{"id":1795,"date":"2011-06-13T20:42:03","date_gmt":"2011-06-13T11:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2011-06-13\/1795"},"modified":"2011-06-13T20:42:03","modified_gmt":"2011-06-13T11:42:03","slug":"pleasant-little-village-in-uji","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2011-06-13\/1795","title":{"rendered":"Pleasant Little Village in Uji"},"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\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 cropped — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRush Hour<\/span>\nin the rural mountains of Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan\n<\/div>\n\n

As I mentioned in “What It Looks Like When\nTiered Rice Paddies Go to Seed<\/a>” the other day, I recently<\/span> took another\ntrip with Shimada-san and Paul Barr to the middle-of-nowhere mountains of\nUji City (south-east of Kyoto).<\/p>\n\n

On the way to the first spot we'd marked on the map, while winding\nthrough a thin<\/span> mountain road, we came across an unmarked side road that\nShimada-san knew lead to a dam<\/span> (one dating to a power<\/span> generator built almost\n100 years ago). He knew that<\/span> the road was closed off at some point along\nthe way, but otherwise we didn't know what to expect, so checked it out.<\/p>\n\n

Eventually the road did end just past a little<\/span> village of perhaps half a\ndozen<\/span> houses, so we did a U-turn and parked to soak up the quiet, peaceful\nvibe.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nView From the End of the Road<\/span>\nlooking across a recently-abandoned rice paddy\n<\/div>\n\n

The paddies in this area had been abandoned, but relatively recently,\nunlike the ones in my\nprevious post<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

We parked at a wide spot in the road past the final house of the\nvillage, next to a plot<\/span> of land being gardened by a pleasant<\/span> gentleman who\nhappened to be there at the time (one of perhaps four people we saw the\nentire time in the tiny village).<\/p>\n\n

It was eminently pleasant just to take in the scenes from the end of the road. The final<\/span> house was fronted by a formidable<\/span> wall common in country houses...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n
\nlooking back to the\nLast House on the Right<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

The house itself was not actually visible, set back behind the fronting\nwall, but the wall and entrance itself was picturesque enough, including a\nfloral<\/span>-shaped window...<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 720 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOld-Time Workmanship<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 4000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nEntrance<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

The entrance proper was quite high above the level of the road, with\nramps leading up. Standing in front I held<\/span> the camera above my head and\nblindly shot, hoping I'd get a nice<\/span> layered look....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>5000 sec, f<\/span>\/1.8, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nEntrance-Eye View<\/span>\n\n<\/div>\n\n

That photo didn't come out quite as I hoped,<\/span> but this little are was rich with the kind of geometric patterns that I\nlike<\/span> for desktop background, so here are a few.<\/span>..<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 24mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 2500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 1800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\nStandard: 1024×<\/span>768<\/a>  ·  1440×<\/span>1080<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>1200<\/a><\/small>     <\/span>\nWidescreen:  1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>4000 sec, f<\/span>\/1.4, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\nStandard: 1024×<\/span>768<\/a>  ·  1440×<\/span>1080<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>1200<\/a><\/small>     <\/span>\nWidescreen:  1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 3200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

I had high hopes for that last one, along the lines of the “Fence and Vine<\/a>”\nfrom five years ago that I still<\/span> really like, but I think<\/span> this one fell\nflat because I was<\/span> too close. I should<\/span> have tried the same shot with the\n125mm Voigtl\u00e4nder.<\/p>\n\n

Directly across the road were the unused rice paddies, now covered with\ngrass and starting to sprout some weeds...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>6400 sec, f<\/span>\/2, ISO 250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\nStandard: 1024×<\/span>768<\/a>  ·  1440×<\/span>1080<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>1200<\/a><\/small>     <\/span>\nWidescreen:  1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

... and beyond it was another farmstead...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>3200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Across The Way<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>3200 sec, f<\/span>\/2, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRoof In Need of Some TLC<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 900 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPeak of the Pitch<\/span>\nwith a funky onion-motif end tile\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 900 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTea Leaves<\/span>\non a “tea bush”, I guess\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Looking further back toward the village...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2500 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTending Her Plot<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>3200 sec, f<\/span>\/2, ISO 250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFarmers' Sheds<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Back on the side we were parked, growing next to the old farmstead I noticed<\/span> a big<\/span> juicy berry that\nmy Voigtl\u00e4nder<\/a> couldn't stay away from...<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 1100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nJuicy<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

An attractive point to this berry was that it was at eye level, owing to the raised nature of the house relative to the road,\nbut it turns out it's good for comparison to a less<\/span>-accessible ground-level berry I photographed<\/span> when I first<\/span> stepped out of the car....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 2800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOdd “Orb of Puffy-Pillow Nodules” Berry<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I didn't notice at the time that they were different... this odd one is really odd... I've never seen anything like it.\nPerhaps I just<\/span> don't inspect berries very closely....<\/p>\n\n\n

\n100% crop\n<\/div>\n\n

Is this the same kind of berry at a different<\/span> stage?<\/p>\n\n

Looking across again at a building on the opposing farmstead, here's the same view with three different lenses...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>8000 sec, f<\/span>\/1.4, ISO 360 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n@ 50mm<\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\nStandard: 1024×<\/span>768<\/a>  ·  1440×<\/span>1080<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>1200<\/a><\/small>     <\/span>\nWidescreen:  1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n@ 125mm<\/span>\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2500 sec, f<\/span>\/2, ISO 250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n@ 300mm<\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\nStandard: 1024×<\/span>768<\/a>  ·  1440×<\/span>1080<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>1200<\/a><\/small>     <\/span>\nWidescreen:  1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Before moving back through the village, I took a<\/span> shot of one of the many little hand-made pinwheels that dotted the small garden plots,\nostensibly to scare away birds, I suppose.<\/span>...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f\/2 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2, ISO 250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNoisy Pinwheel<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

They made quite a racket when the wind kicked up. All were made<\/span> from beer cans or the like.<\/p>\n\n

Continued here...<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I mentioned in \"What It Looks Like When Tiered Rice Paddies Go to Seed\" the other day, I recently took another trip with Shimada-san and Paul Barr to the middle-of-nowhere mountains of Uji City (south-east of Kyoto).<\/p>

On the way to the first spot we'd marked on the map, while winding through a thin mountain road, we came across an unmarked side road that Shimada-san knew lead to a dam (one dating to a power generator built almost 100 years ago). He knew that the road was closed off at some point along the way, but otherwise we didn't [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1,2,6,25],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1795"}],"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=1795"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1795\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}