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As I mentioned the other day in “More From the Rice Harvest”, I made a quick trip back on Monday to the farming villages that I'd visited the week before to offer prints to the nice farmer lady I'd had the pleasure to chat with.
On the way there, I went through the tiny village with the wind-damaged rice crop seen here. All that rice had now been harvested...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Harvested
farm from last week with the wind-whipped rice
I was shocked at how the color of the spider lilies had changed. Just a week earlier, they were deeply powerful red (as seen here), but now they were starting to look washed out...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/1600 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Spider Lily
with decidedly washed-out color
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/8000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Spider Lilies By The Side of the Road
with a farmer tidying up a harvested rice field in the background
Turning around from this point to look up the road a bit, I noticed a small side path that led to a cluster of perhaps three houses (it's a small village, with a total of about four houses). The building at the corner is for storage, and I'd driven by a number of times without even noticing it, and what a shame that is... just look at its foundation...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/5000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
On Reclaimed Land
storage building on what used to be a steep slope
These days this kind of foundation would be built with cinder block, or perhaps rusty iron legs fronted by corrugated metal. Ugh. As it is, it's just beautiful.
Stepping up the path a bit, the view continues much the same into the maze of paths serving what's up there: a few houses and their respective barns and storage buildings, and a small temple.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/2000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Side Street
a boring shot at first glance, but there's a lot of character to be found here
The wall provided a home for a big black/yellow/red spider...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/250 sec, f/4, ISO 2500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Common Mountain Friend
Seems to be Joro Spider (ジョロウグモ, Nephila clavata)
These spiders, which can be several inches across, are everywhere in the mountains around here. We saw a bazillion of them last month at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, and any time I venture beyond the edge of the city. They're apparently harmless to humans, and good for gardens.
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/250 sec, f/4, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Still Connected
Moving up the path a bit, another wall with character...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/640 sec, f/3.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Wall #2
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/1000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
View From The Temple
the house in the far distance is that of the wind-whipped rice
I eventually continued on my way for the short distance over the pass into Nara Prefecture, to the village with the lady I was looking for. Most of the rice was now harvested, and for some reason the old dry stocks were formed into various decorative patterns...
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1600 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Huge Rice “Hut”?
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/2500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rice-Plant Trees?
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/4000 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nice Country Scene
When I got to the cluster of a few dozen houses, I got off my scooter with the intent to show her photo around to find her, but lo and behold, she just happen to be walking by at that very moment, pushing a wheelbarrow on her way to her garden...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/3200 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Commuting to Work
I didn't want to bother her much so left her with the photos and my thanks, but she invited me to stop by again sometime, and I'm sure I will.
Earlier in the day, on the way at the edge of the city before diving into the mountains, I came across a nice house with deep-grained wood siding that was at right angles to where the sun was at the moment, leaving the edges of the highest grain in bright sunlight, and the rest in shadow. I thought it might make an interesting desktop-background image....
Around the corner, the wall facing directly into the sun...
The Rice Huts.
These look to me like straw bales look back here in the UK – ie as with wheat harvest, the rice stalks will be stored for winter fodder. The Hut keeps most of the rain off and the rice straw dry inside. But that said, what I really like about your rice huts is how lovingly well made they look! Mini works of rural art!
That Spider.
That is some way OTT hot insect body work colouring which says “don’t come near me I’m seriously poisoness” – so I’m relieved to know that it just looks bad rather than is actually going to kill you!