Kuroboku soils in Tokai area 東海地方の黒ボク土（Excursion of Japanese Society of Pedology 日本ペドロジー学会巡検）, March 3-4, 2018
In Nagoya, I attended the scientific meeting and symposium of Japanese Pedologists (March 1-2) and also joined the excursion of the society (March 3-4). I was very much interested in the excursion because I could visit the andosol sites in Aichi, Mie and Gifu prefectures.
Before and after the scientific meeting and symposium of Japanese Society Pedology, I visited Nagoya and Okazaki. In Okazaki, I visited the grave of my parents with my sisters, because one year passed since my mother passed on March 5, last year.
While I was traveling, it snowed very much in Obihiro. My wife stayed alone in our house and could not go out due to too much snow. I am sorry to her. I have never seen such large amount of snow heaped in my garden.
I could see a group of Asian Skunk Cabbage in a small wetland near my house.
ミズバショウの英文名は Asian Skunk Cabbage 、ザゼンソウの英文名は Eastern Skunk Cabbage というそうです。花粉を媒介してくれる昆虫をおびき寄せるために悪臭を発散するためとのことですが、かわいそうな名前をつけられたものです。グリム童話でシンデレラのことを別名「灰かぶり」と呼んでいることを思い出しました。
Scenes in and after the early spring snow in April.
It was still snowy in the morning of April 7. However, snow has almost melted in the afternoon.
Crocus in snow seemed pitiful in the morning, but they were delighted in the afternoon.
Squirrels and birds were active in the afternoon of April 7 in the Green Park of Obihiro.
Birds are Japanese Tit (left) and Marsh Tit (right), respectively.
The path of sculptures in the Green Park of Obihiro.
Along the path connecting the Art Museum and the Zoo in the Green Park of Obihiro, 21 sculptures made by 18 artists are exhibited. The sculptures were carved out from the granite stone produced in Tokachi. No explanation or title is shown for each of the sculptures, though the artists themselves gave titles to their works, therefore it is free for us to imagine anything from these art works.
“The path of sculptures“ was advocated by a prominent sculptor, Mr. Shin Hongou, famous for the creation of the "Statue of Wadatsumi" and many other works. He planned that the creation of sculpture should be done in a symposium style. Original Tokachi granite stones were brought to the site in the Green Park, and the artists carved the stone at the site. Mr. Hongo invited young promising artists to join the project. Sculptures were carved at this site during the period from1970 to 1973. Citizens could see or watch how those sculptures were carved by the artists. Among the twenty-one sculptures, four sculptures were carved by Mr. Nobuya Nakai.
The bridge on the "biotope(*)" pond in the campus of Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine has been removed. The bridge had been damaged severely by the frozen frost heave during winter season. Maybe it will provide better environment for wild lives. * There has been a debate on whether this pond can be called a biotope or not. The bottom of the pond is sealed with a thick plastic film, and the bottom mud is very thin or absent, which brings about the very poor saprophytic biota in the bottom. The animals and plants in the upper phase becomes also poor accordingly.
畜大のいわゆるビオトープ池（柏陵池）にかかっていた橋が撤去されました。冬季の凍結凍上によってかなりひどく壊れていたためです。野生生物（動物・植物）にとってはより良い環境となるでしょう。ただし、この池をビオトープと呼んで良いかどうかについては論争があったようです。私が個人的に感じていた問題点としては、池の底にプラスチックのシートが敷き詰めてあり、底泥が乏しいかほとんど無いことです。そのため底生の腐生生物（微生物相や昆虫相）が発達せず、それらに依存する植物や動物相も豊かになれないということです。
Scenes of biotope pond before and after the removal of bridge.
I walked into a deciduous forest on a lower terrace near my house. In the mid-winter, it was frozen and accessible everywhere as far as I walked in deep snow, but it became swampy and too wet after the snow-melt. Today, I could find Eastern Skunk Cabbage in the swamp. I did not expect to find it before I started walking today.
今日は低位段丘上の広葉樹林の中に入ってみました。冬の間はそこらじゅう凍って雪が積もっていたので、雪を苦にしなければどこにでも行けたのですが、今日行ってみたところ、そこらじゅう水浸しの湿地となっていました。その湿地の中にザゼンソウやヤチボウズを見つけることができました。いつも散歩に行くときはあらかじめ何を見ようとか考えていないのですが、今日もザゼンソウを偶然発見できて幸運でした。
From time to time, I took the photos of small tree buds along the Kikanko river. It was Red-berried elder. The dates of photo taking were March 27, 2018, April 9, 2018, April 12, 2018 (two photos in the middle) and April 21, 2017 (two photos in the lower row.)
機関庫川沿いの散歩の折に、ときどき木の芽の写真を撮ってきました。それはエゾニワトコの木でした。写真を撮った日は、上段左：March 27, 2018, 上段右：April 9, 2018, 中段の２枚：April 12, 下段の２枚：April 21, 2017 です。
Buds of Red-berrried Elder from the end of March to April.
