tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66452964654226747002011-11-13T00:29:09.351+09:00The mountains, forests, woods, and wildlife once taken for granted have all but disappeared since I moved to a city of concrete. So has the ability to be alone.Dnoreply@blogger.comBlogger81100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-53329599111812121992009-11-18T14:16:00.008+09:002009-11-20T17:26:18.113+09:00

There aren't many things disappointing about a trip to the woods except for the fact that ya gotta return. Sometimes the thought of that disappointment and let down almost makes me not want to go, especially when I consider the unpleasant necessity of enduring the subway system in Tokyo in order to get away. Even "early" in the morning on weekends trains seem to be becoming more crowded. It will

Dnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-35837457780855397862009-07-10T13:13:00.004+09:002009-07-10T13:23:59.551+09:00

A bit of an oasis in Tokyo---at least the more urbanized part. If ya can't get out, the river is as good a place to go as any. On weekdays it isn't especially crowded, but on weekends and holidays things change quickly. Look for weather---cold, rain, very hot and humid days, snow, high winds all drive a lot of the more dainty indoors. Nights are nice too...

Dnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-18828182012678806172009-06-07T18:20:00.006+09:002009-06-08T00:33:25.708+09:00

For those times when one can't get out of the city, or for one of those long, humid, rainy season nights when sleep is impossible without the AC running full blast, you might try Andrew Roth's Sounds of Japan available here. ¥1500 at Apple Store at around $15 for over an hour of listening at amazon.com. Unfortunately, I could not find it at amazon.jp yet.Although Apple lists it as "new wave" it

Dnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-39268069712198139512009-05-08T16:01:00.004+09:002009-05-08T23:56:28.152+09:00

It isn't always necessary to leave the city to get some time away from the noise and crowds. In order to live, sometimes it is necessary to reduce what we consider nature.Back in the States, I would never have been able to enjoy such small, isolated, and in reality somewhat synthetic nature. I would have thought it too fake. (I thought farms and wheat fields were too urbanized.) But this is one

Dnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-83503000700876400502009-04-28T18:51:00.012+09:002009-05-08T15:59:12.201+09:00

One of the "problems" of going to the mountains in April or even early May is that unlike the lower, warmer climate of places like Tokyo, the trees have not started coming out, and few flowers have bloomed. The snow, however, is mostly gone. Utsukushigahara in Nagano is an example---very beautiful in winter, but in spring it has been called Utsukushikunaihara because it's so drab.Sort of varied

Dnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-51216127225644138682009-04-23T14:35:00.004+09:002009-04-23T14:40:50.032+09:00

It'll have to be a one-day trip again, the last until after the insane rush out of Tokyo for Golden Week...Most likely do more hiking around Nyohosan area, as I doubt I will have time to climb it. Am more interested in wildlife this trip.

Dnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-56944955466796206342009-04-18T15:37:00.001+09:002009-04-19T13:02:30.809+09:00

Leaving Tokyo late in the morning (730) and hoping to climb anything other than Nakimushiyama before dark is a fool's errand. Despite being a fool, I knew that I would not be able to get all the way to the top. That wasn't a problem though, as I had more important goals; find a less well traveled trail, avoid noisy crowds---on this day I considered anyone other than me a crowd---and observe signs

Dnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6645296465422674700.post-44009676212956978272009-04-02T12:25:00.002+09:002009-04-18T12:52:18.822+09:00

This blog may be more difficult to write than some of the others I have done, and I can't get away everyday, but I hope to get started soon.

Dnoreply@blogger.com0