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Friday, September 12, 2014

Late summer in Nara Park

Kasugano-enchi Park, Sansha Pond, Mt. Wakakusa and Mt. Kasuga
As is said in Japanese saying, “Neither heat nor cold lasts beyond the equinox.”, September of Japan is still summer with gradual cooling. This year, however, our usual hottest and sunniest summer ended as a wet season with lower temperature and since late August I’ve sometimes felt autumn-like air.  When I walked in Nara Park from late afternoon to night on 8th of September, cool and crisp air was comfortable under the high blue sky with autumn clouds.  



Japanese crape myrtle bloom over a long period from mid-summer to early-autumn.  Since this year’s summer heat was not so intense, the flowers were still fresh and brilliant.



Leaves and grasses were still summer green.

Japanese maple leaves with Japanese crape myrtle flowers in the back

Green leaves and moss on wooden trellis

Green colors on the crumbling earthen walls with age

At Ara-ike Park, the colors of some foliage were turning yellowish and some were tinted with gold in the evening sun.





At Sagi-ike Pond, ducks were swimming in the vermilion-gold water, the reflection of the Ukimi-do Pavilion aglow in the evening sun.


8th of September was the harvest moon night (Chushu-no-meigetsu in Japanese), the fifteenth night of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Still more, the moon of the next day 9th was Super Moon, 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter, as it came closer than usual to the Earth. 

A hazy moon thinly veiled by the rosy sunset clouds

The moon is appearing from the clouds.

 The extraordinary big and bright moon rose high above and shone over the world.

Ukimi-do Pavilion at Sagi-ike Pond

On the way to the train station,  two dragon-headed boats were going around Sarusawa-ike Pond as a part of Uneme-matsuri Full-moon Festival .











This post is linked to Friday My Town Shoot Out
Thank you, Mersad, for hosting.

28 comments:

  1. What a beautiful place and spectacular views ! I am delighted with the landscape in the first picture and a view of the park !
    Wonderful pictures ! Greetings :)

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  2. it's just beautiful. i like the wooden trellis and the old earthen wall!

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  3. Yoko, I'd really like to have seen your pink sky and super moon in person. I did see it casting it's reflection on the sea but didn't take photos. Our skies were inky blue with some cloud. The construction of the mud wall is very interesting......and beautiful. Lovely photos,especially the last three!

    Wishing you a happy weekend,
    Ruby

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  4. Vilken vacker park du besökte. Månbilderna är suveräna jag bar njuter
    Det är en fin miljö ni har att vandra i . Så trevligt med båtarna.
    Ha en fin helg
    Kram Meta

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  5. Hi Yoko, Your September photos are beautiful. I'm so glad you are still blogging as I have been away for so long and have missed your magical images. The moon has been wonderful here in the UK as well and I especially love your deer photos in the park, so peaceful.
    I was just wondering if you have heard of the Mori, forest fashion in Japan? I love it and have a Pinterest board called Mori fashion. I thought of you as we share the same love for woodland nature.
    Best wishes,
    Jo May.

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  6. The bright moon shines like a lamp and casts a magical glow upon the people in the dragon-headed boats. It is amazing to realize that the ancient mossy wall had been made by builders under the same moon but experiencing a different lifestyle!

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  7. 素晴らしい秋の奈良公園ですね。.清々しい、ほんのりと冷たくなった秋の空気が伝わって来るようです。暑い夏を乗り越えた鹿たちもほっとしていることでしょう。飛び火の公園の夕日がきれいです。集中豪雨が各地で起こっているこの頃ですが、昨年よりすこし和らいだ夏の天候のおかげで百日紅も長く咲き続けられ,気候にめぐまれた今年の奈良に感謝です!

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  8. "Deep Blue" 「深い蒼」 in the sky is amazing. I think it's important in a photograph.

    Elegant relaxed atmosphere of Nara Park.
    「しっとり」とした描写が素敵です。 (英語では相応しい表現が見つかりません。)

    Night view is fantastic impression. I feel the traditional profound.

