2022-08-02

Utsukushigara-Kogen Highlands


Visit the Utsukushigahara-Kogen Highlands in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with me and my border collie as we escape the concrete jungle for bright, blue skies broken by brief blankets of fog that envelop the grassy highlands featuring grazing cows, rocky cliffs, wide expanses of grassy pastures, and a beautiful sunset at a comfortable altitude of 2,000 meters!

The Utsukushigahara-Kogen Highlands (美ヶ原高原) are located 238 km northwest of central Tokyo. Depending on traffic conditions, it is typically a 3.5-hour drive via the following highways:
  • Shuto Expressway → Chūō Expressway → Route 20 → Route 142 → Venus Line
Primary parking lot:

Utsukushigaharanagawa Choei Parking Lot
美ヶ原長和町営駐車場 

Summer Ragwort
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6

Summer ragwort or leopardplant (Ligularia dentata) is a flower native to Japan and China, which seems to be a favorite of the many dragonflies buzzing around the highlands of Utsukushigahara in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Grassy Highland
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/100 sec. at ƒ/13

The highlands of Utsukushigahara in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, rise to an elevation of 2,034 m (approx. 6,673 ft), offering a panoramic view of grazing pastures, the Northern Alps, and on a clear day, Mt. Fuji.

Depending on traffic, it is only a 4-hour drive from Tokyo via the Chuo Expressway. Free parking is available at the entrance to the highlands and includes a small cafe, restrooms, lodging, and EV charging points.

Winding Country Road
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
95 mm ISO 100 for 1/100 sec. at ƒ/13

From the parking lot of the michi-no-eki (roadside station) rest facility, visitors can stroll along this winding country road and enjoy watching dairy cows lazily graze, take in panoramic views of the grassy highlands, and on a clear day enjoy views of the Northern Alps in the distance.

This road is mostly flat and is only 2.4 kilometers long (1.5 miles) and meanders its way up to the Ougatou Hotel at the summit of the plateau. The aforementioned michi-no-eki is 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) above sea level making it the highest roadside station in Japan.

Mountain Ridges and Summer Clouds
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/50 sec. at ƒ/13

This south-westerly view from the edge of the Utsukushigahara-Kogen highlands in Nagano Prefecture Japan, which rises high above the Iriyamabe Mountains (mid-ground) where further beyond, we can see the Chuo Alps in the far distance.

At 2,000-plus meters above sea level, the Utsukushigahara Highlands catch the flow of cooler breezes flowing up the sides of surrounding cliffs and slopes bringing fresh, cool air, and occasional low-flying clouds that scuttle across the landscape bringing suddenly cold temperatures and a refreshing mist of fine water droplets.

Rocky Cliffs Overlooking Mountain Ranges
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/80 sec. at ƒ/11

South-westerly view from some rocky cliffs of Utsukushigahara-Kogen highlands in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. This shot includes the Iriyamabe mountains in the foreground, the city of Matsumoto in the mid-ground, and the lower (southern) region of the Northern Alps on the horizon. 

The city of Matsumoto  (mid-ground) in Nagano Prefecture is a sister city to: Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. (1958); Grindelwald, Canton of Bern, Switzerland (1972); and Kathmandu, Nepal (1989).

Rocky Outcrop & Summer Sky
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
53 mm ISO 100 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/11

South-easterly view from some rocky cliffs of Utsukushigahara-Kogen Highlands in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. This shot includes the Yatsu-Gatake Chushin-Kogen mountains in the mid-ground and the upper (northern) region of the Southern Alps on the horizon. 

Soothing Mountain Mist
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/3.5

At over 2.000 meters (6,562 feet) above sea level, the Utsukushigahara Highlands can become enveloped with low-flying clouds creating a moody atmosphere. On a hot summer day, the mist brings instant relief to the summer sun.

These highlands are easily accessible from Tokyo via the Chuo Expressway and the Venus Line highway. Free parking is available at the michi-no-eki (roadside station) rest facility.

Layers of Mountains and Light
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/3.5

This shot was taken at an altitude of 2,025 meters (6,644 feet) looking north of the Utsukushigahara Highlands (Nagano Pref., Japan). The majority of nearby mountains rise up to about 1,600 or 1,700 meters giving visitors to the highlands a bird’s eye view of the landscape.

