hiwadasan hike
Golden Week started off rather silvery-gray with overcast skies and some light drizzle. Did another hike with some friends today. The destination was Mt Hiwada in southern Saitama. It's more of a hill than a mountain, only 300-something meters.
There were some swallows near the station; the nest was on the wall of the waiting room. One of the parents was sitting nearby on a utility line, chirping away. There were no chirps coming from the nest, so either the eggs haven't hatched yet or haven't even been laid.
I wasn't very motivated when I woke up today due to the weather, but once we entered the forest, it turned out to be really nice. It was humid, but a nice kind of humid that makes you feel refreshed. The smells were great too - a bit of petrichor mixed with some nice earthy smells and even some vegetable-y ones that reminded me of spring onions and wild garlic. Everything was very lush, and the moss everywhere evoked a Ghibli-like atmosphere. The small hokora shrines you often see in Japanese forests always remind me of the beginning of Spirited Away, when Chihiro and her parents drive past the old tree and see them scattered around its base.
There were shaga irises (fringed iris / butterfly flower) blooming everywhere, and even a few purple irises (iris sanguinea). Two thirds of the hike were basically a light walk in the forest between tall cypresses and flower clusters. Shaga are one of those flowers that you see everywhere (even in parks or gardens in the city), but for some reason, no one seems to know their name.
Wikipedia has some interesting facts on these plants. The versions found in Japan don't produce any seeds, which means that all of their habitats are artificial. In forest environments like this, its often indicates areas that used to be inhabited but have since been abandoned (spooky!). Apparently shaga were also planted in and around castles because the mass of their slippery leaves could slow down attackers. This second fact comes from a book by Western authors which doesn't point to a source itself, so I was a bit sceptical. I was able to find some Japanese blog entries and websites that state the same, but they don't cite any sources either. I'd be interested in hearing a historian's perspective on this.
There was a bit of a rocky climb and the end, followed by a rocky descent. By the time we reached the top of Mt Hiwada, the clouds had gotten thicker and lower, and the drizzle picked up a bit. Normally you'd have a nice view from here, but not today. I liked the atmosphere though. The rain was very light and gave the landscape an air of mystery. Towards the top was this torii gate (with a corresponding shrine of course, and I liked how the dim, mysterious light contrasted with the ruggedness of the rocks.
I was originally planning on doing some sketching during the hike, but since it ended up raining, I did my painting back at home, using one of the photos I took as a reference. I'm quite happy with how it turned out. I'm getting better at working without lines and working with values. The shapes in the rocks are still a bit random, but I'm heading in the right direction. Today's sketch went on the last page of my second sketchbook for this year - on to the next one!
I think I'm going to do at least one more nature-y trip during Golden Week to do some plein air sketching, maybe even in the same general area between Hanno and Chichibu. I haven't explored it much because the mountains are pretty unexciting (very few good views that feel rewarding), but I've been impressed by the nature and very picturesque countryside scenery at their foothills.