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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/500 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Coming In for a Landing

Earlier in the month I posted about our trip to the Toganojaya Restaurant in the mountains of north-west Kyoto. After having lunch and a bit of play at the river below it, we continued on a drive deep into the mountains. We drove for hours, but never left Kyoto City proper.

At one point we saw a paraglider descending, so we cut off the main road, through a small settlement, and found the landing spot just as one was coming in. We could see a half dozen other paragliders in the air, so stuck around to watch for a while...

D700 + 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm, heavily cropped — ¹/400 sec, f/4, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Smooth Ride

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
“X” Marks the Spot

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Partner in Flight?
At the edge of the mowed circle, above the paraglider, is a bird of prey coming in for a landing as well

It was a paraglider school/club landing zone, and while we watched, we chatted with one of the paragliders, a guy who had been doing it for 20 years. (Most of the dozen or so people we saw were well into their middle ages and retirement age; the guy seen landing above looked to be about 60 or so.)

They take off from the top of a nearby mountain (here) and flights run from anywhere between 15 minutes to six hours. I suppose that the limiting factor is wind to some extent, and one's bladder to a greater extent.

Anthony was inspired for some Curious George paraglider play, using my floppy I-hate-the-sun hat as George's chute. Anthony liked to try to catch George, while I lifted George up and down...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/1600 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Capture George!
Photo by Fumie M. Friedl

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hey, There's One Taking Off

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
George Paragliding Play is Fun!

I had the bright idea to throw George and my hat up, to see whether it would catch some air and come down a bit slower than a brick, and indeed, it caught a whole lot of air when a well-timed gust of wind picked it up and brought the pair into the thick, prickly weeds on a steep bank next to the road...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
George Flys Out of Frame

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Daddy Feels Stupid, Attempts Retrieval

In the end, George was able to return safely.

The guy I'd talked to told us about a practice area nearby, inviting us to come and watch students learn. We stopped by later but found the hillside deserted, but did see a house that looked like it'd be more at home in Austria than Japan....

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 98 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
pretty, but
Just a Bit out of Place

Behind it, peeking through some evergreens, was a much more Japanese style mountain building, with a thick thatched roof...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Slice of Authenticity

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — ¹/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ready for the Winter

I see that bolts were used in the heavy cross members used in the construction of the weight that holds the top set of thatching down, so it's not old or anything, but still pretty.