#pix4japan
French Hill Park (フランス山公園) near Motomachi-Chukagai Station in Yokohama, Japan.
Video:
Canon M50 + Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN
Stills:
Pentax K-1 II + Pentax-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
Harbor View Park Observatory
The semi-circle shaped observatory deck of Harbor View Park (Yokohama, Japan) includes a covered space with benches and a roof designed in the shape of seabird wings in flight.
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 100 for 15 sec. at ƒ/10
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Urban Waterfront Skyline
View of the Yokohama waterfront from an observation deck of Harbor View Park in Yokohama, Japan, featuring the Wangan Shuto Expressway in the foreground, the Yokohama Marine Tower on the left, the cruise ship Osanbashi Pier in the mid-ground, and high-rise apartment towers in the background.
What was once a fishing village until the arrival of U.S. Naval Commodore Perry in 1859, Yokohama has become the 2nd largest city in Japan. The waterfront district is the biggest attraction for residential use, commercial activities, and is a popular tourist attraction. From this viewpoint of Harbor View Park (1-minute walk from Motomoachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line), you can enjoy beautiful views of the harbor.
Pentax K-1 II + PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
73 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/13
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Long-Span Cable-Stayed Bridge
Harbor View Park, near Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line in Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) offers fantastic nightscape views of Yokohama Bay Bridge–the gateway to the Port of Yokohama for ships sailing in and out of Tokyo Bay. The bridge has a cable-stayed design with an 860-meter/2,820-foot span that crosses Tokyo Bay allowing vehicular traffic to bypass congestion on the bayshore route for quicker access to Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture.Completed in September 1989, the bridge was high enough to accommodate one of the world’s largest ships at that time—the Queen Elizabeth 2. Twenty years later, mega cruise ships became too tall to pass under the bridge and had to dock farther away from the central piers of Yokohama.
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/13
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Gantry Cranes on the Waterfront
Shot of the Harbor View Park nightscape view looking west from the park’s observatory (Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan). You can see the numerous mega-gantry cranes standing idle on the berths of Honomoku Pier, which make for great nightscape subjects.
Harbor View Park is located about 37 km (23 mi) south of Tokyo, or a 58-minute train ride from Shibuya Station (Tokyo) on the Tokyu-Toyoko line.
There are several coin-parking lots near Harbor View Park, making it an easy park to visit if you drive. If visiting by train, you can easily access Harbor View Park via French Hill Park, which is only a 1-minute walk from Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line.
Pentax K-1 II + D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 100 for 25 sec. at ƒ/13
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Part IV of seascape photography on the shores of Jogashima Island (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan).
Stills and time-lapse video:
Pentax K-1 II & D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 lens.
B-Roll:
Canon M50 & SIGMA 16mm F1.4 lens.
Cherry Blossoms & Tulips
A small babbling creek named “Egawa River Babbling Green Road” (江川せせらぎ緑道) is a small community project that was born in 1985 with a crew of 50 volunteers and extra help from local elementary school children. Over the years, the volunteers and children have planted more than 200 cherry trees and continue to maintain the nearly 15,000 tulips.
Egawa River (Tsuzuki Ward, Yokohama, Japan) runs through an area that has drastically changed from rice paddies and fields to a zone of heavy industry. The river and its beautiful trees and flowers stand in dark contrast with metal recycling yards, factories, warehouses, and distribution centers.
With no designated parking nearby, and somewhat cumbersome access via public transportation, I was pleased to find such a pleasant oasis of greenery, and signs of nature’s spring rebirth.
Photo details and settings:
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 3200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
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Seascape photography on the shores of Jogashima Island (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan).
Stills: Pentax K-1 II & D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 lens.
Video: Canon M50 & SIGMA 16mm F1.4 lens.
Osteospermum - African Daisy
Towards the end of my photo shoot at Satoyama Garden (Yokohama, Japan), I cam across this African daisy.
There wasn’t anything special about this daisy. However, the rows of koinobori (Japanese car streamers/windsocks) hanging far in the background made for a lovely backdrop of bokeh in contrast with the dark bold colors of the flower.
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 3200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/13
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Border Collie Japanese Carp Streamers
Fortunately, Satoyama Garden (Asahi Ward, Yokohama, Japan) is a pet-friendly park as long as you keep your dog on a leash and clean up after any droppings.