For my afternoon walk, I visited again the growing site of Asian Skunk Cabbage. It is a small colony, and I wish it will be preserved for a long time.
午後の散歩の途中でミズバショウの群落を再び訪れました。私は前回偶然この群落をみつけたのですが、小さな群落なのでなくならないでほしいなと思います。
In 8 days after my last visit on April 5, flowers of Asian Skunk Cabbage increased and grew a little taller.
A flock of goose along the Satsunai river. 札内川沿いで見た雁の群.
During my afternoon walk along the bank of Satsunai river, I saw a big flock of gooses consisted of 60 - 80 birds in the sky. They are migratory birds and will return to northern countries soon. The third photo shows a Japanese ash tree (Memorial tree No. 1 of Obihiro city) beside "Aikoku Big-Bridge".
札内川の堤防を散歩していたところ、６０−８０羽からなる大きな雁の群れを見ました。 雁は渡り鳥でもうすぐ北の国に帰ることと思います。３つ目の写真は愛国大橋のたもとにある帯広市指定樹１号のハルニレの木です。
Hidaka mountain range with the snow stripes of yesterday on the field. 日高山脈と昨日の雪が残る畑.
On my way to the university as a part time lecturer at around noon, I could see the beautiful view of Hidaka mountain range. Snow which fell yesterday still remained in the rows of the field.
非常勤講師としての講義のためにお昼頃に大学に向かう途中、日高山脈がきれいに見えたので写真を撮りました。畑の畝間には昨日降った雪がまだ残っていました。
I walked along the bank of Urikai river to the west of the field of Obihiro University of Agriculture. I walked here last October looking for mushrooms and last February with snow shoe. It is a quiet and nice place surrounded by riparian forest.
今日は大学の圃場の西側にある売買川の堤防沿いに散歩してみました。去年の秋にはキノコを探して、今年の2月にはスノーシューをはいてこの堤防を散歩しました。河畔林に囲まれた静かで素敵な散歩道です。
Field of Obihiro agricultural high school seen from the southern and northern end of the field before and after the walk to Urikai river.
Afternoon work and walk in the field of Obihiro University of Agriculture & V. Medicine. 帯広畜産大学の圃場での午後の仕事と散歩
Today afternoon, I went to the university field to prepare for my practice class for J2 students. I placed the poles in the field to show the section of the lot for potato cultivation. After fixing the work, I walked to the bank of Urikai river and to the site of earth-hammock.
今日（４月２０日）の午後は、今年も非常勤講師として担当する別科実習に備えて、バレイショ用の畑の区画と畝の位置を示すためポールを設置してきました。別科実習は実習とはいいながら１回が90分しかないので、ある程度準備しておかないと１回の時間内では終わらないからです。２時間くらいで仕事を終えて、あとはキャンパス内を散歩しながら、つい先日にも行った売買川の堤防まで足を延ばしました。また、その近くにある十勝坊主の様子も見ました。
The field for my practice class for J2 students, before and after placing the poles. (April 19 and 20)
As it became very warm today, the horse of the horse riding club licked the snow remaining in the horse yard.
Scenes of Urikai river bank. The path along the river is also used for practicing horse riding by the students of horse riding club.
Scenes of "Tokachi Bozu", earth hammock site. They are soil mounds formed due to the lifting of soils by the freezing of soil water during the little ice age around 1,000 B.C. - 1,500 A.D.
Flowers and wetland plants along a small stream in the forest of Obihiro. 帯広の森の川沿いの湿地植物と花
As it became very warm suddenly, I could observe a flushing bloom of various wild flowers along a small stream in the forest of Obihiro.
急に暖かくなるとともに、帯広の森の中を流れる川沿いの湿地には色々な花が一度に咲き始めました。
From Saturday (April 20) to Monday (April 23). Field and Garden. 土曜日から月曜日。圃場と庭の変化。
Flowers in my garden also bloom rapidly as it becomes warmer. I also show the photos of potato cultivation field for the class of field practice.
土曜日から月曜日にかけて、水仙とプリムラの開花が急に進みました。大学での圃場実習の様子も載せます。
Flowers in the wild grass garden and green park of Obihiro in the late April. ４月下旬の野草園とグリーンパークの花。
Though the wild grass garden will officially open from the coming Saturday (April 28), it was already temporarily open to public since last Saturday. A community of "Katakuri" (dogtooth violet) was in full bloom and very beautiful. Various small wild flowers were also beautiful. I also visited the Centennial Museum of Obihiro and the Green Park. In the water side, I could see "Ezono-ryuukinka" (Caltha fistulosa) and a big "Mizubashou" (skunk cabbage). Japanese Magnolia was also in full bloom, but cherry trees have not blossomed yet. They are expected to bloom in this weekend.
