Dangerous heat waves during the Apricot Rains

Hot, hot, too hot, and too humid!

I don't feel like having a walk under this kind of weather, which saps my energy 

and makes me feel quite spent.

I found several unpublished photos taken during my trip to Kamikochi and Hida-Takayama 
on rainy days in 2011. 

Kamikochi is the plateau at the altitude of 1500 meters surrounded by so-called North Japan Alps, 

Hida Mountain Ranges.

People can enter from mid-April to mid-November; the rest of year, Kamikochi is in winter sleep.

I hope you can feel a little cooler while reading about the recent scorching heat.

Kamikochi Official Site

 Kamikochi Walk (a post in 2011)

While unseasonal heat started as early as May this year, it was relatively cool

during the continuous wet weather of late June.

Then it has gotten scorching, boiling hot on the arrival of July despite Apricot Rains.

Intense heat of 35 degrees C or higher with high humidity, nearly 40C in some places, 

is life-threatening.

“Heat-stroke special alert” is to be issued based on WBGT, which takes several variables 

into account; temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, cloud cover and so on. 

Hida-Takayama City seen from our hotel

As I look at the photos of the old township of Hida-Takayama,

I'm reminded how the streets were vacant at around 9 a.m. back then

different from the recent bustling of tourists.

凸凹堂 (above) is a shop for hand-made accessories of natural stones, especially featuring 

blue colors of the deep sea.

Teashops; above and below.

Weather seems to have been becoming extreme year by year.
When it rains, it's torrential; when the sun shines, it’s dangerously hot.

During the Apricot Rains of late June, it often rained cats and dogs.

One day I went to the nearby park when the morning downpouring was eased.

The blades of grass glow with crystal-like raindrops.

Do you find peace in the rain?

Back home, Ajisai (Hydrangea) was showing off its radiance under the leaden skies.

This spider was the last-minute entrant before I came into the house.

The current heat wave will be stopped as the Apricot Rains is returning soon.

I look forward to walking in the rain.

I pray for no disastorous heat waves and devastaing rainfall.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

Sakura season, 2024 (Part 2)

～Sakura from prime blooming to farewell～

April 10th

- 茶山園地 Chayama-enchi, Nara Park -

Chayama-enchi, a small hilly woods hidden at the foot of 若草山 Mount Wakakusa, 

is abundant of double-flowered 奈良の九重桜 Nara-no-kokonoe-zakura,

which is endemic to Nara.

This is a quiet place.

I love to see Deer eating Sakura petals or resting peacefully on the Sakura carpet.

Sakura petals are spring delicacy of deer.

A Sakura petal in his mouth

While Sakura blossoms usually have 5 sepals, this variety has uniquely as many as 10 sepals.

It's a shame that Nara-no-kokonoe-zakura rarely get noticed in spite of its beauty and rarity.

Probably because their blossoming time falls on the Somei-yoshino's all around.

 

After keeping low position to take photos of deer for a while, it's so refreshing to look up.

 

 - 佐保川 Saho River -

This is the second time I walked along the river during this Sakura season.

Pathway along the river

Is it snowing?

No, constnatly falling petals of Sakura blossoms.

April 13th

 Departing one after another in the breeze; this is the gentle farewell of Sakura.

Petals in the shimmering pink water.

It's still beautiful even though the trees have less blossoms.

Green leaves replace flowers once the petals fall.

Season is changing into the new leaves of soft to bright green hues.

A bird took off to the next stop.

 - 若草山 Mt. Wakakusa -

The grassy 若草山 Mount Wakakusa, 342 meters high, is a nice place 

to enjoy the panoramic views of Nara City and as far as Kyoto and Osaka.

The summit is easily accessible as I wrote in Let's climb Mount Wakakusa!

April 14th

Relaxing deer under Sakura blossoms at  the summit.

Less blossoms on branches, more petals in the air and on the ground.

Sakura season is already over in Nara  and the Sakura front has moved far to the northern Japan.

Academic year starts in April in Japan.

My youngest grandchild M entered Elementary School when Sakura was in full bloom.

Pupils walked to and from the school under the canopy of blossoms along the school road.

Performance of rythmic gymnastics

Why do cherry blossoms bloom at a certain time?  

The science behind Japan’s cherry blossoms explains the "importance of winter."

1. After the flowers fall off, the tree makes new buds in summer.
2. The buds get into sleep in fall.
3. Chill air of winter wake them up to make themselves swell gradually
4. When spring comes and it gets warmer, the buds bloom.

