In search of Fuji-san

(or the Helsinki Trilogy - photos by owain)

To be honest we have had 2 weeks of absolutely perfect weather, the kind of days that would make anyone outside the state of California jealous. We have been traipsing around in short sleeves and shorts under crisp blue skies. But Matt arrived in a typhoon, and so it was only fitting he leave in one, or something that looks like one. With one day left in Japan, he had yet to see Fuji-san, and all the procrastination we could muster would not deter him, so on Sunday, sometime after 12 pm, (ie 5 hours before sunset) off we went on a quick 30 minute Shinkansen ride to Odawara, sort of close to Hakkone, the nearest Fuji viewing area. Not entirely aware that would be only the first of 10 vehicles. Next was a local train, to a bus, to a boat, to a shuttle bus, to a cable car, to a funicular, to a mountain train that crawled back and forth on switchback tracks, before getting back on the local train and finally our merry 30 minute Shinkansen. With each mode of transport, the weather deteriorated and with it our chances of seeing 10 feet in front of us, let alone Fuji. Looking online I see we did all the right things, and should have been basking in Fuji's imperial shadow all day. As is the days highlight was a toss up between the rain lashed boat ride, (naturally we had the whole upper deck to ourselves) and the volcanic sulfur geysers. Where I waited as the boys went exploring through the noxious fumes, huddled under the awning of a store selling the famous black eggs actually cooked in the geysers. They smell about as good as they sound.