Latest Vid - Japanese Winter Scenes

[KyushuCalanthe]

Another video featuring seasonal plants, birds, and landscapes in Japan. Winter in the south is surprisingly cold, but if you look hard enough you can usually find something in flower. In this video I track seasonal change from mid December (the tail end of fall) thru January to early February (high winter), and end in mid March (when spring starts to erupt).

I uploaded at 1080p, so be sure to change to the highest HD setting if you watch on a large screen for the clearest view.

Japanese Winter Scenes

 

[SlipperFan]

Beautiful photography, as always, Tom!

 

[abax]

You videos are always a delight...running water, wind and
flowers. Thank you so much.

 

[naoki]

Amazing video as usual, Tom! I really enjoyed it. Quiet and calming images. You capture the beauty of Japanese season better than the people living there. When I was there, I probably didn't notice the dramatic changes of the season, but watching your video makes me realize it. I don't remember snow too much in Fukuoka, but at a higher elevation, you get more snow, I guess. Thinking of the winter in Fukuoka, I'm missing Oden with Oyu-wari Shochuu (Shiranami) in Yatai (with the cold wind). I wonder if that Yatai near Hakozaki Shrine still exists.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Thanks for the video. Alas I don't think my prunus buds will flower again. The polar vortex probably froze them. Good to see them here.
Also thanks for introducing me to some new plants. Now if I can find a vendor of narcissus tazetta.

 

[Migrant13]

Another thank you to add to your list Tom. These videos are always a treat with your top notch videography and inclusion of the plant and wildlife listings.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Amazing video as usual, Tom! I really enjoyed it. Quiet and calming images. You capture the beauty of Japanese season better than the people living there. When I was there, I probably didn't notice the dramatic changes of the season, but watching your video makes me realize it. I don't remember snow too much in Fukuoka, but at a higher elevation, you get more snow, I guess. Thinking of the winter in Fukuoka, I'm missing Oden with Oyu-wari Shochuu (Shiranami) in Yatai (with the cold wind). I wonder if that Yatai near Hakozaki Shrine still exists.

Cool, I didn't know you frequented Fukuoka - did you ever live here? Snow is limited here, but common most years. Lately there has been less and less of it. That frozen waterfall in the video is locally famous and this year it has perhaps half the amount of ice it normally would. It is common to see snow above 500 meters elevation in these parts (the waterfall is at ~750).

Ah yes, oden (stewed fishcakes, veggies, eggs, etc.) is one of my favorites too, but I like to add some kick with a dash of yuzugoshou (hot paste made from chillies and citrus). I'm not a shochuu man, but rather inclined to umeshuu in winter. Yatai (outdoor food stands) everywhere here still. I was just at Hakozaki Shrine yesterday to see Cirque du Soleil (Ovo - a great show)!

Thanks for the video. Alas I don't think my prunus buds will flower again. The polar vortex probably froze them. Good to see them here.
Also thanks for introducing me to some new plants. Now if I can find a vendor of narcissus tazetta.

You can get a range of "tazetta" daffodils from Southern Bulb Co. at the following address. These range from true tazetta types to hybrids. http://www.southernbulbs.com/narcissus-tazetta-erlicheer/

Which Prunus lost buds?

 

[Linus_Cello]

Prunus mume. I don't remember the variety off hand. Very dark red flowers.

 

[naoki]

Cool, I didn't know you frequented Fukuoka - did you ever live here?

Tom, indeed, I lived there for four years for my undergrad at Kyushu Univ. at Hakozaki Campus (biology). It is my favorite city!

Ah yes, oden (stewed fishcakes, veggies, eggs, etc.) is one of my favorites too, but I like to add some kick with a dash of yuzugoshou (hot paste made from chillies and citrus). I'm not a shochuu man, but rather inclined to umeshuu in winter. Yatai (outdoor food stands) everywhere here still. I was just at Hakozaki Shrine yesterday to see Cirque du Soleil (Ovo - a great show)!

I've never tried YuzuGoshou with Oden, but that sounds yummy!

Do you mean this:
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/home/shows.aspx
? In the shrine? That sounds funky.

 

[JeanLux]

Great video again, thanks Tom!!!! Beautiful colors, strong close-ups!!!! I esp. liked the Camellias with snow, and the icy water scenes, and .... all the rest !!!! Jean

 

[Linus_Cello]

Prunus mume. I don't remember the variety off hand. Very dark red flowers.

Variety is 'Hokkai Bungo'

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Variety is 'Hokkai Bungo'

I don't know that one, but bungo was a region of Kyushu Island (now part of Oita Prefecture) that is famous for bungo type ume. From what I can tell these are likely hybrids between P. mume and P. armeniaca, and are grown for their fruit. Oddly hokkai (meaning "northern sea") references mostly to the modern island of Hokkaido, but in this case is more likely a Buddhist term for "the universe". I'd need to see the kanji to tell the difference. Japanese plant names are really obscure…

Regardless, if you got temperatures below 20F for a sustained period, I don't doubt the buds blasted!

 

[Linus_Cello]

Variety is 'Hokkai Bungo'

This is the listing from the nursery:
http://www.camforest.com/Hokkai_Bungo_p/ts-pruhok.htm

 

[Erythrone]

Wow!!!!! Thanks for this wonderful video!

 

[Heather]

Beautiful! I always think of your Neos in the snow when I'm thinking it might be time to bring mine in for the winter (which I usually do later than I should because of your photos! They're all still doing great. )

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Tom, indeed, I lived there for four years for my undergrad at Kyushu Univ. at Hakozaki Campus (biology). It is my favorite city!

Wow! When were you here? I love the old campus at Hakozaki - my idea of what a city scape should look like, full of mature trees and greenery. Unfortunately everything is moving in the opposite direction.

I've never tried YuzuGoshou with Oden, but that sounds yummy!

It is. I've got a doctor friend who is literally hooked on hot pepper and he turned me onto it.

Do you mean this:
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/home/shows.aspx
? In the shrine? That sounds funky.

Well, it isn't exactly IN the shrine, but rather on their property on the harbor side near the big torii gate. Japan is a funky place sometimes

 

[cnycharles]

Very nice Ty

 

[naoki]

I graduated from Kyushu U around 1991. So it's a long time ago. I remember the Big torii region. It makes sense the show wasn't actually in the shrine!

 

[myxodex]

Really enjoyed this video, thanks for posting.

The white eye reminded me of a related species with the same name from my youth in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. They would come in small groups to eat the pawpaws (payaya) we grew in our garden (along with other birds and occasionally even vervet monkeys). Pawpaws are much nicer if they ripen on the tree, but as soon as they begin to turn yellow you had to get out the ladder and pick them. The hard-to-reach fruit were left for the wild life.

Have you ever been to visit either Aso or Sakurajima? It amazes me how many people live so close to these two quite serious volcanoes. I hear both of them have been throwing their toys out of the pram a bit recently.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Hi Myxodex, you mean Z. virens, true? I love these little birds.

Aso I've seen from a distance only. The caldera there is incredible - something like 24 km across at its greatest breadth… wow. I've been on Sakurajima once - there the ash was so thick on the streets it looked like grey-black snow! In Kagoshima city it is common to sweep the sidewalks of ash and they even have special umbrellas that don't burn to ward off falling ash - yikes. Kyushu's volcanoes are notoriously active. The most recent large eruption was a couple years back when Kirishima blew its stack. Scary stuff indeed.