japan2006118


After considering a few travel options, I chose to join a Gray Line tour. It seemed to best way to avoid being lost in Japan. Roiko-chan made sure we all were back on the bus before taking off.		We drove to station 5, that final point for traffic on Mount Fuji. The elevation was 2,400 meters or about 7,000 feet. The summit is only open during July and August.


We were very fortunate to have a clear day at the fifth station. Those are cloud tops. Tokyo is somewhere on the horizon.		Fuji formed 8-10,00 years ago. It is an active volcano that last erupted in 1707. Until 200 years ago, Fuji could only be climbed by monks.

		Mount Fuji was considered sacred and held as a deity by mountain Buddhists. Women were forbidden from ascending Mount Fuji until 1872. Today, Mount Fuji is a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of Japan. Our tour group consisted of 6 American teachers, 18 Croations, and 3 families from China. Since the trails to the summit were closed we were content to enjoy the view from 2,400 meters. The temperature was about 40 degrees F. The summit weather station recorded much colder temperatures of 32 degrees F with high winds. You can see that the fifth station is just at the tree line of the mountain. Above that point, the extreme cold and dry conditions limits the growth of vegetation. The summit surface is largely loose volcanic rock and no soil.


The islands of Japan are formed along a subduction zone. Mount Fuji is basalt rock, a common rock of the sea floor.		The fall foliage in central Honshu is beautiful and major tourist attraction. Hakone is known for its yosegi-zaiku inlaid woodwork.


Hakone Ropeway National Park is famous for its hot springs spa and beautiful views of volcanic mountains.		A cruise on Lake Ashi aboad the pirate ship is a popular tourist activity.

Within the Hakone moutains is a dormant caldera volcano whose ancient crater is a popular hot springs spa. In addition to enjoying a hot soak, one may also ride a gondola over the caldera and watch the steam rise off the springs at Owakudani boiling valley. The smell of sulfur near the spa is quite strong. The waters are believed to have a healing effect. When eggs are boiled in the sulfur-rich water of the hot springs, the shells turn black. The inside looks and tastes like a regular hard-boiled egg

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