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
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Seascape photography with my border collie on Jogashima Island, Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Full length version here:
Stills: Pentax K-1 II & D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 lens.
Video: Canon M50 & SIGMA 16mm F1.4 lens.
Japanese Carp Kites
(Asahi Ward, Yokohama, Japan)
Traditionally flown from April through early May, a carp kite (鯉のぼり, koinoboiri) is actually a windsock shaped like a koi fish with its open mouth attached to a pole or rope so that its tail flutters freely in the wind.
Freshwater carp represent energy and determination as they can fight their way against swift-running streams and obstacles making them symbolic of courage and success.
Families and communities fly the koinoboiri in hopes that their children will grow up with courage, determination, and the ability to overcome obstacles.
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
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Satoyama Garden Picnic Grounds
(Asahi Ward, Yokohama, Japan)
Although 3 or 4 food truck vendors are available just inside the main entrance of Satoyama Garden, if you want to enjoy some homemade cooking in the shade of trees on lush, green grass, the park has you covered with a small picnic ground. Visitors can spread out a picnic blanket and take in the greenery and flower blossoms while enjoying some rice balls, sandwiches, or whatever it is that your family packs in the picnic basket.
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 800 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
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Spring in Japan: Osteospermum “4D Violet Ice” (African Daisy)
Native to South Africa, the variety seems to go by other names including African daisy, Cape daisy and Blue-eyed daisy.
Osteospermum are just one of over a hundred different flowering plants on display at Yokohama’s Satoyama Garden (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan). If you ever visit Yokohama, please take the opportunity to visit this garden!
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 800 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
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Rhododendrons
Widely celebrated for their displays of color, rhododendron shrubs are said to be the epitome of spring. Here in Japan, they might rank second only to the gorgeous cherry blossoms.
Rhododendrons are just one of over a hundred different flowering plants on display at Yokohama’s Satoyama Garden (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan).
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
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Tasso Strawberries & Cream English Daisies
Satoyama Garden located adjacent to Yokohama Zoological Gardens Zoorasia is a city park accessible via bus from Nakayama Station on the JR Yokohama Line, or from Mitsukyou Station on the Sotetsu Line in Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan).
The park has about 300,000 plants of more than 100 varieties during spring, with about 250,000 plants during fall.
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
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White California Poppy and Lupine Rainbow Flowers
Satoyama Garden located adjacent to Yokohama Zoological Gardens Zoorasia is a city park accessible via bus from Nakayama Station on the JR Yokohama Line, or from Mitsukyou Station on the Sotetsu Line in Yokohama, Japan.
Access to the park is free and pet-friendly, and wheel-chair accessible. Parking costs a flat fee of ¥1,000 yen for all-day-parking.
The park also includes food trucks selling ice cream and snacks near the entrance, and tents are set up to sell garden related items, including small live plants.
The park is basically a huge flower bed with an area of 10,000 m2, making it one of the largest in Yokohama city.
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
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Rainbow Over Coastal Resort
Roadside snapshot of a rainbow arched over the DHC Akazawa Onsen Village spa resort in Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The resort has 10 facilities nestled in the forest of Izu Kogen that covers the headland jutting out into the Pacific Ocean on the eastern coastline of Izu, located about 146 km (91 mi) southwest of Tokyo.
I took this shot on the 3-hour drive back to Tokyo from the Kawazu-Zakura Matsuri cherry blossom festival. Visiting any resort, beach, or festival located on the eastern coastline of the Izu Peninsula limits you to Route 135 if you want to save money and avoid expressways. On this drive, traffic was congested at certain points, but with so many beautiful views along the coastline and the ocean breeze wafting through the car windows, my dog and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on the drive back home.
Photo details and settings:
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 200 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/16
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Bank of River under Canopy of Cherry Blossoms
The banks of Kawazu River in Kawazu-machi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan on the eastern coastline of the Izu Peninsula draws crowds from late February to late March for the annual Kawazu-Zakura Matsuri, a festival of the kawazu-zakura cherry blossom trees, which are a native species to this small coastal town.
