Outside of school we`ve been dedicating ourselves to acquiring cell phones (we`re so connected now!) and soaking up summer before the half-year long winter sets in. In fact, it`s been feeling like Fall ever since this weekend. I`m tentatively loving it. Fall`s my favorite season, but I`m scared the second I rejoice about it a blizzard will sweep in and crush Fall into Winter.
Last weekend we took an end of Summer trip to explore the Eastern side of Hokkaido at the Eastern Welcome Party for JETs. We rented a van with 5 other Sappsters (all rental negotiations thanks to Crystal) and Brian drove us out to Lake Akan. We had a tough time with the navigation system and a side trip to pick up tents; none of us had ever driven in Japan before so it was a new sort of adventure for everyone, but despite all the obstacles we arrived, still smiling, around 3 AM to the campgrounds.
The next morning June caught us as we were waking up and invited us on a hike to the top of a volcano that overlooks the lake. We`d been eyeing that walk in the Lonely Planet, so we were stoked to have somebody with a better idea of how to make it happen around to make it happen.
We picked up another happy camper in the parking lot and by 9:30 June, Brian, Lechey and I were off.
We got going in the wrong direction at first, but it`s lucky we did because it was a gorgeous little walk with such beautiful things to see, like this scene on the forest floor.
And this place, that translates to "the blue place". Aptly named. The water is that color from the volcanic activity in the area. We encountered multiple signs about the dangers of hiking on an active volcano. And the dangers of bears. Next time I`ll get a shot of the bear signs. They`re really funny - bears with two paws up in full attack-to-obliterate position and massive I`m-gonna-eat-your-face-off, fanged mouths. Every Japanese hiker we passed had a bear bell, though I`m not sure how much bears like the sulfur-fume-coated volcanic peaks where most of the hike took place.
It was a pretty tough hike up the steep sides of the volcano. We did a loop that took us up one side and down the other. It was a relentless climb followed by a relentless descent, but well worth it. The forests were lovely, and once they petered out the views were stunning. It was a perfect day for a hike, even though a typhoon had been on the forecast. In my mind that day marked the beginning of Fall in Hokkaido. But in reality there`s actually a national holiday to mark the Autumnal Equinox (brilliant Japan!), on which I hope to find myself hiking again.This was our first glimpse of the crater (though we smelt it a long way off).
The loose footing made the climb tougher, but the perfect weather, lovely temperature, and amazing views made it that much more rewarding. The crater was massive on this volcano.
Here`s a little panoramic video to give you a better idea of the views.
At the top we met Alan and Shu, other JETs from Sapporo, who`d climbed up from another route. We had lunch together at the summit before trying to avoid falling off the mountain side together on the somewhat treacherous way down. The hike took most of the day, and at the end we soaked away the stiffness in a beautiful little rustic onsen (public bath with natural hot spring water) at the bottom.
Though Brian and I are used to bath houses from being in Korea, this one had some unexpected surprises. Most notably, the outside portion, which is still separated by sex, was not fully separated. One of the screens that separated the two was missing, or never meant to have been there, but from the angle at which I was heading out it looked as though it were blocked off. So I was quite surprised to walk out, look to my right, and see there a man sitting as nakedly as I was standing. Surprise!
Back at the campground more people had arrived and Simon was cooking up a massive, delicious, falafel filled dinner for everyone. It got nice and chilly, but what with the party and the hot foot onsen we hardly noticed.
Sunday we had just enough time to cruise around the tacky Ainu village before driving back to Sapporo. The Ainus are the indigenous people of Hokkaido, but like most indigenous people whose lands were settled by outsiders... the history is pretty bleak. But in 2008 (yes really, only 2 years ago) they were officially recognized as indigenous people of Japan! Check them out on wikipedia. This town is like Cherokee, NC, but not quite so high a level of touristy development. Close though. Disturbingly close.
We got to see some Ainu carvings and marimo (the ball-shaped algae for which the lake is famous) and then got on our long way back. Here`s Marimokkori, the personified marimo with an erection that is one of Hokkaido`s mascots.
It`s a play on words that combines marimo with mokkori, which according to my dictionary is a "bulge in a pocket or clothing" or "`tent` an erection makes against pants or bedsheets". Somehow, and blessedly, this is perfectly acceptable as a mascot for the island, which leads to hillarious marimokkori dolls, often with some function to it`s mokkori. For example, on one doll you pull it`s bulge and it vibrates. Another you push it`s bulge and the eyes change from 00 to ><>
I love Japan.
Here are the rest of the photos from the weekend.
