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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Mt.Rokko with fresh verdure

(Click on the photo to enlarge.)
Japanese maple "Iroha momiji", or Acer palmatum

"山滴る/yama shitataru" is a seasonal phrase of early summer to describe fresh green mountains.  From the Chinese characters 山滴 as a pictograph, can you see "mountain's fresh green dripping"?   Mountains at this time of year is so fresh and "juicy": don't you feel?


I like walking in the endless verdure.  It's not too cold or too hot, just right weather, and the air is special with the fragrance of fresh green and flowers.  


ヒトツバタゴ, or Chionanthus retusus Chionanthus, native to China, Korea, and Japan

This tree has different common names like "white fringe tree", "old man's beard", or "なんじゃもんじゃの木".



Pure white flowers with fringe-like petals bloom has just started.  
Look high up in the tree, or you'll miss the flowers.

谷空木/Tani utsugi, or Weigela hortensis

There are some soft colors mingling with surrounding green.

杜若/Kakitsubata, or Iris laevigata


コバノミツバツツジ, or Rhododendron reticulatum, grows wild in Rokko Mountains.
Some of them are still lingering.





コウホネ(河骨), Nuphar japonicum, are coming into bloom.


コガクウツギ, hydrange aluteo-venosa Koids. grows wild in Rokko Mountains.

They bloom ahead of common hydrangeas which start blooming in the middle of June at Mt. Rokko.


Looking up, I see a ceiling of green lace.  While being bathed in the flickering light and green essence,  I forget where I am.





Reflections add deeper shades of green.



How lovely the hands of Iroha momiji!!   I remembered an Australian friend whose granddaughter is named "Iroha".   I suppose Iroha-chan's hands are getting larger.



The view through the Mt. Rokko Cable Car windowpane

Mt. Rokko stands right behind Kobe city.
Fatigue being  washed away by the green shower,
people face the hustle and bustle of a city again refreshed.


These photos were taken about ten days ago when I went to see
"Kurinso/Japanese primroses".

43 comments:

  1. There is such a gentle softness to these photos, stardust. I like how close the green seems to be to everything. A trip in the cable car throughout the lush leaves must be very refreshing, indeed. The shades of green appear to be infinite during such times. :)

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  2. Great post as always.
    Love your photos.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Mette

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  3. Glorious, wonderful shades of green Yoko. I too could get lost in the colour alone let alone the wonderful shapes of the leaves and flowers. You do have a flair for landscape.

    Hugs from Australia;

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  4. The hands of momiji are really cute.
    It's like a baby's hand.
    There are also momiji in my garden.I'll try to take such wonderful shots.

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  5. Hello Yoko:
    What you capture so well in these images is that wonderful fresh green which is so very typical of early summer and which, so sadly, fades as the year progresses. Some beautiful photographs and the combination of green and white we find especially appealing.

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  6. really beautiful. 'green shower' is a great description.

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  7. Such freshness surrounded you. I felt calmed just looking at your photos. You walked through a magical landscape, Yoko.

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  8. Yoko, your photographs are always gorgeous. The top picture reminded me of a design on porcelain. I love the green of early summer, and also that you can also see the many shades of green which characterise the different plants. When it is later in the year, the greenness tends to fade to a similar shade in many of the plants and trees.
    I too like the concept of a "green shower".
    A lovely post, as usual.

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  9. Hello Yoko!
    I enjoyed the tour of Mt. Rokko,it's always interesting to see new plants.Maple leaves are beautiful in all seasons and the young ones so delicate and fresh.The reflections look like a magical door to the underworld!
    Lovely water plants......and photos!

    Enjoy your day,
    Ruby

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  10. Spacerując po tak pięknym miejscach można zapomnieć, że się jest na ziemi a nie w raju. Dziękuję za to. Pozdrawiam.
    Walking through such beautiful places you can forget that one is on the ground and not Paradise. Thank you for that. Yours.

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  11. You always show us such beautiful places! Thank you and love from Poland:)

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  12. Lots of green here also at the moment, Yoko, as a result of the regular wettings we've been subjected too. But there's always a certain delicacy about your photos and I'm not sure if that's the Japanese landscape or what you have an affinity for photographing.

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  13. Lovely green, green post. The new leaves are a delight when they appear. Nature is so wonderful the way she put on her green mantle for us every year.

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  14. those are so magnificent green pictures, they ar eso relaxing and full with nature+happiness! thanks for the good mood+energy!sunny smiles+happy new week...

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  15. Hello Yoko, it's always wonderful walk through its blog, I love those green landscapes and convey much serenity.

    Have a happy day!!

    Antonio

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  16. Late spring/early summer is extra beautiful in Japan, and you've captured it perfectly!

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  17. 森林浴はこころ和みますね。なんじゃもんじゃの木は山崎方代という歌人が題材によく使ったのですがどんな木かしらと名前だけ楽しんでいました。stardustさんは植物によく親しんで、色々知っておられますね。もっと木や花の名を知っていれば楽しいのにと思うときがあります。

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  18. Green and delightful! As always you make me want to go to Japan :)
    ENJOY!!!
    Pia xx

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  19. Maravillosos bosques, la belleza de su flora no deja indiferente a nadie.

    Un cálido abrazo

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  20. What a beautiful, tranquil place! And how fresh and fragrant the air must be! I can easily understand why walking through this spectacular green oasis can make you forget where you are, Yoko.
    And again, as one of your readers noticed above, you've made pictures using your inner camera. All pictures bear the print of your sensibility and love for nature!

