Yamanashi

A Very Big Rock and Wildflowers

Sightseeing on the Kawakami-Makioka Line in Yamanashi

Cathy Cawood Aug 31, 2016 - 1 min read

The car in the photo can give you a sense of how huge the rock is

Young trees screen the sides of the rock

A kind of hydrangea, only blooming in August because of the high altitude and cool temperatures

The leaves of this pink flower look like shiso (perilla)

All the flowers looked fresh in the cool mountain air

Looks familiar, but I can't recall the name

Many flies were attracted to this flower

Reminds me of foxgloves, but I don't think they are foxgloves

Flowers spilling over the side of the road

If you drive to Odarumi-toge to go hiking or visit the Dream Garden on Mount Kitaokusenjodake, keep your eyes open for a very big rock on one side of the road. There is a massive rounded boulder 45 meters high and 27 meters wide that was flung from a nearby volcano some 2 million years ago. Now it looks peaceful, overgrown with trees, ferns, flowers and moss, so that it is hard to imagine its violent arrival. There is a sign in Japanese explaining the details (no English, unfortunately). Take a moment to appreciate the wild flowers beside the road too.

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...