Japan: 18 months in 18 pictures – March 07

Part 1 and explanation of the series here. Read entire series via tags, here.

I think with the picture part of what I want to say about my third month in Japan might be pretty obvious. I first saw Fuji San in the first few weeks of my time in Tokyo, as the line I lived on, the Seibu Ikebukuro line, gives you glimpses of it on a clear day between Kiyose and Hibarigaoka stations. Fuji san is an ‘affectionate’ name for the mountain in Japan, san is both an honorific suffix used to address people but also one of the readings of the kanji for mountain, 山, which I always thought was neat as Fuji San can also technically mean Mr Fuji, anyways I digress. Another quick aside, the quality of the light in winter in Tokyo was another thing that really took me by surprise in my first few months there. I wrote about it back then, and hope I can dig out a picture for the second round of winter months that does it justice. Back to the point, it wasn’t until March though that the decision was made to go and see the old man up close and personal, thanks to a 3 day weekend during Shunbun no Hi, or the spring equinox.

I spent the day in Kawaguchiko, one of the five lakes that surrounds Fuji and which affords incredible views of the mountain, if you’re lucky with the weather. On the way there, clouds were surrounding the mountain, but thankfully it cleared up as I walked around the lake and the mountain revealed itself a few hours after arrival. Seeing such an iconic image in the ‘flesh’ (or should that be rock?) was inspiring. And as one of those ‘things you have to do when in Japan’ it is actually a lot more fulfilling and pleasing than most. It’s also an impressive reminder of the beauty of nature and the power it can have on the human mind, I wasn’t in the best state at the time, but as soon as the clouds parted to reveal the mountain my mind state and feelings change entirely and it was hard not to feel like this was a special moment and a special day.

The town of Kawaguchi, which sprawls at the base of the mountain and around the lake, was also my first insight into a small Japanese town that wasn’t part of the Tokyo suburbs or wider urban sprawl. The town was full of the similar architectural oddities and surprises I’d started encountering in Tokyo but also had a definite quieter, laid back feel to it which you have to really look for and go far out to find when in Tokyo. Couple that with an abudance of hot springs, and it’s easy to see why Kawaguchi is a popular retreat. In one day I managed two firsts and recommended must dos when in Japan: see Fuji up close and indulge in a real spot of onsen, aka hot spring, (doubled up with watching Fuji while bathing, which is a nice bonus).

A lot of stuff actually happened in March, but if I think about it Fuji really overshadows (excuse the pun) it all.

March bonus shot

There was a protest in the streets of Tokyo one Sunday while I was at work, it was actually the last sunday of February in case anyone is being picky about dates. This was the first time I experienced and came up close to the Japanese right wing movement, who often troll the streets of the capital with speakers mounted on their cars out of which they broadcast nationalistic propaganda and brilliant social insights such as ‘foreigners are responsible for all the crime in Japanese society.’ Seeing it all up close for the first time was pretty surreal, and seeing the commotion surrounding it even more (see Flickr set for more on that).

Runner up pics:
Kawaguchi had some interesting architecture, another gratuitous Fuji shot, as the weather ‘warms up’ someone got cosy on a bench with his cat.

Flickr set(s):
Shunbun no Hi by Mount Fuji
Protest
Mala from Digital Mystikz makes his Tokyo debut at Unit