Climbing Mount Fuji

Four days into my week-long workshop I was teaching at in Shizuoka Prefecture(which kisses the Southern side of Mount Fuji), I finally had a chance to breathe and reposition my focus on figuring out plans on how to make my way to Gogomae, the fifth station on the Yoshidaguchi Trail at Fujisan where I was to meet Erin, Doc, and his friend Dane, at which point we were to begin our ascent of Japan's most famous mountain, Mt. Fuji. Things before this point has been a whirl, with little time to research let alone plan and prepare for the climb of Fujisan(mountains take the formal ending of "-san", just as you'd use when speaking formally to a person, ie. Yamamoto-san, Munoz-san, Daniel-san, etc.) I had left most of that up to our friend Doc, who took the reigns in organizing this adventure, which served duel duties as his birthday present to himself, and to Erin who had a bit more time to burn this summer, compared to my hectic schedule of teaching engagements.

So, as I sat at my computer that night in my hotel room, I began my research with a train route search to the station which Erin e-mailed to me, which we would meet to catch a bus together to the fifth station. The route comes up, and I'm floored with first, the cost, then second, the time. Here, I thought, I can see Fuji from my hotel window, how can it cost me like 7,000yen(about $70) and take four hours?! This can't be right. I was struck with confusion. I did a bit more researching and learned that I was on the wrong side of the mountain! Well, at least the wrong side to meet at the planned meeting point with Erin and the others. Doh! Hadn't planned for that. That's what you get for growing up in the Midwest with flat lands and hills(and sand dunes in Indiana and Michigan), you don't think of mountains as massive three-dimensional earthen structures that you just can't pop over in a car or bus, or on a day hike with your cub scout troop. Chalk one up to ignorance. So, my mind is flashing options, cost and time-effective solutions, all pulsing with a new fire of stress I've created for myself. I frantically e-mail a flurry of correspondences with Erin, which probably wasn't the best thing to do(since she had her own planning to consider and prepare for), and eventually settle into the task of figuring this out.
With the help of my friend and co-teacher/worker, Nami, I asked her to help me find a more direct route to the station from where we were at. The train route I looked up earlier, because of the railway, had to take me East to Shibuya in Tokyo, then back West to the Northeastern side of Fujisan. We found a bus that was a fraction of the cost and time of the train... hurray! With plans finally set, I finished up the last days of the workshop, had our show, and decided to stay at the hotel one more night to leave in the morning to meet Erin. Poor Erin, she had to take a night bus from Nara to Tokyo(about 6hrs), then a train to the station, Kawaguchiko, where we were to meet at(2hrs), then the bus we would catch to the fifth station on Fujisan(1.5 hrs), then we would start our climb. Upon finally seeing each other after a week of me in Shizuoka, she was bright eyed and pretty cheering(despite the hell ride of night bus she took, broken chair and noisy kids).



We took the bus to the fifth station, a common starting place for climbers(especially amateurs like ourselves). We picked up any last minute supplies, our traditional hexagonal Fujisan walking staffs, and began our hike just before 5pm. The plan was to hike to the past the eighth station, where Doc had booked a place for us at a "hotel", where we would eat and rest for a bit, then wake up early to finish the climb to the top and catch the sunrise. I say "hotel" because, really, it was pretty much a bunk room, with rows of sleeping bags packed like sardines on two levels.
So, off we went. In my pack I had: 1.5 liters of water, cold weather clothes, rain gear, a couple flash lights, some snack foods, a can of oxygen, my camera, an umbrella, my Gerber multi-tool.



The first bit was only a slight incline up a well defined path. We ascended easily and after an hour or so we reached this station hut, where we got our first of several brands on our walking staffs. It's a cool way to adorn your wooden staff, though, at 200yen a pop sure adds up. But, I'm glad I got most of them. Some of the brands indicate the elevation, which I thought was really cool.