Lone Windblown Tree
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
88 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/6.3

The Utsukushigahara Highlands in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, rise to an altitude of over 2,000 meters (approx. 6,562 ft) where winters are harsh with deep snow, and summers with strong, bright, sunny skies followed by sudden walls of dense fog as the stratus clouds are forced up and over the mountain top.

This lone, windblown tree, among many others on the plateau have all been pruned and groomed by westerly winds with such a  constant force that the very few trees that can grow are all leaning to the east.

I took this shot using the roadside fence to draw the viewer’s  eye into the scene and used a shallow depth of field to direct the eye back to the tree where the focal plane lies.

Border Collie and Grazing Cows
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
37 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/6.3

This shot was taken about an hour before sunset, which bathed the entire plateau in warm, soft light, and was taken just before stratus clouds blowing in from the west hit the Utsukushigahara Highlands (Nagano Pref., Japan, at approx. 2,000 m/6,562 ft) and enveloped the highlands in a cool mist.

In hindsight, my shutter speed should have been a bit faster and then compensated for that with a higher ISO.

Grazing on the Mountaintops
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/4.5

Watching the dairy cows casually grazing, seemingly free of any stress or threats, was incredibly soothing and relaxing to watch. This scene brought back memories of young cows grazing in the pasture south of our milk barn when I was a wee lad.

The constant formations of stratus clouds struggling to gain enough momentum to swoop over the plateau created an exciting backdrop to this scene of serenity.    

I took this shot using a tripod  since I was losing light. Although the cows were only moving every so slightly, I probably should have chosen a  slightly higher shutter speed. 

Surviving Grove of Trees
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
58 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/5.6

Heading back down to the parking lot, I noticed this small grove of small trees that have apparently survived more than a several winters here where snow becomes too deep for livestock to survive, let alone saplings.

These hardy trees may have offered some shelter to each other that allowed them survive the winters and ripping winds.

Silhouette of Grazing Cattle & TV Antennae
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
63 mm ISO 200 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/5.6

The contrast of lush green grounds, and huge billowing clouds caught my eye for this scene. I especially like the silhouette of grazing cattle perfectly standing on the ridge. The modern TV, radio, weather, and cell phone antennas poking slightly above the clouds in the upper-left of the scene posed a nice contrast with grazing cattle on the ridge. 

The golden hour skies with constantly moving clouds forced me to raise the ISO to 200, and slightly lower shutter speed to 1/160  sec. to catch the motion of the clouds and cattle on the ridge. I would have preferred an ƒ-stop of 8, 11, or 16 to catch more of the scene in focus. But then I  worried  that the  resulting slower shutter speed would have introduced less sharpness and the higher ISO would have introduced more noise.

It’s hard to say if I took the shot correctly from a technical standpoint. However, on small screens, I think the image is satisfactory. However, I wouldn’t include this shot in my portfolio or in a printed edition.

Golden Hour on Plateau
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
31 mm ISO 200 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/11

Looking north, the setting sun has cast a warm glow across the plateau through the breaks in the clouds.

Towering Antenna Overlords
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/7.1

Towering Antenna Overlords
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm
88 mm ISO 200 for 1/15 sec. at ƒ/11

In these shots, the rising clouds settled back down around the highest point of the plateau completely obscuring from view the antennae maintenance staff buildings, and the hotel that sits next to the antennae.

Without any context, the towering steel and aluminum towers appeared to me as the pointed tips of exotic high-rise skyscrapers poking out above the clouds. These cold, man-made, utilitarian structures stand in stark contrast with the gentle, wide-open natural landscape that flows across the scene like a mighty wave of greenery only to be broken at the edges by the specks of grazing cattle far off in the distance.

Japanese Black Wagyu Cow
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/10 sec. at ƒ/13

This shot was taken during golden hour just as the sun was setting behind me. Most of the cows on this plateau are Holstein and Jersey heifers raised for dairy farms, while a small number of Japanese black wagyu cattle are raised for beef.

