Last additions - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Last additions

Lotus at Karasuma Peninsula in Kusatsu.Oct 20, 2005

Mt. Mikami in background of lotus pond in Kusatsu.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

The lotus used to bloom in July. In 1975, there was only 4 hectares. By 2004, it covered 13 hectares.Oct 20, 2005

Lotus pond at Karasuma Peninsula.Oct 20, 2005

Entrance to Mizunomori garden (Suisei Shokubutsu Koen Mizu no Mori). Open 9 am to 5 pm (enter by 4:30 pm). Closed Mon. MAPOct 20, 2005

Huge lotus pond at Karasuma Peninsula in Kusatsu, Shiga. Used to bloom in summer.Oct 20, 2005

Yamamoto-yama mountainOct 20, 2005

Kohoku Wild Bird Center and the Biwako Waterfowl and Wetland Center (A-frame building on the left). 湖北野鳥センター・琵琶湖水鳥・湿地センターOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Nice cycling path along the shore.Oct 20, 2005

Some nice lakeside scenery while cycling further north from Kohoku Waterfowl Park.Oct 20, 2005

Karasaki ShrineOct 20, 2005

Mt. Mikami + Pine Tree at Karasaki.Oct 20, 2005

Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi) markerOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Mt. Mikami across Lake Biwa from Karasaki.Oct 20, 2005

Sadly, as of 2023, this Karasaki Pine Tree has largely wilted due to wind and rain over the years. The branches have suffered cumulative damage including hollowing out of the trunk.Oct 20, 2005

Karasaki Pine Tree is the third generation tree since the original one was planted 1,400 years ago. Current pine tree was planted in 1887. Oct 20, 2005

Karasaki Pine Tree was still healthy and deep green in 2004.Oct 20, 2005

Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi) marker at Karasaki. Omi was the old name for Shiga. A woodblock print artist depicted the Eight Views of Omi. One of them was titled, "Night Rain at Karasaki" showing the big pine in the rain at night.Oct 20, 2005

Pine tree and Lake Biwa.Oct 20, 2005

Karasaki Shrine torii. It is a branch shrine of Hiyoshi Taisha. 唐崎神社 MAPOct 20, 2005

Karasaki Shrine has numerous pine trees, including the famous century-old pine tree.Oct 20, 2005

Sumo ring on the beachOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Minamihama beachOct 20, 2005

Nagahama in the distance from MinamihamaOct 20, 2005

南浜Oct 20, 2005

Minamihama swimming beach in Nagahama. Pebble beach. 南浜Oct 20, 2005

Minamihama swimming beach. Don't swim beyond the buoys. 南浜Oct 20, 2005

Minamihama swimming beach, Nagahama 南浜Oct 20, 2005

River mouthOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Lakeside park with a nice, long cycling path.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Lakeside park in northern Nagahama. This area was formerly Biwa-cho town which merged with adjacent Nagahama in Feb. 2006. Oct 20, 2005

View of Chikubushima islandOct 20, 2005

Lakeside park in northern Nagahama (Biwa-cho), slightly south of Oku Biwa Sports no Mori. Nice cycling path along the lakeshore.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Lotus pond at Oku Biwa Sports no Mori. In summer, the lotus bloom.Oct 20, 2005

Slightly south of Hayasaki Naiko Biotope along the shore is Oku Biwa Sports no Mori. This is a nice outdoor sports complex. Outdoor pool is great for kids in summer.Oct 20, 2005

Oda Nobunaga actually started living in Azuchi Castle's main tower or donjon. Normally, the castle lord resided in a separate palace.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

The unique hexagonal base of the upper section of the Azuchi Castle donjon.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle in snowThe castle was made as a snow sculpture at the Sapporo Snow Festival in Feb. 2000.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle constructionOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle replicaOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

This Azuchi Castle tower replica was displayed in the Japan Pavilion at the Seville Expo '92 in Spain before it was moved here.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle tower replica at House of Nobunaga. Very ornate and beautiful. both outside and inside.Oct 20, 2005

Also in Azuchi is this museum called the House of Nobunaga (Nobunaga no Yakata) which displays a life-size replica of the top part of Azuchi Castle. MAPOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Lake NishinokoOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Lake NishinokoOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

View from atop Mt. Azuchi.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle tower foundation stones still remain.Oct 20, 2005

Castle tower foundationOct 20, 2005

Steps to castle tower foundationOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Stone buddhaOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Site of Hashiba Hideyoshi's quarters.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Site of Hashiba Hideyoshi's quarters at Azuchi Castle.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

A lot of impressive stone work remains of Azuchi Castle.Oct 20, 2005

Main stairs of Otemichi pathOct 20, 2005

Foot of Mt. AzuchiOct 20, 2005

To Mt. Azuchi where Azuchi Castle once stood in Omi-Hachiman. If you don't have a car, rent a bicycle at Azuchi Station (or ride a taxi). The castle site is not very far from Azuchi Station by bicycle.Oct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle on Mt. Azuchi is a Special National Historic Site. (特別史跡) The area now occupied by rice paddies were once part of the lake.Oct 20, 2005

Built in 1579 by famous warlord Oda Nobunaga, Azuchi Castle was unique for its opulence and octagonal castle tower. Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1568–1600) is partially named after this castle. The castle was attacked and destroyed only 3 years later. The castle is on a hill in Azuchi, Omi-Hachiman, Shiga Prefecture. A replica of the top portion of the castle tower is displayed at a museum nearby the castle ruins. Photo shows the Azuchi Castle marker at the foot of the castle hill.Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Canal to Johama PortOct 20, 2005

Johama PortFormer site of Johama Port which was used from the 15th century to 1930. Boats from Lake Biwa came through a canal. Reconstructed in 1983.

