Magome Sightems - 2

Autumn Foliage, Mt. Ena (Magome) - Japan  2016

Tree Trunk, Wall (Magome) - Japan  2016

We hiked up for some distance, then looped back down on the side of a road. We couldn't help but notice that, yes, it was starting to get crowded.

Persimmons (Magome) - Japan  2016

Monday Joro Spider Blogging

Joro Spider (Magome) - Japan  2016

We saw these little beauties all over Japan, except in Tokyo. I almost blundered into this one in Magome.

These spiders are renowned for their large size, their vividly beautiful colors, the large and strong webs they weave, and for the cruel destruction they wreak on young men. (Yokai.)

Luckily, I'm not young.

Magome Sightems - 1

Rooftops, Mountains (Magome) - Japan  2016

Storefront (Magome) - Japan  2016

Many photo ops. The reconstruction designers did a good job, but there remains a slight hint of artificiality about the project.

Brooms (Magome) - Japan  2016

Magome Hike

Country Houses (Magome) - Japan  2016

Hali and Dan (Magome) - Japan  2016

Magome hike: this was why we wanted to stay in nearby Nakatsugawa. I was mightily concerned about the fact that we were going on a Sunday. Magome is a popular tourist destination so I was envisioning Kinkakuji-type crowds there. But not to worry! We made a point of catching the first bus in the morning; the one we were on only had a few people in it. Some of the shops hadn't even opened yet.

The bus dropped us off in a parking area, where there was a pleasant view of some really nice-looking country houses. The route led upwards through reconstructed old-style shops and ryokans. Hali was glad she'd brought her hiking poles!

Hali and Mike (Magome) - Japan  2016

Nakatsugawa

City View (Nakatsugawa) - Japan  2016

Cemetery (Nakatsugawa) - Japan  2016

We wanted to stay in Nakatsugawa 'cause we could then go early Sunday morning to Magome for a highly recommended hike.

Once again, we were staying at a place that was definitely not our first choice: the Hotel Route-Inn. Really a business hotel. Mattresses were incredibly hard, but breakfast was good. Also some interesting views out of our upper-floor windows. These views were from Dan's room, which unaccountably had the best ones.

That night's dinner was at one of the only places within walking distance: KFC. Don't think that I'm going to include that experience in the "Japan Culinary Adventure" series, though.

KFC Interior (Nakatsugawa) - Japan  2016

Matsumoto

Castle, Heron (Matsumoto) - Japan  2008

Swan, Hali & Mike Shadows (Matsumoto) - Japan  2008

We arrived in Matsumoto, trundled our suitcases over to the train station, had a bite to eat, then boarded the train that would take us to our next stop, Nakatsugawa.

So, no real time for photos. But as Hali and I looked around we were able to recognize some familiar landmarks from our 2008 trip. Just for fun, I've posted two Matsumoto photos from that visit.

Bus Ride to Matsumoto

Building (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Hot Springs - Japan  2016

The bus was Dan's idea. Instead of returning to Nagoya, then travelling from there to Nakatsugawa, we could cut directly over the mountains by bus to Matsumoto and catch a train there. No retracing of steps! New scenery! So, the bus: we passed through the outskirts of Takayama, then up into the mountains (one rest stop). At one point we passed by some hot springs where the bus driver obligingly slowed down for hot springs viewing.

And the tunnels! Very long, and, mostly, very narrow. The drivers must be used to it.

Tunnel - Japan  2016

Japan Culinary Adventure (29): Takayama Food Tour

Sake Being Cooled (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Horse Screen at Tofu Establishment (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Nice event. Masayo led the tour through small sake brewerys, tofu and miso production plants with samples at all stops. Then, a little break at a coffee shop where Mike sampled rice dumplings, cookies and a cafe au lait.

Alas, no photo here of the actual group, for that, you will have to visit Dan's site.

Cafe au Lait, Dumplings (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Menu (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Monday Eastern Spot-Billed Duck Blogging

Eastern Spot-Billed Duck (Hakone) - Japan  2016

Eastern Spot-Billed Ducks (Hakone) - Japan  2016

Very attractive birds, seen while we where hiking around Lake Ashinoko near Hakone. I used an Olympus E-M10 and a 14-150mm lens.