This Japanese black wagyu cow is taking a break from a long day of grazing on the lush grass covering the highlands of Utsukushigahara in Nagano Prefecture.

Sun Setting on Plateau
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
95 mm ISO 100 for 0.6 sec. at ƒ/20

Looking west, the sun has dipped below the horizon lighting up the sky with reflections of warm, soothing tones. The wild mountain flowers in the foreground include lots of Japanese thistle (Cirsium japonicum), ladybells (Adenophora), and some wild strawberry.

This shot was intentionally underexposed to preserve the highlights with foreground shadows lifted in post processing.

Lone Tree on Grassy Plateau
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
88 mm ISO 100 for 3.0 sec. at ƒ/11

Gentle winds pushed the clouds up onto these highlands, suddenly vanishing distant mountain ranges and nearly disappearing the cows grazing on the hillside right behind this lone tree.

The sudden change in light, fog, soft breezes shaking the foliage, and condensation of dew on the front of the lens made it difficult to shoot sharp images with sufficient exposure. 

Fog Bell Tower at Sunset
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 4.0 sec. at ƒ/20

Due to the number of accidents involving hikers who became lost in the thick fog on the plateau, this 6-meter tower (approx. 20 feet) was originally built in 1954 with a bell at the top, which was runt to help guide climbers back to safety and away from the edges of the plateau where steep drop-offs pose a risk to life and limb.

The current structure was rebuilt in 1983 and now stands as a fond symbol of the Utsukushigohara-Kogen Highlands and is a popular photographic subject. After chatting with the person to the left of the tower, I learned he had recently purchased a new mirrorless camera and was shooting a time-lapse video of the setting sun with the tower as his main subject.

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

Camera Gear:

DSLR
Pentax K-1 Mark II (K1-II)

Standard zoom lens
Pentax D FA 28-105mm f3.5-5.6ed DC WR HD Lens

Tripod
Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)

Ball head
Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate

Video Gear:

Mirrorless camera
Canon EOS M50

Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Canon EF-S 10-18 mm f/4.5-5.6

Adapter
Canon EF-EOSR Mount Adapter

Prime lens
SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary C017 (Canon EF-M Mount, APS-C Size, Mirrorless Only)

CP filter
PolarPro 67mm QuartzLine Circular Polarizer Filter

Gimbal
Zhiyun Weebill-S

Microphone
RODE Road Wireless GO Wireless Microphone System WIGO

Filters & Filter Systems:

PolarPro QuartzLine ND 64 Filter - 67mm (ND64 6-stop reduction in light)

PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)

PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)

PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm

PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)

Pack:

F-stop Tilopa 50L Adventure and Travel Camera Backpack (Essentials Bundle: backpack, rain cover, internal camera unit)

F-stop Tripod Bag (large)

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“Softly, Gently” composed by Jonatan Järpehag and performed by Epidemic Sound.
“Bookmarks” composed by Jakob Ahlbom and performed by Ever So Blue.
“Paradisio” composed by Niclas Gustavsson and performed by Sum Wave.

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References:

Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum

Utsukushigahara Highlands Tourism Council

The Japan Alps Guide Center

Mapcarta

Wikipedia

Nagano Prefecture Industry and Labor Department Promotion Bureau

Fishing Chaos

Venus Line

Creative Commons License
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.

2022-07-13

Motomachi-Chukagai & Yamshita Park

On this afternoon, I took my Fujifilm X100V to Motomachi, Chinatown, and Yamashita Park in Yokohama to try my hand at some street photography.

Canine & Feline Standoff
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 160 for 1/220 sec.
Classic Negative film simulation

A stray cat chilling at a parking garage entrance remaining unfazed by my border collie who was itching to start barking and  chasing after the cat. Such a totally chill, no-drama feline surely disappointed Dale-chan.
String Puppet Witch
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 320 for 1/160 sec. 
Classic Negative film simulation

“Green Thumb,” a local shop on the famous Motomachi shopping street in Yokohama, Japan, which was established in 1985 with the tagline “Witches and Herbs.”

According to the store’s website, witches were not scary things in ancient Europe, but were more like pharmacists who held a wealth of knowledge of the natural world and especially the health benefits of herbs. 