We continued our climb and felt the sun set, stopping at each hut to brand our staffs and take a breather. We were above the clouds at this point, and night was falling around us. We put on our headlamps, and
kept on truckin' in the dark. We also met a cool girl from Australia, Lucy, who was climbing by herself and we invited to join us. She's an actress currently living in China(or Korea?) The higher we hiked, the more rocky the terrain became and now we had to, at times, maneuver our way up and between rocks and boulders; in the dark, none the less! The air was definitely thinner up there, and the climate was cold and windy, a far cry from the summer sun and humidity we left at the station we started from. We got the eighth station, but were informed that the place we had booked was still about an hour and half up! Doc and Dane hauled ahead of us, and Erin, Lucy, and I steadily walked in the dark, in mostly silence, passing other climbers, pacing ourselves and our breathing, stopping once and awhile to suck up some pure oxygen and take a drink of water. On our way, we had also met another climber, Johann from France, who joined us. He's a young archaeologist on vacation in Japan with a 1yr daughter and wife who stayed back in the hotel while he was climbing. Randomly, to our surprise in conversation, we learned that he happened to stay with a mutual acquaintance while he and his family stayed around Kansai.

So, we finally made it to our hut-tel by 10pm. We were just about 15mins behind Doc and Dane, who were getting ready to eat our modest dinner of curry, rice, and hamburg. *yes, I meant hamburg, not hamburger. In Japan, a beef patty, usually served on a hot iron skillet is called a hamburg steak or just hamburg, and the latter, hamburger, refers to the thing you get at Micky D's. Though, they'd pronounce it as, "ham-baa-ga" at "mac-u-do-na-ru".... seriously.

After our dinner, we were asked what time we wanted to get up. It was suggested if we wanted to see the sunrise, we should make our way by 1:30am. Not much time to sleep, so we got in our sardine bags and tried to rest for a few hours. It was the most expensive "floor" I slept on, but I did manage to get a bit of sleep. I can't say that was the case with Erin or Doc, but the rest was welcomed.

We got up, geared up, and readied our selves for the final kilometers to the top. As we stepped out of the door, we were greeted by a cavalcade of climbers, all packed and foreheads illuminated by headlamps, crowded front to back like rush hour on the Dan Ryan, focused on seeing the sunrise from the top of Fujisan. We merged into the crowd, and step by step, drudged our way to the top. It was cold and slow, crowded and congested like the morning commuter trains. It took us about three hours to climb those last few kilometers to the top. Thankfully, I was warned that it would be like this, cold and crowded, so it didn't bother me so much. Again, Doc and Dane made it to the top first, and Erin and I stuck together and reached the top together, hand in hand.
Despite the headache I had been nursing for most of the way up(probably mild altitude sickness), I was happy we got to the top, safe and sound, together. We did see the sunrise.



You know all those people we climbed up with, they were all there too... and then some. It was quite cold up there, and Doc and Dane were freezing. I luckily had extra clothes, so we huddled for a few pics, got our staffs stamped, and began our way down the treacherous path. I say treacherous because we had been warned by friends who had climbed and descended Fuji before that the way down is the worst part of the Fuji experience... and they were right.

Imagine sliding down a decent incline with loose rocks and red gravel underfoot tripping and you and providing uncertain ground for your footing. The landscape looked like what you'd see in pictures of Mars. Add to that, groups of other people all negotiating their way down at the same time, the fatigue of the climb you just did up the mountain, and the rapidly changing climate once again. I took a more daring technique and let gravity do most of the work for me, as I skipped and skidded down the path, weaving around people and wearing out the bottoms of my shoes in the process. This was going well for me, expending less energy than trying to fight my way down, but I kept tabs on Erin's slow progress down. She's got pretty bad knees, so she couldn't foot "ski" down the rocky path like me, instead, taking it one step at a time. To lighten her load, I took on her backpack(along with mine) at about a quarter of the way down. This act of kindness did have me alter my descending technique, since my weight distribution was now uneven and top heavy. I continued my way down, a bit slower now and the fatigue was really coming on. I took a few breaks and even managed to take a 15-20min nap, but I tried to stay on course and eventually made it to where we started at the fifth station just before noon. Erin had met up with Lucy, our friend from Australia who we climbed up with, whom she came down with for the last part of the descent. Doc and Dean had already made it down before us, and, tired and exhausted caught a bus and train back.


