2011/12/23(Fri) - Sasanqua flower

PC232920

OLYMPUS E-620
RICOH XR RIKENON 50mm F2

Sasanqua is one of very common flower in winter season to us Japanese people.
Though wild sasanqua is not living in northern area of Japan like here Sendai city, it is planted as hedge.

This sasanqua tree was planted on the border of Ubagami-kakizaki shrine located in Aoba-ku, Sendai.

Lifetime of sasanqua flower is very short. So, it's very hard to find "perfect" beautiful flower.
In this spot, you can find it easily.

I used very old lens XR RIKENON 50mm F2 for this shot. Though this lens was produced over 30 years ago, you must be surprised this photo's quality.

This XR RIKENON 50mm F2 is one of my favorite old lens.

2011/12/18(Sun) - Moss from between melting snow

PC188748

OLYMPUS E-420
OLYMPUS OM ZUIKO AUTO-S 50mm F1.8
OLYMPUS OM EXTENSION TUBE 25mm

Two days before, Sendai city had some snow.
In the "Aoba-no-mori" forest, there were only few spots where the snow was remaining.

There was a rock beside walking road, which was lightly covered with melting snow.
As I was watching a moss was appeared from between melted snow.
The wet moss was very beautiful.

One sporophyte was standing like an arrow.
This sporophyte is including some spores inside.

Though there is no flowers or insects, you will find many "small world" of nature in winter's forest if you search carefully.

2011/12/17(Sat) - Sparrows on snow in the morning

PC172783

OLYMPUS E-620
OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD
(trimmed to 6x6 format)

Last night, it was snow in Sendai city.
I found sparrows on the snow by the Hirose river in this morning.

Sparrow is very common bird to us in Japan and we can see them everytime, everywhere.

2011/12/11(Sun) - Sleeping cat



PC112504

OLYMPUS E-620
OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD

I often visit the Sakuragaoka-Daijingu shrine in the Sendai West Park.

There was a cat. He was sleeping.
He is always sleeping at sunny position on the grass, and he don't move even when I walked toward him closer.

2011/12/08(Thu) - Sendai, Hirose-river, Swan

PC082200

OLYMPUS E-620
OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD

I "discovered" first swans at the Hirose river on 28th November.
On this morning, I brought a telezoom lens and took some photographs.

Though ducks get away when I approach coming close, swans not.

2011/12/03(Sat) - Fallen Leaves on rainy day

R0010009

RICOH GXR+S10

Today was rainy day.
Leaves were fallen by the rain.

Recently, I got a new digital camera RICOH GXR.
Though I don't master how to operate this camera yet, the image quality seems to be enough.

2011/11/29(Tue) - Sakuragaoka-Daijingu shrine at Sendai West park

PB290846

OLYMPUS E-620
OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD

This photograph was taken from out of shrine gate (Torii) of the Sakuragaoka-Daijingu.
The shrine was established on 1621 by DATE Masamune, and moved to this location on 1926.

Visitors pray at the front of the main shrine in which existing god AMATERASU.
There were some trees with red colored leaves in the ground of this shrine. But they had already been passed a peak, unfortunately.

2011/11/28(Mon) - Syrphid fly on Flower of Japanese Aralia (fatsia) in Ryogakuincho-park



PB270599

OLYMPUS E-620
OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD

Ryogakuincho Park is located next to the Ryokusuian (see the previous diary).
In this park, there were some Japanese Aralia plants and they flowered.
Many syrphid flys came to the flowers.

2011/11/27(Sun) - Ryokusuian tea room, japanese style

PB270633

OLYMPUS E-620
OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD

There is a japanese-style tea room, Ryokusuian, in Aoba-ku Sendai, Japan.
The Ryokusuian has small japanese-style garden with a pond, various trees and plants, and some stone lanterns.
Unfortunately, today the garden was closed because this Ryokusuian tea room and garden is opened only two days of tuesday a month.
So, I took photos over the wall from outside.

2011/11/26(Sat) - Red Leaves

PB260548

OLYMPUS E-620
OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD

This photo was taken at Katahira campus of Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.
The red color of leaves is not so bright this year maybe due to relatively high temperature in the start of autumn season.