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Published: December 6th 2023
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MOUNT FUJI VIEW
Cherry blossoms and Fuji capture the essence of Japan. On a bright, sunny, warm morning the Silver Muse docked in the sprawling port of Yokohama. The first sight we saw was the Ramen Museum. Being great fans of that noodle dish, we felt right at home. Our disembarkation was a smooth process and before we knew it we were fiddling with the money exchange machine and searching out a taxi to take us to our rental house in the seaside town of Hayama. It is important to have a handful of Japanese Yen since credit cards aren't so widely accepted outside of the major cities.
The ride down to Hayama was quite scenic and uneventful. I had printed out the address of our rental in both English and kanji (Japanese writing) to help the driver. However once we arrived in Hayama he had a very difficult time finding our house. After several calls to the rental agency, they sent a representative to locate our taxi and then lead us to the house. The street addressing system in Japan is very complicated so we were happy when we finally arrived at our rental. This three story "green giant" house was very well equipped with all the conveniences and had several
BEGINNING OUR TREK UP MT FUJI 1969
We bought Susan’s climbing outfit at the Navy base thrift shop. balconies and lots of windows. As a matter of fact, from our bedroom balcony we could see Sagami Bay and beautiful Mt Fuji. Fuji-san is the tallest and most revered mountain in all of Japan.
Here is Kevin's rendition: "We met in Tokyo on July 4, 1969. I was a passenger on Braniff Military Airlift Command flight from Travis AFB to Yakota AFB. Susan was a stewardess on that flight. I spent that night at the Tokyo YMCA. Why? Because it’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A! Susan stayed at the Tokyo Hilton.The next day we met up and chatted for 2 hours. After that I signed in for duty at NAS Atsugi. Shortly thereafter I was deployed to DaNang, Vietnam. We didn’t see one another for 5 months, but kept in touch thru letters. When Susan finally got back to Tokyo we hit it off very well. It was like magic, capped off by an over nite climb of Mount Fuji."
That hike up Mt Fuji was quite an adventure. We spent the night halfway up the mountain in an open thatched roof hut with many Japanese climbers. After a dinner of rice and beer
ON TOP OF FUJI-SAN
We made it for sunrise. 12,336 mountain top. and several hours sleep, we trekked to the top of the mountain and made it there for sunrise. It was a beautiful view across the Kanto Plain all the way to Tokyo. This was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with Kevin and a fascination with all things Japanese. One of the reasons for this trip is to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. And that’s the rest of the story.
We booked our home stay in Hayama because our grand niece Isabel and husband Frank are stationed at nearby Yokosuka Navy Base. Isabel's Mom and Dad, Lisa and Jacques were visiting them and helping take care of their lovely granddaughter Eleanor. It was so much fun spending time with them because they all love Japan and have not only been learning the language but have been exploring this captivating country. Frank will be stationed here for three more years and Isabel is teaching ballet dance classes to military dependents.
Since it was still summer-like weather in Japan, we all spent a lot of time on the beaches and in the warm waters of Sagami Bay. We could walk the three blocks from our house to the Bay.
GRAND BUDDHA
Stunning sculpture in Kamakura. Isshiki Beach is listed in the top 100 best beaches by CNN. It is also renowned for windsurfing and kayaking. Two year old Eleanor loved playing in the sand and was fearless in the water. Everywhere we went the Japanese, especially children were fascinated by this friendly American baby. She has already mastered some Japanese words.
On several days we went exploring. Google Maps and Google Translate were invaluable and aided so much in our enjoyment. Whether it was in grocery stores, on trains and buses, in restaurants or meeting with locals, these two apps are a must when visiting Japan. We had a lovely day with Lisa and Jacques in nearby Kamakura, home of the Great Buddha and the beautiful Hasadera Temple. Back in the day, Kevin and I drove our motorcycles to Kamakura as it is a short distance from Atsugi where Kevin was stationed. This area is surrounded by parks and forests that are filled with biking and hiking paths. We went to Enoshima Island where we soaked in the natural sulfur hot springs and swam in the pools overlooking the Bay. The island is also famous for its caves and gardens. During the remainder of
YOKOHAMA
Our morning arrival on Silversea Muse. our visit, we just wandered around the local towns like Zushi and enjoyed the Japanese ambiance. Soon it was time to head back to the USA. Isabel and Frank gave us a ride to Haneda airport for our long flight to Florida. This trip brought back many wonderful memories. How lucky we are to have met each other and traveled in this exotic corner of Asia together.
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Carol J Beck
non-member comment
Joys of Travel
Your blogs are always so welcome and a joy to read. Your attitude is so refreshing and positive. (I'm jealous) Hope to see you next time around.