All in all the climb of Fujisan was a thrilling and great challenge for me. Even before we got to Japan, I had talked to my brother Francis about his climb of Fuji, and also our neighbor, Julius, who climbed the mountain a long, long time ago. It's one thing I really wanted to do in Japan while we were here, and I finally accomplished it. I'm so, so proud of Erin for doing it too. She had reservations about joining the trip, and even the days before the climb I had e-mailed her my concerns if she was up for it. I'm thankful that we reached the top together and came down unscathed other than sore bodies for several days afterwards. Fujisan is the highest and most famous mountain in Japan at 3,776 meters.

Check this link for complete album of pics on Facebook, http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28696&l=f5db3&id=507939118

Aikido Training in the Mountains, A Long Way from Where I Started

Two weeks ago I attended a weekend training camp with my Aikido club in Tenkawa, Yoshino in the central southern mountains of our Nara Prefecture. I had been looking forward to this weekend ever since I signed up for it months ago. Initially, Erin was planned to go to Tokyo for a huge anime convention, which fell through, so I figured it would be a good time for me to travel on my own as well. Even though Erin's plans fell through, she still encouraged me to attend the camp, seeing it as I did, a once in a lifetime experience.

I have been fairly new to martial arts, but it's been in my heart and mind for much longer. When I was young, I discovered a book one day at Cal City Library titled, Zen In The Martial Arts by Joe Hyams, an personal account of Joe's experiences training in several martial art styles, his insights and lessons learned from various teachers including Master Bruce Lee. I must've borrowed this book from the library dozens of times, each time probably wearin' out the pages but the words still fresh in my head with each story, anecdote, and philosophical insight. Sure, back then in the eighties-early nineties, every kid had fantasies of being a Karate Kid(one of my all-time favorite movies) or a ninja, but this book introduced me to the mental and philosophical side of the martial arts. It was in this book that I first read about Aikido, a traditional by fairly new martial art that was created, like many other disciplines, here in Japan. Here's a link for further history and info, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

I fell in love with the principles of Aikido, the seemingly simplistic forms and application and beauty of the art. It was not until moving here to Japan did I have the opportunity to finally begin my training in this tradition Japanese martial art.

Prior to coming to Japan, my martial arts training started just a few years ago at the Degerberg Academy in Chicago, a great facility and staff who introduced me to several disciplines of fighting techniques for almost two years. It was here where I finally began to do what I had always read in books and watched in movies and TV. After my membership ended at Degerberg and the momentum of life was quickly building with our wedding, our moves, and eventual Big Move to Japan, I had to put my martial arts on the back burner, but I promised myself that once we were settled in Japan I would find someplace where I can pick it back up. I am grateful for for finding the school I attend know, Kashiba Aikido Dojo, and for meeting everyone there.

It's been almost a year since I started training at Kashiba Dojo, an easy bike ride from our place, and I've learned so much and at the same time realize that I've got so much still to learn. First off, all the practices are, of course, in Japanese. So, through the language barrier, it's a huge challenge for me to grasp the lessons each week, not just for the actual, kata(the physical forms or "moves"), but to understand the purpose and deeper meaning of aikido, the philosophy. This is no easy task for a person who has, at best, a kindergarten language level of Japanese. So, back to the basics, as with everything I had to do initially upon integrating myself into a Japanese lifestyle. If I can't rely on my ears, then eyes and hands don't fail me now! I also am fortunate to have had my prior martial arts experience and training from Degerberg in Chicago, which had given me confidence and an understanding of body mechanics that is applicable and indispensable to my Aikido training. This would be tested ultimately during the weekend Aikido camp.
*I also found a great book on Aikido many years ago, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere, which intially fed my interest in Aikido and currently is my personal text book to studying Aikido on my own.










