For this week's photo shoot, we visited the Sakitama Kofun Park in the town of Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture. There are currently 9 remaining kofun (burial mounds) out of a cluster of nearly 40 mounds that were built between the third and seventh centuries in the Sakitama area.
Access to the park is easiest if you can drive there. Depending on traffic, the park is about a 70 to 80-minute drive from central Tokyo. Using a combination of trains, city bus, and a little bit of walking, you can reach the park in less than two hours.
Sakitama Kofun Park (さきたま古墳公園)
Free parking is available and there are no charges for entering the park. The park also includes an archeological museum showing some of the artifacts that were excavated from some of the burial mounds. The museum charges 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for students.
English Park Guide:
The purpose of my visit was to shoot some landscape scenery that includes the the mounds and the abundance of cherry trees in full bloom.
Ancient Burial Mound
This burial mound is just one of 40+ mounds in a cluster of burial mounds (kofun) dating back to the latter half of the 5th century to the beginning of the 7th century. After excavation and conducting research, the Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds Museum was established in 1969 to preserve nine of the kofun at this site as a public park.
YT Video: https://youtu.be/hEtpRBxI1LE
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR
21 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/4.0
#landscapephotgraphy #burialmound #kofun #park #cherryblossoms #sakura #Japan #Sakitma #Saitama #Pentax #Pix4Japan
#風景写真 #桜の風景 #ソメイヨシノ #桜 #花見 #さきたま古墳公園 #埼玉古墳群 #行田市 #埼玉県 #ペンタックス
Cherry Tree Blossom Canopy
Grounds of the Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds Museum include numerous paths winding around the various mounds (kofun) lined with cherry trees and well manicured grassy areas. Perfect for studying ancient Japanese history, a family picnic, a dog walk, or leisurely stroll.
YT Video: https://youtu.be/hEtpRBxI1LE
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR
31 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
#burialmound #kofun #park #cherryblossoms #sakura #Japan #Sakitma #Saitama #Pentax #Pix4Japan
#風景写真 #桜の風景 #ソメイヨシノ #桜 #花見 #さきたま古墳公園 #埼玉古墳群 #行田市 #埼玉県 #ペンタックス
Tree Tops in Spring
View of the surrounding trees from atop the larger Maruhaka-Yamakofun burial mound, which is the more popular mound at the park adjacent to the Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds Museum in Saitama Prefecture.
YT Video: https://youtu.be/hEtpRBxI1LE
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR
68 mm ISO 100 for 1/4 sec. at ƒ/4.5
#treetop #park #cherryblossoms #sakura #Japan #Sakitma #Saitama #Pentax #Pix4Japan
#風景写真 #桜の風景 #ソメイヨシノ #桜 #花見 #さきたま古墳公園 #埼玉古墳群 #行田市 #埼玉県 #ペンタックス
Burial Mound Park
Wide-angle shot of the Maruhakayama-Kofun burial mound, which is one of the larger mounds at the park surrounding the Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds Museum located in Saitama Prefecture.
YT Video: https://youtu.be/hEtpRBxI1LE
Pentax KP + smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR
18 mm ISO 100 for 3.0 sec. at ƒ/11
#landscapephotgraphy #burialmound #kofun #park #cherryblossoms #sakura #Japan #Sakitma #Saitama #Pentax #Pix4Japan
#風景写真 #桜の風景 #ソメイヨシノ #桜 #花見 #さきたま古墳公園 #埼玉古墳群 #行田市 #埼玉県 #ペンタックス
Camera Gear:
Pentax KP
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Standard zoom lens: smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 ED AL[IF] DC WR
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Telephoto zoom lens: HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE
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Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
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Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate
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Video Gear:
Canon EOS Kiss M/M50 Double Zoom Kit
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SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
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PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter
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Zhiyun Weebill-S Gimbal
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RODE Road Wireless GO Wireless Microphone System WIGO
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SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)
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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
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Filters & Filter Systems:
PolarPro QuartzLine ND 64 Filter - 67mm (ND64 6-stop reduction in light)
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PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
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PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
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PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
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PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)
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PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
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PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
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PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
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PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)
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Pack:
F-stop Tilopa 50L Adventure and Travel Camera Backpack (Essentials Bundle: backpack, rain cover, internal camera unit)
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F-stop Tripod Bag (large)
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F-stop Tripod Bag (large)
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