The banks of Kawazu River in Kawazu-machi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan on the eastern coastline of the Izu Peninsula draws crowds from late February to late March for the annual Kawazu-Zakura Matsuri, a festival of the kawazu-zakura cherry blossom trees, w

Bank of River under Canopy of Cherry Blossoms

Shot of the southeastern slope of Mt. Fuji as seen from the summit of Jukkoku-Toge pass in Shizuoka Prefecture. From this view, we can see a crater halfway up volcano on the southern slope. This crater formed on Dec. 16 1707 after the Hoei Eruption, which

Snow-Capped Peak of Volcano

Located about 100 km south-west of Tokyo, the eastern coast of the Izu Peninsula is rich in geological remnants of crustal deformations, terrestrial and submarine volcanoes, lava flows, lava domes, and many more geoscientific wonders. Many small villages

Ridges Leading to the Ocean

Just a short walk from the Jukkoku Pass cable car station at the summit, there is a large, wide grassy area planted with picris flowers (bristly oxtongue) that bloom in summer creating a lovely yellow carpet of blossoms. Japanese pampas grass (susuki) als

Field of Grasses on Summit

Sparse wispy clouds slowly floating over the pampas grass covering the summit of Jikkoku Pass in Shizuoka Prefecture. Come summer, this grass will turn green with beautiful silvery gold plumes.

Fluttering of Clouds

This view of Mt. Fuji was the clearest shot I could get on this cloudy, rainy morning in Hakone, Japan. I want to visit this area again in the middle of winter when I can catch a clearer shot with more snow on the peak.

Hakone View of Mt. Fuji

A close-up view of the "Heiwa-no-Torii" (Gate of Peace) on the Ashinoko Lake shoreline in Hakone, Japan. Most visitors Hakone Shrine will pose below the gate with the lake in the background.

Hakone Peace Torii Gate

Parts of the footpath that hug the Ashinoko Lake shoreline in Onishi-Hakone Park (Hakone, Japan) have sturdy fences to keep visitors from falling into the lake.

Moss-Covered Fence 

Access to this section of the Old Tokaido Highway is right across the street from the parking lot located at the foot of the Onshi-Hakone Park (Hakone, Japan).

Ancient Highway Giants 

The Ishibune-bashi Bridge (石舟橋 / Ishibune-bashi) extends for 96 meters across the Minamiaki River as it flows through the Akigawa Valley (秋川渓谷 / Akigawa Keikoku).

Suspension Bridge 

Normally an eyesore when trying to enjoy a pristine, natural landscape, the low fog obscures the trees and mountains in the background helping to isolate the lattice tower carrying high-voltage transmission lines from a nearby dam to the metropolis.

Disappearing Power Lines 

The native species of trees in the woodlands surrounding the Lake Okutama have yet to awaken from winter, thus exposing a huge vine growing up and around the trunk of another tree.

Barren Woodland

The northern shoreline of Lake Okutama has an easily accessible foot trail that zigzags its way up the side of a mountain covered with several varieties of cherry trees.

Lone Cherry Blossom

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