Warm weather (above 15 degrees C) of March makes the buds open.  So, I had thought that  the cold weather of this March delayed the blooming about one week later than usual. That's right partly, but there is more significant reason.

Warm weather alone won't make the flowers bloom. They need  enough cold spell of weather  in winter to wake up in the spring.  In January and February of this year, the winter cold was often interrupted by spring-like or even early-summer-like warmth.  If our winter becomes more and more warm due to the climate change, I wonder what would become of Sakura blossoming in the southern part of Japan.

Linked to Saturday's Critters

Mosaic Monday

Summer Travels to Japan Alps region

It's August!  The prolonged long rainy season is over at last.

At this time of year, my husband and I are always in the mood for travelling.

To get away from the dreadful heat and humid, we would often have 

a trip to our favorite Japan Alps region, highlands and mountains of 

Nagano, Gifu, Toyama, and Nigata prefectures of central Japan.

For the time being, however, we don't feel like having a trip.

So, here are photos from my favorite past summer travels. 

When you feel inclined to learn more, please have a visit to each post.

Senjyojiki Cirque at the Central Japan Alp (2013)
Nagano Prefecture

 

霧ヶ峰 Ridge of fog, on a clear day (2012)

Kirigamine Highland, Southern Japan Alps in the backdrop

上高地 Kamikochi Walk (2011)

Economy or Environment? (2012)
Northern Japan Alps, Nagano Prefecture

Taisho-ike Pond with Mt. Yake-dake

Heaven at the altitude of 2700 meters (2012)

Geum pentapetalum (l.) Makino., or Aleutian avens, Tatamidaira Flower Field at Mt. Norikura-dake

Mysteriously radiant Atera-blue (2013)
Nagano Prefecture

Atera gorge

Mt. Tate-yama (3015m), 2007
Toyama Prefecture

Most of elementary and middle school students have very short summer holiday,

a couple of weeks depending on their grade and the region.

With travels cancelled, pools closed, no playing with cousins,

adults are thinking out how to make this historical strange summer holiday exciting for the kids. 

I see the current situation very serious but would like to be positive.

I'll have a break in blogging till September.

Be safe and in fit, dear Friends, while enjoying your season in possible ways.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

A past walk through alpine flowers

Here is a memory of my walk around the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden in 2016.

June 10th, 2016

At the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden opened in 1933, approximately 1,500 species of rear alpine plants worldwide and plants in cold climates are cultivate. Wild plants of Mt. Rokko grow as well. Located at 865m above sea level, plants grow in a near-native environment.

The Alpine Plants District is composed of three, Hymalayan, European, and Japanese district.

- At Hymalayan district -

I was looking for Himalayan Blue Poppy, knowing its season is almost over, 

but some lingering flowers caught my eyes. 

Since I saw a spectacular landscape of Blue Poppy on my blog friend’s blog, 

I’ve had a longing for the blue flower.
This is the only place in the western Japan where you can see Blue Poppies outdoors.

A blue tissue-paper flower.

There are apurple ones, too.

 -At European district -

"Small and white, clean and bright...."
Leontopodium alpinum, or edelweiss 

Geranium dalmaticum

- At Japanese district -

Ezo-ruri-so, Mertensia pterocarpa var. yezoensis, or Japanese Blue Bells

Pink buds open to sapphire-blue tubular flowers. 

Koma-kusa, or Dicentra peregrinak

"Koma" means a colt. The flower looks like the face of a horse

Some other charming flowers of which name I don't know.

"Ko-ajisai", small Japanese Hydrangea, or Hydrangea hirta,

grow wild in the dappled shadow of the Rokko Mountains.

Small bluish purple flowers don't have ornamental flowers

different from other Hydrangea genus.

"Kurin-so", Japanese Primrose, at their final stage.

The green stems with seed pods were shining in the late afternoon sun.

Dripping green essence from the green ceiling.

Finish of the tour was a nice tea time in the shower of green.

Now, June, 2020, it has been like late July with temperature soaring to 32-22 degrees C.

The rainy season set in five days ago will last till mid-July.

It is forecast rains of this year won't be gentle but downpouring mostly.

Hydrangeas, floral symbol of Japanese rainy season, are in full bloom.

From my garden

Linked to Mosaic Monday
Thank you, Angie, for hosting.