Praying for his safe return

Matt Johnson, 33 y/o American male, has been missing on Mt. Fuji.
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kalamazoo_and_battle_creek/portage-man-matt-johnson-mt-fuji-011712#.TxWslK6OXfl.twitter

Last week (16th-20th) even the base area had snow a lot.  I hope he's shelter himself from the severe weather.

A Happy New Year!

Mt. Fuji always sees us.

Mayor Watanabe announced that....

Climbing Mt. Fuji was going to be a special program for all junior highschool students in Fujikawaguchiko town from 2013.

Fatal accident

A body found at 6th station of Mt. Fuji on Dec. 10th was 33y/o American exchange student in Waseda Univ. from Lyon. He was supposed to go back to France on Dec. 22th. (Source from Sannichi Newspaper  http://www.fujisan-net.jp/news/2011/12/20/13.html )

Regarding news coverage on " 10,000 FREE FLIGHTS TO FOREIGNERS"

http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/en/page01_000222.html

Onshirin-matsuri

The hot and humid summer passed. In fall, we have local festivals (matsuri) here and there.  Today I went to Onshirin-matsuri.  (What is "Onshirin"?  Onshirin (恩賜林) is a forest site given by the Emperor of Japan.  A hundred years ago, this area was severely damaged by some typhoons and the Emperor decided to give us a part of national forest.  Currently, Onshirin associations are maintain the site.)

Today's festival was held at Onshirin garden in Fujiyoshida city.  This event is for people to become more familiar with wood and forest.  My bosses opened a booth of woodwork. My friend and I enjoyed watching chain-saw curving, trying woodwork, and having some foods (udon, yakisoba, yakitori, okonomiyaki, popcorn, etc).

Today's Mt. Fuji

Flood in Niigata and Fukushima

When I was young I had a penpal in Sanjo city in Niigata. I have never visited there, but I have been seeing there on TV since yesterday. The city is flooded due to heavy rain.
Japan Times
House of Japan

Today's Mt. Fuji

No clouds at all!

Typhoon Ma-on

You'd better refrain from climbing Mt. Fuji now, because a BIG typhoon "Ma-on" is heading toward here.
by wunderground.com