I was in a hurry on the way up for fear of traffic, so I took the photos I couldn’t take then on the way down, in a more relaxed mood. Going up we came from the Kumamoto side and coming down we headed toward Beppu, so it wasn’t the same scenery, though.
The mountain ridgeline
Akiyoshidai in Yamaguchi looked like this too when I went, but Aso is far more spectacular. Being a highland area, the trees are small. It feels like stepping into a fairy-tale land. With a bit more time it would have been nice to spend a whole day just in Aso, but the schedule was so packed that we could only look.
Mt. Aso scenery, a little further down
Anyone would think it was the Alps… Maybe someday I’ll get to frolic on that meadow shouting “catch me if you can”..
Rice paddies and mountains
The flooded paddies sparkle as if they were mirrors. Horses grazing lazily, and the mountains highlighted by sunlight breaking through the clouds in the distance.. it was a superb view. Strangely, though, the photo looks as if it isn’t level.
A photo of the paddies taken further down
It was so moving, but maybe because the sky was dark, the photos didn’t capture it properly. Who knew I’d be this unlucky.. I don’t remember the weather ever being that good during Golden Week any year. Well.. it’s not like I’m shooting in a studio, so I guess I have to be content with this.. I hear a new camera suited to outdoor photographers like me is coming out, so I’ll look forward to that.