Finally, Mission Accomplished!

After having to abort the mission three previous times due to ominous-sounding forecasts, I was finally able to climb Mt. Fuji and watch the sunrise this past Sunday night. Although we didn't quite make it to the summit in time for the sunrise, we still got to see a breath-taking sunrise at about 200 meters (650 feet) from the summit. Mt. Fuji's summit is the highest point in Japan, registering in at 3,776 meters (12,390 feet).

This is toward the end of the sunrise. We were above the cloud line, having hiked through the clouds in the moonlight with a few hundred (maybe thousand) other people. The hike wasn't too bad for the first half, but the trail got more congested as we got further up the mountain. And we grew tired quickly as the oxygen got thinner at the top.


Here Jenny and I are finally done ascending. There is a Shinto shrine at the top of the mountain (along with a mountain hut selling souvenirs and really expensive food and drinks). This is a monument outside of the shrine.

Looking down on the mountain in the daylight at those still climbing, we quickly realized that many Japanese are right. Mt. Fuji really isn't that pretty in the daylight (at least at the top, where it is just bare lava rock), but you are treated to some spectacular views of the clouds and the increasing vegetation along the descent path.

Upon reflection, it was a fantastic experience, but it was a lot harder than we initially thought it would be. The altitude really slowed me down at about 3,500 meters, and my knees/legs were pretty much junk when I got to the bottom. The only thing that I regret though, is that I brought four liters of water and only drank two (the load started to get painfully heavy towards the end).

The Vietnam and Cambodia Recap

Sorry for the delay, but as expected, I got a bit swamped after my vacation. Between unpacking, teaching, battling a slight cold, and telling my students that I will be leaving soon, I haven't had much free time. But here is my vacation report:

I spent my first three days in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (aka Saigon). It is your typical crowded, noisy Asian city full of scooters and grit. The one main difference though is the historical significance of the city. We went to two different museums that touched on the Vietnam War, and I was able to learn more about the "other" side of the war. The War Remnants Museum was a bit hard to stomach at times, especially looking at the post-war photographs of the children born with defects due to the use of Agent Orange.

We also went to two pagodas in Saigon, but the pagodas themselves didn't do much for us. I guess we have gotten spoiled by the splendor of some of the Japanese pagodas. The monks' cemetery attached to one of the pagodas was pretty interesting though.

We were also occasionally reminded that even though Saigon is pretty Westernized, Vietnam is still technically "communist". The propaganda billboards were always interesting to look at (even if I couldn't read them).

The temples in Siem Reap (Cambodia) were the crown jewels of my vacation! Most of the temples were built between about 900 and 1200 AD. Although some of them lay in ruin, some of them have been wonderfully preserved (or are in the process of being rebuilt/preserved). I think we went to about 20 different temples over three days, so please don't ask me to name each of them. The above photo is Angkor Wat, which is the best preserved temple and believed to be the largest religious structure in the world.

All of the temples had hundreds of intricate carvings ranging from asparas to elephants to Buddhas covering their interior walls, exterior walls, and doorways. Most of the temples were made of sandstone and sometimes laterite quarried from nearby areas. The scale and the detail still present today makes these temples mind boggling when you think about construction methods of 1,000 years ago!

And not only do the temples have big footprints, they are also very tall (as shown here). Jenny is sitting only about one staircase down from me, and we are on the third level of the temple. When all is said and done, this was probably my best vacation so far, and I urge you to go if you can! (trust me, it is worth the long flight, especially if you combine it with a few days in other areas of Southeast Asia).

The Cheesehead Swap

This past weekend was the Hachioji matsuri or the summer festival in the city that I work in. It was a three-day festival. After work on Saturday, some co-workers and I went to see the mikoshi/dashi parade. Here is a photo of one of the mikoshi. Neighborhoods own/parade the mikoshi, and they are pretty elaborate things! They have a front stage area that holds two or three musicians and a dancing character (the shishi in this picture), and they have a little enclosed room on the back half. Here is a picture of one that was sitting along the main pedestrian mall that our old school used to be located on. The rest of them were being pulled up and down the main parade route.

Also this past weekend, the weather gods of Fuji-san proved once again that they don't like me. I had to cancel another planned trip to Fuji due to the rainy forecast. But it wasn't all bad though, as an old friend of mine arrived in Tokyo on Sunday afternoon. Heather will be teaching a few hours north of Tokyo through the JET program (government) for the next year, and she had a three-day orientation in Tokyo. It was a little weird that two girls from Kaukauna were meeting up half way around the world for dinner and drinks! Regardless, it was wonderful to see her, and I wish her the best of luck for her coming year in Japan.

Finally, here's a photo that I took of a new skyscraper being built in Shinjuku. I think it is interesting how it looks like they are using gigantic pieces of duct tape to reinforce the glass during construction.

T-minus one day and counting until I depart on my next vacation (VietNam and Cambodia). Yipee!

Final Count Down

Not much is happening over on this side of the world, other than the rain in my backyard. I keep making plans, but it keeps raining. Last weekend, I was supposed to go to an amusement park near Mt. Fuji, and last night, I was supposed to climb Mt. Fuji to watch the sunrise. Both plans had to be cancelled due to rain/forecasts of rain. Maybe the Fuji weather gods hate me???