Alas, the Wikipedia entry is somewhat clunky and dry.

Outside Takayama

Evening Forest (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Abandoned Building (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Scenes found while walking around our ryokan outside Takayama. The area was just a little bit dilapidated and overgrown, but not without its charm.

Wandering through the evening forest Mike came upon a hidden pond, a single koi slowly swimming back and forth. He found the enveloping darkness to be just a little bit . . . , hm, eerie. One thinks of the Japanese aesthetic term, yūgen:

Yūgen (幽玄) is an important concept in traditional Japanese aesthetics. The exact translation of the word depends on the context. In the Chinese philosophical texts the term was taken from, yūgen meant "dim", "deep" or "mysterious".

Evening Pond, Koi (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Takayama Morning (Video)

Takayama AM, October, 2016 from Mike Mundy on Vimeo.

Early morning iPhone video clips, strung together.

San Francisco Reflections

Transamerica Pyramid Reflection - San Francisco  2017

Reflections - San Francisco  2017

More pyramid shots here.

Tiburon Sightems

Fire Boat (vertical - Tiburon) - Marin County  2017

Fire Boat (Horizontal - Tiburon) - Marin County  2017

Tiburon is an upscale community east of Highway 101 in Marin County. This is where you would take the ferry to Angel Island.

Roses

Roses (Daytime) - Marin County  2017

Roses (Evening) - Marin County  2017

. . . from Safeway. Day, evening and below on the backyard porch. Framed Escalante River photo is from my 2016 Utah trip.

Roses (Porch) - Marin County  2017

Sansome Dental

Sansome Dental - San Francisco  2005

Sansome Dental - San Francisco  2017

If one does a Google search for "Sansome Dental" images, yes, there it is! My earlier 2005 photo from the mikereport!

Reposted on top, above. Latest photo below.

Monday Warbler Blogging

Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Fairfax) - Marin County  2017

Yellow-rumped warbler, perched in the backyard maple tree (seen below).

Maple Tree (Fairfax) - Marin County  2017

Takayama Sightems

Takayama Jinya (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Super Hotel (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Top: Takayama Jinya, old government complex. Good central meeting place. Next: Super Hotel at night.

Below: School bus, perspective corrections in Photoshop.

School Bus (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Japan Culinary Adventure (28): Kazuma (Breakfast in Takayama)

Kazuma (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Proprietress (Kazuma, Takayama) - Japan  2016

Hmm. When I was actually there, I never got the name of this place. However, enlarging the outside menu in the top photo reveals that it's called "Kazuma." No more information, because, unfortunately, a Google search for "Kazuma Takayama" shows that Kazuma Takayama is a Japanese football player.

Oh well. Kazuma turned out to be an idiosyncratic tiny little place where the lady served cake, coffee and toast. And a hard-boiled egg.

Breakfast (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Japan Culinary Adventure (27): Hida Beef at Maruaki

Hida Beef (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Hida Beef Cooking (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Hida beef in Takayama. From Mike's trip journal: "Ryokan shuttle back into town, then dinner at Maruaki, famous for its Hida beef. Cook it yourself at the table: Mike lets Hali and Dan do the cooking. Mike still prefers Jocko's for beef, but the others are more enthusiastic."

We Are Breeding Hida Cattle (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Takayama Ryokan

Ryokan Office (Takayama) - Japan  2016

View from Ryokan (Takayama) - Japan  2016

Another not-our-first-choice place. For the record, Ryokan Murayama.

From Mike's trip journal: . . . arrival at Takayama and the shuttle to Ryokan Murayama. Interesting place, with parts of the building seemingly constructed at different times. Elevator starts on the second floor. (?) Have to mention two things: a) they didn't have our correct rooms, and b) this place might have seen much better days, to be honest.

Located a considerable distance outside of the city in an area that, like I said, had maybe seen better days in the past. But actually, I finally decided that the surroundings were kind of cool in a rundown kind of way. Plus, the Teddy Bear Village was within walking distance!

Teddy Bear Halloween Window (Takayama) - Japan  2016