Japan2001
I took the trip to Japan alone after I was laid off in fall 2001. I guess it was partly soul searching, partly to refresh my mind, and also to visit a good friend. It was a short trip and I didn't visit a lot of the popular tourist spots. I was determined to see the foliage in several areas, including Hakone. I took along the Sony Cybershot 707, which I was just learning to use.
It happened that I twisted my ankle when I arrived at Hakone but I decided to follow my own plan to hike up to Mt. Kintoki (Kintokiyama) to watch sunrise the next morning. The hot spring that night seemed to help ease the ankle pain a little bit. The hiking trail should take around 1 hour according to the tourist guidebook and I decided to set off around 4am to account for more time due to my twisted ankle. I wasn't crazy about having to watch the sun rise up the mountain but I loved mountain hiking and I loved the views from the top in the early morning. Moreover, it was more of a goal of the trip that I had to accomplish. The hike in the dark alone was a first for me - good that it was more or less a safe area but I was still on high alert of the surroundings. It was an amazing experience - a little excitement, a little nervousness, while at the same time the chirping of birds and chanting of insects mixed with the humming of breeze provided a sense of peace. The sense of peace prevailed along the way and the darkness slowly lightened up. When I walked along the winding path through the bamboo bushes, a Chinese phrase popped in my mind: 曲径通幽 (The winding path leads to a profound secluded place). This was the exact visualization of the poetic phrase.
It took me 2.5 hours to get to the top and several morning hikers surpassed me. The sun had risen up so I missed the sunrise but the view was undoubtedly rewarding. The morning mist was floating in the valley below. The town had not waken up yet. The mountains were covered by colorful foliage adorned with morning glow. On the other side, Mt. Fuji was quietly standing, stately. No splendor of sunrise. I found tranquility.
10 years later, looking at the pictures, I pray disasters do not harm this tranquility.
-- Kat
Read MoreIt happened that I twisted my ankle when I arrived at Hakone but I decided to follow my own plan to hike up to Mt. Kintoki (Kintokiyama) to watch sunrise the next morning. The hot spring that night seemed to help ease the ankle pain a little bit. The hiking trail should take around 1 hour according to the tourist guidebook and I decided to set off around 4am to account for more time due to my twisted ankle. I wasn't crazy about having to watch the sun rise up the mountain but I loved mountain hiking and I loved the views from the top in the early morning. Moreover, it was more of a goal of the trip that I had to accomplish. The hike in the dark alone was a first for me - good that it was more or less a safe area but I was still on high alert of the surroundings. It was an amazing experience - a little excitement, a little nervousness, while at the same time the chirping of birds and chanting of insects mixed with the humming of breeze provided a sense of peace. The sense of peace prevailed along the way and the darkness slowly lightened up. When I walked along the winding path through the bamboo bushes, a Chinese phrase popped in my mind: 曲径通幽 (The winding path leads to a profound secluded place). This was the exact visualization of the poetic phrase.
It took me 2.5 hours to get to the top and several morning hikers surpassed me. The sun had risen up so I missed the sunrise but the view was undoubtedly rewarding. The morning mist was floating in the valley below. The town had not waken up yet. The mountains were covered by colorful foliage adorned with morning glow. On the other side, Mt. Fuji was quietly standing, stately. No splendor of sunrise. I found tranquility.
10 years later, looking at the pictures, I pray disasters do not harm this tranquility.
-- Kat
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