I really do like Japan in so many ways. Yes the housing codes are not up to North American standards and most apartment companies and land holdings are run by Yakuza (gangsters). The difficulty to make friends or find conversations that aren’t about eating or shopping is tough. But beyond all that Japan is still a great place with a lot to offer. Yes Japan has surf and mountains. The beaches are a little dirty and the most famous mountain or volcano (Fuji-san) is becoming a bit of a garbage dump. But still if one looks hard, makes friends and gets out of the most populated areas, Japan’s true natural beauty can be found.
I spent the night in a little Youth Hostel where I was the only guest, I had the staff at my personal command, sort of speak. I was fed rice with Octopus, mystery meat, salad and wine for about 9 bucks. I woke to the sound of the ocean crashing on the shore and the smell of the rain being swept across the bay from the Suzuka Mountains. Mountains that I had missed for so long. Playing on the beach talking to fishermen made the whole time quite fun.
When in rural areas people are very friendly and accommodating. People have been very kind, driving me to and fro, here and there helping me find places to cash traveler’s cheques and feeding me well. I stayed in another little place in Gunma. A little town nested in the mountains, by the name of Yokokawa. The people were very kind to me and drove me to a nearby mountain that I later climbed. When I returned to the B&B RYOKAN 旅館 they were very worried as it was now dark and they feared that I had become lost or worse yet died on the mountain. We laughed about it for a moment and then I was fed a wonderful meal of curry rice. Later that night the owner of the little B&B RYOKAN 旅館 and I drank Sake into the night, sharing stories and laughing over the difficulty of trying to speak a foreign language when one is half in the bag.
The mountains in this area are some of the most beautiful that I have ever seen and notably dangerous. When I climbed Mt.Chosu-no-kashira I came across a brass plate embedded in the rock with names of all the people who have died trying to climb this mountain. So I just had to climb it. On the way up I came across some little Buddhist and Shinto sculptures placed by hand so many years earlier. When I finally reached the summit I was rewarded with a spectacular view and a rather unique geological feature. At the top stands a natural stone pillar in the shape of a “T”. The top of the rock is composed of a harder denser rock while the stone beneath it, is weaker and more susceptible to weathering. Here at the top of the mountain stands a unique “T” shape that one can climb for a truly spectacular view.
The Town of Yokokawa from the
nearby hill.
From the town, This is the Hill I took
the photo of my boot and the town of
Yokokawa
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