Spring Saturday at Arisugawa Miya Kinen Kōen

This past Saturday, my daughter and I spent a fine spring afternoon looking for tadpoles at Arisugawa Miya Kinen Kōen with one of her school friends. The previous weekend we had found hundreds if not thousands in a pond at Sarue Onshi Koen in a Koto-ku. Too bad for my daughter's friend, they were given away several days ago and we couldn't find any here. Anyway, the park and beautiful spring green leaves were a wonderful oasis in central Tokyo.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f4.0, ISO 100, 1/20 sec.

Prince Arisugawa Taruhito at Arisugawa Miya Kinen Kōen

Not much to say about this photo, but this is the statue of Prince Arisugawa Taruhito in the plaza at Arisugawa Miya Kinen Kōen. I took a photo of him early in spring surrounded by bare trees, soon this scene will look very similar.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f.0, ISO 400, 1/250 sec.

Thanksgiving Walk and Autumn Maple Leaves

Although I live in Japan, my office follows the US holiday calendar. "American" Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of November is off, vice "Japanese" Labor Thanksgiving Day which was on Monday. My wife and kids get neither holiday and have to go to work and school, so I get a free autumn day to enjoy.

Although it has been wet the last few days, Thanksgiving morning was beautiful. After dropping of the family at school visited Arisugawa Park to enjoy the fall colors. There are many ginkgo and maple trees showing their beautiful autumn golden yellows and iridescent reds.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 800, 1/250 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Red and Green Points on One Japanese Maple Leaf

While enjoying a fall afternoon with my daughter in Arisugawa Park, I happened across a Japanese Maples withe leaves that were just starting to turn from green to shades of orange and red. However, there were several leaves on this tree that appeared to be changing colors one point at a time. Very curious and very unusual. I had never seen a leaf do this before.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f5.6, ISO 100, 1/40 sec.

It was strange, since I had never seen one like this before; however, there were several more on this tree. Here's another one...

Nikon D600 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f4.0, ISO 100, 1/80 sec.

Autumn is here (Part 2) - Ginkgo's in Arisugawa Memorial Park

Thanksgiving weekend we spent some time at Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park. I walked through the park on a lazy Friday afternoon and the returned again on Saturday with the family on the way to getting an ice cream at the Baskin-Robbins at National Azabu Market. We son had fun in the playground on a perfect autumn day .

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/200 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 16 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/500 sec.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f2.8, ISO 100, 1/3200 sec.

Autumn is here

Autumn is finally showing it's full colors. Two weeks ago, the the Ginkgo Matsuri at the Meiji Jingu Gaien kicked-off and will be celebrating the golden goodness along Ichou Namiki (いちょう並木 or Ginkgo Avenue) until 16 December. We've also been though Yasukuni Shrine and Kitanomaru Park or Kōen (北の丸公園).

This maple was from Rikugien Garden.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AI-S @ f5.6, ISO 100, 1/160 sec.

This tree was spotted in Arisugawanomiya Park.

Nikon D600 with Nikon 16-35mm f/4G ED VR II AF-S IF SWM @ 35 mm, f5.6, ISO 100, 1/160 sec.

Spring is around the corner

It's the second week of March, and signs of spring are budding and sprouting in Tokyo. At the request of my daughter, the family spent part of the Saturday at Arisugawa park. The weather was perfect. Just the right amount of sun and warmth in March for an enjoyable day in the park.

Prince Arisugawa Taruhito statue looked a little bare, but he will be surrounded by cherry blossoms in several weeks.

Nikon D700 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f5.6, ISO 200, 1/500 sec.

Signs of spring were blooming nearby in several planters placed near a fountain.

Nikon D700 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f5.6, ISO 200, 1/320 sec.

Nikon D700 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f8.0, ISO 200, 1/125 sec.

Nikon D700 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f8.0, ISO 200, 1/320 sec.

Nikon D700 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f8.0, ISO 200, 1/640 sec.

Nikon D700 with Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens f8.0, ISO 640, 1/250 sec.

Fun with Soap Bubbles...

We didn't know it when we got up, but the family had so much energy that we visited not one, but two parks in Tokyo. Hibiya Park near the Imperial Palace (or 皇居 kōkyo) and Arisugawanomiya Park in Minami Azabu.  The children's playgrounds in Hibiya Park and at Arisugawanomiya are not anything special; however, the family had a great day. Especially when my wife brought out the Soap Bubbles for the kids. (If you are wondering, I had to include the link to Wikipedia because it explains why soap bubbles have iridescent colors.)

Here are some of the more interesting ones, and as my policy, minus my kids of course.  If you look closely, my reflection is visible in these bubbles.