I initially thought the carvings were dried-apple head dolls!


Temple in Chinatown
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 160 for 1/200 sec. 
Astia/Soft V2 film simulation

Tianhou Temple, or “Palace of the Heavenly Empress,” is  dedicated to Mazu (or Matsu), the Goddess of the Sea. The temple is a popular tourist destination as well as a holy site where the local Chinese can have their  spiritual, social, and cultural needs met in Yokohama’s Chinatown—the largest one in Japan.

The first temple in Yokohama’s Chinatown, Kuan Ti Miao was established in 1886, where Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) was also enshrined. The current temple structure was dedicated  specifically to Mazu and was inaugurated on March 17, 2006.


Zenrinmon Gate
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 500 for 1/160 sec. 
Astia/Soft V2 film simulation

Zenrimon (善隣門) is one of 6 gates Yokohama’s Chinatown. This gate is known as the Goodwill Gate as it was gifted to Chinatown from the city of Yokohama in February 1955 as a part of postwar reconstruction efforts.

The characters on the gate are written right to left (隣善仁親) and read as Shin-Jin-Zen-Rin in Japanese.

The four characters that were chosen can be translated as follows:

親 (shin): Closeness (like between a parent and child)

仁 (jin): Benevolence or compassion (among humanity)

善 (zen): Goodness

隣 (rin): Neighbors (local or global scale)

In the context of postwar reconstruction, the gate symbolizes a hope for peace and love among not only local citizenry, but also among the international community.

Nippon Travel Magazine:


Yokohama Chinatown Development Association:


Hachokubai:


Boy and Girl
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 160 for 1/160 sec. 
Astia/Soft v2 film simulation

A young couple leaving Chinatown together in Yokohama, Japan. Their loose shirt and blouse reflect how hot and humid this afternoon was. I was drawn to how the girl had her arm on the boy while the boy was carrying her rucksack while eating something on their way out of Chinatown. I hope they had a nice date on this day!

Kimono Shop
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 320 for 1/160 sec. 
Astia/Soft v2 film simulation

Founded in 1896, the Obebe-Hohoho kimono shop is currently located on a small street off the main drag of the Motomachi Shopping Avenue in Yokohama, Japan. 

Motomachi is the high-end name-brand retailing center of Yokohama, which used to primarily cater to wealthy expats who lived in nearby settlements prior to the war.

Some of the shops survived the war by catering to the thousands of American GIs and their families during the post-war occupation. Over time, overseas name brands set up stores on the main avenue to cater to the tastes and wallets of upper-middle class Japanese and fans of pricey name-brand handbags, jewelry, fashion, etc. 


Clothing Store Mascot
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 320 for 1/160 sec. 
Velvia/Vivid v2 film simulation

Familiar, a Japanese clothing brand of clothes for babies and children, was founded in the 1950s by four housewives in Kobe, Japan. This shot was taken at their Motomachi, Yokohama store—a district of stores selling high-end, name-brand products marketed to the expat community and upper-middle class Japanese shoppers.

As for me, I just like the colors and patterns on the mascot bear in the store window!


Border Collie at Cafe
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 3200 for 1/60 sec.
Astia/Soft V2 film simulation

Border Collie at Cafe
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 640 for 1/160 sec.
Astia/Soft V2 film simulation

After hours of wandering around Chinatown and Motomachi in Yokohama, we took a short break at a cafe and chatted with strangers sitting nearby.

Park & City Skyline
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 800 for 1/160 sec. 
Film simulation: Astia/Soft V2

View of the Minatomirai waterfront district as seen from the southern end of Yamashita Park in Yokohama, Japan. Although the 58-story tower apartment (left) can still be seen in its entirety, the upper floors of the 71-story Landmark Tower (right) have been swallowed by the clouds.

Border Collie at City Park
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 3200 for 1/60 sec.
Astia/Soft V2 film simulation

Shot of Dale-chan the border collie posing with the floating museum, NYK Hikawa Maru, which is permanently moored at Yamashita Park in Yokohama, Japan.

Port City Waterfront
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 2500 for 1/160 sec. 
Classic Chrome V2 Simulation

View of the Minatomirai waterfront district as seen from the water’s edge of Yamashita park in Yokohama, Japan. I love how the low-lying clouds obscure the tops of the hotels and office towers in the distance.

