The Best and Brightest of Summer

Over a year ago I decided that one of the things I wanted to do while here in Japan was to climb Mt. Fuji. So in September of 2010 I put some serious planning into making this desire a reality. Unfortunately, when I went to book bus tickets my less than perfect Japanese was not the only thing standing in my way. Apparently the climbing season runs from the beginning of July to the end of August and after that bus and mountain service are greatly reduced. Not having the time or money to make it into a two day affair I resigned myself to attempting it again next year. Well that year has passed and this summer vacation I came prepared with the memories of last year's defeat and more importantly, friends with a car.

Respectfully named Fujisan in Japanese, the summit rises a sky-scraping 12,389ft above sea level. Traditionally climbers hike up to the 8th (of 10) station during the night, catch a quick sleep, and see the sunrise from the top, but since I left directly after work (around 10pm) the night before I had to be content with viewing the morning sun from the parking lot at the bottom. I'd say it was still a pretty rewarding way to start the 12 hour hike. 

Finally, after about 7,500 ft of vertical increase, a thunder storm, $7 bottles of water, and geriatric climbers causing colorful snaking queues, we made it to the top. Up here the air is thin and accordingly Japanese climbers take fast pulls from aerosol-style oxygen bottles every few steps. However, the view is spectacular and even those not a little lifted by the oxygen feel like they're on top of the world.  

Far above tree-line any construction materials used at the top of the mountain have to be packed in. So, logically the buildings are constructed almost entirely of the abundant volcanic rock surrounding the crater. Up close they make for an interesting texture, but they're also a nasty thing to snag your eyeball on.

Here I am, not too exhausted, demonstrating the express lane down the mountain. 

After getting so high on the beautifully symmetrical mountain, I decided the remainder of my summer vacation should be spent relaxing by the seaside. So I jumped on the train and in just under 2 hours arrived at a fantastic Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn) in Ito, on Izu's north eastern coast. Izu is an arrowhead shaped peninsula jutting southward off of Japan's Honshu Island. It is most famous for it's brilliant onsen  (hot springs) boasting well over 2,000 springs. In fact, our Ryokan had an onsen available for use at any time day or night right inside the premises. Can you say 2am cannonball into boiling water?

Just south of Ito lies the stunning Jogasaki coast, a beautiful section of seaside with crystal blue water and jagged cliffs.

Jogasaki is a popular place to film both TV and movie productions, especially ones about suicide. Here my friend Nick Erickson contemplates the 2 second rush one would have plunging into a watery grave below. SPOILERS: He didn't end up jumping.

The Eternal Buddha watches over all at Shimoda's Gyokusen-ji temple.

Here the sky lit up in a fireball at the cemetery home to the graves of sailors from Commodore Perry's infamous Black Ship Fleet.   

After a long day of beers and beach we stumbled back into town only to run head-on into a procession of Taiko (Japanese drum) karts. Marching to the cadence of whistles and to the melody of flutes, they paraded their way through the packed streets.

Even the spectators were dressed in traditional garb. Here two yukata (light cotton kimono worn in the summer) clad onlookers follow a kart as a man furiously thumps at his drum. 

While searching out a place to eat we came across these men hoisting a Dashi (festival float) practicing for the final evening's event; to create enough crowd-pleasing hoopla and momentum in order to gain the judges approval. Once this happens they'll be allowed entrance into the shrine where the now powered-up dashi float will reside for the rest of the year.