Okhotsk journey

June 2022

Photographer / Toshiki Nakanishi

June in Hokkaido is the season when spring and summer coexist. By increasing the altitude or heading north, you can encounter fresh greenery and, in some places, even enjoy cherry blossoms. Of course, in lower altitudes, the early summer weather continues, making it a relatively pleasant season.

Every year, I travel around Hokkaido at this time of year. Since the progression of the seasons differs depending on the location, I look forward to seeing scenery that exceeds my imagination. This time I chose the Okhotsk region. It's not too far from my home, so I decided to leave after finishing my morning photography in Biei.

It was 3:30 in the morning. I arrived at the site while it was still dark, and set up my camera in the usual red markers. I didn't panic because I had predicted that it would be hot today based on the state of the sky about 30 minutes ago, but it still took some getting used to in order to respond quickly to the ever-changing state of the sky.

There is no need to mention the ease of use of the tripod head, as I trust it so much. After using it for so long, I can even put it on with my eyes closed. That's how easy it is to use the Markins.

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After taking photos of the morning glow, I drove straight to the Okhotsk Sea. It took about four hours, so I made a few detours along the way and arrived at the shore of Lake Saroma in the evening. Although the weather was unfortunate that day, by the time I reached the lakeside, the blue sky was starting to appear and rays of light were falling from between the clouds.

I always take pictures while adapting to the ever-changing light. I can't take my time because the most important thing is to wait until the lake surface, with its beautiful reflections, starts to sway in the wind. As I always write, the operability of a ball head is an essential condition for modern landscape photography.

Satisfied with the photos at Lake Saroma, I drove inland. My destination was Lake Onneto, in the midst of its lush greenery. It is a fantastical lake at the foot of Mt. Meakan, which I mentioned in my previous field report. The water here looks so different depending on the season and time that it is said to change into five different colors. During the season of lush greenery, the colors are captured on the photos, creating a truly beautiful display, and as expected, the colors were beautiful on this day as well.

Although my time at Onneto was short, I was able to take more photos than I expected, so I returned home satisfied. The new greenery was at its peak in the high altitude areas of central Hokkaido, and I was able to encounter soul-cleansing greenery at every stop. This time, the trip was short, about three days, but I think being able to do such things is a privilege of living in central Hokkaido.

I'm thinking about going on a few more trips this summer.

Toshiki Nakanishi

Born in Osaka in 1971. After many years of visiting Hokkaido, moved to Biei Town in 2012, where photography is now based. Focuses on agricultural landscapes and the people who inhabit them. In recent years, expanded the focus to the Daisetsuzan mountain range and the virgin forests at its base, deepening the perspective on the shapes of nature, life, and their relationship with humans, exploring the ideal form of landscape. In September 2020, held a photo exhibition titled "Kamuy" at Canon Gallery S.

URL : www.toshikinakanishi.com

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