野草園は本当は４月２８日が開園日なのですが、既に先週の土曜日から臨時で開園してくれていました。野草園に入ってすぐに、見事なカタクリの群れに目を奪われました。アズマイチゲやニリンソウなどの花も可愛かったです。グリーンパーク内の池のほとりでは大きなミズバショウとエゾノリュウキンカが綺麗に咲いていました。園内ではちょうどキタコブシが満開でした。エゾヤマザクラはちらほら咲き始めた木もあるという程度でしたが、今週末には一斉に咲き始めることと思います。
Cherry in Obihiro blooms late. When people in the main island has already forgotten the cherry season, it blossoms fully in Obihiro. However, it is nice that the cherry season and the Gold Week overlap here.
帯広では本州の人たちが桜のことを忘れた頃に桜が咲きます。しかし、桜の満開の時期がゴールデンウィークと重なるのは素晴らしいと思います。
Cherry buds in the Green Park of Obihiro on April 26. グリーンパーク内のエゾヤマザクラ（４月下旬）
Cherry flowers in the Green Park of Obihiro on May 1 and 4. The cherry flower on the lower right corner was taken in the campus of OUAVM on May 7. グリーンパーク内のエゾヤマザクラ（５月上旬）右下の一コマは畜大キャンパス内。
In the class of soil science and plant nutrition practice for the junior course students, I guided the fertilizer application and seed potato planting on May 7.
５月７日(月)、別科土壌作物栄養学実習の一環として、バレイショ圃場への施肥と種芋の播種を行いました。施肥設計、区の種類、ジャガイモの品種（キタアカリ）は全て昨年と同じにしました。昨年はなぜか発芽率が低かったので、いろいろ原因を考えつつ、今年はうまく育てたいと思っています。
Flower bed of the junior course and the students planting seed potato. 別科花壇の春の花々とジャガイモ圃場での種芋播種の様子。（５月７日）
View of mountains through the field along the prefectural road from Obihiro Taisho to Obihiro airport. 道道空港線沿いの畑越しに見える山の風景。
When we take the prefectural road to Obihiro airport, we pass a nice view point in Showa town. There is a park place along the road with a statue of squirrels, and from there we can see the view of mountains surrounding the Tokachi plain.
帯広空港に向かう際に道道空港線を通ると、昭和町付近に大変眺めの良いところがあります。道路脇にリスの像があり、駐車スペースもあります。そこからは十勝平野を囲む山々、日高山脈、大雪山系、浦幌丘陵をほとんど障害物なしに眺めることができます。
View of mountains through the field along the prefectural road from Obihiro Taisho to Obihiro airport. 道道空港線沿いの畑越しに見える山の風景。（５月６日）
From 18 to 19 May, it rained in Obihiro and the temperature decreased. I went out for walking after the rain stopped in the afternoon. Various flowers of trees and grasses were beautiful.
5月18日の午後から19日にかけて、帯広では雨が降り、気温もかなり低くなりました。19日の午後、雨も止んだので散歩にでかけました。クルミの花、ヤチダモの新芽、スミレ、ヤブニンジンの花などがきれいでした。
In the daytime on May 21 I had a class in the university, so I made a walk in the evening. On May 22, I had to take a bus in the morning to meet my guests in the city, so I left my home a little earlier than the scheduled time of bus, and walked along my routine path and took the bus after skipping several bus stops.
5月21日には大学で実習を担当したので、夕食後に散歩をしました。５月２２日は来客に市内のホテルで会う予定があったので、バスで出かけることになりました。バスが来る時間よりも３０分くらい前に家を出て、いつもの散歩道を散歩し、４つくらい先のバス停でバスに乗りました。散歩も楽しめましたし、バス代も安くなり、一挙両得となりました。
In the afternoon of May 22, I visited the Manabe garden with my guests. Rhododendron was blooming beautifully in the garden. Other wild flowers and new leaves of trees were also beautiful.
5月22日の午後にはお客様と一緒に真鍋庭園を訪れました。ちょうどシャクナゲの開花のピークでしたが、その他の草花や木々の新葉も綺麗でした。
Almost every year on May 23, I take the photo of the fully bloomed black lily. I also noticed the flowers of a kind of Carex which has male and female flowers. In the afternoon I worked in the field of junior course to dress up the soil on the rows of potato.
ほとんど毎年5月23日にはクロユリの開花の写真を撮ってきました。クロユリの近くにカサスゲの花が開いていることにも気がつきました。茶色の穂と綿毛状の雄花からなっています。午後には大学の別科圃場に行って、バレイショ圃場の培土作業をしました。
Wild flowers in the hidden valley. "Hidden Valley" での野草観察。
This afternoon, I visited the "Hidden Valley" after one month to see wild plants and flowers. Wild plants grew very tall compared with the last month, and new flowers could be observed, but it started raining very hard soon, and I had to stop the field observation.
今日は昼食後ほぼひと月ぶりにHidden Valley の草花を見に行きましたが、その後急に大雨となり、自然観察は中止としました。Hidden Valley は私が勝手につけた場所の名前です。
Plants along a small stream and on a forest floor in the end of May. ５月下旬の機関庫川沿いおよび林床の植物。
It rained last night and this morning. However, after it stopped raining at around 11 am, I went out to see the plants along the Kikanko river and in the forest. Though I was not sure about the names of plants which I photographed, the curator of the Centennial Museum of Obihiro and my friend, Mr. Y. I., taught me the names of plants.
