designation.

https://izugeopark.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Izu_Peninsula_UGG_app.pdf

Onegai Jizo. A statue of Jizo, a Buddhist guardian deity, was installed at the summit in 2006 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the cable car’s operation and to pray for safety of all travelers to the summit.

https://8969.at.webry.info/upload/detail/019/698/42/N000/000/014/140417207624677826228_IMG_0251.JPG.html

View of Japanese Coastal Resort Town

Yugawara is a small coastal town on the eastern coast of the Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture in central Japan. The town is most famous for its hot-spring onsen resorts.

This shot was taken at the summit of Jukkoku-Toge Pass, where can view Suruga Bay to the west and Sagami Bay to the east. Distant lights are from the western shores of Shonan Bay, which include the cities of Fujisawa, Kamakura, Zushi, and the rest of the Miura Peninsula.

Pentax K1-II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

100 mm ISO 100 for 270 sec. at ƒ/13

#nightscape #Yugawara #JukkokuToge #nightscapephotography #citylights #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#夜景 #夜景写真 #夜景の写真 #湯河原 #十国峠 #海の景色 #海の風景 #海の写真 #相模湾 #三浦半島

Snow-Capped Peak of Volcano

Shot of the southeastern slope of Mt. Fuji as seen from the summit of Jukkoku-Toge pass in Shizuoka Prefecture.

From this view, we can see a crater halfway up volcano on the southern slope. This crater formed on Dec. 16 1707 after the Hoei Eruption, which lasted several weeks. Ash fell over vast regions of eastern Japan including as far away as Tokyo causing mass starvation as crops were destroyed.

The beauty and grace of Mt. Fuji belies her nature of mass destruction.

Pentax K1-II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

105 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/11

#volcano #MtFuji #Fuji #JukkokuToge #landscapephotography #HoeiCrater #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #富士山 #十国峠 #火山 #宝永火口 #静岡県

Ridges Leading to the Ocean

Located about 100 km south-west of Tokyo, the eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula is rich in geological remnants of crustal deformations, terrestrial and submarine volcanoes, lava flows, lava domes, and many more geoscientific wonders.

Many small villages and towns have sprouted up in the tiny valleys between each mountain ridge, with several becoming famous for their hot-spring resorts. This entire coastline features lush landscapes, rugged shorelines, and white-sand beaches.

In 2018, UNESCO awarded the Global Geopark designation to Izu Peninsula for its rarity of numerous geological features.

Pentax K1-II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

73 mm ISO 100 for 1/60 sec. at ƒ/11

#Izu #JukkokuToge #landscapephotography #IzuTobu #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #伊豆半島 #十国峠 #伊豆東部 #伊豆東部火山群 #静岡県

Port City on the Bay

From the summit of Jukkoku-Toge, Numazu city lies to the west on the shores of Suruga Bay, approximately 130 km (81 mi) west of Tokyo. Records from the Nara Period (710 to 794) indicate that this ancient settlement was the capital of the Suruga Province.

Destroyed by air raid bombings on July 17, 1945, the city recovered to become an industrial center, financial center, and a major fishing port producing more than half of Japan’s total output of dried horse mackerel.

The region is also known for its mandarin oranges, green tea production, mild winters, and a major gateway to popular tourist destinations including Mt. Fuji, Hakone, and the Izu Peninsula.

Pentax K1-II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

48 mm ISO 100 for 1/60 sec. at ƒ/11

#Izu #JukkokuToge #landscapephotography #Numzau #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #伊豆半島 #十国峠 #沼津 #駿河湾 #静岡県

Cable Car to Summit

Operations for this cable car started in 1956 as a way to promote tourism. Rides only take 3 minutes to reach the summit of the Jukkoku-Toge Pass and runs between 8:50 a.m. and 4:50 p.m.

Although I arrived on the summit at around 1:00 a.m., signs at the observatory revealed that the cable car, rest house, and parking lot were temporarily closed for several weeks due to COVID-19 precautions. Once the pandemic comes to a close, visitors can bring their dog with them on the cable car (¥730 for adults; ¥370 for children; and ¥200 for a dog).

