
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ochiba Shrine Nov 18
not peak, but getting closer
This post is a longer version of Friday's “Checking On the Carpet of Yellow at the Ochiba Shrine”, in which I posted two quick photos from a ride that day to check out the colors at the Iwato Ochiba Shrine (岩戸落葉神社) in the mountains northwest of Kyoto. I started writing this followup post the next day, but have been so busy since I'm only finishing it today.
I normally like long rides, I guess to amortize the once-per-ride overhead of dealing with everything (the before and after of clothes, bike, electronics, data, and self), but I didn't get started until after noon, so I just thought to pop up to see how the Ochiba Shrine was doing fall-foliage wise.
Along the way up the first climb into the mountains, where there's little traffic, I was surprised to find Manseki coming the other way. He had just visited the same shrine with his wife.

SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/50 sec, f/1.7, ISO 64 — map & image data — nearby photos
Impromptu Shot
photo by Manseki's wife
I then continued on toward the shrine, and went a bit past to check out a little garden I know to be nearby...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Secret Garden
Kyoto cyclists go by this all the time,
but likely have no idea it's there.
This last one isn't quite as good as this comparable shot from last year that I posted a few months ago.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Typical Japan
wires, maple, dump truck, thatched farmhouse, guardrail

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 43mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mostly the Same Thing
sans dump truck

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 60mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
What Is the Point of This Ugly Photo?
The point is the yellow in the center background. It's washed out in the sunlight in this photo, and I guess the scale is hard to grasp, but the yellow ginkgo trees are towering. They're from where the “Fallen-Leaf Shrine” gets its name.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Same Trees
closer up
I noticed for the first time that the green hedge next to the shrine was partially yellow, right below where some of the ginkgo branches had dipped down to touch it. It's as if the yellow was contagious to the shrub:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Chameleon Shrub
It turns out that the yellow section of hedge is actually a different kind of plant (the leaves look like some kind of mini maple to me, but I dunno whether such a thing even exists)...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Two Kinds of Leaves
Anyway, I thought it was interesting.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
iPad Traffic Mirror Selfie

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
His Probably Turned Out Better
I took the opportunity to ride a dead-end road that starts near the shrine, diving up into the mountain to a small village, but otherwise leading nowhere.
It was a pleasant ride on a wonderful day, and I stopped often for photos.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Steep Driveway

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1/80 sec, f/1.8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Typical Rural Japan

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 58mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Farmer

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Farmer's House
just lovely

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just Old
no fire damage is visible, so it's probably just old and neglected
I also tried a few little offshoots that were likely forestry or dam-construction roads.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pleasant

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Architecture Unburdened
with the constraints of right angles

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/40 sec, f/2.1, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tempting-Looking Road
once you reach the middle of nowhere, find the least-used offshoot and you'll be here

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Slippery Moss
with some road peeking through

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.3, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
End of My Line
road turns to full-on gravel from here

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Back Down

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tall, Encroaching Grass
After exploring all the nooks and crannies the dead-end road beyond the shrine had to offer, I headed home via the Takao area of Kyoto, which has some very nice temples, the most famous of which is Jingoji, which appeared on my blog here, and Kosanji (often incorrectly referred to as “Kozanji”), which appeared here. Anyway, even the drive through on National Route 162 is pretty, and that's all I saw this time through...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Village Between the Temples

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rust-Colored Leaves
and rust-colored rust

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Roof
Saimyoji Temple (西明寺)
Finally I did the a little side climb to a hilltop cemetery. It's short — just half a mile (600m) — but it averages 15% and the final 110m is 23~25%.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 41mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
View To Die For
Narutaki Reien Cemetery (鳴滝霊園)
On the way home I stopped by a hotel where a friend had a photo exhibition opening...
I felt a bit odd showing up in cycling gear, but it was fine and so where the photos.
In the end my “short little ride” turned out to be 77km (48mi), which isn't short, but not quite up to recent par. The median of the last 30 days I've ridden (more than 25km) is 101km.
Enjoyed all the Fall colors – thanks for posting all of these images.