昨晩と今朝は雨でしたが、１１時ごろに雨が止んだので、また機関庫川沿いと農業高校の森に自然観察の散歩に出かけました。途中で見た植物の名前はわからないものが多かったのですが、幸い、帯広百年記念館学芸員のY.I.さんが教えてくださいましたので、写真と名前をアップロードします。
Dangerous walk for earthworms after the rain. 雨上がりの散歩はミミズには危険。
When it rains, earthworms come out from the soil and move around the soil surface. However, when they come on the walk way paved by asphalt, they are drowned to death in a water pool on the walk way. A big earthworm in the first photo is still living and trying to pass the paved walk way.
Soil Profile Survey Practice for the Junior Course 2nd year students. 別科２年生のための土壌断面調査実習。
As a part of soil science and plant nutrition practice for the second year students of the junior course, OUAVM, I guided how to survey a soil profile using a corner of the junior course field.
Germination of potato in the practice field and the growth thereafter. 実習圃場でのバレイショの発芽とその後の生育。
In the practice field of junior course, germination of potato has been observed. The first germination was observed already on May 28, three weeks after planting the seed potato. On June 4, many potatoes have germinated already. The germination rate was highest in the organic manure plot. In the plots of chemical fertilizers or organic + chemical fertilizers, the germination rate was lower. Chemical fertilizers may exert stress on the germination of potato, and the germination is retarded.
Comparison of germination among different fertilizer plots. Upper left: Organic manure plot, upper right: organic matter supplemented with chemical fertilizers, lower left: standard NPK dose with chemical fertilizer, lower right: compound fertilizer plot.
Comparison of the growth among different fertilizer plots on June 17. Upper left: Organic manure plot, upper right: organic matter supplemented with chemical fertilizers, lower left: standard NPK dose with chemical fertilizer, lower right: compound fertilizer plot. The growth in the organic fertilizer plot was the most uniform.
Comparison of the growth among different fertilizer plots on June 27. Upper left: Organic manure plot, upper right: organic matter supplemented with chemical fertilizers, middle left: standard NPK dose with chemical fertilizer, middle right: compound fertilizer plot, lower left: whole view of the field, lower right: some potato plant has formed a bud of flower. The growth in the chemical fertilizer plots have begun to exceed that of organic fertilizer plot.
Comparison of the growth among different fertilizer plots on July 4. Upper left: Organic manure plot, upper right: organic matter supplemented with chemical fertilizers, middle left: standard NPK dose with chemical fertilizer, middle right: compound fertilizer plot, lower left: whole view of the field, lower right: Some flowers have started to bloom in the plots except the organic fertilizer plot. The growth in the chemical fertilizer plots exceeds that of organic fertilizer plot.
Photos were taken from the eastern side of the row (July 22, 2018). 畝の東側から撮った写真 (7月22日）。
Photos were taken from the southern side of the row (July 22, 2018). 畝の南側から撮った写真 (7月22日）。
Comparison of the growth among different fertilizer plots on July 22. Upper left: Organic manure plot, upper right: organic matter supplemented with chemical fertilizers, lower left: standard NPK dose with chemical fertilizer, lower right: compound fertilizer plot.
First harvest of pasture grass in the field of Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine on June 5. 帯広畜産大学圃場における一番草の収穫。
On June 5, pasture grass was harvested in the field of OUAVM for the first time in this year. Because the cows of OUAVM are fed with fresh grass and dent-corn, their mild tastes refreshing and sweet.
６月５日、畜大の牧草地では一番草の収穫が行われていました。畜大で飼われている牛は新鮮な牧草やデントコーンを食べているので、牛乳の味はさわやかで美味しいです。
Pot experiment for the Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Practice Class. 別科土壌作物栄養学実習でのポット試験。
Radish is grown on the subsoil of a volcanic ash soil under different fertilizer treatments. Some pots of plowed layer soil are also tested for comparison. Seeds were sown on June 4. On June 9, almost all seeds have been germinated. 火山灰土の下層土を用いて、さまざまな施肥のもとでハツカダイコンを栽培しています。比較のため作土層のポットも無肥料区と標準施肥区について用意しました。６月４日に播種し、６月９日にはほとんど全ての種子が発芽していました。６月１７、１８、２６、２７日の写真も追加しました。
Soil profile in the house area of my graduated student. 卒業生さんの家の土壌断面。
My former student in Obihiro informed me that he has dug a soil pit in his house site, and I visited him to observe the soil profile. The site is located on a higher terrace than the one on Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. It was characterized by deeper and older volcanic ash and loam layers.
