EXPERIENCE YAMANASHI AND MORE _ EXPLORE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

I climbed Mount Fuji from the 5th Way-point of the Yoshida route.  Although it was a business day, I expected a lot of climbers.  But there was no one.  Soon after I started climbing up the trail, a Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) showed up to greet me, so I waved to him.  The weather was partly sunny.  Over the 7th Way-point, part of the trail was covered with snow.  Some parts were extremely difficult to cross.  Looking down from the slope, the clouds were magnificent and beautiful.  At some point, I caught up with three Finnish climbers.  Since the trail was treacherous, I decided to climb with them.  Because of the snow, it took a lot more than I anticipated.  Yet, we reached the Kusushidake Peak (3,710m).  The top of Mount Fuji was extremely windy and cold.  The crater was clearly seen but the trail to the highest point of Mount Fuji, Kengadake Peak (3775.6m), was covered with snow, and it was getting late.  So, we did not go there.  We took the Yoshida descending route; however, the downhill was all the way covered with snow.  We had to traverse the slope to return to the ascending route.  It was dangerous.  Some part under the snow was icy, so it was slippery.  Yet, some part was soft, so we easily got stuck in the snow.  It was a long day.  I was relieved when I had arrived at the parking lot.  (Concerning Mount Fuji, refer to GALLERY; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Fuji) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_serow)

Welcoming Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) and the views from Mount Fuji, Narusawa-village and Fujiyoshida-city, Yamanashi, 5/24/2017

A live jazz concert was held at the Koryuji Temple in the town of Mukawa, the city of Hokuto in Yamanashi Prefecture (https://www.yamaderadejazz.com/).  This was the fourth event conducted at the same location starting from 2014, attracting more than three hundred people every year.  The Koryuji Temple belongs to the Soto School of Zen Buddhism (Refer to GALLERY).  The chief priest of the temple likes the jazz music and he himself plays the drums.

The concert consisted of three parts.  The first part was performed by the members of the Waseda University New Orleans Jazz Club.  Classic New Orleans standards including “Bourbon Street” and “When the Saints Go Marching In” were presented.  The second part was performed by the Yamadera Knights Quartet consisting of Naoki Nishi (piano), Benisuke Sakai (bass), Hitoshi Hamada (vibraphone), Tatsuya Sato (tenor saxophone), and Nobuyuki Komatsu (drums).  Several pieces including Nishi’s and Hamada’s were presented.  In the third part, vocalist Kimiko Ito joined the Quartet and presented several classical standards including “My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane which was performed in Tsugaru-direct and English versions.  The Tsugaru-direct pieces sung by Kimiko were very amusing and warm.  Kimiko also sung a piece from her new-releasing CD: Ai San-san (radiant love) originally presented by a Japanese-legend singer Hibari Misora.  The concert was highly successful.

Koryuji Temple and the Yamadera Knight Quartet with Kimoko Ito at ease, Mukawa-town, Hokuto-city, Yamanashi, 5/21/2017

I had to visit the American Embassy in Tokyo.  After finishing the business, I visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum (https://www.rekibun.or.jp/en/museum/m02/) and then the Kokugikan Sumo Hall (https://www.sumo.or.jp/En/).  The May Grand Sumo tournament started on May 14, 2017.  Although it was Monday, today’s tickets were sold out (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dgoku_Kokugikan; https://kokugikan.sumo.or.jp/).

Kokugikan Sumo Hall, Ryogoku, Sumida-ward, Tokyo, 5/15/2017

A training session for the duty to be assigned at the Mount Fuji 5th Way-point Management Center was conducted, organized by the Mount Fuji Yamanashi Guide-Interpreters Association.  It had been raining rather hard since early morning and the road to Mount Fuji was closed.  Therefore, we were not able to move up to the 5th Way-point of Mount Fuji, and the training session was held at the Fujisan (Mount Fuji) World Heritage Center in the town of FujiKawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture.  The major duty of the assignment at the Mount Fuji 5th Way-point Management Center is to assist the climbers and visitors of Mount Fuji in English and Chinese.

A tour to the Inuyama Castle, the Karakuri Pavilion and the Meiji Village Museum in the city if Inuyama in Aichi Prefecture was conducted.  The scenery from the dungeon of the Inuyama Castle was breathtaking (https://inuyamajo.jp/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuyama_Castle).  The surface water of the Kiso River was silky smooth and calm.  This is a solidly built castle by the river.  You can easily realize that this location is a strategically important point to govern the state.  In the Karakuri (mechanical doll) Pavilion, a thorough explanation was made while showing the mechanical movements of string-attached or clockwork puppets (https://www.aichi-now.jp/en/spots/detail/3703/).  We learned that the antique puppets used on the top stages of the floats used during the Inuyama Festival in April were extremely valuable and important cultural assets.  Then, we moved to have lunch at the Meitetsu Inuyama Hotel and had Japanese Washoku-Bento lunch (https://www.m-inuyama-h.co.jp/en/).  The Meiji-mura Village was very entertaining (https://www.meijimura.com/).  Since the houses are sparsely located, the guests were advised to utilize the Village buses.  The guests enjoyed the Meiji-era costumes and cuisine, and had fun riding the streetcars and steam locomotives.  The weather was sunny and warm.

