Silver white wonderland on Valentine's weekend

Hello, dear Friends!  Now that it turned mid-February, are you fed up with snow?  I guess perhaps so, but please bare it with me for a while because snow days in Nara is rare and special as I’ve written many times.

snow on ice at Obuchi-ike Pond

We had the second snowfall from 13^th evening to 14^th late night in Nara City. The snow was not ephemeral like the first time (Silver white landscape melted into rain) but long-lasting and in tremendous amount. Heavy snow warning was issued for the first time in 24 years. Schools and main highways were closed, trains delayed or suspended, traffic jammed terribly, and people injured on the icy road. You know how unprepared we are to the heavy snow.

I walked along my favorite walking course around the Obuchi-ike Pond, 
armed with water-proof coat and snow boots.
An exclusive residential area surrounds the pond.

Shohaku Art Museum stands in the estate of the late honorary president of  Kintetsu Railway Co.

the pond in autumn

There is Obuchi Bridge almost at the south end of the pond.

When you cross Obuchi Bridge, the scenery changes into rustic feel with traditional Japanese houses, woods, and fields.

In fifteen minutes' walk to the south-east of the pond, there is 御嶽山大和本宮 Ontake-san-Yamato-Hongu.  It is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Mt. Ontake.  It is noted for glorious cherry blossoms in spring but snow flowers on the branches are as good as or even better (if only you can brave the cold) than spring blossoms.

There was no one but me in the precinct. The only sound I heard was my breath as I trod on the snow and falling snow on my umbrella. The stones carved with the donaters' names looked standing into eternity.

I sensed someone approaching, but there was no one.  Looking up, I saw a soaring warrior. I learned at home that he was Emperor Jimmu, the first emperor, with his emblematic long bow and an accompanying wild bird.  His reign was legendary 660 BC to 585 BC.

image via wikipedia

I was so absorbed in the serenity that I didn't realize I was wet and chilled to the bone until I came to myself after a while. I hurried back to home to warm myself and dry my camera, crossing that bridge again......

..... and walking along the pond back to the nearest bus stop.

Back home, I had a coffee break with some Valentine's Day chocolates with my husband.

Take care and stay warm!

February 18^th

I’m having a break from blogging for a while.

To those who kindly left a comment after this notice, I’ll catch up on my returning.

Thank you, and see you!

Yoko

Silver white landscape melted into rain

 It was Feb. 8th when we Nara citizens had the first snowfall this season. 

We have been awaited for this as snowfall is a rare event in Nara even when we are chilled to the bone.

Artificial snowflake prepared for 奈良瑠璃絵 Nara Rurie Winter Illumination Festival

I got up to find that the overnight snowfall blanketed Nara in the early morning.

my neighborhood at 10:00 a.m.

But snow turned into a wintry mix of rain and sleet as the day went on and finally to rain before noon.

Sasanqua camellia

Though I don't dislike wet days in other seasons,I had thought that there's nothing nasty like freezing rain, while there's nothing fantastic like a snow day.  But I was wrong.

When you look around positively, there are charms.  I forgot the cold rain under my umbrella while I was caught in the raindrops on flowers, ripples of water, or wet weather-beaten grasses.

Spring-colored buds of Asebi, or Japanese Andromeda, in the flare of flashlight

Icy raindrops on the branches with the promise of spring!

We are still in the cold wave with the highest temperatures hovering about 4 to 7 degrees Celsius.

But remember before the spring is the coldest like before the dawn is the darkest.

See you next time!

From Nara Park, the Land of Deer
Coexistence with Deer In Nara

Color and fragrance of early spring at Yatsuri

My husband and I drove to Yatsuri on a misty morning. 

Yatsuri is located on the east edge of Asuka Village. The name “Chikatsu-Asuka-Yatsuri Palace” appears in the old chronicles as being established as the seat of the new Emperor Kenzo (顕宗天皇), in 485 much earlier than Asuka period (592-710). 

While scholars can identify and associate with some historical evidence to Asuka Period, there seem to be no clear evidence about the ancient palace of Yatusri, though there's a shrine (引計皇子神社), which is thought to be the location of the palace and the local people call it "Yatsuri no miya-san/palace of Yatsuri". Many tumuluses have been excavated in Yatsuri-Higashiyama area. They are thought to be the tombs of the local powerful family of 6^th and 7^th century.  Yatsuri-Higashiyama Kofungun/ Ancient Tumulus Clusters

Yatsuri is a sleepy but serene farming village where old farmhouses are nestled at the "satoyama/undeveloped woodland near populated area", behind which there are Mt. Unebi and  then Mt. Nijyo.  Mt. Nijyo is disappeared in the mist in the photo below.

 

From mid-January to mid-February,  Robai (Yellow Winersweet) bloom fragrantly in the area which sinks into silence in winter. The small waxy blooms of sulphur yellow are simply lovely to see.

Another thing I know about Yatsuri is that the place was loved very much by a Nara-born, Nara-loved photographer, Taikichi Irie.  To represent the characteristic atmosphere of Yamato (old name of Nara) which had lasted since immemorial, he tried to capture wet, aerial feeling and shaded nuance. He preferred wet landscape.  These are the scenery of Yatsuri Irie loved in good and old days of Japan.

Summer Yatsuri by Taikichi Irie

Yatsuri at dusk by Irie Taikichi
Cultural Landscape of Japan - Nara Yamatoji 

I like atmospheric photos shot in twilight, rain, or mist but to take such pictures nicely is challenging to me.   The four images below were taken on a sunny morning in mid-January of the last year.  

Robai blossoms always please me either under the misty sky or in the full sunlight.

In the photo below, Mt Unebi and Mt Nijyo are seen more clearly than in the third image.

Weather turned to the chill after the weekend's spring-like temperatures. The whole country is gripped in the coldest wave this season, and the  highest temperature is forecasted 4 degrees C for tomorrow here in Nara where snowfall is a rare event. When we go through the harshest part of winter, spring is around the corner. According to the traditional Japanese calendar, today is the first day of spring.

 -  Posts related to Asuka including this post, here. -