Hondoji, Chiba (June 20th)

Colorful hydrangeas in Hondoji Temple.

We went to Hondoji in Shinkogane, Chiba to see more hydrangeas. I saw they showed this place on some TV program. The temple has pretty amazing gardens including an iris garden. It seemed they had more pink ones than at Takahata Fudou.






Some of the area was covered with beautiful moss.






We had not been really into hydrangea flowers, but we enjoyed them pretty well this year.

Takahata Fudou, Hino City (June 19th)

Hydrangeas at Takahata Fudou Temple.

We went to Takahata Fudou, which is famous for its hydrangea garden. Quite a few older people were there and enjoying the flowers. They have many kinds of hydrangeas.








H. macrophylla subsp. serrata named 'Aya'.


H. macrophylla subsp. serrata named 'Fuji no Taki (waterfall)'.

Hakone Shissei Kaen, Hakone (June 14th)

Lychnis sieboldii (Matsumoto Sennou).

We went to Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands in the Sengoku area on the last day of our trip.
It is pretty close from our YH.


Primula japonica (Kurin-sou).


Filipendula auriculata (Koshiji Shimotsuke-sou).


Rosa rugosa (Hamanasu).


Primula japonica (Kurin-sou).


Lilium rubellum (Hime-sayuri, Otome-yuri).


Saxifraga bronchialis subsp. funstonii var. rebunshirensi (Shikotan-sou).
It is tiny flower, but the spots on the flower petals have a beautiful design, which are yellowish in the center and get reddish close to the edge.


Rosa amblyotis (Karafuto Ibara).


Rosa hirtula (Sanshou-bara, Hakone-bara).


It has quite a big wetland.

Hakone (June 12th - 13th)

Gora Sta. on Hakone Tozan Railroad.
From here we transfer to the cable car.

We couldn't decide where to go until this morning, and finally we decided to go to Hakone and as soon as we made reservation for Hakone Sengokuhara YH, we rushed to the station.
We got Hakone Free Pass of Odakyuu group, so we rode the cable car, ropeway, boat and bus many times. The YH has a hot spring bath with whitish water and we enjoyed once at night and once in the morning on each day.


The ropeway passing over the Oowakudani.


Oowakudani.


The ropeway over the Oowakudani.


It was a beutiful day.
The contrast of the blue sky and green montains was amazing!


Oowakudani. The steam comes out from the earth.
They sell black boilded eggs using this steam there.


Mt. Fuji from Oowakudani.


Ficedula narcissina (Ki-bitaki).
On the way down from Oowakudani.


Lake Ashi from Tougendai Sta. of the ropeway.


Sengokuhara when we passed in the bus from Tougendai BS.


Lake Ashi from the top of Mt. Komagatake.
We took Komagatake Ropeway (You can't use Odakyuu Pass for this one. This one must be in the another company's group...)


Enkianthus campanulatus (Sarasa Doudan).


Fried Wakasagi (Hypomesus nipponensis, Japanese smelt) caught in Lake Ashino.


Mt. Komagatake and Lake Ashi.


The Ashinoko boat crew.


One of the boats of Lake Ashi.

Mt. Takao (June 7th)

The hydrangea season has come!

We went to see Dendrobium moniliforme (Sekkoku) flowers at Mt. Takao.
Even though we expected to see bunch of people, we were already overwhelmed by a lot of people at the Takaosanguchi Sta. of Keio line.


They are volunteers to pick up the garbage, but why do they have to make such a huge group of people? I can't understand...


Dendrobium moniliforme (Sekkoku).


Dendrobium moniliforme (Sekkoku).


Dendrobium moniliforme (Sekkoku).


Helwingia japonica (Hana Ikada).


The view from the summit of Mt. Takao.


One of the temple buildings.


Pseudopyxis depressa (Inamori-sou).


Soba noodles with Tororo (ground yam) and Tempura.