In the middle of August – from the 13th to the 16th to be exact – Japan has the O-Bon Holiday period. This time is traditionally when families visit the graves of their deceased members and light a lantern. The spirits of the deceased are supposed to follow the lantern back to their homes where they stay until the holiday is over. Most people still visit the graves but few keep up the old tradition of bringing a lantern, at least in the cities. What actually happens during O-Bon is that half the country continues working – especially those in the service industry – while the other half goes on vacation.

Typically, the weather during O-Bon is mixed with a little of everything summer can throw at you. In the mountains the capriciousness of the weather is exacerbated by the high altitude and the irregular landscape, which can act as a barrier for passing humid air, forcing it to rise and condense in clouds, rain and sometimes thunderstorms, or provide a corridor for winds to travel through at high speeds. Going trekking, hiking, climbing or even just camping during O-Bon, you should expect a little sun, cloud, wind, rain, thunder and, on the mountains, fog – lots and lots of fog.

The most exciting mountain photographic opportunities are when clouds are tumbling over the mountain ridges in the low light of sunrise or sunset. These images are very dramatic, especially when a slow shutter speed has blurred the turbulent movement of the clouds into a river-like flow. The requirements for these photos are strong wind and clouds coming in at just the right altitude. But even when using a tripod, photographing in strong wind is not easy, and the clouds often engulf the photographer, leaving him wondering when a clearing break will give him the view for which he’s waiting. Often, in my case for sure, the photographer stands in the wind and clouds waiting and waiting until it is obvious that he will not get those shots today.

Aside from the above described photographs, clouds do contribute to interesting mountain photography in other ways. Rather than tell you all about it, I will share with you some of the snaps I took with the digital camera during my trip. As a quick summary, here is how the weather was during my five-day trip:

Day 1 – Getting to the lodge and campsite (1123m). Sunny and hot with a few clouds. Deep in the valley at the lodge it was humid, hot and a little misty almost.

Day 2 – Climbing up to the Senmai Hut and tent site (2,610m). Early morning rain. Misty by dawn. Sun came out around 7AM. Clouds came in around 9AM. Cloudy with intermittent light rain in the afternoon. Fogged in from afternoon.

On the hike up to the tent site, around 8AM, the day looked very promising. Here are the peaks of the Arakawa Sanzan (sanzan means three mountains) of which the right peak (in this photo it appears as the centre peak) is the highest at 3,141 metres. The next day I would cross all three mountains.

By around 1PM the clouds had moved in and the forest near the tent site, at around 2,610 metres, was fogged in by a lovely moody mist. Notice the split tree.

Day 3 – Climbing from the Senmai Hut over Arakawa-Higashi Dake (3,141m) to Arakawa-Naka Dake (3,083m). Rain at 4AM. Clouds at 7. Sun came out by 8. Clouds returned by 8:30 though sun continued to shine on Arakawa-Higashi and in the valleys below until around 10AM. Thick clouds on mountain tops until around 4PM. Glimpses of nearby mountain tops until 6. Clouds obscure view the rest of the evening. Evening temperature: 10 degrees C.

Though it was raining in the early morning the sun came out for an hour or so as I climbed up to the highest peak.


Clouds came in from late morning and persisted all through the night. But sun shone in the valleys below.


Have you ever looked up to those puffy, fluffy, billowy white clouds in the sky and felt like you wished you could bounce on them? Here is one of those clouds smouldering at the edge of a cliff, like smoke from a cauldron.


Glimpsing the moon between rapidly passing clouds.


A cumulus cloud appears to be reaching out for the moon.

Day 4 – Crossing from Arakawa-Naka Dake to Akaishi Dake (3,120m), then down to the Akaishi Hut and tent site (2,530m). Strong wind and clearing clouds at dawn. Temperature: 7 degrees C. Clearing fog and sun by 8AM. Returning clouds and fog by 8:30. Clouds cover mountains and drop down all day, intermittent rain during the afternoon. Clouds over mountains by evening but clear sky in the distance to the east. This morning was good for a couple of clouds pouring over the mountain shots.

A lone peak in the Minami (South) Alps attempts to emerge from a turbulant sea of clouds. Other photo ops were even more dramatic but brief and I concentrated my efforts with my film cameras. This was the morning of 7 degrees Celsius and strong wind.

Once again, mid-morning clouds hid the views from my eyes all the rest of the day. When I stood on 3,120 metre Akaishi Dake I viewed only fog. On the way down to my next camp I saw this view and soon after it began raining.

Day 5 – Going down from the hut and back to the lodge below, then back to town. Clear skies though clouds cover high mountains at dawn and the wind is strong. Clouds clear after sunrise and the wind dies down. Very comfortable temperature. Beautiful summer skies with wispy cirrus clouds over clear peaks. Clouds build a little by 9AM but only in small white cotton balls. By early afternoon some bigger clouds have formed but the day remains hot, sunny and pleasant. This was the best morning for photography.

Probably the best photograph I got with my digital camera: Mt. Fuji at dawn.


Stubborn Akaishi Dake remained hidden even at sunrise. But shortly after the peak finally emerged from the clouds for me to photograph.


Arakawa-Higashi Dake sheds its tattered cloak of clouds in time for sunrise.


Back at the lodge below the mountains, around 1PM, the windy and cold morning has turned into a pleasant summer day.

That's a wrap for today's episode. Tomorrow or perhaps Saturday morning here I will post a little about the mountains themselves.