I was a little worried but mostly excited to get to spend a whole weekend with my classmates from Kashiba dojo, discovering a new part of Japan I've never been to, and learning more about Aikido. My worries came from my poor handle of the Japanese language, even after a year of living here, but I knew everyone in the dojo would be more than helpful and friendly throughout the weekend. We met in the morning by Kashiba Sports Center to board the big bus bound for Tenkawa. It was only about two hours away, but a beautiful drive, especially when we got into the mountains.
We arrived and met in the ryokan(traditional Japanese "hotel") for formal introductions and lunch, then dressed in our gi(uniforms) for today's lessons. We hopped on the bus again which took us to the training building, a nearby junior high school across the river about 15 minutes away. The highlight of all the training sessions were the ones we used weapons, my first time. I mean, back home at Degerberg I began learning Filipino stick fighting, Kali, and knife fighting, but this was the first time to practice with a bokken(wooden sword) and Jo(wooden staff) in very traditional and disciplined Japanese manner... it was awesome!


One particular moment I will never forget occurred very early Sunday morning, after a late, late night of drinking and singing during the enkai(drinking party). We all woke up at 5am, some still sleeping, sore, and/or hungover, dressed in our gi for morning training. I was actually feeling pretty good, even though I was one of the last to sleep and drank my fair share of sake and beer(and some liquor from Okinawa that felt hot in your throat n belly). We filed in line and followed our sensei outside, down the road in the misty morning. We walked and came to a suspension foot bridge across the river, which is not the kinda thing a person reasonably scared of heights wants to deal with at 5 in the morning. Gambattene! We crossed the swaying bridge, five men at a time as the sign indicated, which opened up to a baseball field at the base of a mountain. There, we found our sensei sitting seiza(legs folded underneath) facing the mountain, his bokken at his left side. We all followed suit, taking our place on the hard gravely, sandy ground(almost all baseball fields, soccer fields, any sports fields in Japan do NOT have grass). Let me tell you, sitting seiza is not comfortable to begin with, you have to condition yourself for this posture; but, sitting seiza with tiny pebbles under your bear feet and thinly clothed knees leaves an impression, both figuratively and literally. Itaiiii!!! But after awhile, you just push out the pain and focus on the training. We trained with wooden swords under that mountain before the sun came up, our voices echoed back at us, our feet bruised and sanded smooth. Our lesson ended for now, we retired back to the ryokan for a nap before breakfast, and more training that morning and afternoon.


The whole weekend was an amazing experience. Not only because I was able to learn more about Aikido and practice the things I've already learned, but it gave me great insight and understanding into Japanese culture in general. This was the first time I've been in the company of only Japanese people for more than just a few hour.


We ate, drank, trained, and slept in the company of each other, and it was so great to be part of this community, with welcomed acceptence. We shared jokes, thoughts, and cultural differences and interests throughout the weekend.

It just enforces my observations that we are all the same, no matter where in the world we are. Yes, there definitely are differences due to culture and tradition, but it was simple to see that people are people. I think if you can share a laugh with a person or group, there's an understanding there that's beyond language. For me, the same goes with sharing music. We definitely laughed the whole weekend, and even shared music. Aikido is also like this for me to some degree, a measure of personal understanding with those I train with. I guess it's kinda hard to explain, but I know, without words, that I can communicate with my classmates through Aikido.



I'm so happy and fortunate to have this opportunity to train at Kashiba Dojo, with my sensei and all my classmates. I don't know how often, or if ever, they've had a gaijin(foreigner) at Kashiba dojo, but they have treated me with great love and respect, and overwhelming kindness. The weekend in Tenkawa was no different and I feel even closer to everyone after the camp.