Mamezakura cherry blossom trees used to grow naturally on the slopes leading to the summit. A local landscaping company planted an additional 80 mamezakura cherry blossom trees along the route of the cable car to celebrate their 90th anniversary in April 2019. In addition, if you visit in spring, you can enjoy azaleas in full bloom.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

105 mm ISO 100 for 1/4 sec. at ƒ/11

#Izu #JukkokuToge #landscapephotography #cablecar #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #ケーブルカー #十国峠 #十国峠ケーブルカー #静岡県

Border Collie on Summit

Am always amazed at how resilient she is to the cold. It was about 3 degrees below freezing when we arrived at night, but with the wind, the summit felt a lot colder. As soon as the sun rose, however, she found a warm spot to wait while I finished my photo shoot.

Pentax K1-II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

58 mm ISO 100 for 1/400 sec. at ƒ/5.0

#bordercollie #dog #pet #landscapephotography #Izu #JukkokuPass #landscapephotography #MtFuji #mountainpeak #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#ペット #ボーダーコリー #愛犬 #犬 #木 #風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #十国峠 #静岡県

Field of Grasses on Summit

Just a short walk from the Jukkoku Pass cable car station at the summit, there is a large, wide grassy area planted with picris flowers (bristly oxtongue) that bloom in summer creating a lovely yellow carpet of blossoms.

Japanese pampas grass (susuki) also flourishes under the harsh windy conditions on the summit. The grass is especially beautiful in autumn when the plumes turn a shimmering, silvery gold color.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

95 mm ISO 100 for 1/320 sec. at ƒ/11

#volcano #MtFuji #Fuji #JukkokuPass #landscapephotography #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #富士山 #十国峠 #火山 #コウゾリナ属 #すすき #静岡県

Border Collie on Grassy Summit

We played fetch with a stick for a few minutes. Afterwards, I gave her a treat for being a good girl and great photo companion.

There are actually two dog runs on this summit, but we arrived a bit past midnight and started to head home before the cable car started operating, which is when staff arrive to unlock the dog runs.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

105 mm ISO 100 for 1/320 sec. at ƒ/11

#bordercollie #dog #pet #landscapephotography #Izu #JukkokuPass #MtFuji #mountainpeak #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#ペット #ボーダーコリー #愛犬 #犬 #風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #十国峠 #静岡県

Fluttering of Clouds

Sparse wispy clouds slowly floating over the summer gave way to heavy snowstorms only a day later.

The Japanese pampas grass reminds me of corn stalks in autumn. Come summer, the grass will turn green with silver plumes.

Pentax K1-II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6

63 mm ISO 100 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/6.3

#pampasgrass #clouds #bluesky #JukkokuPass #landscapephotography #ShizuokaPrefecture #Japan #pentaxk1mkii #pentax_dfa28105 #pix4japan

#風景 #風景写真 #風景の写真 #すすき #十国峠 #雲 #青空 #静岡県

Below is a list of the equipment I took with me on this photo shoot.

Camera Gear:

Video Gear:

Filters & Filter Systems:

Pack:

F-stop Tilopa 50L Adventure and Travel Camera Backpack (Essentials Bundle: backpack, rain cover, internal camera unit)
https://amzn.to/2XfjDIE
F-stop Tripod Bag (large)
https://amzn.to/3pXW57n

*Links to Amazon are affiliated links, which means that if you choose to purchase an item that I may get a small commission, which has no effect on your purchase price whatsoever.

Music tracks used in the YouTube video were licensed through Epidemic Sound. Visit this link to subscribe:

https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/0uag9f/

“Morning Comes” composed by Christian Nanzell and performed by Mochas.

“Meadow Thoughts” composed by Cody Butler and performed by Cody Francis.

“On A Clear Morning” composed and performed by Sunfish Grove.

“Beach Memories” composed by Niclas Gustavsson and performed by Sum Wave.

“Bermuda” composed by Henrik Olsson and performed by Ooyy.