July Emerges from the Mists of June

 

Hello to all our readers out there. It’s Friday again and that must mean it’s time for another update. This week’s installment will be a little light on content due to a busy schedule, but we hope the photos included here (courtesy of Five Sense) give a good impression of current conditions.

To begin with, the picture above was taken last weekend when a thick fog descended on Taisho Pond to create a kind of mystical tableau. As Ume from Five Sense explains, this effect is caused by moisture in warm air being heated by the cool water below. For this reason, mist will often form on warm, humid days.

Not to be outdone, the Azusa River got its own mantle of mist, as seen in this photo taken from Tashiro Bridge. Note the water level.

 

And when the rain lifted later in the week, insects emerged from their holes only to become fodder for the local bird population:

A Eurasian Jay snacking on a hapless caterpillar .

A spotter woodpecker passing on the gift of grub to the younger generation.

Though we still expect more rainy days before the rainy season wraps up later this month, the trees and flowers certainly seem to have appreciated all that nourishing water:

A Hemerocallis esculenta in bloom. This member of the asphodel family most common at higher altitudes in Japan.

Keep an eye on this page for further updates on current conditions as we round the corner into July. It’s shaping up to be another unforgettable summer in Kamikochi.

And thanks again to the bloggers writing under the names Ume, Nanamin, Momo and Sakura at the Five Sense Kamikochi Blog.

Sources of Information:

Nature Guide Five Sense Kamikochi Blog: https://fivesense.guide/