On a different note, the final countdowns are beginning. Six days until my friend Heather moves to Japan (someone has to fill the 'sconnie void when I leave Japan). Ten days until I head off to search for enlightenment in VietNam and Cambodia (or at least see some awesome sights and take lots of pictures). And last but not least, 34 days until I fly back to the States. There is still a lot I want to do here in Japan, but I am also looking forward to heading home and seeing everyone!

Heat - Check, Humidity - Check

Must be summer in Japan! I'm not sure if it is so smart for me to start running again right now, but I am putting forth my best effort. So far, I have run the last four days in a row even though it has been about 80% humidity. I keep telling myself that I have to try to cram before I try to climb Mt. Fuji (it's going to be a long walk, even starting halfway up)!



This past Saturday, the last Harry Potter book went on sale worldwide. On CNN, they showed the long lines and talked about the record-breaking sales, but it was a much different story here. This is a picture of the bookstore by my school, and their attempt to promote the new book. It doesn't look too popular, but then again, it is a big, English-only book. I'm sure when the Japanese version comes out, the lines will be long!

Ever wonder what you can buy on the observation floor (45th floor) of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building? Sunglasses of course, as Ena and I found out. After a pre-farewell dinner with some of my staff, we went to look at the night view of Shinjuku (the skyscraper district of downtown Tokyo). We couldn't pass up trying on some of the lovely sunglasses for sale at the gift shop. Are they me?

Monday, Monday, Monday.... Keirin Races!

I finally made it to the Tachikawa velodrome to watch some keirin racing this past Monday! Keirin is a type of bicycle track racing that originated in Japan. Each race consisted of five laps, with the first four being paced by a "pacer" (in this case a man on a bicycle), and the last lap was an all-out sprint. When the pacer is on the track, racers are not allowed to pass him, but rather jockey for position in the peloton. The final lap is the sprint, which was pretty amazing to watch considering the equipment these guys were riding. Keirin racers must ride NJS-approved, steel, single-speed, fixed-gear bicycles (coasting is not an option). Their clothing was the most surprising thing though. Each rider wore matching shorts and a different colored shirt/helmet cover. The shirts were slightly loose-fitting and appeared to have pads in the shoulders and back.


Keirin racing is serious business over here in Japan! Many people warned me that I would be the only foreigner there, and that I would most likely be the only woman there. And let me tell you, they weren't lying! Keirin racing is akin to horse or greyhound racing in the States (complete with pari-mutuel betting), and it was definitely a man's place. I got a couple stares and overheard a man standing next to me talking about me. But all in all, it was a good experience. Not sure I would go again, as I found it difficult to listen to the men taunt the riders they had bets on and verbally berate the riders whom lost them money. These guys are humans, that just pushed their bikes to probably around 60 km/h... give them a break buddy!


Here is a picture of one of the heats preparing at the starting line. The whole track was fenced in, so I could not get a better picture than this.




And the final sprint (near the finish line). It was amazing to watch these guys zip past you! Keirin racing is so big in Japan (and can also be very lucrative), that the top professionals often refuse to compete in the Olympics or outside of Japan.


And in the final picture of the week, it is election time in Japan again! Electoral advertising is a bit different in this country. Instead of running television ads and putting up yard signs, candidates here hang small posters on designated bulletin boards and drive around neighborhoods blaring speeches and campaign slogans out loud speakers. I am not sure if/what this guy was campaigning for, but I found him outside of Shinjuku station on Sunday evening. His van looks like a candidate van, and he performed a highly energetic dance from the top of it. :)

Tanabata Festival

7 July 2007 marked Tanabata in Japan. While this day was considered lucky all over the world, it was especially important in Japan. Tanabata is an important annual Japanese celestial holiday. It celebrates the story of a girl (Vega) who wove silk for her father amongst the stars. She wanted to find a husband though, and her father arranged for her to meet a cow herder (Altair). They fell in love and married, but she stopped weaving silk and he let his cows run freely in the galaxy. Thus, the father banished them to opposite sides of the Milky Way. The girl cried at this, and the father eventually agreed to let them meet one day a year (7/7), if the girl completed her weaving. Today, Tanabata is celebrated festival style, complete with street decorations, food stalls, and carnival games. Some festivals are small, but Hiratsuka has a large, four-day festival I went to this past Sunday.

It's a small world after all.... This was one of the displays hung over the street at the festival. I understand the Thai dancers, the Hawaiian people, the cactus and sombreros for Mexico, and the gondolier for Italy, but I don't understand the row of women performing a kick line on the gondola. Does anyone want to take a guess?

It's Momotaro! (aka Peach Taro) He is part of Japanese folklore also. It is said that he came from a peach, was raised by an older, childless couple, and went on to defeat demons with a monkey, dog, and pheasant. He is very popular in Japan.

Lastly, a local vegetable stand I came across in my neighborhood. Just rummage through you pockets for proper change, insert coins, and reach in for your tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, etc. No need to worry about staffing the stand, theft, or making change. One word, smart!