Author: vc-dev

Beginning last night and continuing into today, snow has been falling throughout the Sounkyo Gorge and creating a wintry landscape.
The Cerasus sargentii and Rhododendron dauricum that had been blooming so beautifully are now completely covered with snow.
The gorge is also full of snow.
And the weather forecast predicts snow for today as well.
Since yesterday, all of the passes, the national route, and other roads have been closed to traffic.
Detailed road information is provided on the Visitor Center’s website. Please take a look at it before making any trips.
In addition, the Aizankei Kamikawa route (Prefectural Route 223) was open on the 15th but is closed today due to snow.
The effects of the snow will likely last more several days.
For the time being, roads in the area are closed to cars on summer tires.
Photos: Near Shichiken Peak, Sounkyo (left); snow-covered cherry blossoms and azaleas (center and right) May 17

The 2014 schedule for Visitor Center courses is now available.
Please find it on the main page of the Visitor Center’s website:
http://sounkyovc.net/vc-info/vc-inf.htm
There are still openings available for the bird-watching course scheduled for May 18 and the Kumoigahara Marshland course on May 25.
Please join us!
We are waiting for your call.
01658-9-4400
Photos: A Cyanoptila cyanomelana seen at Rikuman in May of last year (left) and a pink Helonias kawanoi seen at Kumoigahara last June

Here are some photos I took in the Sounkyo Gorge.
The Cerasus sargentii are nearing full bloom.
Very gradually, the gorge is taking on fresh green coloring.
In a few days, it will be beautifully verdant.
In addition, all of Haku Jya-no-Taki Fall can now be seen just before the Byobuiwa snow shed, near the Sounkyo hot spring village. (Although not visible in the photograph, the lower part of the waterfall winds like a snake down the mountain.)
The photo on the right shows Mumei-no-Taki Fall.
Numerous waterfalls exist in Sounkyo. On days like today when there is a lot of rain, they can be seen in a many different places.
Photos: Views of Sounkyo Gorge May 16

It’s been raining since early morning today.
According to the weather forecast, we may actually get snow, which is unusual for this time of year.
If snow is actually observed, it will be the latest snowfall on record. (At the present time, the latest recorded snowfall was on May 12, 1993. Additionally, although it was not officially observed, snow also fell on May 12, 2012. The next day, the temperature outside the center was -5°C. Areas above the gorge were covered with snow.)
Although snowfall during the Golden Week holidays is not rare, we are already past the midway point in May.
Even so, the cherry blossoms are coming out even in the Sounkyo hot spring village. The cherry blossoms and Rhododendron dauricum flowers are coloring the gorge, and new green leaves are gradually making their appearance.
The second and third photographs were taken in Kamikawa Town. The strong winds of a few days ago knocked off a small number of blossom pedals. Some fell into puddles and created sights that are beautiful in their own right.
And the Anemone flaccida and Trillium tschonoskii, which stand together with Adonis ramosa, Erythronium japonicum, and Corydalis fumariifolia subsp. azurea as typical spring flowers, are also about to bloom.
The Japanese name for Trillium tschonoskii is shirobanano-enreiso. According to the leading theory, this name comes from “enrei (延齢),” which means to “add years to one’s life.”
Photos: Blossoming Cerasus nipponica var. kurilensis in the hot spring village and Eigetsu Peak
(left) May 15; Cherry blossoms scattered by strong winds (center) and Trillium tschonoskii and Anemone flaccida (right) May 16