近くに住む別科の卒業生さん（農家）が自宅の敷地内に穴を掘ったと知らせてくれたので、見せてもらいに行ってきました。畑ではなく、屋敷の敷地内に掘った穴でした。深く掘ってもレキは出てこないところですが、土壌断面の上の方は畜大の土壌断面と似ていました。卒業生さんにはいつまでも覚えていて頂いて有難いことだと思いました。場所は「別府」という集落内で、地形面は畜大が乗っている上札内 I 面よりも古い「基松面」という段丘面なので、支笏軽石層およびそれより古い火山灰層が残っています。15-20 cm くらいが樽前-c 火山灰、30-40 cm くらいが樽前-d 火山灰、40-50 cm くらいが恵庭-a 上に発達した腐植層、50-80 cm くらいがEn-a ローム層、80-110 cm くらいが恵庭-a 火山砂層、100 cm 以下が支笏軽石が風化したローム層ではないかと思います。
Plants and flowers in the Obihiro Wild Grass Garden on June 10. 帯広市野草園の植物と花（６月１０日）。
On Sunday morning of June 10, I visited the wild grass garden of Obihiro city. In two weeks, plants and flowers in the garden have changed considerably.
Preparation of soil monolith in the field of Junior Course, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. 帯広畜産大学別科圃場における土壌モノリスの作成（６月１５日〜６月２７日）。
On June 14, I scraped the right half of the soil profile to make a flat surface. Still a small amount of resin was remaining for soil monolith preparation since last year. On June 15, I worked further to prepare the soil monolith. I applied the NS-10 resin on the surface of soil profile little by little from lower portion to upper portion. Then attached a gauze cloth and applied the resin again. Fixed the cloth with bamboo sticks. I just need to wait until Monday. I will show it to the students on Monday (June 18).
These flowers were found along my walking way in the forest of Obihiro Agricultural High School in the middle of June. Flowering season of forest floor plants has almost finished, but we can still find some more.
Roses and pinks as well as allium in my garden. バラとナデシコそしてアリウムの季節（６月１９日）。
In my garden, it is the season of roses and pinks. Yellow rose “Peace” which I planted last fall could not survive the very cold winter in my place. The red rose “Knock out” could pass the winter. It is indicative of the human world. I learned from an article that roses with small red or pink color flowers are relatively tolerable to cold temperature, while those with middle to large size yellow or white color are not, because the former group is nearer to wild variety roses. I should have known that before I bought the rose, "Peace".
Visit to Tokachi Hills Garden and the views to and from the garden. 十勝ヒルズ訪問と往復の道沿いの風景（６月２２日）。
This afternoon, I visited Tokachi Hills Garden, around 10 km far from my house by bicycle. It is located on the top of the hill. Final part of the root was a very steep slope and I had to push my bicycle. The view from the garden was very nice, not only the beautiful flowers. Following photos include the rural views taken during the route to and from the garden.
Evening glow through the field of OUAVM. 畜大圃場からの夕焼け（６月２８日）。
After the dinner I had a walk along the fields of Obihiro Agricultural High School and OUAVM. I could just see the beautiful evening glow along the field of OUAVM.
Visit to the Manabe Garden on the opening day of Shinshoukaku. 真鍋庭園の訪問・真正閣の公開日（６月２９日）。
While it rained intermittently, I walked to the Manabe garden. From June 29 for 3 days, Shinshoukaku and its surrounding Japanese garden is open to public visitors. Shinshokaku is a very old precious building built more than 100 years ago to accept the members of Japanese imperial family from time to time and it is closed to normal visitors usually. Beautiful natural grasses and trees were arranged in the Japanese garden. Rhododendron was also blooming in the garden. It is a variety original to Hokkaido, “Erimo Shakunage”, which is different from those bloomed in last month.
Visit to the Forest of Obihiro and Mori-no-yama. 帯広の森ともりの山の散策（６月３０日）。
I visited the "Forest of Obihiro" near "Haguku-mu", a facility of Obihiro city for outdoor education, where I walked around in winter and early spring wearing snow shoes. A large community of Pyrola asrifolia was found in the forest. Its flowering season has almost finished. I should have visited here earlier. I went further to "Morinoyama", a nice observatory site in the forest of Obihiro.
First weekend in July and the rainy Sunday. ７月最初の週末と雨の日曜日（７月１日）。
The get-together party of our neighborhood association has been cancelled due to the heavy rain. We shared the food prepared for the party and distributed to the members who were expected to join the party. Photos shown here were taken in my garden. Flowers look beautiful on rainy days.
Since last Sunday, it is continuously raining every day, as if whole Japan will be floated away somewhere. Between the rains, there are also intervals when I can go out for walking. I show here flowers in my garden, in the crop fields, and in the road side.
Season of hydrangea in the Manabe garden. 真鍋庭園は紫陽花の季節（７月６日）。
Last Friday was a special day of Manabe garden when the Shinseikaku was opened to public visitors. Today was a normal day again and the Shinseikaku was closed. However, it was a special day again in another sense. Due to the continuous heavy rain for one week, the water level in the ponds in the garden has raised extremely, and the walking path was submerged below water in two places near the two water falls in the garden. Therefore, I had to walk on the bypass in the garden. Anyway, it was no problem for me, because there were still many nice plants and scenes to see in the garden.