Ohanami and playing tour guide

May is ending here in Japan, and my first spring outside of the States was quite colorful and festive. I had my first experience of the Japanese tradition of the Ohanami, or flower-viewing get-togethers held in parks, river banks, and anywhere the Sakura(Cherry Blossom) trees were blooming. It was great to be in the company of friends, enjoying the warming weather, and seeing all the other families and parties enjoying their ohanami.



I also took the time to walk and bike around our neighborhood in Kashiba, and enjoyed the local sakuras in bloom.

I can't help but reminisce that a year ago Erin and I started our adventures in Door County with our wedding and a magical summer. Now, here we are in Japan, a year later. I think we've settled into our way of living here, day to day, but Japan is still so new and exciting to experience and share. We recently had a couple of out-of-town visitors, our first, and it was so great to show them around and share the things we've learned and seen since our arrival here last August.

Our first visitor was my buddy Mike, who came from Tokyo to experience Kansai for the first time. He's from back home, Lansing more specifically, but living and studying at Sophia Uni in Tokyo till August.
It was great fun to show him around, revisit some of the sights I haven't seen since we first got here, feed him some good food, and also create some new adventures.
We went to Osaka Castle, a Ninja Village and castle in neighboring prefecture of Mie(that's correct, a real Ninja village!!!), a little bit of Nara(where, on our way, we randomly met a great family from DC on vacation who happened to be lost and at our local train station of Goido. I played Nara tour guide to them and Mike for the afternoon, and it was a great twist of fate to have their company for a traditional Japanese lunch at a great little Okanomiyaki place our friend Elaine introduced us to), and a bit of Kyoto before he had to get back to Tokyo.






I forgot, I also had the great opportunity to meet up with kuya Rich, my cousin Corrie's husband(who we stayed with on New Years Eve in Tokyo), while he was visiting Kyoto for a day and a half with a friend. It was great to see him again, and another great chance to visit Kyoto.


And just recently, our friend Shotaro came to Kansai for yasumi(holiday) and I got to show him around and eat some really good food in Nara and Osaka. We actually met Shotaro through Rich and Corrie, he's a family friend who's from the Tokyo region as well. Haven't seen him since our first meeting around New Years Eve, so it was great to reconnect after so many months. Unfortunately, Erin was in Kobe for a JET conference, so she could not partake in the the Kansai sightseeing.

Also, this past month, there was Golden Week, which is a block of holidays at the end of April and beginning of May when many people utilize this precious time off for travel around Japan or abroad, or just relax and not have to worry about work. For us, we had the great fortune of spending a few days of Golden Week with our friends Chetan and Doug from South Africa, in the mountains of Mitsue Village, where Chetan lives. They are both JETs like Erin, and we had great fun. We actually met them up at the Ninja Village I mentioned earlier, but it was packed and late, so we just created our own ninja adventures and enjoyed the atmosphere. On this particular day there was a "Ninja Fiesta" as Erin translated from the banners, and a majority of the people, families, and patrons wore their ninja costumes. So, it was interesting to observe whole families, little toddlers, couples wearing the ancient garb of the ninja... not so sleathy when you're sportin' a pink ninja gi with a fanny pack strapped to your waist, but it's all in good fun.




This month we also met our friend Elaine's visitor, her good friend Nalini, who was coming from Dublin, Ireland to visit Elaine. We all bid her farewell at this great Okanomiyaki place in Nara(the one I later took the DC family and Mike to for lunch) that Elaine suggested. Great food and great company including Elaine, Nalini, Sarah, Jack, Erin and myself.

So that was our first Japanese Spring. I also kept quite busy playing gigs the past several months, but I'll put up another post for that news. The Sakura is definitely beautiful, and I can understand why it's been the subject of many a poem, song, and painting throughout Japanese history. The trees only bloom for a brief few weeks in the Spring, all over Japan, so it is a very special event and cause for celebration each year. I am thankful that we could experience this Japanese tradition with our new friends here.