Yokohama Marine Tower
Fujifilm X100V (23 mm at ƒ/2)
ISO 2500 for 1/160 sec. 
Classic Chrome V2 Simulation

Originally built as a lighthouse in 1961 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Port of Yokohama’s opening, the tower was the largest lighthouse in the world until 2008.

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Pix4Japan by Iketani, Daisei is licensed under a
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2022-06-28

Makaino Ranch near Mt. Fuji

In June 2022, I visited Makaino Ranch (まかいの牧場) located in the city of Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, which is located at the base of Mt. Fuji on the western slope. The ranch is a family-friendly and pet-friendly ranch/farm resort, that offers some fun and unique experiences for folks that might be living most of their daily lives in urban Japan.

Although the ranch (references also use the terms farm, park, and resort) primarily caters to families with children, there were many young couples on dates visiting the ranch as well. If you have a teenager in your family, they might not be terribly excited about visiting this ranch—but you can tell them there are several Instagrammable spots and activities they can post on TikTok if that is their thing.

My primary attraction to Makaino Ranch lies with the nostalgia of seeing a smelling farm animals after living in Japan for nearly 40 years. I was raised on a dairy farm, so my experience at the ranch brought back many childhood memories making the trip well worth my time and delightfully enjoyable.

I arrived with my border collie at around noon. It was only a two hour drive from Tokyo on the Tomei Expressway, and upon arrival, I had three large different parking lots to choose from—so parking does not seem to be an issue unless you try to visit late in the afternoon on a weekend or on a national holiday.

In conversations with the staff, the park was closed most of 2021 and has slowly opened up this year with guests asked to wear masks when indoors, sanitize your hands, maintain social distancing, and use designated mats at certain points to clean the soles of your shoes (this is standard practice to help prevent exposing the animals viruses and is not related to COVID-19).

Interactive activities include riding saddled horses, petting ponies, feeding calves with milk bottles, milking a cow, walking goats, and more. Note that milking cows and feeding calves cannot be done willy-nilly anytime a tourist wants to try. Cows and calves have a regular milking and feeding schedules, so be sure to check such schedules in advance if this is one of the activities that you would like to experience.

They also give visitors rides on trailers hitched to actual farm tractors that can take you on small tours of the ranch. There were a few modern and older tractors on display (deactivated for safety) where children were lining up to sit in the driver’s seat and pose for shots by mom and dad. For kids raised in the city, this must be an exciting activity on a par with sitting in the driver’s seat of a fire engine!

Since I visited with my border collie, I had to skip most of the interactions with the farm animals. Regardless, I was more than satisfied with just letting her see and smell farm animals for the first time in her life. Having spent her whole life in an urban setting, she showed very little interest in the sheep and was a bit scared of the cows, horses, and ponies! 😂

Whereas I visited on a weekday, not all of the facilities were open. But if you visit on the weekend, there are several buildings offering classes for both adults and children on various crafts using natural materials from the surrounding woods, tote bag decorating, spinning wool into yarn, and more. Be sure to check ahead before scheduling a visit if the crafting workshops are a part of your plans.

Other facilities provide the opportunity to make butter, sausage, and cookies using locally sourced ingredients— especially the milk and butter from the dairy cows on the ranch.

In addition there are several photo spots where you can take selfies for Instagram (here the teenagers might get excited) where you can have Mt. Fuji as your backdrop assuming the skies are clear. There are also wooded areas where you can take a nap on hammocks strung up between the trees, a day-glamping ground, a “sky-high” swing (use at your own risk), several flower gardens, and many spots where you can just sit and relax, have a picnic, or just take a break.

If you visit with young kids, they will likely have a blast especially if they have been raised in an urban setting. Teenagers can wander off by themselves for the all-important Instagram shots or TikTok videos, and adults, too, can just enjoy a break from the concrete jungle and cooler temperatures the park has to offer.

Before heading home, be sure to try out one of the cafes near the park entrance that offer locally produced ice cream. After the a long day walking throughout the entire ranch shooting photos and enjoying time with my dog, the ice cream was even more delicious than I could have anticipated!