常浜Oct 20, 2005

CanalOct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle Museum (Azuchi Jokaku Shiryokan). Near Azuchi Station. 安土城郭資料館 MAPOct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle Museum (Azuchi Jokaku Shiryokan)In the Azuchi Castle Museum (Azuchi Jokaku Shiryokan)

安土城郭資料館Oct 20, 2005

Azuchi Castle Museum (Azuchi Jokaku Shiryokan)Oct 20, 2005

Oda NobunagaIn the Azuchi Castle Museum (Azuchi Jokaku Shiryokan)

安土城郭資料館Oct 20, 2005

Castle modelIn the Azuchi Castle Museum (Azuchi Jokaku Shiryokan)

安土城郭資料館Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Police box in front of Azuchi StationOct 20, 2005

Sumo ring near Azuchi Station. It was built in 1988 and once used for a exhibition sumo tournament. It was removed in late 2014 due to a redevelopment of this train station area.Oct 20, 2005

Old Azuchi Tourist Office that was across the street from Azuchi Station. It's now inside the new Azuchi Station.Oct 20, 2005

Cycling path in Azuchi, Omi-Hachiman.Oct 20, 2005

Bike path that goes on foreverOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Cycling path in Azuchi near Lake Nishinoko.Oct 20, 2005

Cycling path in Azuchi named Yoshi-bue Road.Oct 20, 2005

Cycling path in Azuchi.Oct 20, 2005

Scenic bike pathOct 20, 2005

From the museum, there is a nice bike path.Oct 20, 2005

Shiga Prefectural Azuchi Castle Archaelogical Museum. MAPOct 20, 2005

Jomon Period dugout canoe replica made in 1990. Carved out of single log, two men successfully used it to paddle to Chikubushima from Onoe, Nagahama. Oct 20, 2005

Storage roomOct 20, 2005

Shiga Prefectural Azuchi Castle Archaelogical Museum. This is where they painstakingly clean and catalog all the pieces dug up at the Azuchi Castle ruins. You can watch them at work. 安土城考古博物館Oct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

Rental bicycleOct 20, 2005

Inside minka houseOct 20, 2005

Traditional minka houseOct 20, 2005

Inside old school. 旧柳原学校Oct 20, 2005

Old Ryugen Gakko school. First built in 1876 as a primary school in Takashima, northern Shiga, this is the prefecture's oldest surviving school building. It was moved here for display. 旧柳原学校旧柳原学校Oct 20, 2005

House of Nobunaga (Nobunaga no Yakata). A replica of the top (best) part of Azuchi Castle is displayed inside. See this album to see what's inside. MAPOct 20, 2005

Oct 20, 2005

To Bungei no Sato. This is a complex of several buildings including a castle museum and archealogical museum. 文芸の郷 MAPOct 20, 2005

Bicycle path. In front of Azuchi Station, bicycles are available for rent. I highly recommend bicycling rather than walking.Oct 20, 2005

The old Azuchi Station.Oct 20, 2005

In front of Azuchi Station. That's a statue of Oda Nobunaga who built Azuchi Castle. MAPOct 20, 2005

Wolverine movie clip (High-speed)　クズリのムービーI used my digital video camera to film this wolverine grabbing a huge piece of pig carcass and carrying it for some distance until he dumped it out of fear. But it shows how strong these animals are. They can carry a carcass three times their own weight. Wolverines belong to the same family as weasels. They have sharp teeth and claws. The picture is not very sharp, maybe because of the rain. The sound has been erased. The movie clip is 1 min. 36 sec.

クズリが現れて豚の死がいの大きい部分を持って行こうとしたが、間もなく放置して逃げた。自分より重いものを運べる強い動物である。96秒のムービー。Oct 17, 2005

Kuusamo Library　クーサモ図書館This is the public library in Kuusamo to which I donated a bunch of Japanese nature photo books, magazines, and a DVD (see the previous images).

Before leaving for Finland, I requested and received a photo book from the three Japanese photographers I featured in my third slide show. I also went to a large bookstore in Tokyo and scoured all the Japanese nature photo books. I bought some books I thought would be of interest in Finland. I packed all the books in my suitcase, and when I checked in at Finnair at Narita Airport (Tokyo), they told me that my suitcase was overweight by 6 kg or so and I would have to pay extra. I asked how much, and she said 40,000 yen (about $300).

