Japanese

August 22, 2000: The first sign of autumn
Wishing to say hello to autumn, I came up to Kujyu highland. This is Sky Park Azamidai overlook. Cool breeze is blowing over the site of 1,036 meter above the sea level. In the distance is Mt. Aso in the haze.
A large stone monument reads a poem of Akiko Yosano.
	Young people enjoy playing like this. To be young is a good thing, anyway.
I looked around the field to find autumnal flowers. "Hanatorano-o" (left) and "Gen-no-shouko" (right.)
Cosmos is already in bloom here (left.) "Fujibakama (Eupatorium japonicum Thunb) is one of "Seven autumn flowers."
My favorite thistle (left) and, what is yellow flower on the right?
Marigold is beautifully planted in order (left) and, again, what is the flower on the right?
The picture of "Matsumushi-sou" (Scabiosa japonica Miq) is a little bit blur, but can you identify a little butterfly on upper right of the flower? We headed west, but U-turned at this prefectural border sign.
And we at last visited our familiar resort "Kujyu Highland Beer Village." The brewing process is visible to the visitors through the large glass windows. My husband taste four kinds of beer produced here. I take the leftmost tall glass of "Black-and-white with milk."
	Fried Carmanber cheese was very good. Other side dishes were mushroom salad, fried onion ring. All of them were great and Black-and-White was much more stronger than I had expected.
We needed to "cool down" ourselves. We fully enjoyed cool evening air of the highland. "Kawara Nadeshiko (Dianthus superbus L. var.) was very lovely swinging in the breeze on the background of the early autumnal blue sky.
Very unusual violet ball of Higotai (left) and "Spiral flower" (right.) Both of them should be carefully protected from extinction.
When the slopes of Kujyu mountain range become distinctive by the shadow of the folds, I found Japanese pampas grass at last. My house in Oita City is still in the heat, but autumn is coming here steadily.