Mt. Fuji and beyond

So after a full week of rain the clouds finally parted for the best possible day ever. The sakura has all fallen in Otsuki but in Kawaguchiko, a city at the base of Fuji, it is 500 meters higher and thus Spring is at it's peak. The day was absolutely gorgeous and I had a second sakura season!

But back to Saturday for a moment. After a lovely morning of sleeping in and just generally relaxing and getting caught up on chores. This wonderful Japanese man, Tommy san, had invited us to a concert that we attended. It was in this building that was 200 years old and was where the Emperor stayed on his way through the mountains.We sat in this beautiful tatami room and listened to some pretty cool music. Everything from choral to an ocarina and guitar duet. The man who played the ocarina had made it himself and it played in three octaves so he could literally make it play more than one sound at once it was so neat. On intermission we were severed chilled sake and sweet cakes and were introduce to the mayor or Otsuki and I got to see a bunch of my students who introduced me to their parents. After the second half of the concert Tommy san generously took us to dinner and we sat for hours trading Japanese and English. He's a really interesting man who opened as restaurant in Hawaii at one point in his life so his English is great. He now owns the kindergarten across from my house and has offered me Japanese lessons. It was a fabulous day! But... we had plans to go to Fuji the next day and it was still pouring buckets by bedtime.

Sunday, true to it's name, against all odds of a miserable week in the clouds, rose bright and blue! And Rhee and I went to Fujiyoshida/ Kawaguchiko to see what we could see. After getting lost for the first little bit we finally found ourselves at this amazing shrine that overlooked Mt. Fuji called Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine. It's one of the famous spots to snap photos of Japan's beloved valcano.

Next on the itinerary was Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Segen Shrine! This is the shrine at the base of Fuji where pilgrims traditionally began their climb. (When Rhee and I climb it we plan to start from halfway up which is still a six hour hike to the top in the middle of the night to catch the sunrise.) It's a beautiful place tucked into this old growth forest where the trees soar above a path lined with lanterns. The main building is surrounded by four huge trees that are each over 1000 years old that are said to protect the shrine. The main torii is one of the biggest in Japan and every 60 years they rebuild it a little bit bigger. Next year marks another 60 so maybe I'll be around for that festival!

After wards, it was down to one of the five lakes that surround Fuji to take more beautiful pictures of sakura. And then we went for an early dinner to this place called Moose Hill. It was so wonderfully Canadian! The owner actually spent some time living in Vancouver, I felt so at home. There were British Colombian flags and totem pools and other you know Canadian stuff. And, the second most delicious burger I've ever had! (The first being one I had at this old 50s diner on Route 66) It was as tall as my hand from finger to wrist and tasted like everything I've missed about American food. It felt like we had gone through a portal to home for a bit. So good!!!

As the day began to wind down we had met up with the boys (Kevin and Tony) and another friend who lived in Fujiyoshida named Sheena, who took us to Oshino village which is famous for their eight springs. They are designated one of 100 of Japan's most unique water sources. This thatched roofed village was built around these almost perfectly round pools of deep cool water that are fed from the glacier water off of Fuji. The catch... the water rises through the soil and the water in the ponds now was what was snow on the mountain 79 years ago!!! They were perfectly clear and some ranged from a few feet deep to I think 8 meters deep... and I could still see the bottom! One even had an underwater cave I could see. They would be a lovely place to swim except two things. One the water is always close to freezing and two there are these huge scary fish that live in them but are really cool! The trick is to see if you can keep your hand in for 30 seconds because it's so cold it was difficult!

And then it was time for my favourite part of the day: desert!!! Sheena took us to this amazing cafe where they have eight pages of parfait to choose from. I chose something with creme brule and chocolate and caramel and ice cream and magic! It was sooooo good and almost a foot tall! It was another lovely weekend with many more planned! I love it here so much!