I couldn't believe it. I almost went ballistic. First I made sure that I heard correctly: "You mean 4,000 yen ($30) right?" No, it was 40,000 yen. I panicked inside, but tried to remain calm. Then I dropped down and opened my suitcase on the spot and took out 6 kg worth of books and stuffed them in a large plastic bag which they kindly provided.

Now I had two pieces of carry-on luggage and one lighter suitcase weighing right below the 25kg limit. "Fine" she said, and I was happy even though I was slightly weighed down.

It was worth the trouble because I later found out that the Kuusamo library had no photo books from Japan. But now they do.
Library Web site: http://www.kuusamo.fi/Resource.phx/sivut/sivut-kuusamo/kirjasto/index.htx

フィンランドへ行く前に都内の大手本屋さんへ行って日本の面白そうなネイチャー写真集を何冊も買って持って行きました。今森光彦、中村郁夫、栗林慧先生から頂いた写真集と合わせてスーツケースに入れた。そして成田でFinnairでチェックインすると重さ制限(25kg)がオーバーで追加料金がなんと４万円！！とんでもない話で、その場でスーツケースを開けて6kg分の重い本を手持ちにした。それでOKだった。

これらの寄贈写真集は、スライドショー中にも紹介して「図書館で借りられる」と皆さんに知らせました。来場者からも写真集やDVDの注文も何件か受付ました。Oct 12, 2005

Pipe made of mammoth bone　ネネッツ族の展示This exhibit was presented by Markku and Johannes Lehmuskallio and Anastasia Lapsui who studied and filmed the Nenets and other tribes.Oct 12, 2005

Instruments and implements of the Nenets tribe　ネネッツ族の展示Drum and other implements.

This exhibit was presented by Markku and Johannes Lehmuskallio and Anastasia Lapsui who studied and filmed the Nenets and other tribes.Oct 12, 2005

Native clothing of Nenets tribe　ネネッツ族の衣類The Nenets tribe live in the polar region of northwestern Siberia in Russia. They are Arctic reindeer pastoralists with huge herds of reindeer. Their faces look Asian or Mongoloid.

This exhibit of Nenets clothing (made of reindeer skin/fur) was presented by Markku and Johannes Lehmuskallio and Anastasia Lapsui who studied and filmed the Nenets and other tribes.

They brought a whole load of other exhibits (see next image) to Kuusamo Hall.

ホールのロビーに写真以外にもいろいろの展示物があった。これは、シベリアにいるネネッツ族の衣類。ほとんどトナカイの毛皮で作られている。Oct 12, 2005

My Bears, by Lassi Rautiainen　フィンランドのヒグマの写真集Lassi is the main man behind the Kuusamo Nature Photo festival. He is also a well-known nature photographer in Europe and his special passion is bears ("karhu" in Finnish).

This is his photo book of "his" bears in the Finnish (and maybe Russian) wilderness photographed from his bear hides (wildlife observation huts). The text is in four languages including English. One of the first things he says in the book is that bears are not dangerous. They do not attack people. Well, that's not true in Japan. Bears do attack and kill people in Japan. People picking mushrooms in the mountains or even in their backyard near a mountain can be vulnerable.

Bear attacks are often widely reported in Japan's news media. So I was surprised to hear that bears in Finland are afraid of people and run away when they see humans. Finland has about 1,000 brown bears. Happily, I saw two of them during a bear-watching trip conducted by Lassi.

The book is quite interesting. Lassi gives colorful names to all the bears he has seen. There's Flathead, Ruffled-head, Little Boy, Beefcake, and Split-ear, Finland's most photographed bear. Split-ear's right ear has a little V-notch on the tip. He got it by tearing off the tag that a bear researcher had tacked on.

Lassi also tells interesting stories about the mating practices of the bears (occurring in May-June), and about his own encounters with the bears. The book also shows pictures of wolverines which look like badgers. I was lucky to observe and film a wolverine at a bear hide. There are only a few hundred of them in the Nordic region.

Lassi is a great nature storyteller and often humorous. And I read this book from cover to cover with great interest. Published by his company, Articmedia. ISBN: 951-95376-6-X

「僕のヒグマ」という写真集で、フィンランドで撮ったヒグマの写真。写真家のラッシー・ラウティアイネン氏(Lassi Rautiainen)は長年のヒグマのオタク。クーサモのネィチャーフォト祭りの実行委員長でもある。面白い方です。Oct 12, 2005

Kuusamo Hall lobby　ホールのロビーHanging on the 2nd floor balconey on the right is a teepee made of reindeer skin. Reindeer skin is very strong and can last many years. It also keeps the teepee warm.

This teepee exhibit was presented by Markku and Johannes Lehmuskallio and Anastasia Lapsui. They brought a whole load of other things (see following images) and photos to display at Kuusamo Hall.

ホールのロビーに写真以外にもいろいろの展示物があった。Oct 12, 2005

Photo books for sale　フィンランドの写真集の即売Nature photo books published in Finland and by some of the photographers featured at the festival were also displayed for sale. The next few images show a few of the books that were available (and which I bought).

