Mount Fuji

3,776 meters to the top of this active volcano. The first summit by a foreigner is believed to have taken place in September of 1860 though today an estimated 200,000 people lay their sights on the highest peak in Japan. 30% of which are believed to be foreigners, and I don't know what percentage of those foreigners have done it more than once...but I did.

Setting off at around 0700 from the fifth station on the popular Kawaguchiko Route we had sunny skies and warm weather. A far cry from the conditions I endured last year. We bought our hiking sticks for ¥1,000 each which includes the 5th station stamp, a flag, and an annoying bell then set off down the trail to begin our hike. About midway through our ascent clouds began to form quickly, pressure dropped significantly, and the wind started whipping up the side of the mountain. This actually became a welcome change as the days sun was finally blocked and allowed us to conserve water and lighten up on the sunblock.

This being my 2nd time up Fuji I knew how much it really sucked. It's neat to stand around and say "I climbed Fuji" or "I can't wait to climb Fuji" but the realty is that it flat sucks. Sure it's pretty and all, but the weather changes on a dime, the water and snacks on the mountain are expensive as all get out, it's 5 hours of stair stepping, and after it all you have to endure the worst part of it all...the decent. By simply looking at Sandy's expressions on the way up you can get a pretty good idea of what kind of hike Fuji is.

Great, I'm happy to be here can't wait smile.

Neat a Torri Gate smile.

Fake smile's begin.

Just over 500 meters to the top and we are no longer amused.

This quickly changes as the final stretch is in sight.

Then finally the picture that makes pleasure out of pain, we reached the top of Mt Fuji 4 hours and 40 minutes after we set off from the 5th station. Above you'll notice people with numbers beside us...yes the Mt Fuji race was the same day as our climb. The winner took less than 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach the top. Sick.

So the first day of our trip to Tokyo was over after the long grueling walk down the mountain. With our branded climbing sticks in hand, pictures to remember the hike by, and a long bus ride back to the hotel to lay around in pain and soreness...but it was well worth it for sure.

As the saying goes, "A wise man climbs Mt. Fuji once. Only a fool climbs it twice."
I've been called worse.

Shirakami Sanchi & Anmon Falls

On our way back from Lake Juniko we planed an overnight stop in Anmon Falls. Anmon consists of three falls and is on the outer edge of the World Natural Heritage Site, The Shirakami Sanchi. The road from the western coastline back through the forest to the falls was absolutely ridiculous in that it was a one and a half lane road, gravel, minimal guard rails, blind corners, long and winding, and without signs. Thanks to the GPS we were able to remain confident that we were heading a generally correct path, but if we would have missed a turn...we probably would have driven off into the middle of the forest and had to backtrack our way out.

The drive was full of photo ops. This one was about the standard view from the corner of a switchback. Making it even more interesting was the eerie fog that loomed at the treetops.

We even came across a monkey sitting on a guard rail along the road but by the time we were able to stop the car, grab the camera and lean out the window, it had scurried off into the forest.

Finally making it to the trail leading back to the falls, we donned our rain gear, grabbed a map, and headed back along the trail. Walking along the trail we couldn't help but notice the snow that remained in the area. While it was tucked away in a valley, there was more than enough sun hitting it and one would expect it to be completely melted this late in the summer. While we were talking about it I noticed the origin of the snow, high in one of the hills. Look closely and you'll notice the tunnel running through an arch of snow below. While this is a very small one compared to the larger masses of snow along the trail, it made the walk back to the falls a little tense considering the amount of rain we were getting at the time and the relatively warm weather.

All in all, the walk back to the falls was well worth it, even though the rain was making every effort to get on the camera lens. We were only able to reach 2 of the 3 falls because they had the path to the 3rd roped off...presumably due to avalanche danger or the trail being washed out.
Below, are just a few pics of the falls and the trail leading to them.

The first of the falls

The second falls

Crossing the stream heading up the trail

Together at the base of the first falls

Discouraged by the weather, we decided not to camp there and instead headed back to Misawa. From what we could tell though, the campground looked pretty nice with the tent camping area close to the river and the full compliment of Japanese camping facilities.

Lake Juniko

4th of July weekend and we set out for a long weekend in Lake Juniko. Taking the idea from an article on Simon Bernard's page, we filled up the tank and set out in search of this place offering an abundance of scenery, trails, beaches, etc.

Trails, there were plenty. Some tough ones at that. We must have been hiking for an hour on this lesser followed path before we finally decided to give it up and head back. We had only covered 1.2km and came across a sign with the options of 1.1km or 8.3km. Not knowing what was even at the end of another 1.1 and with the clock pushing 1530, we decided it prudent to turn around and head back to an enjoyable stroll along the lakes.

The lakes were certainly the most beautiful lakes we'd ever seen. Take that for what it's worth...as they are mostly just small ponds...but they have a deep blue color and are crystal clear for the most part. The sensation of looking into the water and seeing both the reflection of the trees and the bottom of the pond is pretty memorizing.

The lakes were formed when a river was dammed by an earthquake in 1740. The name Juni (translates to 12 in English), is taken from the twelve lakes which can be seen from the top of Mt. Okuzure.

Faced with steady sprinkles and a quickly setting sun, we headed back to our tent. The campground was okay, but setup for the Japanese designer campers that prefer the whole cabin setup w/ tennis courts and what looked like an amphitheater in the middle. All in all, a nice campground, but not worth the ¥1,500 per night that we paid to setup our tent.

Overall, the trip was okay. If the weather was better we may have enjoyed ourselves more...but the constant mist of rain just gave everything an overall damp feel and that's no way to spend an extended amount of time in the woods.

GPS Coordinates
Lake Juniko Campground N 40° 33.417' E 139° 58.659'