    Have a good weekend. ruma❃

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  9. Yokoさん こんにちは! ようやくお出かけを楽しめる季節となりましたね。
    暑い日々うらめしく思いながらも、夏の陽射しの下に咲くピンク色のサルスベリには癒されていました。
    そして、今。 夕暮れに染まる池を渡る鳥、草をはむ鹿、古都の月の下、提灯の明りの中 滑るようにわたる厳かな船。
    素晴らしい世界を見せて頂きありがとうございます! 

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  10. こんばんは。最初の写真が好きです。 月の写真も素敵です。私もこの月を曇り空の夕方と22時ごろ見ました。 その時ははるか天高く昇っていました。

    月々に月見る月は多けれど月見る月はこの月の月。
    (よみ人知らず) 十六夜の次の日は立待ち月、その次は、居待ち月、今日は、寝待ち月ですね。

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  11. What a beautiful park. I like the first photo. The sky and the green are really nice.

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  12. えっー。実は私もその夜、采女祭りのボートを撮ってました。しかも多分同じぐらいの場所だと思います。階段を下りて、少し右に歩いた所。でも会わなかったね。15夜の日の夕方前の奈良公園から夜のクライマックスまで、とても素敵に撮られているので、想像をふくらませて、楽しませてもらいました。
    Have a nice weekend!

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  13. ·..✿✿。°
    Fotos de incrível beleza.
    As fotos noturnas são simplesmente fabulosas!
    Parabéns!!!
    Ótimo sábado!!!

    Bom fim de semana!
    Beijinhos.·..✿彡
    °。✿⊱。。

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  14. such beautiful late summer photograph, glimpses of your beautiful world and your heart

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  15. Thank you !!!! For sharing this beautiful place with us ! Your pictures are gorgeous !!!!!
    Have a great weekend !
    Anna

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  16. Thank you Yoko for this wonderful walk - a pleasure from morning to evening! :-)

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  17. What a fantastic park with an "explosion of green". The lower-than-usual temperatures with more rain in August were obviously a gift for Japanese' nature. The park and its plants look fresh like in early summer! And you took photos of one of my favourite trees with wonderful blossoms: the Japanese crape myrtle I saw durings my visits in Japan 2009 and 2012 - and thereafter only once again in my lifetime in Northern Italy! ;-)
    Here in Germany the foliage of the trees already tend to change their colour from green to yellow - that's definitely the sign for a beginning autumn season. I'm looking forward to seeing the leaves of the Japanese maple turning from green to red!
    All the best from Germany, Uwe.

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  18. ha. walking with you is like eating sushi, i'm serious. i devour each bite i take. and thank you for enlightening us with japanese terms and words. i say them out loud, to taste the sound. ... yes, september, she is always beautiful, especially over at yours! i'd go crazy if i'd witness this wonder all of the time!!! i saw that moon from my bedroom window. it WAS super. the colours are to dive straight into. oh. thank you for sharing. n♥

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  19. Wonderful. Here in England the leaves are similar shades - still summer, yet tinged with autumn. I always admire your photos - they seem to transport me into a nearly perfect world

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  20. Just stunning. I love the night shots. It must be nice to have cooler temperatures.
    Susan

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  21. Wow -- another beautiful set of shots.

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  22. How tranquil, Yoko - and the changing light bathes everything in a special glow. Our trees are changing rapidly here at altitude from green to gold. We're busy packing the Denver house - it's sold and by October, we'll be in Breckenridge permanently.

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  23. 私が家の窓から見た十五夜、十六夜は「煌々と照らす」という表現がまさにぴったりの月光でした。くっきりと鮮明に見えていたので、このお写真のような時もあったのかと思いました。浮見堂が落ち着いた雰囲気の中に渋い光を放っているのがいいですね。ほんとにようこさんのお写真にはさりげなく奥深さと詩情があって惹かれます。

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  24. What spectacular photos Yoko, I have fallen in love with the ducks swimming in the gold reflection from the Ukimi-do Pavilion, and the dragon headed boat with all of the passengers faces lit up.

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  25. All seasons are beautiful in your country abd in your pictures. What a peaceful looking park.

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