フィンランドの写真集も即売されていた。何冊も買って次に紹介する。Oct 12, 2005

Letter of Thanks from PhilI really enjoyed my first trip to Finland during September 4-18, 2005 (Sept. 8-17 in Kuusamo) and savored every hour. The people in Kuusamo were all so nice and it was a great pleasure to meet and see the work of many talented and dedicated photographers from Europe.

They have definitely piqued my interest and opened my eyes to the nature and wildlife in northern Europe and the Arctic region. I've also become much more keenly aware of the seriousness of global warming. People in Finland have told me how the climate has become noticeably warmer over the decades. Such countries near the polar regions are the first to feel and see the detrimental effects of global warming. I really hope we can someday reverse the trend.

I want to thank the people who made my sponsored trip and participation in Kuusamo Nature Photo 2005 possible and very enjoyable. After months of email correspondence with the festival staff, it was great to finally meet all of them face to face. It makes a big difference when you know the face and person behind the name.

I know they worked very hard to pull off a very successful nature photo festival. For all the email correspondence, coordination, and making all the arrangements, I especially want to thank the following:

Lassi Rautiainen, Kuusamo Nature Photo Director
Pekka Pirhonen, Kuusamo Culture Department Manager
Seija Väisänen
Hannele Pappila
Town of Kuusamo
Corporate sponsors

I also want to personally thank the following people:

Pirkko Väätäinen, my interpreter who interpreted my three slide shows into Finnish.
Hannu Hautala and wife Irma, for having us over at his home/office. Despite his fame, Hannu is a very down-to-earth and warm-hearted man. It was a great pleasure to meet him, to see his collection of Japanese photo books, and hearing about his two trips to Japan.
Barbara, for videotaping my slide shows with my video camera and taking some great snapshots of me enjoying myself in Kuusamo. And also for providing transportation to/from the airport.
Tõnu Ling, for taking snapshots of me in Kuusamo and being my first friend in Kuusamo (we met on the plane to Kuusamo).
Koillis sanomat newspaper and reporter Tuomo Pirttimaa for interviewing me in an article they published.

Again, I have to thank Lassi for everything. He was the one who took care of all the details even during our nature trips. Lending sleeping bags, carrying hot drinks in heavy thermos bottles, driving us all over the place, answering all our questions, taking pictures of us, and making sure everyone had an enjoyable time. He turned out to be quite humorous. I can highly recommend him to anyone who needs a very knowledgeable local guide to watch or photograph wildlife in Finland.
See his Web site: Articmedia

Finally, I want to thank all the people and photographers I met at Kuusamo for their pleasant company and friendship. Remember that you have a friend in Japan. If you ever come and visit, let me know.

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this permanent online gallery of Finland photos explained in both English and Japanese.

Philbert Ono
Tokyo, Japan

P.S. In case you don't know, "kiitos" means thank you in Finnish.Oct 12, 2005

To Everything a Season, by Hannu Hautala and Markku Lappalainen　写真家ハンヌ・ハウタラHannu Hautala is Finland's most well-known nature photographer. Even in Helsinki's biggest bookstore, you can find a "Hannu Hautala" postcard rack.

I also had the pleasure of meeting him and visiting his home/office. He has been to Japan twice where he photographed Japanese cranes in Hokkaido and snow monkeys in Nagano. He also has a substantial collection of Japanese nature photo books. He is very warm-hearted and well-liked by everyone.

This book is in English (that's why I bought it), and it shows pictures of Finland's nature, wildlife, and landscapes for each month of the year from January to December. The text is also interesting as it explains the daily and seasonal lives of the wildlife. Published by Otava in Finland. ISBN: 951-1-14888-5

フィンランドの一番有名なネイチャー写真家であるハンヌ・ハウタラ氏(Hannu Hautala)の写真集。英語版で１月から１２月のフィンランドの自然を紹介している。野鳥や風景が多い。クーサモ在住のハウタラ氏は、とても優しい人。Oct 12, 2005

Canon booth　スポンサーのブースCanon was one of the festival sponsors and had a booth in Kuusamo Hall where they proudly displayed the new EOS 5D full-frame digital SLR camera. It was here where I held this new camera for the first time and salivated. First thing you notice is the huge viewfinder picture. And it's only slightly larger than the EOS 20D.

キヤノンが一つのスポンサーであった。出たばかりのEOS 5Dも展示された。Oct 12, 2005

Kuusamo Luontokaupunki, by Paavo Hamunen, Hannu Hautala, and Lassi Rautiainen　クーサモの写真集I first saw this book at the Finnish Tourist Board's office in Tokyo (Imperial Hotel) which I visited before going to Finland. I think it is the only nature photo book about Kuusamo with Japanese text. It also has text in Finnish, Russian, and Italian (but no English!).

