Tag: japan

• Daisugi: Ancient Japanese technique for growing trees out of trees

  

  The Japanese forestry technique for harvesting wood, daisugi (meaning “cedar table”), goes as far back as the 14th century to solve a seedling shortage in Kyoto.

  The 700-year-old technique involves pruning a tree’s branches as if they were giant bonsai trees. In doing so, the mother tree provides a stable platform that supports the birth of new uniform saplings growing perfectly upward and knotless on top.

  Therefore, the ancient method creates fresh timber — more than a dozen trunks — while preserving the original tree itself.

  However, the ingenious forestry technique is no longer in use as it takes several years of active care and maintenance.

  

  

  

  Wells Baum

  December 1, 2021

  Architecture & Design, Nature, Travel

  design, japan, Nature, trees

• The Rock: Urup Island, Russia

  

  Here’s the last island you’d ever want to be stranded on. 

  This uninhabited volcanic rock formation is part of a 552 square mile Russian island called Urup, which means ‘salmon trout’ in the Ainu language. 

  Urup island sits south of the Kuril Islands chain in the Sea of Okhotsk in the northwest Pacific Ocean. 

  One can imagine this upstanding volcanic plug off the coast of Urup appearing in a future James Bond film. 

  

  

  

  According to the Neatline antique map collection website, Urup used to be known as “Company’s Land” as discovered by Maarten Vries of Dutch East India Company in 1643. Vries map (see below) is considered the westernmost region of America, a widely held view in the 17th and 18th centuries. 

  

  Wells Baum

  October 7, 2021

  Nature, Travel

  island, japan, Nature, russia, volcano

• Aogashima Island in Japan is a volcanic phenomenon

  

  Aogashima is a volcanic Japanese island located in the Philippine Sea.

  It’s known as one of the most intriguing places globally for its unique structure and intense greenery. The island formed out of an active volcano’s crater and currently operates as a giant volcano with a mini volcano inside it.

  The 200 people who live there have access to the world’s most natural planetarium as the island offers a perfect view of the Milky Way.

  

  

  

  

  Wells Baum

  September 27, 2021

  Nature, Travel

  island, japan, Nature, Travel, volcano

• UFO, lampshade? An amazing lenticular cloud hovers over Japan’s Mount Fuji

  

  They look like flying saucers or marshmallows.

  These UFO-looking lens-shaped clouds called lenticular clouds often develop near the peaks of mountains, as in the case of Mount Fuji in Japan.

  UFO, lampshade? Look at this lenticular cloud hovering over Japan’s Mount Fuji https://t.co/zgqEBPj8fk pic.twitter.com/DZIGcfqX3i

  — Discvr.blog (@DiscvrB) January 3, 2020

  Lenticular clouds form when strong winds force air up and over a topographic barrier such as a mountain in a wave-like pattern.

  Once the rising air hits the obstructive peak, an “eddie”, and then mixes with the upper wind, the air deflects the mountain wind downward to create the lampshade-looking clouds. (Be sure to witness the strange beauty of mammatus clouds as well.)

  Stacked lenticular clouds clicked over Mt.Fuji, Japan pic.twitter.com/BgzXKZz4DW

  — Black Hole (@konstructivizm) August 7, 2020

  Here’s a collection of lenticular clouds forming in different settings — over buildings, volcanoes, and grassy fields. You love to see it!

  Minimalism. Sunset lenticular cloud over Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy today 5pm, Dec 27th. Thanks to Gabriele Acerboni for the report – posted with permission. pic.twitter.com/PWwqDhhtOu

  — severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) December 27, 2019

  Flying saucer, marshmallow, or bean pod? A pink #UFO-shaped cloud appeared in #Beijing on Thursday morning, surprising commuters. The meteorological service explains that this was actually a lenticular cloud. (via Beijing Daily) https://t.co/3sl64HyD1K pic.twitter.com/yAwdQ5s6jh

  — The Paper 澎湃新闻 (@thepapercn) December 19, 2019

  Lenticular cloud above a wheat field down in the deepest south west of Scotland @BBCWthrWatchers @BBCScotWeather thanks for the EP @JudithRalston pic.twitter.com/XJ11OQyuBW

  — Kathleen M (@ColfinCaptures) July 16, 2019

  Lenticular clouds are sometimes mistaken for UFOs, given their unusual shape.
  
  (Image: Omnisource5) pic.twitter.com/zYsN2QrRkA

  — Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) June 7, 2020

  Wells Baum

  August 7, 2020

  Nature, Science

  japan, Mount Fuji, mountain, Nature

• These owls in a Tokyo cafe are named after musicians and bands

  

  James Mollison of TOPIC ventured into one of Tokyo’s animal cafes where you can sip your coffee with your animal of choice (cats, dogs, and rabbits). But this coffee shop was a little different.

  Tokyo’s Pakuchi Bar is apparently one of eight owl cafes in the big city. The owner, Tomo Nanaka, owns 30 of them which she allows in public on the weekends and on special holidays. Even more, she’s named them after musicians and bands.

  Below are some of my favorite. From left to right: Kurt Cobain, The Chemical Brothers, Beck, and The Cure.

  

  

  

  There’s a video too.

  (All images via James Mollison)

  Wells Baum

  March 14, 2020

  Animals, Nature, Travel

  animals, japan, Nature, owls

• Tokyo’s skyline turns pink and purple colors before typhoon Hagibis

  

  As Typhoon Hagibis approached Tokyo on Saturday, residents captured images of an unusually pink skyline that gradually turned a spooky purple. 

  While beautiful the vivid skies augured what would become a dangerous storm that unleashed heavy rain and strong wind. A magnitude 5.7 earthquake also shook Tokyo shortly after.

  NPR reports 19 dead and 16 missing in Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures thus far. 

  

  

  

  The colorful skies are a result of a process called “scattering,” where the sunlight shining down on Earth gets kicked around the moisture in the air giving rise to the pink and purple hues.

  The typhoon left Tokyo late Saturday, leaving the city with a crystal clear blue sky on Sunday morning.

  Day after the typhoon, the sky was clear and we can see the stars so clearly even though the usual lights in Tokyo would have covered it all.
  
  It almost feels like Mother Nature was doing her job once again. It was scary last night but today is peaceful once again. ☀️✨🌈 pic.twitter.com/VQ5cHAMSUc

  — ⭐️TrAcE ⭐️ 2020.10.07 (@g_tracenpandas) October 13, 2019

  Wells Baum

  October 13, 2019

  Nature, Science

  japan, Nature, tokyo, typhoon, weather