Red Spider Lilies Around Lake Biwa

September cycling in Shiga Prefecture

Cathy Cawood Sep 04, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Drifts of spider lilies under the pine trees beside Lake Biwa</p>

<p>Spider lilies growing on a stone wall in Sakamoto</p>

<p>Spider lilies bordering the fields beside the road</p>

<p>Rice stubble edged with red blooms</p>

<p>Spider lilies growing beside stone retaining walls</p>

<p>A single clump of red flowers stands out against the green</p>

<p>The flowers look particularly beautiful with the lake in the background</p>

<p>A black and white butterfly attracted by the red flowers</p>

<p>Temple statue with a splash of red in the background</p>

<p>The lilies look delicate, but must be very hardy!</p>

<p>Spider lilies growing around a shrine</p>

<p>Splash of color beside a small roadside shrine</p>

<p>Border of scarlet between rice stubble and road</p>

<p>Red blooms among bundles of rice straw</p>

<p>Spider lilies bordering a country road in Takashima</p>

I love to cycle in the Japanese countryside, and Shiga Prefecture has some of the best scenery I've found in Japan. During September spider lilies spring up all over Shiga, adding scarlet accents to the scenery. A lot of rice is grown in Shiga, and the rice harvest takes place through August and September, so you can see the red lilies blooming next to a mix of ripe golden fields, brown stubble and the green of new re-growth, as well as against the ever lovely Lake Biwa.

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Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...