It shows pictures of the best nature spots in and around Kuusamo such as Julma Ölkky, Kitkajoki River, and Näränkä, the three places I visited (or experienced) while in Kuusamo (click on links to see my pictures). Published by Articmedia in 2000.
ISBN: 951-98612-0-3

唯一の日本語も含むクーサモの自然を紹介するの写真集。東京にあるフィンランドの観光局（帝国ホテル内）にもこの本が置いてあった。Oct 12, 2005

Finnair: Helsinki to TokyoMeatballs and mashed potato.Oct 12, 2005

Finnair: Tokyo to HelsinkiThe food wasn't so bad.Oct 12, 2005

Fried rice or pilafIn Kuhmo.

My question is, is there a Finnish restaurant in Tokyo?Oct 12, 2005

DessertOct 12, 2005

Pudding dessertOct 12, 2005

Main dishAt Kuusamo Sokos Hotel restaurant.Oct 12, 2005

Dessert: Cloudberry puddingCloudberry is a delicacy from Lapland. I bought some cloudberry jam at Helsinki Airport. Someone should import it to Japan.Oct 12, 2005

TartAt Kuusamo Hall.Oct 12, 2005

Reindeer meat + potatoesThe delicious dinner we had when we went to the Finnish sauna and saw the aurora.Oct 12, 2005

SaladAt Kuusamo Sokos Hotel restaurant.Oct 12, 2005

Picnic food (at Suomenlinna)Oct 12, 2005

TomatoesIn supermarket. The leaves at the top of the tomato are removed. They look bald. Something we don't see in Japan.Oct 12, 2005

Reindeer toppingMy first dish at Kuusamo. Delicious.Oct 12, 2005

BerriesAt Market Square.Oct 12, 2005

ShrimpIn supermarket.Oct 12, 2005

Dried mushroomsAt Market Square.Oct 12, 2005

BerriesAt Market Square.Oct 12, 2005

Piirakka tartsOct 12, 2005

Home-cooked mealI forgot the name of this pea soup, but it was good.Oct 12, 2005

Geisha chocolate　ゲイシャ　チョコSome years ago, when a Finnish friend visited Japan and gave me this Geisha chocolate from Finland, I was very amused. Why in the world did they name it "geisha??" It's milk chocolate with a soft hazelnut filling.

Then when I went to Finland, I was surprised to see this chocolate brand almost everywhere. It's made by a company called Fazer, and when you look at their Web site, they explain in Finnish why they named it "geisha." (Wish I could read it.) The logo on the packaging uses a nice drawing of a geisha. But at the company's Web site, they have a wallpaper gallery showing a real human modeling as an obviously fake geisha.

No offense to the company, the model, makeup artist, and chocolate, but she is one of the worse-looking geisha models I've ever seen. Egad!! She might even be a man.

Take a look: http://www.fazermakeiset.fi/ Click on the Geisha button, then click on the fourth candy from the top to see the wallpaper.

After careful analysis, I know why Fazer's geisha looks so awful: Her fake wig is way too high above her ears. It's too small or too short for her (or his) head. The wig was probably for a young girl. See this photo and compare. They should stick to the cartoon logo instead.

この「Geisha」チョコはフィンランドに大人気。何故そう名付けたか分かりませんが（フィンランド語の説明がある）、数年前に初めてフィンランドの友人からもらったとき爆笑だった。そしてフィンランドへ初めて行ってこのGeishaチョコがどこでもあって驚きました。

Fazerという会社が作っていてHPを見るとなんと人間の「ゲイシャ」のモデルさんも登場している。このゲイシャのモデルもとても見苦しい。よく見ると、その桂が小さ過ぎて（または高すぎる）耳が丸見えてとても変な感じ。
HP: http://www.fazermakeiset.fi/
Geishaのボタンをクリックして、上から４番目のキャンデイをクリックするとそのモデルの壁紙がでる。いかがでしょうか。Oct 12, 2005

BeansSomething like beans in a pod. Sweet. At Market Square.Oct 12, 2005

Baltic herring　バルト海のニシンA specialty of Helsinki. This was served at Sea Horse, a well-known restaurant. This one serving must have had about 20 of these herrings stacked up. I ate maybe 10 of these fish. They were excellent, but I could eat no more. Took the rest home in a doggy bag. It took another 3 days to eat the rest.

一人分になんと２０匹も積み重なっていた。多すぎて残った分を持ち帰った。Oct 12, 2005

Lunch (reindeer meat)　肉はトナカイKuusamo Hall also has a restaurant serving good food.

ホール内はレストランもある。Oct 12, 2005

Kuusamo Nature Photo 2005 Program　プログラムCover of the program distributed free. It has the schedule of all the slide shows and introduces the photographers. Cover photo (bird with firey eyes) by Rob Jordan from the UK.

