I went again today to the Kyoto Keage Water-Treatment Plant to see the azaleas (although I didn't know they were called “azaleas” until looking up the word yesterday).
The pictures yesterday didn't give much feel for the overall site, so I thought I'd show some today that attempt to. I'm sure I won't be successful, for as I said yesterday, it's a huge sprawling site with many terraces, pathways, alcoves, gardens, nooks, and crannies.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 52mm — 1/750 sec, f/6.3, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
View From The Road (Looking North)
The view is nice enough from the outside, with many flowering azaleas to brighten it. The picture above is from across Sanjo Street, looking down the hill toward the North. The main entrance is way further down the hill than is visible in this shot.
Turning to look up the hill, you can see one huge hillside of azaleas that I thought, until yesterday, was the main attraction. I didn't realize that the site extends far above what you see here, and that many beautiful areas are to be found along the whole breadth of the site, but just aren't visible from the road.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
View From The Road (Looking South)
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Schoolkids Walking Along the Road Out Front
The kids above are walking where, until 10 or so years ago, a tram track ran. It's now under the road as the tozai line of Kyoto's subway.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/160 sec, f/8, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Inside the Southern Gate, Looking Up Toward the Main Building
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/640 sec, f/5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Halfway Up, Looking Down
Almost everything in the picture above is hidden from the road. The front of the building to the left of center can be seen from some vantage points along the road (including in the first photo above), but that's about it. This shot is looking down a hillside covered with azaleas, but it's not the big hillside on the southern end of the site visible from the road.
The picture above shows many levels. The driveway just behind the foreground plants is well below where I was standing, and the people congregating in the little clearing are well below the driveway. They're all way above the filtering tanks and people walking in the background, which themselves are way above the main entrance and Sanjo Street.
Yet, at this point, I've still got 90 vertical feet of paths, gardens, terraces, and azaleas before I reach the top.
Looking at a small part of the same view from the side rather than the top, you see more of the beauty than the layout...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 23mm — 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Reverse-Angle View
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mini Garden Area
There were many little mini garden areas, and being a water-treatment plant, water fountains were plentiful (and log-shaped, no less, to better blend in with the plentiful nature).
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 90mm — 1/320 sec, f/8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Little Paths Everywhere
Besides the major walkways, there were little paths everywhere, connecting terraces, gardens, and walkways.
Some paths are not obvious at first glance. The only indication of a path in the picture below is the parasol carried by an unseen stroller.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Some Paths More Hidden Than Others
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 116mm — 1/200 sec, f/5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Occasionally, Water-Treatment Stuff
The circular thing above houses some kind of valve. It sports a wheel on top not unlike one might use to steer a schooner.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 22mm — 1/320 sec, f/5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Random Pathway #72
The city really pulls the stops out for the four days it's open. They hire a bazillion kindly guides and dress them as private security guards. They give everyone who comes in a round uchiwa to fan themselves with (the sun is unmercifully hot these days), and a bottle-shaped can of water (source: Genuine Kyoto City Tap Water).
Because it's hot and there's so much climbing involved, they've set up rest areas at convenient locations (with, unfortunately, ash trays to make getting cancer all the more convenient as well).
The tent shown below is at the very top of the site, on top of the “No. 2 Highest Water-Storage Area.”
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 82mm — 1/2500 sec, f/4, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tent at the Top
The big vertical sign says “No alcoholic beverages.” Drat! Oh well, they can't please everyone 🙂
Great pics and excellent presentation!