Anyway, back to the mountain. Here's a link to the trailhead we ended up finding.We drove up a path to a parking area where we checked in and began our ascent as early as possible, 9am. For the hike up, there was an ojiisan who declared himself "yama no champion" - The Mountain's Champion, and stayed at least 15 m ahead us so he could be the first to the summit that day. We had no intention of racing him, but wanted to keep our pace. The ojiisan carried his lunchbox in his hand and swung it along with him the whole way.
Here are some views of the summit. The area was roped off, as if to stop us from venturing on to see the view from another peak. It worked. We wanted to continue climbing, but we didn't know if it was safe. Perhaps next time.
Last time I climbed, many children accompanied us. This time, we saw quite a few children hiking up with their parents like champs. I would like to see some of the kids I know in America try to do this, and see if they could keep a positive attitude and fighting spirit. In addition, a bus-tour of elderly people pulled up behind us in the parking lot, all of them scaling the mountain behind us. I am constantly impressed at the physicality of Japanese seniors.
On the way down the mountain, we had a telling lesson in intercultural communication. I asked my husband to guest write about the situation.:
So, when we on our descent of the mountain, we were passing many people who were on their way up. Occasionally someone would give a nod and a konnichiwa, and we'd respond in kind. At one point, we were stopped alongside the side, taking a short rest, enjoying the view and drinking a little water. An old woman, across the path, stopped, looked at me, and spoke a whole bunch of Japanese. I had to say "zenzen wakarimasen, sumimasen" (i don't understand at all, excuse me). Then, she said, "ah, sorry, thank you!" in English. She then looked me in the eye, with a gleam in hers, and said very slowly, "baka no hitotsu oboe". I thought she was trying to teach me, so I spoke it back to her, word by word, she had to repeat it a few times and so did I. I recognized the words baka (fool/idiot) and hitotsu (one thing) but I didn't really understand what she meant, at the time I thought she was trying to teach me "sorry" in Japanese or call me an idiot.
Later when we got home, I looked it up, apparently it's an expression that means a fool only knows one thing, and so will say it over and over. Literally "Fool's one thought". I'm not sure if she was talking about herself or me, but it's funny in retrospect because I said that very expression to her several times.
For me, there have been so many times in Japan where communication comes down to the "one thing" I know in Japanese or they know in English, but I think in a foreign language, using the one thing you know is an act of bravery. It takes takes courage to attempt to speak to someone in a language that is unfamiliar to you. Anyway, I thought that it was such a wonderful and true way to learn a Japanese proverb; something I will never forget.
The hike up and back took us about an hour and a half, discounting exploring, eating, and napping time at the summit. I hope to climb many more mountains in Japan!
BONUS: On the way home we stopped at a roadside restaurant and ordered our first ramen in Japan -
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