Even in one week, new flowers have started to bloom. Now, the season of hydrangea is beginning. On the return way, I noticed the wild mulberry tree with small fruits colored red and black.
Manabe garden between the long rain. Fifth photo: There is a high water fall beyond this pond, but we could not approach the water fall today due to the rise in water level of the pond. Sixth photo: There is a wide water fall between the higher pond and lower pond. The path below the wide water fall was also submerged and not accessible. 雨間の真鍋庭園
Korean fir, English names are unknown for the plants in middle rows, wild mulberry, Kousa Dogwood (Japanese Flowering Dogwood). チョウセンシラベ、ツルマサキ、中段不明、ヤマグワ、ヤマボウシ。
Hydrangea in the Manabe garden. 真鍋庭園の紫陽花、エゾアジサイ、イワガラミ、他。
Mushrooms which have mistaken the season. 季節を間違えたキノコ（７月８日）。
Mushrooms and wild flowers along the walk way. These mushrooms might have mistaken the season, due to the long lasting rainy days and cold temperature. Leaves of maples and mountain ash have also partially turned red and yellow like in autumn. Along the walking way, I found a yellow colored small flower which I saw for the first time. Pasture plant like alfalfa is also mixed in the wild grasses. Plants which I am growing in pails have also started to grow big.
Flower arrangements with raw and dried flowers from the garden. 庭の花で作った生け花とドライフラワー（７月９日）。
As it is raining almost everyday in these days, my wife said,“It is a pity of the flowers in our garden that they are wet and nobody admires them", and she brought some of them and put them in a vase in our living room. Dried flowers have been also made and arranged.
The first and second weeks of July are the season of potato flowers. In most of farmer's fields, potato flowers are in full bloom now. In my experiment field, not yet. Flowering time depends on the growth stage. Therefore, if the potato grows faster, its flower blooms earlier. The colors of potato flower are also different among different varieties.
Potato flowers in a farmer's field in Haobi town, Tokachi. ジャガイモの花（７月14日 羽帯、十勝）。
On the way to the Millennium Forest of Tokachi, I saw a potato field with full bloom flowers in Haobi town. The growth of potato is delayed around 10 days due to the long lasting rainy days and low temperature.
Visiting the three estuarine lakes along the coast of Pacific Ocean in the Tokachi district. 十勝地方太平洋沿岸域の３つの湖を訪問。
On July 16, it became fine after long rainy days. After considering for a while, I decided to visit the three estuarine lakes along the coast of Pacific Ocean in the Tokachi district as it was the "Day of Ocean" on the same day. Though the good season for spring flowers has passed already, the views of lakes and ocean were very nice. I also visited the hot spring at Bansei, wild birds observatory site in the western shore of Oikamanai lake, and the historical site of pioneer dairy farming enterprise, Banseisha company in the eastern shore of Oikamanai lake.
Flowers and crops in my house garden and the junior course field. 我が家の庭と別科圃場の作物と花。
Though the growth of crops has been delayed due to the long rain and cold temperature, the growth is recovering these days as the weather has become fine and the temperature has increased.
Though it is still very hot in the main islands of Japan, it has become very cool in Obihiro, Hokkaido. The color of sky has also changed to dark blue. Flowers in the late summer and early autumn can be seen in the field.
Mushrooms in the early autumn with some wild flowers. 初秋のキノコといくつかの野草の花。
Soon after I started walking, I felt that it is a mushroom day today. I could find many different kinds of mushrooms along my walkway beside the stream and in a forest. It is a pity that I do not know the names of these mushrooms. As it is already September from today, I can say that these are the mushrooms of early autumn.
Upper photo was taken near the field of Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine on August 31. The lower photo was taken near the pasture field of Obihiro Agricultural High School on September 1, 2018.
On September 2, my wife harvested a mushroom from our garden. She has noticed the mushroom since several days ago and has waited till it grow large. The same mushroom emerged from the same place in these years. It is an edible mushroom, and my wife has cooked it mixed with rice. It has a good flavor and taste. The name of the mushroom is "Hatake-shimeji" in Japanese, and "Fried chicken mushroom" in English common name. The scientific name is "Lyophyllum decastes". Compared with my past contributions in this homepage, mushrooms came out more than a month earlier in this year.
Potato harvest in a farmer's field in Aikoku, Obihiro. バレイショの収穫風景。帯広市愛国町の農家さんにて。
In the experiment field in my university, we harvested the potato with our hands. In farmer's field, they use a potato harvesting machine pulled by a tractor. I could see the scene of potato harvest in Aikoku town, Obihiro.
Walk along the Kikanko river and in the forest of Agricultural High School in early September. 機関庫川沿いおよび農業高校の森の散歩。
Very big typhoon No. 21 is approaching Japan. I went out walking before it started raining on September 3. Though I am walking the same way, what I see is every time different.
