Night Photography from Mt. Saido

An evening hike through bamboo groves, cedar trees, and the occasional spider web – tonight we’re ascending Mt. Saido, once home to Saidoyama Castle, a Warring States Period (1467-1600) fortification that served as a lookout for enemy fleets attempting to invade Wakasa Bay. While the remains of this ancient stronghold have mostly vanished, the stunning panorama of Wakasa Bay from the top – and an excellent spot for nighttime photography – still remains.

Entrance to the trail begins by passing through the torii gate behind Sakichi Shrine leading to a winding stone path through dense bamboo

 armed with a trusty tripod we look for the trail head

On approach to Atago Shrine and the summit of Mt.Saido

     We come to a clearing in front of Atago Shrine and wait for the sun to descend below the mountains

                                                    In late September the sun sets around 6:30

                                       7:00pm - the evening sky begins to reveal thousands of stars

Silhouette shot by Florian Koschella https://www.instagram.com/ein_ticket_zur_milchstrasse/

As we return to Sakichi-Shrine