#utsukushigahara

[dochuff]

Mountain Intermission: Escaping the Fog

On the way up Utsukushigahara 2007

[pix4japan]

Lone Windblown Tree

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.

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

© Pix4Japan. All Rights Reserved.

[thehikingviking]

Utsukushigahara Highlands, A Walk Through the Clouds

We had originally planned to climb Norikura-dake, one of the tallest peaks in Japan. As we approached the trailhead, we were stopped by a bicycle race. The road beyond Norikura Kanko Tourist Center was closed to both cars and busses. We were a long way from Utsunomiya, and even further from California, so I was frustrated to say the least. I perused the map and researched alternate objectives on the fly. I needed to chose a hike short enough such that we could do it with a late start while carrying our child, at least part of the way. I selected Utsukushigahara Highlands, as it was on the way to Saku, which had a Shinkansen station. Our dear friend Jon would join us for the hike then take the train back to Tokyo later that day.

We had already driven quite a bit that morning, and now we had to drive even further, but after a long windy ride we made it to the Utsukushigahara Nagawa Municipal Parking Lot. It was wet outside from a recent rain and the entire area was shrouded in clouds. There was a visitor shop at the end of the paved road and a dirt road continuing beyond towards the summit plateau. Today's "peak" is referred to as a highland, and while it was not striking in a traditional mountain sense, it did have almost two thousand feet to topographic prominence. Situated between several major mountain ranges, I now wonder how the views would have been from the top, considering we were socked in all day.

The dirt road took us through ranchlands. A wooden fence on each side barred us from the ponies and cattle, or rather them from us. It was a little mysterious and often I would find myself having to guess what the large animal was through the pea soup. 

The walk vaguely reminded me of hiking through the Diablo Range in California; grasslands, cattle and rolling hills.

The dirt road made for easy walking. We let Leif walk at first, but eventually his lack of urgency had us put him in the carrier. The summit area was covered with a large building called Ougatou, which translates to King's Head Hotel. Behind the building was a large radio facility and several shrines.

We walked around until finding the summit rock and a benchmark. From car to summit it was only 2 miles with about 300 vertical feet gain.

We stepped into Ougatou to get out of the weather. We ate beef curry and coffee jelly with soft cream inside the luxurious summit shelter. The curry was so good that I ended up eating two servings.

I could have sat there all afternoon, but we all wanted to get home that night. Rather than retracing our steps back down the bland dirt road, I picked up a trail system that circled around the southern part of the ranch.

The trail dropped down a couple switchbacks then contoured alongside the highland.

I left the trail briefly to investigate a rocky cliff that seemed a little out of place in the gentle rolling hills.

Leif wanted to walk again, so I let him do so for a while, but eventually I picked him up again because we needed to cover distance faster.

The trail reconnected with the dirt road. It was a longer, but slightly more aesthetic hiking route. We stopped for a short time for Leif to feed the pony.

The clouds began to clear as we reached the trailhead. We looked around the shop then began our trip back home. This wasn't the most spectacular hike, but it was good for our two year old.

[junhonda]

ひと夏の夢。 . 青空の下で、白い雲を食べる。 . . sweets: Utsukushigahara-kogen Plateau(美ヶ原高原) camera: Sony α7riii lense: Sony 50mm F1.4 . . #finesweetsart #pastryporn #foodporn #tokyocameraclub #instasweet #foodgasm #eeeeeats #alpha_newgeneration #pastry #pastryart #eatingfortheinsta #art_of_japan_ #cakelover #finepastry #foodvsco #sweets #fineart #instadessert #dessertoftheday #과자　#도쿄스위트　#おいしい写真　#スイーツ好きな人と繋がりたい　#ソフトクリーム　#icecream #美ヶ原高原 (美ヶ原高原) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiT0WsEP-Ct/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[nerolilover]

美ヶ原の昼〜日没〜夜景。満天の星空キレイだった✨夜景は娘の撮影📷⁡ ⁡⁡ Breathtaking scenery from Utsukushi-gahara Highland, Nagano pref. (Utsukushigahara Highland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdUNNPkBCfn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[the-colors-of-tokyo]

美ヶ原 memories

It’s been nearly 14 years since we were last there. The “Beautiful Plain” is only beautiful during certain times of the years---and then only when it is not all fogged in---but in heavy snow in the winter on an occasionally clear day when it is cold enough to keep most city-folk tourists inside the mountain top hotel, it is especially beautiful. Christmas in the  synthetic, concrete and asphalt covered metropolis of Tokyo cannot compare.