After the typhoon left. The peak of typhoon was in the midnight in Obihiro, Hokkaido. As the typhoon passed Japan sea very far from Obihiro, the damage was not so serious here compared with the areas in western Japan, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and many other places. I thank sincerely my friends for their concern and sympathy on the typhoon damage. The photos show my crops and plants in my garden and in the university field. A big pine tree in the campus was broken. I fixed my crops again in the afternoon.
Outbreak of gigantic earthquake in Hokkaido just after the typhoon No.21 left. 台風21号が去った翌日に北海道胆振東部地震が発生。
After the typhoon No. 21 left in the morning of September 5, we had a very fine day. However, a very big earthquake occurred at Atsuma town in the south western coast of Hokkaido at 3 a.m. on September 6. As the center of the earthquake (epicenter) was more than 100 km far from Obihiro, we were safe from the direct earthquake damage, though we suffered from the power break for 2 days.
The direct damage was extremely serious in Tomakomai, Sapporo, and the surrounding area. The earthquakes are still occurring in those areas (aftershock). The largest thermal power plant in Hokkaido was located very close to the epicenter, and stopped immediately after the outbreak of the earthquake. It was also partially damaged, and the recovery of which requires some more period.
地震発生を報道する９月７日の北海道新聞朝刊。 Hokkaido Newspaper on September 7, morning.
９月６日午前中のわが家近くの様子。1:非常用電池で水道水を送るポンプに給電しているところ、2: 閉まっていた大学の事務室、3: 点灯しない信号、4: 北海道新聞 An emergency battery was operated to work a water pump to supply tap water to houses. Thanks to the staffs of waterworks station for keeping the water supply for us. I went to the university on foot to get any information, but the office was closed. There was no light on the street signals.
農業高校と畜大（右下１枚）の圃場と空。Field and sky.
畜大の圃場越しに見た日高山脈。Hidaka mountain range beyond the field of OUAVM.
９月６日の帯広畜産大学キャンパス。Campus of OUAVM on September 6, morning.
農業高校の森の中。In the forest of agricultural high school.
散歩中見かけた植物。Plants seen along the evening walk.
左上から、マツヨイセンノウ、オオアワダチソウ、右上から、エゾノコンギク、エゾウコギ（？）
９月６日、機関庫川沿いの夕暮れ。Sunset scenes along the Kikanko river on September 6.
Views of farmers' fields in southern Obihiro in the harvest season. 収穫の秋を迎えた帯広市南部の農地の風景。
View of agricultural fields in southern Obihiro. In the afternoon of September 14, I rode my bicycle to Shichiku garden around 15 km far from my house. I could enjoy nice views of farmer’s fields. Now, harvest of potato and onion are in process. Soy bean, adzuki bean, sugar beet, and Chinese yam are remaining in the fields.
帯広市南部の農地の眺め。９月１４日の午後は自転車に乗って、家から15 km ほど離れた紫竹ガーデンに行ってみました。途中、収穫期を迎えた農地の眺めを楽しむことができました。今はジャガイモと玉ねぎの収穫が進んでいます。大豆、小豆、テン菜、長芋などはまだ収穫されずに農地に残っています。
Onion field.
Chinese yam and soy bean field.
Chinese yam and sugar beet field.
Soy bean field and the bypath of Urikai river for preventing the flood.
In the afternoon of September 14, I rode my bicycle to Shichiku garden around 15 km far from my house. It was the first time to go there by bicycle. It took around 90 minutes from my house. Side walk way in the rural area is damaged and covered with weeds, not comfortable for bicycle riders. Shichiku garden was nice with many decorations and flowers in autumn.
９月１４日の午後は自転車に乗って、家から15 km ほど離れた紫竹ガーデンに行ってみました。自転車で紫竹ガーデンに行ったのは初めてでした。車なら20分くらいで行けるのですが、自転車だと90分くらいかかりました。紫竹ガーデンは秋のデコレーションや花々できれいでした。
View from the western bank of Satsunai river and "Mori no Yama" in the forest of Obihiro. 札内川西岸堤防および帯広の森「もりの山」からの眺め。
I walked along the western bank of Satsunai river on September 18. Sky was blue and the air was refreshing. I also visited "Mori no Yama" in the forest of Obihiro on September 21 to enjoy the nice view under the blue sky.
Scenes of middle autumn in Seiryu, Obihiro. 帯広市清流地区の中秋の風景
Skys in the evening on September 20 and 23. Photos of moon on both dates are included. These moons corresponded to 11th day and 14th day in the moon age. Full moon on the 15th day was too cloudy to take a photo. Color of tree leaves have started to change yellow and red. Insects have become slow in their action due to low temperature.
Skys in the evening on September 20 and 23. Photos of moon on both dates are included. Upper two photos were taken at 17:05-06 on September 20. Middle line photos were taken at 17:08-09 on September 23. Lower two moon photos were taken at 18:42:50 and 18:45:35 on September 23.