    In here, after two weeks of almost uninterrupted rains, with floodings in some parts of the country, the weather decided to ease down a little bit so we're expecting a weekend of sunshine. Perfect for walking and taking pictures! :)

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  21. さすが六甲山いろんな花がありますね。12番目の緑がおもしろいです。この木漏れ日の下だと、気持ちよくすごせそうです。神戸や大阪から近いので,てがるなリフレッシュにいいですね。

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  22. Such lovely dripping green beauty. Your photos are exquisite.

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  23. Greetings, Yoko!

    I can understand how people can escape the city for this gorgeous mountain and drench themselves in the green glory of nature to have their weary souls refreshed and their minds rinsed of everyday cares.

    Mt. Rokko is a bastion of blessedness and beauty blooming under the canopy of trees reaching for the sky...what a wondrous place to visit and meditate and find renewal!

    Re your comment about drinks near a computer. I've had coffee cups on my desk for years. Never spilled one! Until the other day. Fortunately we caught the coffee before it could do any damage. But I'll continue to drink coffee while working on the computer! Some people never learn a thing! ;-)

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  24. Hello, Yoko!
    Charming images that remind me of the sweetness of life.
    The colors are harmonious, and it looks very calm and soft. Thank you!

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  25. What a beautiful area. The fresh greens of spring are so inspiring. A renewal that happens every year. Thank you for showing us spring on Mt. Rokko!

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  26. ❤♡ Olá!
    Tão calmo, tão florido, tão bonito!
    Bom fim de semana!
    Beijinhos.
    Brasil
    •.¸¸✿⊱╮¸¸.•

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  27. Everything is so lush. I like the delicate pastel colours of the flowers. I can just imagine how refreshed one feels after a walk in this beautiful park.

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  28. 「なんじゃもんじゃ」って名前は聞いたことがある気がしますが、この花だったんですね。面白い名前ですね。きっと由来もあるのでしょうね。
    Yokoさんの写真は、どなたかも言っておられますが、深みと優しさがあふれていますよね。やはり撮る人の心が反映されるんでしょうね。

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  29. Yoko, you show off the beauty of Japan like no other! Your posts are truly a work of art. This area looks like paradise to me ... so very lush and green. What a gifted photographer you are. These images are especially exquisite. Thank you for taking us along on a marvelous tour. This stunning post makes my heart sing with joy!

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  30. haricot & cosmos - ナンジャモンジャは写真のヒトツバタゴを指すことが多いようですが、見慣れない立派な植物や珍木に地元の人々がつけた名前のようなので地方によってちがうナンジャモンジャがあるでしょう。私はほとんど植物の名前を知りませんが、この木のところに、「ナンジャモンジャの木」の標識があったので気がつきました。まだ咲初めでしたが、満開の時は雪をかぶったようになるようで、見てみたいです。

    山崎方代さんのこと初めて知りました。放浪歌人として、あちこちのナンジャモンジャを見られてきたのでしょうか。 「こんなもんじゃ」と言う名の歌集も面白いです。

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  31. Yokoさん こんにちは。 週末のひと時にあっという間に 神戸の植物園に連れていって頂けて感謝です。小学校の遠足で確か行った場所だと思います。その頃は植物がこれほど多様である事に気づきもしませんでしたが、森林浴の気持ち良さは覚えています。水面を覆うばかりの水草の生命力に驚かされました。まるで点描の絵画のようで素晴らしいです。

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  32. Anzu-san - これらの写真は森林植物園で撮りました。(ちなみに、前ポストのクリンソウは高山植物園です。) やはり、子供の時に見た風景は心に残っているのですね。 私も小学校の遠足以来、初めて行きました。高校での春の歓迎遠足はいつも再度山~修法ヶ原でしたし、春秋の芦屋ロックガーデンからの登山、夏の避暑、冬の人口スキーと六甲山との思い出は尽きません。Anzuさんもご帰省の折にはぜひいらしてください。レトロなケーブルカー、バスも楽しいですよ。

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  33. Your photos are all gorgeous but I particularly enjoyed seeing the field of wild irises.

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  34. こんばんは

    やっぱり六甲はいいですね!へ、へ、へ、お国自慢かな!神戸はなんといっても超ステキでございます。山と海があってね。緑したたる六甲の写真、ありがとうございます。風がいい香りがしますね。森の匂いをふくんで、潮の匂いをふくんで。

    サクラソウのきれいなお花も拝見しました。ピンクが濃くて本当に可愛い! 来週神戸に用事があって帰りますが、見上げる六甲の山並みが楽しみです。

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  35. これが、阪神タイガーズの自慢の六甲山ですか。初めて見せていただきました。 とても美しいです。

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  36. Wonderful photos, as always, Yoko. I love the Japanese Maple and the water lilies in particular.

    To walk under a tender green canopy is like being in a dream world. Here too, the rain has made everything lush and green, there is almost too much of verdure. The weeds grow faster that everything else.

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  37. Absoutely wonderful photographs
    you are a fantastic photographer.

    Happy Monday

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  38. I like the fragility of the Japanese maple leaves. I saw several of these maple trees in the gardens of the Kamakura temples during my visit in August 2009. I wish I can see the maple leaves again in autumn time when their green colour changes into intensive red tones.

    Uwe.

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  39. Thanks for your comments, Yoko! It's already short prior half past 10 a.m. in Japan - seven hours in front of Central European time.
    So I wish you a good night and some sweet dreams... ;-)

    Uwe.

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  40. p.m. !!!! - short prior half past 10 p.m of course...!!!

    ;-))

    I'm already sleeping!

    U.

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  41. Wonderful photographs of the greenery and delicate colored flowers, Yoko...simply serene and lovely! The photo of the reflecting waters was devine!

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  42. Yoko, they are so beautiful all your photos and I have enjoyed them so much. Those wonderful flowers and bushes and trees and the water - and the way you have seen it all is like a poem.

    We've got the same butterfly here on "the other side of the world!"

    Thank you
    Grethe ´)

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