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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lack of Vertigo
there should be plenty

The other day after a short stroll through the Chishaku-in Temple in eastern Kyoto, we made our way behind it to search for a set of stairs that Stéphane had suggested. We found it.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
First Steps
just a few baby ones

At the top of the small set of steps was a park with cherry blossoms and kids playing, beyond which was a large wooden gate building...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/800 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Gate

Paying a scant 50 yen (US$ 0.60) to pass through, we found the main set of stairs....

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Now Those are Some Steps

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 5000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Challenge

Just as we started up, someone came to jog the stairs, reminding me of north-east Kyoto's Tanukitanisan Fudouin Temple where athletes train by running the stair-filled path.

At the top of this very long set of stairs is another little park and little gate...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mid-Level Gate

... followed by, you guessed it... more steps...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 3600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lots More Steps

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looking Back Down
this is the only photo I got that seems to capture the steepness

There's nothing much to speak of at the top... a large but remarkably-boring grave monument of some kind... so the attraction is the 523-step trip, not the destination.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Fence
about the only interesting thing at the top

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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Down @ 125mm

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/640 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Down @ 50mm
represents the scale more realistically

Photographically speaking, this post so far has been free from the burden of color and quality, but I'd like to inject at least a bit of color (though not quality) via some less-than-thrilling tsubaki blossoms, if for no other reason than it gives me the opportunity to refer to this utterly-perfect blossom, a related tsubaki variety at a temple a mile or so away.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tsubaki
not such a great specimen

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tsubaki Bud
also not so great

Better than the sad tsubaki was the sunshine and cherry blossoms, though it's sad that this is the best photo I can share:

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Cherry Blossoms and Shrine Gate

Also sad is that when researching the location in writing up this post, I realized that the grave monument at the top is for a decidedly-vile person from 400 years ago in Japanese history, which greatly lessens the appeal to me. Oh well.

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
First Photo of the Day

Today I visited eastern Kyoto's Chishaku-in Temple (智積院) with Paul Barr and Nicolas Joannin. I'd driven by its large temple grounds hundreds of times, but had never stopped in, and perhaps couldn't have picked a better day. It was the first short-sleeve day of the year, and the open grounds were dotted with all kinds of blossoming trees...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Still Awaiting Buds

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/3200 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Slightly Odd
somehow the in-focus blossoms appear to be in the background at first glance

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/800 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nicolas
making a funny face with his camera

To be continued...

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Suntory “Yamazaki” Single Malt Whisky
freebies in the distillery's tasting room

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tour
Suntory “Yamazaki” Whisky Distillery
Japan's first whisky distillery
Southern Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

I recently had the pleasure to tour Suntory's “Yamazaki” whisky distillery, 20 minutes by train south of Kyoto. Dating from 1923, it's the oldest whisky distillery in Japan. (Wikipedia · home page)

Suntory uses the British “Whisky” spelling, rather than the Irish/American “Whiskey”, so I'll do the same in this post.

20 years ago I used to drive by the front gates every day on my commute to and from work, and the smell was amazing. I'm not a particular fan of whisky's taste, but the smell of it being produced is rich and heavenly, and those few seconds driving by each day were well enjoyed. I toured the distillery once many years ago, but with California friend Paul Barr in town this month, took the tour again with him.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Spirit Still
#5

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heaven
if you like whisky

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/20 sec, f/2.5, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Teenager
13 Years Old

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/40 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
On Display
Whisky barrels with glass front and back
on display before a large lightbox

When first seeing the cask display with glass front and back, you're thrown for a bit of a loop because of the reflection in the mirror-smooth top of the standing whisky, and it takes a few seconds for an understanding to “click”. Judging from the reaction of the guide and others on the tour, this momentary confusion is common, and fun, which is why I put up a photo of it as one of my “What am I?” quizzes.