NHK program about Karakuri Ningyo (Mechanical Dolls): https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/6032011/

A cruise ship, Inuyama Castle and the Meiji Village facilities, Inuyama-city, Aichi, 5/07/2017

I made a preliminary visit for the Nagoya tour to the Inuyama Castle, the Karakuri Pavilion, and the Meiji-mura (village) in the city f Inuyama in Aichi Prefecture.  One of my National-Guide acquaintances was kind enough to show me around the Nagoya area.  First, we strolled the Castle Town of Inuyama.  Because of the Golden Week, the Inuyama Castle was so crowded and the line was so long that we decided not to enter inside the castle.  Since I studied the Internet sites and I visited several other castles before, I was able to imagine how the inside of the castle was.  The Karakuri (mechanical puppet) Pavilion is equipped well with the dolls used for the previous festivals and events.  Some are extremely valuable.  The Meiji Village is really fascinating and enjoyable.  Not only there are the Meiji-era buildings and houses in the Village, but also there are antique buses, streetcars, and steam locomotives which run in the Village.  The staff are dressed in Meiji-era costume and Meiji-era cuisine (or something alike) is also served.  I liked the interior of the streetcar and especially enjoyed the steam-locomotive ride. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji-mura)

Inuyama Castle, a souvenir shop and the Meiji Village facilities, Inuyama-city, Aichi, 5/05/2017

An Aokigahara Woodland- and Tokai Nature Trail-walk tour was conducted for a young American couple (Refer to GALLERY).  Although it was a little cloudy and hazy in the morning, the clouds cleared away by the time we started climbing.  We were absorbed by the grandiose presence of Mount Fuji and impressed with the magnificent scenery of it and its surroundings at the Koyadai Rest House and the Sankodai Peak.  We had a toilet break at the Koyadai Rest House and a lunch break at the Sankodai Peak.  In the end, we had skewered and grilled-salted trout at the parking lot of the Bat Cave.

A preliminary visit for the Aokigahara Woodland- and Tokai Nature Tail-walk tour was made.  The weather was cloudy and windy.  The Bat Cave was a little wet and slippery.  The walk in the Aokigahara Woodland was very comfortable.  The climb to the Tokai Nature Trail and the descent from it were steep but manageable.  Although it was windy and chilly, the scenery from the Koyodai Rest House and Sankodai was magnificent.  The thick clouds and the movement of them in the sky created a mysterious atmosphere (Refer to GALLERY). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aokigahara)

Aokigahara Woodland and Lake Sai, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 4/26/2017

A bus tour to the Minamoto Masu-no-Sushi Museum in Toyama and the Takaoka Mountain Zuiryuji (Zuiryu Temple) in Takaoka was conducted.  The guests enjoyed the factory tour of the masuzushi (trout sushi) making process and purchased a lot of bento (lunch boxes) and souvenirs (https://www.minamoto.co.jp/museum).  In the Zuiryu Temple, the guests were mesmerized by the subdued but authentic beauty of the Zen structures (https://www.zuiryuji.jp/).  Especially, the demonstration of the Zen-sitting meditation (zazen) practiced by the Soto Sect of Zen Buddhism caught attention, and the thoroughness of reaching the peaceful mind was admired by the guests.  One guest enjoyed matcha (green tea).

Zuiryu Temple, Takaoka, Toyama, 4/21/2017

Fact Sheet

Guest Capacity: 2,670 lower berths

Tonnage: 115,875

Number Cruise: 1,100

Length: 952 feet; Height: 205 feet

Beam: 164 feet (including bridge wing); 123 feet (excluding bridge wing)

Guest Cabins: 1,337 (960 outside/377 inside) total

A preliminary visit for the bus tour to the Minamoto Masu-no-Sushi (trout sushi) Museum and the Zuiryuji (Zuiryu Temple) was made.  On the way to Toyama, I had to cross the mountainous passes and numerous numbers of tunnels.

The Minamoto Masu-no-Sushi is the most successful brand for the pressed trout sushi that is found in most train stations and other bento (lunch box) shops in Japan.

Takaoka Mountain Zuiryu Temple belongs to the Soto Sect of Zen Buddhism (Refer to GALLERY).  This temple was built by Toshitsune Maeda (the third Lord of the Maeda Feudal Clan) to mourn the death of his elder brother Toshinaga (the second Lord of the Maeda Feudal Clan) 360 years ago.  Three buildings of this temple, the Main Gate, the Buddha Hall, and the Living Quarters Hall have been designated as National Treasures.

Zuiryu Temple, Takaoka, Toyama, 4/21/2017