Address:

1327-1 Utsuno, Fujinomiya-shi, Shizuoka-ken 418-0104

〒418-0104 静岡県富士宮市内野1327-1

Google Maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/xXSayu7eZUBJ6Spn6

Website:

Makaino Farm Resort

English info (downloadable PDF)

Sheep at Ranch Resort
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/11

Mt. Fuji Towering above Grazing Sheep
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
45 mm ISO 200 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/11

Grazing Sheep at Ranch
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/400 sec. at ƒ/5.6

Grazing Ewe at Ranch near Mt. Fuji
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/320 sec. at ƒ/6.3

Border Collie Chilling at Ranch
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/6.3

Up Close with Grazing Ewe
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
48 mm ISO 200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.0

Up Close with Grazing Ewe
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
68 mm ISO 200 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/5.0

Flowers and Grazing Ewe
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/7.1

Vintage John Deere Model 40T Tractor
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
63 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/11

Vintage John Deere Model 40T Tractor
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
45 mm ISO 100 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/4.5

Rusty Old John Deere Model 40T Tractor
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
88 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ5.6

Broken Headlight
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
68 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ5.6

Ranch Windpump near Mt. Fujji in Japan
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ5.6


Creative Commons License
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.

2022-06-08

Yamashita Park and Osanbashi Pier



Dock Lighthouse and Floating Pier
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 1/320 sec. at ƒ/5.6

Yamashita Park in Yokohama, Japan, offers clear views of the Port of Yokohama and all of the related floating docks, harbor lights, berthing, etc. for the museum ship NYK Hikawa Maru cruise liner ship and sea bus loading docks.

Retired Ocean Liner and Lovers on Park Bench
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
58 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/6.3

Regardless of the time of day, the benches of Yamashita Park facing the waterfront are enjoyed by young mothers looking to take a break, elderly couples out for a short walk, young embracing couples, elderly men listening to the AM radio broadcast, young skateboarders at night waiting for pedestrians to disappear, and more. 

The first time I boarded the NYK Hikawa Maru cruise ship was back in the mid-80s. I hope to go back to visit again and take photos when I’m able to leave my dog at home.

Before the war, this ship was the most luxurious means of travel to the U.S. with passengers that included members of the Japanese imperial family, Charlie Chaplin, and Babe Ruth to name a few.

Cruise Ships Docked at Osanbashi Pier
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
80 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/10

The Royal Wing cruise ship (foreground) takes passengers on daily two-hour cruises around the Port of Yokohama. The ship is especially popular for hosting weddings, anniversaries, lunch cruises, and especially the dinner cruise that departs from Osanbashi Pier offering passengers beautiful views of the nighttime skyline.

The Asuka II ship, with a passenger capacity of 872, sails up and down the eastern coastline of Japan on 3- or 4-day cruises. Although my office is not that close to Osanbashi Pier, I can hear the blast of this ship’s horn when she leaves the dock at least once or twice a week. If I were any closer, it might cause my heart to skip a beat!

Long-Span Cable-Stayed Bridge
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
53 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/6.3

Yamashita Park in Yokohama, Japan, offers fantastic views of Yokohama Bay Bridge--the gateway to the Port of Yokohama for ships sailing in and out of Tokyo Bay. The bridge has a cable-stayed design with an 860-meter/2,820-foot span that crosses Tokyo Bay vehicular traffic quicker access to Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture.

Completed in September 1989, the bridge is high enough to accommodate the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise liner. Twenty years later, however, mega cruise ships became too tall to pass under the bridge and now dock farther away from the central piers of Yokohama.

Mission Bells of El Camino Real
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 1/10 sec. at ƒ/6.3

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Yokohama and San Diego sister-city relationship, the city of San Diego gifted a series of bells in 1983 that were exact replicas of the original bells found along the 600-mile route called “El Camino Real” that stretches from San Diego to San Francisco.

Guardian of Water Fountain
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
40 mm ISO 100 for 0.5 sec. at ƒ/11

Replica of the original Guardian of Water sculpture by artist Donal Hord located in Yokohama’s sister-city of San Diego. San Diego gifted the sculpture to Yokohama in 1960 after Yokohama gifted a traditional Japanese tea room to San Diego that same year.

