Tyler Mitchell

Turning Leaves

2005-11-18T19:02:00.000-08:00

Hello Peoples!

Just put some pictures on to my computer that I took while I was chasing autumn colors(紅葉) around Aomori earlier this fall. Because Aomori is situated on the northern most region of Honshu(本州) it is home to some of the most beautiful autumn leaves in Japan. Before coming to Japan I wasn't aware of what a great thing going out to see the turning leaves is. I feel Japanese people make a special effort to go out and view the leaves. Whereas in America there is a ton of beautiful locations, but we seems to prefer letting the leaves just change before our eyes instead of turning it into a special outing, of hiking, picnicking, and tours. I guess this became apparent to me when some of my co-workers were telling how I needed to go out myself and see. This year I took so many pictures. I would love to post them all, but here are a few from Lake Towanda and Mt. Hakkoda.

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A little island sprinkled with jagged rocks, autumn leaves, and a couple of shrines on top!

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We found this shrine about an hour and a half hiking back in to the woods behind one of Lake Towada's scenic viewpoints. The only other people that seemed to be catching a glimpse were having to take a special jet boat cruise. They were still at least a hundred yards further out than us. Lucky!

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As you can see Lake Towada hosts some of the clearest blue water in Northern Japan.

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Here is a covered bridge hugging on of the many cliffs protruding from Lake Towada.

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The little bright berries near the top of Mt. Hakkoda were displaying the most color when I went up.

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Here's a close-up. As you can see I have no Macro Lens. But did my best.

2005-11-18T17:45:00.000-08:00

Here is one of the few tricolored scenes I found on my way up Hakkoda.

Buddha's Halo - Mt. Fuji

2005-09-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

It’s 5:30 already?! I’m so tired, it has to be at least 10 degrees warmer than it was yesterday, and my body already aches thinking about climbing this early in the morning. My group and I wake up, get ready, and head to the station to catch the bus from Gotemba to the bottom of Japan’s highest peak, Mt. Fuji.

2005-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Off to catch the bus. We are ready. Are you?

Mt. Fuji (con't)

2005-09-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

“Excuse me could you please stop the bus?” we say. “You want to get out here?” says a baffled bus driver. “Yes please let us out here.” We reply. This would be the beginning of one of the most trying yet rewarding experiences of my life. “Is everybody ready?” “Quick, take a picture!” “Alright let’s do this!”

2005-09-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Everybody! Ready! Set! Let's Go!

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Becareful of Poisonous mushrooms!?!?!?

Mt. Fuji (con't)

2005-09-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

Prior to ascending Mt. Fuji I tried to gather as much know-how about climbing as one could to help me along the way. And with a full tank of energy, I start the climb. I kept a steady pace under the shade of the trees while they were still over me “1, breathe, 2, breathe, 3, breathe”. “Look it’s the 2nd station marker already! That went quick.” Enjoying the fresh air and nature all around me, I made my way up to the 5th station (the starting point for most individuals). After about 2 hours stopping only momentarily to rest I arrived. Once everybody had arrived at the 5th station, we rested for another hour before starting the most grueling portion of our trek.

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Here's everyone just happy to reach the 5th station and take a breather.

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Paul, our most prepared climber, takes time to double check his gear before starting out from the 5th station.

Mt. Fuji (con't)

2005-09-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

As we start to climb towards the 8th station where we were going to stay for the night, I take another look up at the daunting yet almost perfect inverted volcanic cone. It wasn’t long before Fuji’s incline and each individual’s pace had separated our group in two.

2005-09-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

Mt. Fuji's volcanic cone slightly covered by a patch of clouds.

Mt. Fuji (con't)

2005-09-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

“Do your best!”, “Take Care!” Brisk words of encouragement from fellow climbers kept our spirits high and our bodies from tiring too quickly. Blessed with a clear day with hardly a drizzle of rain we reached the 6th station in just over 2 hours. The air was becoming noticeably thin and cool giving it a distinct fresh quality. By this time the intervals between stations had decreased and the upper stations were beginning to show themselves as specks near the top of the mountain.

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A good picture of the Yamamoto brothers at the 7th station. They accompanied me for the majority of the climb.

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A small flower managing to blume on Fuji's lava rock mountainside. Somehow life finds a way.

Mt. Fuji (con't)

2005-09-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

After a quick rest and mini bowl of pork soup, we were ready to advance. The paths steepened and vegetation had decided to take a more comfortable seat watching climbers from the lower stations. Tromping our way up the lava rock paths the cold thinning air forced us into a slower pace and frequent breathers. But around 3:30P.M., almost 8 hours after we embarked, we reached the 8th station where we could rest before climbing to the peak.

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Here's a shot of Gotemba from the 8th station.

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A picture of everyone together at the 8th station.

Mt. Fuji (con't)

2005-09-20T06:03:00.000-07:00

It was pitch black and freezing cold outside when we woke up to finish the final leg of our journey to the peak of Mt. Fuji. It was 1:30A.M., but surprisingly enough we were already a few hundred people behind the first climbers ascending the peak. Passing those stopped huffing on cans of oxygen and those regurgitating from lack thereof I think to myself how everyone around me has the same goal in mind; make a lemming like dash for the peak to catch a glimpse of Goraiko, or sunrise, from the highest point in the land of the rising sun.