[tozan100kei]

朝の美ヶ原。 ようやく写真を整理現像。ブログはこれから。 YouTubeだけサクッと。

[yokoamakawa]

Today's peak,

2018.9.6

[nelunderson]

　 “ venus-line ” 　

[aniaintokyo]

Open Air Museum in Utsukushigahara

I know two Open Air Museums in Japan, one in Hakkone and other one in Japanese Alps in Nagano. Their concept is pretty similar and I like both of them a lot. Fortunately the one in Nagano is located only around 40 kilometers from Yosuke's hometown. However the drive is pretty long as the museum is located on top of the 2000-meter tall Utsukushigahara plateau. The road leading to the museum is scenic and full of serpentines. It's called Venus line.

The museum is very spacious and during clear day visitors can enjoy spectacular mountain panorama. It's also provides nice stroll in the park like environment. Yosuke says that it's one of his favourite museums as he can smoke inside;) though I don't support this point of view and I think there is so many more interesting features of Open Air Museum.

Mountains panorama from the museum

The main museum building

The overlook of the part of museum:

There are two designated sightseeing routes, one for 30 minutes and other for 40 minutes to see two separated parts, but they do not cover all of exhibits. It is possible to spend there much more time!

What is fun, part of the museum looks like a park, while walking through other parts is like having a hike in the forest

But of course the most important part is the art collection. The very first one which we can see just after entering:

Thumb (here together with our thumbs;)

Later, it's getting even better. Some of my favorite arts are those:

[lady-0120]

almost there⛰ #lady #王ヶ頭 #ougatou #美ヶ原高原 #utsukushigahara #ビューティー #ボーダーコリー #bordercollie #thisdogdad #dudeswithdogs #dogisfriendship #bordercolliedad #prouddad #lovemybordercollie #happydoghappylife #instagood #ビューティープロコンテスト 🐾 🐾 check out my FRIENDS 🐾 🐾 @ebimoikamosuki @rose_bear_bordercollie_twins @mia_weimi (at 美ヶ原・王ヶ頭) https://www.instagram.com/lady_0120/p/BxHiLzlhbpc/?igshid=zpbvi2v4oax7

[dochuff]

Intermission in the Mountains:

Morning view from Utsukushigahara in the Japanese Alps. 2007.

[pix4japan]

Border Collie and Grazing Cows

My girl is wondering why I want her to pose with some cows. She is proof of how nurture can outweigh nature at least in a working breed of dog.

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

[nekowayny]

#普通の1枚 #今回は調整 #クロップはした #花 #緑 #蜂 #写真 #digitalart #art #japan #Japan #photography #photographer #colorgram #colorful #bee #flower #pink #green #utsukushigahara #nagano (美ヶ原高原美術館) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv9GaNVg1dI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1sfxx0wh6t8p6

[yuki0508baka]

コレ去年の今頃美ヶ原高原 まるで空島 空中散歩 自然は本当に素晴らしい 人それぞれ価値観は違うけど僕は自然を感じてるとき心から幸せになれる 日本の皆さんこの夏休み行くとこ困ったら是非美ヶ原高原まで足を運んでくださいな というか俺が行きたい のんびりアイスクリームでも食いながら散歩したい 日本の夏が恋しいメルボルン冬 #utsukushigahara #nagano #japan #summer #nature #美ヶ原高原 #美ヶ原 #夏 #ハイキング #melbourne #australia #メルボルン #空島 (Melbourne)

[stillsolid]

せがまれて3度目のビーナスライン。 行きは濃い雲に煙る道を登り、標高2000mの美ヶ原で雲の上に到達して青空が広がるという映画のような展開。 帰り道は雲が晴れてて、色がつき始めた木々を楽しむことが出来た。 #japan #nagano #suwa #ueda #utsukushigahara #fujifilm #xpro2 #xf18 #fujifilm_xseries #fujifilmxseriesjapan #xseries #lifewithx #lovefujifilm #今日もx日和 #長野 #諏訪 #ビーナスライン #上田 #美ヶ原高原 #紅葉 #xdiavel #xdiavels #ducati #ドゥカティ #xディアベル (道の駅 美ヶ原高原美術館) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpEo6jXHE_D/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=z45d6m794lz4