Leaves of Norway maple and ivy have turned red in Manabe garden.
A weed plant, "Metaplexis japonica", and a beautiful stinkbug found in front of my house door.
Elm tree and the history of land development in Obihiro. ハルニレの木と帯広開拓の歴史
A 200 years old elm tree near the Inada water pump station, and a big elm tree with many combined tree trunks near Kikanko river. Monuments of pioneers from Sakauchi village, Gifu prefecture, settled in Kawanishi village, and an another monument in the campus of OUAVM, praising the pioneer land owner who offered his land to Obihiro Agricultural High School and OUAVM. How are they related each other?
When the elm tree near the Inada water pump station started to grow, no people from the main island of Japan lived in this place. Later, people settled in this place cut the trees around this tree. Therefore, this tree could spread its branches and twigs widely from its very thick trunk with around 3 m diameter.
On the other hand, when I saw the elm tree near the Kikanko river, I wondered why this tree has so many combined trunks. A curator of the Obihiro Centennial Museum, Mr. Ikeda, taught me that this tree should have been cut once. After being cut, many new stems grew again from the stump and grew big again. Many trunks from the stump were combined together and formed the present tree.
When this elm tree was cut once? It should have been the age when people settled in Kawanishi village around 120 years ago. In 1897 (Meiji 29), people from the Sakauchi village in Gifu prefecture, central Japan, settled in this place. One or two years ahead, Mr. Nakamura from Fukui prefecture, central Japan, also settled in this place, and started clearing the forest and cultivating the land. The land cultivated by the family of Mr. Nakamura was later-on donated to Obihiro Agricultural High School and the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.
A 200 years old elm tree near the Inada water pump station. 稲田浄水場の隣の樹齢２００年のハルニレの木。
A big elm tree with many combined tree trunks near Kikanko river. 機関庫川のほとりのたくさんの幹が寄せ集まったハルニレの木。
Monuments of pioneers from Sakauchi village, Gifu prefecture, settled in Kawanishi village. 岐阜県坂内村から帯広市川西村に入植した人たちの渡道百年記念碑。
An another monument in the campus of OUAVM, praising the pioneer land owner who offered his land to Obihiro Agricultural High School and OUAVM. 帯広畜産大学と帯広農業高校に用地を提供した初期開拓者の顕彰碑。帯広畜産大学キャンパス内。
Views from Tokachi Hills Garden and Morinoyama. 十勝ヒルズと帯広の森「もりの山」からの眺め。
My friend during my student age visited me after 37 years absence since the occasion of my wedding ceremony with my wife. I brought him to some places in Obihiro where we can enjoy the nice view.
Outing to Fukuhara-Sansou lodge with red maple leaves and Mt. Haku-un-san. 紅葉の福原山荘と白雲山の散策。
On October 5, I went out to see red maple leaves in the garden of Fukuhara-Sanso lodge in the mountain foot area of Shikaribetsu. It is a private garden, and open to public only in this season until October 21.
After visiting the garden of Fukuhara-Sanso lodge, I proceeded to Shikaribetsu lake and Mt. Haku-un-san. As it was already after 3 o'clock when I arrived at the starting point of Mt. Haku-un-san, I could not climb to the summit of the mountain. I walked around 2 hours in the mountain and came back. It was a very comfortable walk, because the weather was fine and not hot.
Autumn colors in the Green Park of Obihiro. 帯広グリーンパークの紅葉。
I visited the green park of Obihiro by bicycle to enjoy the colored leaves. Compared with last year, the autumn color is delayed and not so brilliant maybe damaged by the strong typhoons which attacked Japan repeatedly.
Red maple leaves and the lawn of the green park.
Yellow and red leaves of katsura and maple trees.
Maple trees and forest in the park.
Art stone carvings along the walking path and mushrooms found along the way.
Today, we had a very fine day here in Tokachi. People in Tokachi, Hokkaido, are proud of such fine day calling "Tokachi-bare". I went to the river-side forest of Kikanko river to pick mushrooms, cleaned my crops in the garden, then visited three view spots in the suburbs of Obihiro city, Iwanai Senkyou (hidden valley in Iwanai), Shichiku garden, and Manabe garden.
An abandoned farm house beside Kikanko river.
View of Hidaka mountains, "Tokachi-Poroshiri" and "Tsurugi-san" .
View of the hidden valley in Iwanai, "Iwanai Senkyou".
Shichiku garden. Two types of magnolia (Kobushi and Mokuren) and their seeds. An oak tree is also shown (upper right).
Shichiku garden. Yellow and red maple trees, a hatched seeds of wild lily (Ooubayuri) and the ears of dent corn hung on a tree branch.
Manabe garden. Two different types of maple tree, leaves of wild grape, and open air art works covered with needle leaves.
Manabe garden. A grass with purple colored seeds (Murasaki-shikibu) and a Canadian maple tree, and fallen leaves floating on the water surface.