Below is the complete program schedule taken from this program (in Finnish only):

Friday, September 9
KUUSAMOTALO
Musiikkiesitys klo 18 8 €
Muu ohjelma 19.15 alkaen 6 €
Alle 12 v. vapaa pääsy
Viikonloppukortti 9.-11.9. 35 €
Viikkokortti 9.-18.9. 70 €
Juontaja: Markku Heikkilä

17.00 Näyttelyjen avaus (vapaa pääsy)
Kuusamon kaupunginvaltuuston pj Matti Heikkilä
18.00 Ankaruusindeksi
musaa ja luontokuvia, DVD + live
Työryhmä: Käsmä-Harju-Salmirinne
Luontokuvat: Lassi Rautiainen
18.30 TAUKO (Intermission)
19.10 Nature Photo valokuvakisan tulokset 30’
Metsähallituksen puheenvuoro
Japanin luonnon esittelyä
Introduction to Nature in Japan Philbert "Phil" Ono, Japan 45’,
20.30 Tauko
21.00 Terra Borealis 50’, slides
Andy Horner, Ahvenanmaa
Yellowstone 20’ slides 6x4,5
Mara Fuhrmann, Saksa
22.15 Tauko
22.30 Päin seiniä
Jorma Luhta (ulkona, sateella sisällä)

Sat., September 10
Juontaja: Hannele Pappila
10.00 Avaus Hannele Pappila
10.15 Maisemakuvan traditioita
Ismo Luukkonen
11.00 Myyttinen maisema - kuvia saamelaisten
pyhistä paikoista
Arvid Sveen, Norja
11.45 Tunturi ja Meri – maisemakuvia Finnmarkista
Sonja Siltala, Norja
12.30 TAUKO
13.30 Luontomuseo
Ilkka Halso
14.15 Lost in between - pakolaisena pohjoisessa
Minna Kurjenluoma
15.30 Fields Studies
Martina Motzbächel
16.15 TAUKO
16.45 Maan ja taivaan välillä
Tauno Kohonen
17.30 Maisemakuvaajan ylä- ja alamäkiä
Kalervo Ojutkangas
18.00 TAUKO
18.15 - Japanilaisen luontokuvan traditioita
19.15 Nature Photography in Japan Philbert "Phil" Ono, Japan

Sun., September 11
Juontaja: Markku Heikkilä
10.00 Japanilaisten luontokuvaajien esittelyä 50’
Three Japanese Nature Photographers Philbert "Phil" Ono, Japan
Luontokuvii Turust - ei virallissi mut torellissi 20’
Markku Heikkilä
11.15 Tauko
11.30 Pohjoisen luontokuvaajat ry 50’
Luontoa läheltä - Erkki Toppinen
Mullan tuoksua ja purojen solinaa -
Markku Välitalo
Evoluutiota vai sattumaa? - Jari Wilenius
Digiuutisia, Canon 10’
12.30 Tauko
13.30 Saamenmaa, DVD-esitys Lapista 28’
Pekka Antikainen
Iceland, slides 6x4,5 35’
Mara Fuhrmann, Saksa
14.40 Tauko
15.00 Den extrema naturbilden 20’
Andy Horner, Ahvenanmaa, slides
Siipiveikot - tilannekuvia linnuista 30’, flap top
Tomi Muukkonen, Jari Peltomäki,
Markus Varesvuo
16.00 Päätös

Mon., September 12
Juontaja ja tulkki: Kaari Saarma
18.00-21.30 VIRON LUONTOA
Viron vuoden luontokuvat 10’
Eestimaa energiad: retk läbi aasta / Viron
energiat: retki läpi vuoden, 30’ Arne Ader
Precious moments with Estonian birds and
landscapes / Lintuja ja maisemia, 30’
Mati Kose
Tauko 15’
Mielikuvia ja mielitekoja – abstrakteja kuvia
luonnosta, 20’ Kaari Saarma
Luonto kaupunkilaisen silmissä, 20’
Heiko Kruusi
Tauko 15’
Tiny diversity / Hyönteisten maailmasta, 30’
Urmas Tartes
Maalaispojan maisemat 15’, Tõnu Ling

(September 13-14, optional photo safari trips)

Thu., September 15
Juontaja: Jaakko Heikkinen
18.00-21.30 SAKSAN KUVAAJIEN ILTA
Lepakot, Dietmar Nill 60’
Tauko 15’
Revontulet 30’ ja Kaakkuri 30’,
Hinrich Basemann
Tauko 15’
Paradise in Packice / Huippuvuorilla 50’
Karl-Heinz Georgi

Fri., September 16 Juontaja: Jaakko Heikkinen
18.00 Sävystä sävyyn - erämaan hengessä
Kuvanauhalle leikattu valokuvaesitys luonnon
väreistä livenä soitetun pianon säestyksellä
Kuvat: Hannu Hautala
Piano: Heikki Sarmanto
Kuvanauhan leikkaus: Lauri Kettunen
18.45 Tauko
19.00 Onnen Maa 40’
Hannu Hautala
Kaksi taivasta 20’
Fabrizio Carbone, Italia
20.00 Tauko
20.30 Safareilla
Annelie Utter, Ruotsi
21.30 Tauko
21.45 Kotkia ja muita lintuja
Der wilde Osten – von Schreiadler, Seeadler und
vielen andere fliegende Vögel
Dietmar Nill, Saksa

