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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Firebush

Often listed as one of the most surreal places in the world, Hitachi Seaside Park is a must visit destination in Japan. The park is very popular in Ibaraki Prefecture just days before the peak of autumn. The red-colored firebushes / kochia flooding the park is a sight to behold especially to photo enthusiasts like me. One would want to stay there forever.

Untitled

playground 

 there are times 
 when the world is without color 
go back to that one special place 
full of life, full of hues 
a perfect day
 from your memories 

 /totomai 

This was my fourth time visiting the said place and I have tried various means of travel. I even joined a photography bus tour before. But this time, since the park is approximately 150 km away from Chiba, we decided to rent a bus for convenience. And we were right. We need not chase the once-a-day bus trip from Tokyo Station to Hitachi Seaside Park. The entrance fee was waived during our trip, we were able to save 490 yen but as expected, the crowd was enormous. 

upwarduphill
field

Aside from the kochia aka kokia in Japansese, there are other families of flowers carpeting the park. One of the popular one is the cosmos, complementing the reds of the kochia.

cosmos
cosmos

Two years ago, we joined a photography bus tour but a typhoon was brewing that day. The sky was gray and dull. I kept on hoping that for this trip, the sky will be clear. And it was granted. The clouds were even a show-off. I always wanted to capture the contrast between the blue skies and the red bushes.

kochia
Untitled
division

The hill where the bushes grow is jam packed with sightseers. I can’t blame them since I also took hundreds of photos. Each one is finding his / her own spot free from people for a souvenir shot.

crowded
Untitled

The place feels so cinematic. I enjoyed watching the bushes sway with the breeze and the grasses. It’s my definition of quite a perfect day.

breeze

As the sun began to set, we were reminded that it’s time to go home. Hopefully I can go back here this winter. Here are my previous posts about Hitachi Seaside Park (Spring, Summer, Autumn). 

Allow me to end this post with a quote and a photo (just because I love my smile here)

totomai
photo by Kid Perez / edited by Kuya Rad   

“Don't feel sorry for yourself. Only assholes do that." ― Haruki Murakami 

/totomai 
2016/10/27 

Photos taken with Nikon D7000, iphone 6s 
lenses used : 
               Nikkor 18-300 mm 
               Tamron 11-16 mm

27 comments:

  1. Can we afford to live in our memories? Safe. But is it? Warm? But is that enough? If tehy world is without colour, should we wonder why?

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    1. Yup. We can still add colors to the colorless world by recalling the past :-)

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  2. My goodness, such mesmerizing pictures! Oh how I would love to visit :D

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  3. I do like the idea of, when you need to, to go back to that place where there was a 'perfect day.' I like that you have traveled back to this place again and again, duplicating the experience in some ways, and having new experiences in other ways. Your photos are breathtakingly beautiful. You find such beautiful places in YOUR environment, which always makes me think...can we all find such beautiful places in our own?

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    Replies
    1. Haha. I think so Mary, there are lots of beautiful places around your area and I think they are just waiting to be discovered...

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  4. all I can say is Wow!! the fire bushes blew me away too

    Happy Sunday Totomai, thanks for an awesome share of photos and poetry

    much love...

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  5. Your photos are gorgeous, as always. I especially love what the sky was doing, in contrast to the red hues. Gorgeous cloud-show!

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    1. Clouds were a show-off that day, Sherry! Thanks!

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  6. Oh our memories are a great place to dig... and so much better if they are on photographs...

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    Replies
    1. Yes, we need visuals... sometimes haha. Thanks Bjorn

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  7. Your comments, your poem, all the photos are spectacular. But that last one with your smile is my favorite. Thank you for sharing your day.

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    1. Thanks Myrna, that's why I included it because I really liked it haha

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  8. I cannot express my wonder and the beauty when I visit and read on your site.
    ZQ

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  9. These photos are so vibrant, I think we can find vibrancy in our lives through the memories captured with our lens.

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  10. Your posts are pure joy to visit! And your poem is wonderful! Thank you for this!

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  11. Mindblowing... thanks so much for sharing.

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  12. That is a great photo of you with the red bushes backdrop.Colour is nature's way of embracing you:)

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    1. I loved that photo Rall that is why I decided to include it haha

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  13. Monday WRites 81 is live
    You are invited to link in

    Happy Halloween

    much love...

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  14. Fantastic scene totomai! A sea of crimson goodness for all to see! Thanks for info!

    Hank

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any thoughts to distill?

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