Photography

2014/11/03

Autumn Colors Report 2014 - Hakone with Autumn Colors and Sea of White Japanese Pampas Grass

Canon EOS 6D, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 IIDG HSM (17mm, f/5, 32 sec, ISO-3200)

What a nice starscape! This is the best among all the night skys in Tokyo Metropolitan Area this year. This post is starting with the night photograph of Hakone because...

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/800 sec, ISO-100)

It was already dark when I arrived at Hakone by bicycle. I was expecting that I would be at Hakone around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. But some gear troubles and easy-to-get-lost streets prevented me from going on time. *laugh*

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/320 sec, ISO-100)

I stayed at a guesthouse named Hakone Nennnekoya, which literally means a cat house at Hakone.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/200 sec, ISO-100)

This guesthouse started about a year ago by a landlady Lena-san and her mother. It looks like a common isolated house of Japan at a first glance, isn't it?

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/400 sec, ISO-100)

This is the entrance. The board looks lovely with the taste of its homemade atmosphere.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/50 sec, ISO-100)

I stayed at a Japanese-style room. It can hold three persons at maximum, and is really clean. I've used guesthouses abroad several times, but this one is much cleaner than any of them.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/30 sec, ISO-100)

This is the dining table in the room. It looks very Japanese.

I spent a fantastic moment with the landladies and nice other guests eating hot pot cooking while talking tonight. They say there are often guests from abroad, too. If you are interested, feel free to visit the official website in English below.

English Website of Guesthouse Hakone Nennnekoya

Then, let's go!

Canon EOS 6D, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 IIDG HSM (24mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, ISO-100)

It was a pretty nice weather from the very beginning of the second day!

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/1000 sec, ISO-100)

I moved a bit from the guesthouse and arrived at Sengokuhara, a famous Japanese pampas grass field.

Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1：1 VC USD (90mm, f/6.3, 1/50 sec, ISO-100)

Welcome to Hakone Sengokuhara!

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/1000 sec, ISO-100)

The path continues with the sea of white Japanese pampas grass on both sides.

Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1：1 VC USD (90mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO-100)

Once you look at the right side, the grass fulfils your whole view.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/8, 1/25 sec, ISO-100)

Yellow, orange and red leaves are not available here for now. But the white Japanese pampas grass waving in the wind is worth visiting for from a distance.

Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1：1 VC USD (90mm, f/4, 1/125 sec, ISO-100)

Faint and beautiful...

Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1：1 VC USD (90mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec, ISO-100)

Some orange leaves show comfortable presence.

Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1：1 VC USD (90mm, f/2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO-100)

As this field is a famous sightseeing spot, there were many people even from the early morning. The landscape of the town looks beautiful, too.

By the way, I wanted to visit Lake Ashi in the beginning. But I lacked time unexpextedly so I gave up this time. I will be here again soon.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/8, 1/80 sec, ISO-100)

The progress of autumn colors is 30% or so, going to welcome the most peak in the second and third weeks of November. But you already can enjoy autumn colors like this.

Canon EOS 6D, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 IIDG HSM (24mm, f/8, 1/50 sec, ISO-100)

Here's the landscape of the town from Gora area. This view will be filled with yellow, orange and red colors soon.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/8, 1/800 sec, ISO-100)

Many kinds of trees are beginning to have various colors.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/800 sec, ISO-100)

Mountain paths of Hakone run along Haya River, where you will find some waterfalls with colorful leaves. They will definitely relax your heart and body.

Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF50mm F1.4 USM (50mm, f/1.4, 1/500 sec, ISO-100)

Suspension bridges are available, too. If it had been full of colorful leaves, this landscape must have been one of the best views in my life...

Canon EOS 6D, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 IIDG HSM (12mm, f/8, 1/20 sec, ISO-100)

I love this place the most among the mountain paths of Hakone. An open place gives us a fantastic landscape!

Canon EOS 6D, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 IIDG HSM (24mm, f/8, 1/20 sec, ISO-100)

I shooted the bridge and the building on the left, too. The life here must be pretty relaxing.

Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1：1 VC USD (90mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, ISO-100)

This is the only macro photo of autumn colors this time. It makes me excited, or rather refreshed.

Canon EOS 6D, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 IIDG HSM (24mm, f/8, 1/25 sec, ISO-100)

I went down all the street of Hakone. I often stopped on the way for photographs, but it didn't take much time to going down compared with going up. Indeed, going up the street of Hakone by bicycle was a hard job, haha.