Spring scenes in rural Kyoto

It’s a beautiful and warm spring day in rural Kyoto. Plan to spend a few hours in the forest, where the bamboo shoots have just started to emerge

Back in Japan just in time to catch the last of the (falling) cherry blossom at the local shrine…

Getting ready for spring - preparing some beds for planting, harvesting the shiitake mushrooms (before the monkeys get to them) and organising my remaining firewood

After a bizarrely mild weekend with loads of snow melt, it thankfully feels a little bit more wintery in Hokkaido today

Nice day up on this great little peak between Otaru/Yoichi. Crazy temperatures for February though, feels more like the end of spring!

I love how in Japan there can often be a stark difference in microclimates from one valley to the next. The snow has already melted in my area of Kyoto, but took the bus 20mins to the next valley over and it’s still like a winter wonderland.

Leave Otaru for a couple of weeks and come back to a half buried house

At the summit of Asahi-dake, Hokkaido’s highest peak, in mid-winter

A safe winter refuge in Daisetsuzan, the roof of Hokkaido

Back in frosty and chilly rural Kyoto - much less snow than Hokkaido, but morning temperatures are often not so different!

Spent new year in Otaru, mostly shoveling snow

Otaru looking picture perfect

Spending the festive season up at my place in snowy Otaru, enjoying the snow life

My favourite Kyoto autumn leaf spot, a lovely little bridge near my house where I never see anyone - the best autumn spots are not usually the crowded popular ones

Cold but sunny start to the three-day weekend at home in countryside Kyoto, have a good one everyone!

Glorious day for yard work in rural Kyoto. Also had a surprise harvest of shiitake mushrooms!

Chance of seeing the aurora if you’re in Hokkaido tonight or tomorrow

My persimmon trees are in overdrive this year, after a rather barren spell last year

A lovely autumn morning in rural Kyoto, might have a barbecue in the garden later

First snow seen on Mt Fuji this season - 21 days later than average, but much earlier (15 days) than the super late ‘first snow’ of last year

It’s starting to really look and feel like autumn now, at home in rural Kyoto

Today was Sports Day (a public holiday) in Japan, and I spent it cycling around Mt. Yotei - a very fine and shapely peak which, thanks to a certain recently released game, is suddenly much better known outside of Hokkaido

Down by the river at Asarigawa Onsen, a small and quiet hot spring/ski town just outside Otaru

Spotted a whole bunch of hyakumeizan (Japan’s 100 famous mountains) on the flight from Kansai to Sapporo: - Ontake (with a guest appearance by Mt Fuji) - Norikura - all the big peaks at the Kamikochi end of the North Alps; Yari, Hotaka, Jonen etc - Chokai up in Tohoku

Early autumn scenes in the Japanese countryside

Moody views from high up in the Southern Alps of Japan

More local scenes from early autumn - rice fields just on the cusp of harvest

Feels like autumn is finally on the way - getting close to chilly in the mornings, and persimmons starting to ripen on the trees

Very excited to find a シロマダラ, or ‘oriental odd-tooth snake’ literally right on my doorstep this evening. A very rarely seen snake as they are mostly nocturnal.

Japan’s first snow of the season seen at Mt Kuro-dake in Daisetsuzan national park. Winter is on its way!

The varied sights of eastern Hokkaido in early autumn

Spent the day getting my field ready for autumn vegetable planting. The cages are to stop monkeys from stealing things (they especially love onions and carrots)

One of the best things about living in the countryside is watching wildlife from my window. Deer are very common visitors at night, but today I was lucky to see one out in the open during the daytime

Lake Kussharo in eastern Hokkaido is the second largest lake on Japan’s northernmost island, and the largest caldera lake in Japan. On a clear day the panoramic views of the lake from Bihoro Pass are absolutely staggering.

Blue skies over rural Kyoto after the typhoon and some much needed rain

Have dreams of obtaining this small akiya (empty property) next to my place and converting it into a guesthouse

All my aubergines are oddly long this year

Not a fan of the summer heat, but a big fan of moody summer evening skies

I’m taking a break from social media, but when I return this is the place you’ll find me (on here, not in the tent)