Warehouse Converted to Fashion Boutique
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
40 mm ISO 100 for 10.0 sec. at ƒ/11

Blue Blue Yokohama, a local fashion store selling in-house brands focused on casual clothes and accessories with an emphasis on denim, has been in operation since July 1996.

Located near Osanbashi Pier (Yokohama, Japan) and smaller docks next door, this shop was originally just one of the many warehouses that were built to facilitate the global trade that entered Japan through Yokohama. Once a heavy-industry and shipbuilding port, many of the older industrial buildings from the post-war era have been converted into fashion boutiques, restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, art studios, and more.

This attempt to restore, convert, and preserve older, smaller structures gives many neighborhoods in Yokohama a small-town vibe despite being the 2nd largest city in Japan with a population of over 3.7 million people.

Cruise Ship and Terminal Pier
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 2.0 sec. at ƒ/6.3

A blue-hour shot of Asuka II, which is a cruise liner docked at Osanbashi International Terminal Pier. The Asuka sails out of the Port of Yokohama two or three times a week and makes port visits as far north as Hokkaido and as far south as Kyushu.

Waterfront Skyline in Yokohama, Japan
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
80 mm ISO 100 for 240 sec. at ƒ/11

A long-exposure of the Yokohama Minatomirai waterfront skyline as seen from the Zo-no-Hana Breakwater next to Osanbashi Pier. This scene shows icons of Yokohama, including the Yokohama Cosmoworld Ferris wheel, the InterContinental Yokohama Grand hotel, which resembles the shape of a yacht under sail, and the Queen’s Square towers with rooflines resembling rolling waves.

Cruise Ship and Terminal Pier
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 170.0 sec. at ƒ/11

A nightscape shot of Asuka II, which is a cruise liner docked at Osanbashi International Terminal Pier. The Asuka sails out of the Port of Yokohama two or three times a week and makes port visits as far north as Hokkaido and as far south as Kyushu. 

Creative Commons License
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.

2022-04-06

Harbor View Park


Springtime at this park presents an abundance of colors and textures with carefully tended flower beds and lovely water fountains throughout the park.

The park is a popular destination for young families, young couples, photographers, and tourists from the world over. 

First, a little history:

After the Namamugi Incident where a British merchant was killed by the retainers of a samurai in 1862, French and British forces established garrisons on the Bluff in Naka Ward, Yokohama, to protect their respective citizens from further attacks under the treaties that gave foreigners extraterritoriality. 

French Hill Park was the site of the French marines from 1863 until 1875. After the Meiji restoration the marines withdrew and the French Consulate was built on the same site in 1894.

The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 destroyed the consulate along with the rest of Yokohama and Tokyo. Remnants of rebuilt consulate, which burned down in 1947, can still be seen along with the windpump.

Like the French, the British had troops assigned to a garrison from 1862 to 1875. The British located their forces higher up on the bluff at the crest of the hill. The British garrison had barracks, a naval hospital, storage facilities, a church, and a large parade ground.

After the British forces left in 1875, wealthy foreign merchants and expats rented lots on the Bluff for residential and commercial use. 

In 1962, land was turned over to the city of Yokohama where French Hill Park and Harbor View Park were established.

Entrance to the park is only a 1-minute walk from Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minato-Mirai Line, which runs through Yokohama Station onto the Tokyu-Toyoko Line to Shibuya Station in Tokyo.



Yokohama Marine Tower | 横浜マリンタワー
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
45 mm ISO 100 for 20 sec. at ƒ/13

French Hill Windpump | フランス山の風車
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
40 mm ISO 100 for 40 sec. at ƒ/11

Located just below Harbor View Park on the Yamate Bluff (Yokohama, Japan), French Hill Park was the site of the French marines from 1863 until 1875. The French Consulate was built on the same site in 1894 after the Meiji Restoration (1864 to 1889).

The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 destroyed the consulate along with the rest of Yokohama and Tokyo. Remnants of the rebuilt consulate, which burned down in 1947, can still be seen here at the park next to the old windpump, which is still standing.

