Climbing Fuji-san : The Way Down

To pick up where we left off: and just when our exhausted legs, knees, feet, and well, you get the point- thought they couldn't go any farther, we got to climb all the way back down.  Due to a trail being closed because of snow, we climbed part of the way back down the same way we had come.  Yes, it was a bit demoralizing.  So was being exhausted, looking down the side of the mountain at this:

Click to read more ...

Climbing Fuji-san : The Way Up

Fuji-san, also known as Mt. Fuji or Fujiyama, is the highest mountain in Japan at 3776 meters (12,388 ft) tall.

Click to read more ...

Cruisin' Tokyo

After walking around Asakusa a bit and getting the obligatory photo taken with the Asahi Beer headquarters building:

Click to read more ...

Nakano

I'd like to take a moment to pay homage to the area of Nakano in Tokyo.  It houses a covered alley of small stores that is attached to a multi-level shopping plaza.  It is in this multi-level shopping plaza that our Tours+ guide, Chris (he was the guide on our Tokyo Disney tour, as well, and the three of us got on so well that we specifically requested his Fuji tour so we could go Star Wars shopping with him again), and the two of us always get turned around and have to stumble upon our favorite tiny sci-fi memorabilia shop.  But it is sooooo worth the wandering around to find, let me tell you! 

Click to read more ...

Asakusa and the Tomitas

Nobuhiko, Sakurako, and baby Iroi; Mom Tomita, me, and Brandon (photograph by Kanji)

We met up with the Tomita family in Asakusa our third day in Tokyo.  This was Brandon's (and Iori's) first time to Asakusa and our first time to meet Sakurako's hubby, Nobuhiko.

Click to read more ...