You can reach Kawazu Station on Izukyuko Line after transferring at JR Atami Station. However, if you like driving, you can take National Route 135 from Odawara and just follow the winding road that hugs the rugged coastline. Another option is National Route 414 from Odaira Interchange on the Izu-Jukan Expressway. Route 414 features the Kawazu Nanadaru Spiral Bridge, which is a lot of fun to drive on!
Photo details and settings:
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
63 mm ISO 200 for 1/100 sec. at ƒ/8.0
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Waves Lapping the Beach
After a leisurely 3-kilometer-walk of enjoying the cherry blossoms along the Kawazu River, we reached Kawazuhama Beach where the breakwater offshore ensures a peaceful beach with gently lapping waves.
Kawazuhama Beach (Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan), is not well known, which helps keeps the crowds to a minimum. The beach itself is not that big, but offers a chance to take some nice sunrise photos or maybe even have a barbecue during summer.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
28 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/11
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Luxury Train & Cherry Blossoms
Shot of the Resort 21 Kinme train that operates between Atami Station and Izukyu Shimoda Station on the Izu Kyuko Line on the eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
To visit the Kawazu-Zakura festival, you can take this train and debark at Kawazu Station. Unlike commuter trains, the Resort 21 Kinmei train (solid red) and the Resort 21 Kurofune (black and red) train are modeled on the history of the local areas and provide passengers with a higher level of comfort and amenities. Seating in the cars and the large windows offer expansive views of the ocean as you travel along the coastline of the Izu Peninsula.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/800 sec. at ƒ/7.1
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Rapeseed and Cherry Blossoms
Cluster of cherry blossoms against a background of rapeseed blossoms in the town of Kawazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. In Japan, rapeseed (canola) flowers are called nanohana (菜の花), which translates literally to vegetable flower. During this time of year, you can purchase bunches of nanohana at the supermarket. The top 15 cm of the plant is boiled and often served in mustard and soy sauce or sautéed with bacon.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 200 for 1/400 sec. at ƒ/5.6
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Cherry Blossom Petals
Lone cherry blossoms against a background of cherry blossom trees and clear, blue, spring sky in the town of Kawazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, the birthplace of the Kawazu-Zakura variety of cherry blossom trees.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/800 sec. at ƒ/6.3
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Japanese Vermilion Bridge & Blossoms
Practically speaking, vermilion (red-orange) paint used on Japanese bridges, torii gates, shrines, temples, etc. provides a preservative function against the elements.
Culturally speaking, vermilion serves as a talisman against evil spirits. I surmise the color is used in this sense to protect the structure from destruction due to earthquakes, floods, mountain slides, fires, and engineering defects.
Regardless, I am a huge fan of vermilion bridges that often stand in stark contrast to green mountainscapes, flowing blue rivers, or in this shot where the vermilion bridge is analogous to the dark pink cherry blossoms.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/500 sec. at ƒ/6.3
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New Summer Orange & Cherry Blossoms
Although Kawazu-machi (Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) is most famous for its Kawazu-Zakura Cherry Blossom Festival, this area of the Izu Peninsula is also known for its vast variety of citrus fruit. Next to the cherry tree blossoms, you can see several orchards growing different varieties of oranges and Japanese oranges (mikan).
The town is home to the Izu Orange Center, which sells hundreds of orange and mikan related products. Kawazu-machi in particular is known for a new hybrid variety of citrus called New Summer Oranges or Hyuganatsu. This variety of orange looks like an orange but features a strong sweet-and-sour aroma and tastes like a cross between a grapefruit and Japanese lemon (yuzu).
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
58 mm ISO 400 for 1/400 sec. at ƒ/5.6
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Check out the beautiful views of Tokyo Bay and Sagami Bay from the shores of Jogashima Island at the tip of the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Located only about 76 km (47.2 mi) south of Tokyo, visitors can easily access the island by train, bus, taxi, and private vehicle.
On a clear day, photographers and tourists can enjoy a clear views of Mt. Fuji to the east, Oshima Island to the south, and Chiba Prefecture to the east.
Cherry Blossom Petals
The cherry blossom trees of the Kawazau-Zakura variety are the first species to bloom in Japan and last for about a month. Originally from the town of Kawazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, these beautiful petals are famous for their darker shade of pink and long blooming time.
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/1,000 sec. at ƒ/5.6
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