Harbor View Park Observatory | 港の見える丘公園 展望台
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 15 sec. at ƒ/10

The semi-circle shaped observatory deck of Harbor View Park (Yokohama, Japan) includes a covered space with benches and a roof designed in the shape of seabird wings in flight.

This observation deck is one of the main attractions at this park for both photographers and tourists, and is especially popular among couples looking for a romantic view of the harbor.

Located only within a 1-minute walk of Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line, the park draws visitors from not only residents of Kanagawa Prefecture, but also Tokyo and overseas tourists enjoying a day in Yokohama. 

Urban Waterfront Skyline | 横浜港
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
45 mm ISO 100 for 20 sec. at ƒ/13

View of the Yokohama waterfront from an observation deck of Harbor View Park in Yokohama, Japan, featuring the Wangan Shuto Expressway in the foreground, the Yokohama Marine Tower on the left, the cruise ship Osanbashi Pier in the mid-ground, and high-rise apartment towers in the background.

What was once a fishing village until the arrival of U.S. Naval Commodore Perry in 1859, Yokohama has become the 2nd largest city in Japan. The waterfront district is the biggest attraction for residential use, commercial activities, and is a popular tourist attraction. From this viewpoint of Harbor View Park (1-minute walk from Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line), you can enjoy beautiful views of the harbor.

Yokohama Bay Bridge | 横浜ベイブリッジ
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/13

Harbor View Park, near Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line in Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) offers fantastic nightscape views of Yokohama Bay Bridge--the gateway to the Port of Yokohama for ships sailing in and out of Tokyo Bay. The bridge has a cable-stayed design with an 860-meter/2,820-foot span that crosses Tokyo Bay allowing vehicular traffic to bypass congestion on the bayshore route for quicker access to Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture.

Completed in September 1989, the bridge was high enough to accommodate one of the world’s largest ships at that time—the Queen Elizabeth 2. Twenty years later, mega cruise ships became  too tall to pass under the bridge and had to dock farther away from the central piers of Yokohama.

Honmoku Pier | 本牧ふ頭
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/13

Shot of the Harbor View Park nightscape view looking west from the park’s observatory (Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan). You can see the numerous mega-gantry cranes standing idle on the berths of Honomoku Pier, which make for great nightscape subjects.

Harbor View Park is located about 37 km (23 mi) south of Tokyo,  or a 58-minute train ride from Shibuya Station (Tokyo) on the Tokyu-Toyoko line.

There are  several coin-parking lots near Harbor View Park, making it an easy park to visit if you drive. If visiting by train, you can easily access Harbor View Park via French Hill Park, which is only a 1-minute walk from Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line.


References:

Harbor View Park (Minato-no-Mieru Oka Koen) by the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau:
Address:
  • 114, Yamate-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, 231-0862
  • 〒231-0862 神奈川県横浜市中区山手町114
Map:
“French Consulate, Yokohama, c. 1910” by Steve Sundberg:
Namamugi Incident by Wikipedia:
Section 2: French military advisers and military modernization by the National Diet Library, Japan:
港の見える丘公園(中区)by Yokohama City Hall:
Yamate by Wikipedia:
横浜山手外国人居留地データベース|BLUFF Archives by 法人横浜山手アーカイブス:


Google Maps Links:

French Hill Park | フランス山公園:
Motomachi-Chukagai Station | 元町・中華街駅: Take exit No. 5 and turn right. Only a 30-second walk!
Showa Park France Yama Parking Lot:
Kyoritsuyamate Parking Lot:
  • https://goo.gl/maps/RL5RXmCP9SQAWz3g7
Minatonomieruoka Park Parking Lot:
Observatory of Harbor viewing hill park:
Harbor View Park Sunken Flower Bed | 港の見える丘公園 沈床花壇:
English Rose Garden | イングリッシュローズの庭:
British House (Former British Consulate) | 横浜市イギリス館:
Water Fountain | 噴水広場:

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

    Camera Gear:

    Pentax K-1 Mark II  (K1-II)
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    Standard zoom lens: Pentax D FA 28-105mm f3.5-5.6ed DC WR HD Lens
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    Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
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    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 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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    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.