Autumn tones - Senjogahara marshes, Japan

[Mikes]

These marshes are located on a plateau high above Nikko. Beautiful place, and Autumn is well advanced here.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Nice renditions of autumn that is not that different from what we can observe in parts of my country this time of the year. The Larix trees are probably the same or similar species as well, although we don't have it as native only naturalised.

All are good. Nos 1 & 3 convey the scenery very well.

Were I there I probably had my nose into the pond in no. 4 to investigate the local aquatics

[elsa hoffmann]

No 4 also looks interesting to me - I am sure there is a lot hiding

[Erik Lund]

I really like the depth conveyed in the first image.

To me it looks exactly like Norway

[Akira]

Mike, your images convey the atmosphere of the place vividly.  These images are so nice that it is difficult for me to pick any individual one as my favorite.

Here in Tokyo, it has been relatively warm, and the leaves are slow to turn to autumn colors.

[Mikes]

Bjørn, Elsa, Eric and Akira - thank you for your comments. I appreciate them.

Bjørn and Eric - I must get to Norway one of these days. It sounds like a nice amalgamation of Iceland and the Japan alps!

Elsa - there is nothing like a shadowy, boggy marsh to stir the imagination!

Akira - the highlands above Nikko are in full autumn colour (spectacular), but Nikko is still two weeks away from full colour. Quite surprising.

[John Geerts]

Impressive view and colours of that highland.  Very unlike Netherlands  

Like the depth of the first image.

[Mikes]

Impressive view and colours of that highland.  Very unlike Netherlands  

Like the depth of the first image.

Thanks, John. Yes, I'm sure that there is very little resemblance to the Netherlands here - it is 1,400 metres above sea-level. 

Mike.

[David Paterson]

Ah, Mike, now you're twisting the knife in the wound. My favourite of all Japanese countryside locations, and I can't get there; not this year, anyway.

All are good; my favourites are the last two - you probably found the marks my tripod made for #1    

I hope this trip to Senjogohara got your photographic juices flowing again; looks like it did.

[Mikes]

Hi Dave - thank you.

It was your images from your last visit here that got me going. Up to then, I hadn't much interest in Nikko as I thought that it was too touristy. Now, I need to get back again! I think that the pond scene was my favourite of the day.

 "you probably found the marks my tripod made for #1."  Yes, I did find your tripod marks everywhere, and reused a lot of them. 

No doubt you remember the bridge at Nikko.

Mike.

[Erik Lund]

Nicely captured, looks like a modern version of an ancient drawing very eluring.

[Mikes]

Nicely captured, looks like a modern version of an ancient drawing very eluring.

Thanks Eric. Essentially it is an ancient design. The bridge belongs to the Futarasan Shrine that was founded in Nikko over 1,400 years ago, and is a World Heritage site. The bridge has been rebuilt a number of times, with the current design dating back to 1636. It is very scenic.

[David Paterson]

No doubt you remember the bridge at Nikko.

Yes - but I've never seen it without crowds of tourists.

[Akira]

I've been to Nikko only once, and never been to the Futarasan Shrine.  Mike's image conveys the beauty of the bridge really nicely.

Unfortunately this bridge called Shinkyoh (meaning, "divine bridge") was destroyed by the flood caused by a typhoon in 1902 and rebuilt in 1904, according to the Japanese wiki.  Now it is designated as nationally important cultural property.

Actually there is a drive on the right-hand side of the bridge, but Mike skillfully made it invisible by putting it behind the bridge.