Sat., September 17
Juontaja: Juha Säkkinen
10.00 Digimaailma
Sakari Nenye
11.15 Tauko
11.30 Digimaailma jatkuu
12.45 Safareilla 20’
Annelie Utter
13.10 Tauko
14.00 Namibian Farytale / Namibiassa 35’
Karl-Heinz Georgi, Saksa
Arktis 30’
Hinrich Basemann, Saksa
15.10 Tauko
15.20 The secret lake of the firey eyes / Palavien
silmien salaperäinen järvi
Rob Jordan, Englanti
16.30 Tauko
17.00 Luontolyriikkaa
Heikki Sarmannon sävellyksiä suomalaiseen
lyriikkaan (mm. Leino ja Hellaakoski)
Piano: Heikki Sarmanto
Solisti: Maija Hapuoja
Kuvitus: Kaamoskamera:
Paavo Hamunen, Mika Jaakkola, Matti Jääskö, Heikki Ketola, Ritva Larikka, Janne Moilanen, Verner Nivala, Marketta Tornberg ja Petteri Törmänen

Sun., September 18 Juontaja: Juha Säkkinen
Teema: luontofilmit
10.00 Paimen ja kitara, musavideo 4’
Johannes Lehmuskallio
Paimen-filmi 60’
Markku ja Johannes Lehmuskallio
11.15 Tauko
11.30 Digivideo, Lauri Kettunen
12.30 Tauko
13.00 Nenetsien kulttuuria 10’
Seitsemän laulun matkassa, filmi 25’
(Pekka Martevo)
Uhri, filmi 52’
Anastasia Lapsui, Johannes ja Markku Lehmuskallio
14.40 Tauko
15.00 Korpi – legenda Ludvig Löppösestä
video 30’
Pekka Koskinen ja työryhmä
15.40 PäätösOct 12, 2005

Reindeer crossingOct 10, 2005

Outdoor toilet　野外のトイレOct 10, 2005

Reindeer　またトナカイA few of the reindeer are looking at us because our guide Lassi gave out his reindeer love call. They look up to see what's there, we take their picture, then they run.

Most reindeer have a collar around the neck which has the owner's contact information in case it ends up as roadkill.

Reindeer often cross the road, so they can cause traffic accidents.Oct 10, 2005

Reindeer food　トナカイの大好物LichenOct 10, 2005

Log loader　道路の障害In Finland, sometimes you will come across a log loader like this one blocking the road. We waited for about 20 min. until he finished his job and left the scene.

車の中に２０分ほど待ってやっと用を済ましてどけてくれた。Oct 10, 2005

Inside bear hide　ヒグマ観察小屋の中Below the slit window are holes for camera lenses. Tripod heads are also provided. There is enough sitting room for four to six people. The bench on the right can also be folded up to make enough floor room for four people to sleep in sleeping bags. The floor was made of cushion material.

Compared to the outside temperature, it was quite warm inside. I thought this hide was very well-designed. The best hours for watching wildlife was a few hours before dark and after daybreak. During midday, we drove back to our real lodge for hot meals and a shower. Then we returned to the hide a few hours before dark.

At night, it is too dark to photograph anything. During my one night and two days in the hide, I was lucky enough to see a wolverine (see movie clip) and two bears.

Our guide, Lassi Rautiainen, offers wildlife photo safaris in Finland at hides like this one.
Web site: Articmedia

この観察小屋は、４〜６人が入られる。中にのぞき窓があって、その直ぐ下にカメラレンス用の穴がある。三脚の雲台も用意されている。そして座れるベンチが折りたたみ式で上に固定するとクッションが敷いている床に寝袋で４人が寝られる。ここで一晩を過ごした。（いびきがひどい人がいると辛い。あまり寝られなかった。）

外の気温と比べると中はずっと暖かい。４人もいると自然に暖かくなる。暖房は特になかった。ここで日暮れ前と夜明け後の数時間にじっとして野生動物の出現を待つ。

トイレは外。外に誰もいないので女性でも大丈夫。ただし、野生動物が人間の匂いとか音に非常に敏感で動物がいないことを確認してから外へ。シャワーと水道もないのでウェットティシュが便利。カメラ機材、食べ物も飲み物も持って行く。

日中は、動物の活躍があまりないので、車へ戻ってちゃんとした宿泊先で食事やシャワーを。運良くヒグマとクズリを見た。Oct 10, 2005

Bear hide window　のぞき窓Inside the hide, the narrow window provided a good panoramic view of the area. We were required to whisper and not make any loud noises which would scare the animals away.

There's no guarantee of seeing anything, so it's a waiting game. You might see a bear or you might not. But the more days/nights you spend in the hide, the greater the chances of seeing something.

On the day before, our guide had placed a pig carcass near the hide as bait to attract bears and wolverines. This was standard practice and obviously increases the chances to see wildlife.

野生動物（特にヒグマ）が出没するかどうか全く保証できないため、２〜３晩に泊まった方が当然出没する確率が高くなる。観察の前日には、ガイドさんが豚の死がいを近くに置いてくれる。Oct 10, 2005

Inside bear caveOct 10, 2005

Bear-watching hut　ヒグマ観察小屋This is one of the bear-watching huts (called hides) in the Kuhmo wilderness operated by our guide Lassi Rautiainen (see Articmedia). It was close to a pond in the wetlands.

