Greetings and salutations!

Joe VS the Volcano

It was a cataclysmic matchup - one man against 4000 vertical metres of volcanic mountain! The trail was steep and the lava rock sharp; conditions were gruelling. But in the end, though sunburned, broken and battered, I emerged victorious, conquering the rocky beast in a record 5 hr ascent. This was followed by a stunning and suicidal 2 hr descent! Yes folks, it's true, the amazing has been accomplished! I climbed to the summit of Japan's highest mountain yesterday, the volcano just waiting to take me down...that's right...Mount Fuji!

Ok I had to get that out of the way, but in all seriousness, it really was a spectacular accomplishment and a unique opportunity. It is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. The combination of the physical and mental challenge and the awe inspiring supernatural beauty of the mountainside hike is, without doubt, the most rewarding journey I've had so far in Japan.

The Japanese saying (roughly translated) is "Climb Mt. Fuji once, you're lucky. Climb it twice, you're a fool. Climb it three times, you're insane." I can now see the reasoning behind this proverb. I am used to serious hiking, but it had been a while and I wasn't totally prepared for the huge workout the climb became. I brought the right clothes and gear, along with some water and gatorade...but I admit I felt like giving up a few times. It's a blessing and a curse that I get so bloody competitive with myself sometimes *S* I knew I wasn't going to start down until I couldn't go any higher!

Here follows a brief chronology and my apologies in advance for the lack of detail. Arriving at 9:00 at Base Station 5 (2400 M) after a train, a van, and a bus ride, my friend Chiyumi and I prepared to set out. Early on that morning we were simply two of hundreds of people visiting Fuji on their own terms. In the end, I would be one of only a dozen or so people at the summit. We procurred climbing sticks which we would have stamped (branded actually) at each station on the way up the mountain. There were all kinds of gift shops and the usual capitalist tourist amenities which we quickly bypassed. It made me curious though, of how the mountain was serviced with utilities.

I met an American named Jim, a software developer, at Station 5. He was on vacation from some work he was doing in Korea. We chatted about how the Koreans are just exploding in the software market and other such things. He was really the only other gaijin (foreigner) I talked to aside from Chiyumi of course, and we kept in contact until he stopped climbing at Station 7. It was wonderful to meet so many different people on the mountain, and I felt more at home with the Japanese than I ever had up to that point. Most Japanese that I had run into were polite but standoffish. The people I talked to on the mountain were warm and inviting.

Station 7 (about 3400 M) is where the majority of people stop and head back, though some may stay all night to catch the sunrise, as is quite popular in the June-August climbing season. While I'd like to do this some other time (which would make me a fool apparently), I could be satisfied with nothing short of reaching the summit, even if it killed me...and if my knees had anything to say about it...it seemed that it would *S* The climb actually got a lot more difficult after Station 7. The angle of ascent gets much steeper while the air becomes thinner and the temperature drops. I knew my knees and my ankles were in rough shape, and I had a headache, but I didn't notice the sunburn until I got off the mountain hours later. In any case it didn't worry me too much because, foolishly or no, I was far too focused on getting to the top. Along the way there were some amazing moments, and not just because of the view. It took me a second to realize what I was looking at, but I actually saw one man climb the mountain on his HANDS! No...he wasn't insane, he simply had no legs! I couldn't believe it....but that guy was certainly inspiring. I hope he made it to the top, though I imagine it would have taken him more than a day.

The next couple stations were essentially just chances to catch my breath. There weren't many other climbers at this point. The clouds were surrounding the mountain which was eerie but cool at the same time. Plus I though of it as steam from the volcano *S* Every station looked so much closer than it really was, but I kept pushing on. I finally did reach the top and it was such a humbling, invigorating arrival. I got to look down into the deep crevass of Fuji...and I wish I could have stayed for hours, if even just to heal up...but the last bus was leaving in 4 hours...so after talking with some fellow climbers and having my climbing stick branded one last time, I began the long battle with inertia to the bottom. I think I freaked a few people out because I was jumping from boulder to boulder at times *S* Oh, there was also a quaint buddhist shrine at the peak, as well as a post office...so you can send a letter from the highest point in Japan...neat stuff. Anyway I met back with Chiyumi at Station 8 and continued on home for some much needed rest!

Unfortunately, I am unable to fully share the tale as I would like to, so hopefully the pictures will tell the story better than I. Be sure to click the TRAVEL PICTURES link on the left of your screen. I leave off this compressed chronicle by posting a quick video, live from the mountain, enjoy....

Another quick note, I'll be travelling to Tokyo this weekend at long last....nearly 8 million people...I can't wait!

With Hope,
Joseph

....a deeper revelation
......for provision, protection, and favor
.........for clarity and the boldness to take steps of faith!

...fictional dreams, fragments of fantasy being distilled in the corners of my mind...dripping and flowing onto paper, the internet, or wherever they wish to go...

...lost, lost in a place where both a kiss and a blade draw blood, i have fallen into a dark embrace, and given up all memory of light, now even my dreams are shadows...