Mt. Chokai (Part 2) (August 9th and 10th)

Choukaiko Lake.

Here are the more pictures from the hike at Mt. Choukai.
Lots and lots of flowers were blooming!



Lilium medeoloides (Kuruma Yuri)


Mt. Choukai. The greens were so beautiful!


Arenaria merckioides var. chokaiensis (Choukai Fusuma)
This is also one of the unique plant in this mountain.


The field of Hemerocallis middendorffii var. esculenta (Nikkou Kisuge) flowers.


Adenophora triphylla var. hakusanensis (Hakusan Shajin) and bluesky.


The field of Hemerocallis middendorffii var. esculenta (Nikkou Kisuge) flowers and lovely clouds.


Anemone narcissiflora (Hakusan Ichige).


We enjoyed the beautiful views all the way up to the top of the mountain.


You can see some snow up there too.


Ranunculus acris var. nipponicus (Miyama Kinpouge).


Campanula lasiocarpa (Iwa Shajin).


Penstemon frutescens (Iwa Bukuro).


Mountain Hut 'Choujou Sansou' near the top of the mountain.


Interesting line showed up in the sky.


You can see the Tobishima island in the Japan Sea vaguely.

Mt. Chokai (Part 1) (August 9th and 10th)

Cirsium chokaiense (Choukai Azami)
This plant is one of the unique species of Mt. Choukai.

We went to Mt. Choukai in this summer vacation. First we stayed at a hotel near the Sakata station and then the next morning we took the bus to the Hokodate busstop, where is one of the main route's entrance up to the top of Mt. Choukai. It was really nice day and lots and lots of flowers were blooming all the way to the summit. It was so nice weather that we both had bad sunburn afterwards.


Chamaepericlymenum canadense (Gozen Tachibana)


Maianthemum dilatatum (Maizuru-sou)
Seeds.


Maianthemum dilatatum (Maizuru-sou)
Flowers... It was a little too late for the flowers, so this is the only one I could find.


Cirsium chokaiense (Choukai Azami)
The flowers always look down.


Viola verecunda var. fibrillosa (Miyama Tsubo Sumire)


Geum pentapetalum (Chinguruma)
Seeds.


Tofieldia japonica (Iwa Shoubu)


Arnica unalascensis var. tschonosky (Usagi Giku)


Pedicularis chamissonis var. japonica (Yotsuba Shiogama)


Hemerocallis middendorffii var. esculenta (Nikkou Kisuge)


Gentiana nipponica (Miyama Rindou)


Hemerocallis middendorffii var. esculenta (Nikkou Kisuge)


Geranium yesoemse var. nipponicum (Hakusan Fuuro)


Primula nipponica (Hina Zakura)
Really tiny primrose.


Choukaiko Lake on the way to the top of Mt. Choukai.


Beside the lake, there were still snow left and earlier flowers were still blooming by the cold water. The water tastes really good!


Geum pentapetalum (Chinguruma)
Still some of them were blooming near the lake.


Rubus vernus (Akabana Ichigo)


Choukaiko lake and Hemerocallis middendorffii var. esculenta (Nikkou Kisuge).

Food in Yamagata (August 8th and 9th)

Do you know what flowers are these?
They are squash flowers... I picked up them from my parents' garden in the morning.


Here are some pictures of the impressive food that I had in the Yamagata trip.
I recommend the Tempura of squash flowers!



Tempura of squash flowers.
My parents and I didn't know we could eat squash flowers.
My friend Daniel told me that he ate them when he was in the Philippines, so we tried them.
It tastes nice and sweet. When we were deep frying them, they smelt sweet like a vanilla.


These are the fresh eggs from my father's chicken.
After he retired, he started to keep some chickens in the back yard.


Bowl of rice with lots of kinds of Sashimi on top.
At the sea side restaurant in Sakata city, where we stayed for Mt. Choukai trip.


"Shichibei Soba".
One of the popular Soba restaurant at the Jinengo area in Ooishida town, Yamagata.
It is located in the middle of nowhere, but there were lots of people.


They serve some side dish with Soba.
(Cucumber, soy-sauce-flavored fern, Warabi, and Jew's ear, Kikurage)


You can have as much as Soba noodles you like with only 1000 yen!
They served Soba with ground Daikon juice in the sauce. I prefer this style than eating Soba with Wasabi. Daikon juice is not so strong as Wasabi, so it won't kill the gentle Soba flavor.

Mt. Mitake, Ome (August 4th)

Anemonopsis macrophylla (Renge Shouma) in Mt. Mitake.

We went to Mt. Mitake to see Anemonopsis macrophylla (Renge Shouma) flowers. It was really cool up there and we enjoyed short nap while it rained after lunch. Lots of buds didn't open yet, so it will be nicer in a week or so.

御岳山にレンゲショウマの開花状況を見に出かけてきました。まだ咲いている花は点々としていて、ほとんど多くはまだつぼみの状況でした。ケーブルカーで上についたとたんに涼しくなったので、とても快適に過ごすことができました。


Anemonopsis macrophylla (Renge Shouma)


Tricyrtis affinis (Yamaji-no-Hototogisu)


Lilium auratum (Yama Yuri)


Akebia quinata (Akebi)


Anemonopsis macrophylla (Renge Shouma)


A dragonfly.


Anemonopsis macrophylla (Renge Shouma)


Anemonopsis macrophylla (Renge Shouma)