Kuhmo is near the Russian border near the town of Kajaani. It took about 4 hours to drive from Kuusamo.

湿地の荒野のところで、板の上に歩く。Oct 10, 2005

Bear cave　クマのほら穴Small bear cave for hibernation. This was a short walk from the road.Oct 10, 2005

Bear hide　ヒグマ観察小屋It's a cross between a tent and mountain hut, but perfect for watching and photographing bears and wolverines. The exhaust pipe on the right is made tall so that the wildlife don't smell the humans inside and get frightened away.

野生動物にとってかなり不自然な不気味な建物だけど、ネィチャーの観察のためでは効果的だそうです。右側に排気管を高くしている。人間の匂いが動物に届かないために。Oct 10, 2005

Outdoor photo exhibition at Glass Palace　野外の大型写真展In September 2005, there happened to be an outdoor photo exhibition at the Glass Palace inner yard. They were poster-size photos of the "Earth from Above" by French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand.Oct 10, 2005

Lanterna Magica bookshop and exhibition spaceThe bookshop also has small exhibition rooms.

この古本屋は、ギャラリーもあった。Oct 10, 2005

Lanterna Magica antiquarian bookshopOct 10, 2005

Lanterna Magica bookshop　古本屋Somewhat out of the way (difficult to find parking), but a nice shop to find some old books, including photography.

ヘルシンキの有数な古本屋さん。Oct 10, 2005

Our boat paddler.Oct 09, 2005

Very pleasant outing.Oct 09, 2005

Going back.Oct 09, 2005

BridgeOct 09, 2005

Lake Nishinoko.Oct 09, 2005

Small shrineOct 09, 2005

Motorized boats. We thought that human-powered boats were definitely more pleasant than these motorized boats.Oct 09, 2005

Our boat paddler uses a long, slender paddle/rudder stick. We (two of us) were the only ones on the boat which normally seats 6 people.Oct 09, 2005

We head for Lake Nishi-no-ko.Oct 09, 2005

Docked boats.Oct 09, 2005

Reeds provide cover for bird nests and baby birds.Oct 09, 2005

There are several companies that offer suigo boat rides in Lake Nishinoko in Omi-Hachiman. One of them is at this place in Maruyama. They use human-powered boats. MAPOct 09, 2005

Boat schedule and price in the old days. ¥2,100 per person. You can also charter a boat.Oct 09, 2005

Finland: Land of Lakes　湖だらけの国When you look at a map of Finland or see it from the air, the first thing you notice is that it has a lot of lakes. Ten percent of the country is covered by lakes, but from the air over the southern half, it looks like least 30%-40% of the land is water.

It looked like a field of giant puddles or one giant marshland. It was like the country was sinking into ocean. I had never seen so many lakes in my life. Incredible. And if it's not water, it's forests. Some 70% of Finland is covered by forests.

I think Finland will someday become a popular tourist destination, especially for people who need to escape the urban hustle-bustle and stressful lifestyle. There are nothing like trees and lakes which can pacify humans.

Basic intro to Finland: http://virtual.finland.fi/
Finland map: Virtual Finland map

上空からも直ぐ分かるけど、フィンランドは湖がとっても多い国。20万弱の湖。面積の一割が湖。なんと国の７割は森林。湖と森林は、人を癒すものである。
HP: フィンランド政府観光局（日本語）Oct 06, 2005

Stuffed reindeer　トナカイAt Helsinki Airport, a gift shop was selling reindeer furs for about 60 eur. I was tempted to buy one. The gift shop also sold canned reindeer meat (as well as bear and elk meat) and reindeer salami. In Finnish, reindeer is called "poro," and in Japanese, "tonakai."

Until I visited Finland, I thought reindeer were fictional animals since I knew that there couldn't be any animals which could pull a sled and fly in the air. I was delighted to find that reindeer were real animals and they looked just like the ones that pull Santa Claus. They just cannot fly. And none have a red nose. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

Here's a picture of a real reindeer I took in Finland.

ヘルシンキ空港でトナカイの毛皮を売っていた。着る用ではなく、布団でも使えるもの。約60 eur。フィンランドではトナカイがよく見かけた。Oct 06, 2005

A photographer's carObviously.Oct 05, 2005

Wiping off the hailMy feet was near freezing even though we were wearing boots. The hail made it even colder. Our guides made us run up and down a hill before we went back to the hail-covered raft. My feet were still cold.Oct 05, 2005

Lake JuumaThere's a law in Finland where lakeside summer cottages must be at least 200 meters apart.

We also passed by the Finnish Prime Minister's (or maybe president) summer cottage. I was surprised that there was no security in that area.Oct 05, 2005

Also Available in GreenOur main means of transportation for our nature trips out of Kuusamo. Rented of course. In rural areas of Finland, many of the roads are unpaved. And when it rains, your car can easily get dirty.Oct 05, 2005