Learning even a little Japanese before your trip is a worthwhile endeavor (although I must confess that without reinforcement, I have lost almost everything that I learned). At the very least you should make an effort to learn Hiragana and Katakana, the two most commonly used character sets. Katakana is especially useful because it is used exclusively for writing foreign words … [Read more...] about Japanese 101
Japan
Key Regions in Japan
The country of Japan consists of a series of islands. The country is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Sea of Japan on the other. Honshu is the largest island and contains most of the major cities in the country. It consists of five major regions. Chubu - Located in the middle of the island and dominated by the Japanese Alps. On either side of the … [Read more...] about Key Regions in Japan
The Traditional Climb Up Fuji-San
Located a little over 50 miles outside of Tokyo, Mount Fujican be seen from higher hotels like the Park Hyatt, though that is more the exception than the rule. The sky must be clear to see the grandeur -- it's better to make the trip outside of Tokyo to truly appreciate the beauty of Fuji-san. Tradition holds that the best time to be at the top of the mountain is when the … [Read more...] about The Traditional Climb Up Fuji-San
Getting To Mount Fuji From Tokyo
By Bus: From Tokyo, you can catch a bus from the Shinjuku station. You will be taken to the fifth station (Kawaguchi-ko). A one-way ticket is approximately $30 USD, though this can vary with exchange rates. Shinjuku is reachable via Tokyo's various subway lines. There are also shuttle buses from Kawaguchi-ko that connect with other stations/trails around the mountain. The … [Read more...] about Getting To Mount Fuji From Tokyo
Climbing Tips
There is a Japanese proverb that states only a fool climbs Mount Fuji twice. And real fool climbs the mountain unprepared. Do your homework before ascending the mountain. Despite the fact that the mountain rises 12,389 feet or 3,776 meters (how in the world do they know this for sure?), the climb is relatively easy. However, the final stages do get steep, so be prepared for … [Read more...] about Climbing Tips