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/25 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Reflection
Inside of a whisky cask reflected in the still surface of its aging contents

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tour Continues

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 5000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Siblings
10 years apart

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Nº 0001
Circa 1924

I wouldn't be surprised if it's not actually the first cask, but an impostor on display for the tour. Chatting with the guide later after the tour was done, he mentioned that at rare times they offer 60-year-old whisky for sale for a million yen a bottle (about US$12,000), and that it always sells out immediately. Cask #1 is much older, but even at the price scale of the young 60-year-old stuff, the barrel would be worth more than $8,300,000, so it seems risky to leave it exposed.

You can tell that the label has been painted over (you can see faded writing under the white portions of the label), and the end has words carved in it: “LACAVEYC^o CADIZ”. That's certainly LaCave & Company from Cadiz, Spain, which well predates Suntory. Maybe Suntory didn't have its own casks early on, so reused old ones from imported whisky, in which case maybe this really is the first cask. Perhaps next time I visit I should have a taste, just to check. 🙂

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/25 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
3001
in B&W

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/125 sec, f/1.4, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Freebies
in the tasting room at the end of the tour

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/400 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
My and Paul's Freebies
mini photo session with the 10-year-old youngling

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/125 sec, f/8, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
12-Year-Old, Straight
stopped down a bit on the aperture to bring out the writing in the background

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Up Close and Personal
“Moody” seems the be the way to go with whisky

This reminds me of this great scene from the movie “Lost in Translation”. It's hilarious if you understand the Japanese, though I can only imagine it's even more funny if, like Bill Murray, you can't.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Paul's Turn

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/320 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Explanation
of the various items for sale in the gift shop

The tour is free, so if you're in town and interested in whisky or some moody photography (or both), it's perhaps worth a trip down on the train.

Continued here...

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Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — ¹/40 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
What am I?

This is not really worthy of being a my “What am I?” quiz, but it's got a certain element “what the... huh?” to it initially that requires a moment's reflection to clear up. That initial confusion is fun, and so to allow you that moment of perplexity, I'd thought I'd post it as a quiz, without any prior context.

Lest you remain confused, the Exif data should make it clear.

In any case, as always, I'll hold comments back for a day or two until I post the answer.

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lame Photographers
on grounds of the old imperial palace, Kyoto Japan

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1600 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Formulaic Blossom Shot
Plum? Too early for cherry yet this year.

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Conversation Half An Hour Earlier
via WhatsApp Messenger with a friend in a sour mood

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/2000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
My First Shot Upon Arrival
I like the mood

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lame Indeed

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/4000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rich Light
alternating among dark cloudy, bright sunny, and everywhere in between

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/640 sec, f/11, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Stopping Down a Bit on the Voigtländer
I almost always use it wide open, but this is at f/11

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rich

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Taking it Easy

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/800 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
I like this kind of moody shot

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 cropped — ¹/1000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Baby Steps

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There were plenty of folks enjoying the blossoms, but it was quiet and relaxed, nothing at all like the ugly, disgusting spectacle you so often find (that I wrote about seven years ago in “The Ugliness of Japanese Cherry-Blossom Viewing”). It wasn't even like “Cherry-Blossom Joie de Vivre in Kyoto”. It was just a normal (chilly) Sunday afternoon in the park with kids playing and folks jogging, but with a quiet floral bonus for those who happened by.

Anyway, the photo above is horrible from a photographic sense, but I like the mood.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/800 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Twigs Spotted with Scarlet-Pink Puff

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hello
your lens may be bigger than mine, lady, but I have a better subject to photograph, so there
( that's a bit of self-deprecating humor, in case you didn't get it )

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
They See Me Strollin'
( I have no idea what that means )

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Preparation of Some Sort
for some kind of Shinto event

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Procession

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/3200 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Private Photo Op

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Procession Returns

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His and Her Poodles

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Baseball Interuptis

I was playing catch with Anthony and his friend in an area across from the blossom grove when I noticed this group of smartly-dressed folks, and just had to pick up the camera. All three looked so very appropriate, the triumph of quiet elegance and class over gaudiness.

I'm a bit disappointed in my shots, and would have loved a better opportunity than the one I snuck for myself between pitches.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 cropped — ¹/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 cropped — ¹/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Reverse Angle

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

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Continued a year later here...