{"id":1127,"date":"2009-01-28T23:06:10","date_gmt":"2009-01-28T14:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2009-01-28\/1127"},"modified":"2009-01-28T23:06:10","modified_gmt":"2009-01-28T14:06:10","slug":"kyoto-plum-blossom-status-report-kitano-tenmangu-shrine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2009-01-28\/1127","title":{"rendered":"Kyoto Plum-Blossom Status Report: Kitano Tenmangu Shrine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\nNOTE<\/b>: Images with an icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 27 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nEarly Plum<\/span>\nKitano Tenmangu Shrine  ·  Kyoto, Japan\n<\/div>\n\n

Anthony had a school event near the Kitano Tenmangu\nshrine<\/a> three miles away toward the north-west of town, so I took<\/span> the\nopportunity to stop in with the camera for a few<\/span> minutes. The shrine<\/span> is\nfamous for its collection of plum trees that blossom in pure whites and\ndeep, vivid pinks, both due to its breadth (50 varieties)<\/span> and scale (2,000\ntrees).<\/span><\/p>\n\n

The shrine dates from 947, although their February 25th Plum Blossom\nFestival<\/i> dates back only to 1109. This year will be the 900th\nanniversary.<\/p>\n\n

Today's visit was my second. I wrote<\/span> about my first trip in two posts\nlast year: Late to the\nParty<\/a> and Part\nII<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Anyway, notwithstanding geographical shenanigans<\/a>, plum trees blossom earlier than\ncherry trees, and so I tend<\/span> to post about plum blossoms in March (such as\nthis post about Plum\nBlossoms and Photographers<\/a>, or a first<\/span>-week-of-march Plum-Blossom Preview<\/a>).\nOnce I even<\/span> did a “first blossoms” post as early as Valentine's\nDay<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

I didn't expect to find blossoms today, but, as it turned out, there\nwere already a few.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

The front area of the shrine property butts up against a major<\/span> street,\nand there's a large<\/span> area for taxis, so it's not too photogenic, but a big<\/span>\nstone torii<\/a><\/i> and ladies in kimono go a long<\/span> way...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 32 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nProperty Entrance<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

There are lots of big stone lanterns lining the path to the real shrine\narea, as well as another big stone gate....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>3200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHeading In<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nClassy<\/span>\nEven the grill over the rain gutter is cut stone\n<\/div>\n\n

As you get closer to entering the actual shrine area, you come adjacent\nto the orchard of\nplum trees<\/a> that holds half of the shrine's 2,000 trees. I was just<\/span> tall\nenough to see over the surrounding hedge a bit,<\/span> and saw a lot<\/span> of buds and a\nfew<\/span> splashes of pink...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOrchard<\/span>\nfrom the side\n<\/div>\n\n

As you go up and in the entrance itself, if you turn to the side you're\ntreated to a view<\/span> of the orchard that must be fabulous when the trees are\nin bloom...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/14, ISO 900 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOrchard<\/span>\nabout a month too soon\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 44 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nsame scene\nDifferent Focus<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Inside the shrine area proper are another 1,000 trees scattered about\n(at least according to their web site<\/a>.\nThere are a lot<\/i> of trees, but I'm a bit<\/span> suspect of the count). The tree near<\/span> this map has huge buds, and already a few<\/span> blossoms....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 360 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStudying the Map<\/span>\nbecause, he tells me, he's a ninja and will lead the way to the inner shrine area\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 28 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHoly Cow!<\/span>\nnext to the map\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nWhite Plum<\/span>\nnext to the cow\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 42 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSkipping Toward the Central Gate<\/span>\n( personally, I didn't<\/span> realize that ninjas skipped )<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The sky was really nice today, and having just put a polarization filter<\/a> on the\nlens, I knew the<\/span> sky would come out even better, so I tried<\/span> a composition<\/span>\nto grab a lot<\/span> of sky...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/11, ISO 720 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBig Sky<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBig Blossoms<\/span>\ngave me a craving for popcorn\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nInside the Central Shrine Area<\/span>\n( some close ups of this area are here<\/a> )\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBrilliant<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 320 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLess So<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nJust Playing Around With Focus<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOthers Were Too<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBehind the Curve<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 900 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nIn Front of the Lantern<\/span>\n(close up of some blossoms seen in the first picture at the top of this post)\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anthony had a school event near the Kitano Tenmangu shrine three miles away toward the north-west of town, so I took the opportunity to stop in with the camera for a few minutes. The shrine is famous for its collection of plum trees that blossom in pure whites and deep, vivid pinks, both due to its breadth (50 varieties) and scale (2,000 trees).<\/p>

The shrine dates from 947, although their February 25th Plum Blossom Festival dates back only to 1109. This year will be the 900th anniversary.<\/p>

Today's visit was my second. I wrote about my first trip in two [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,2,6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1127"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1127\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}