The Spirit of Mt Fuji

  Exhausted, leaning on my walking stick,  uniquely branded for each of the climbing stations I had passed on my way toward the top of the mountain. Gazing upward toward the summit, I saw a Torii Gate marking the division between our physical plane and the realm of spirits. I halted for a few moments to catch my breath. As I stood there watching the folks ahead of me wind their way upward, the sun, mostly absent since my arrival on the mountain, finally broke through the cloud cover lighting the gate and the people passing through. I started upward again, one foot in front of the other. Renewed in spirit, determined to finish the climb.

  Fuji-san as it is affectionally called by the Japanese people I lived near and worked with was often spectacularly present throughout the year. Snow covered much of time, the roughly 3,000 people a day who make the climb, do so in July or August while the snowcap has disappeared.

  Myself and about 25 of my fellow sailors from Yokosuka Naval Base gathered at dawn in the parking lot of the base theatre to begin our assault on Mt Fuji. Two hours later we reached our starting point for the climb, the Kawaguchiko 5th Station. There are 10 climbing stations from the base of Fuji-san to the summit. We each purchased a hiking staff, the brands along the length identifying each sequential climbing station to the summit. These would be our souveniers and proof of our climb. From the 5th station the remaining climb is about 5000 ft. Not too difficult, I thought as I began my trek.

A half hour later the rain began, not really heavy but, heavy enough to be annoying. Being a weather forecaster and forecasting for the Marine Corps Base on the lower slopes of the mountain, naturally I didn't bring any rain gear. Neither had most of the rest our company. Terui-san our co-worker had volunteered to be our guide. He led a group of sailors up the mountain each year and knew what to expect. Reaching into his bag he produced several dozen large orange hefty trash bags. With holes for the head and arms, we looked liked an army of pumpkins on the march. Feeling and no doubt looking foolish, I resumed my climb.

I'm not an outdoors person. My goal in life is to curl up with a good book. Though I had looked forward to this climb from the moment I saw Fuji-san on my arrival in Japan two years previously, the rain had dampened my enthusiasm for this climb. Finally, after five hours up a steadily increasing incline and the hard scrabble lava pathway I reached the top. It had had turned into a beautiful clear day as the clouds disappeared. A glorious path through the gate of the divine.  .

Though as I said not a difficult climb, thr Spirit of Mt Fuji had tested mine.
(photos courtesy of treehuggers.com and the Japan Travel Bureau)