Over "silver week" (a series of holidays that lined up this week in Japan) Aki and I climbed Ontake-san with a couple of friends. This was our first time staying in one of the mountains several lodges; it was a great trip.
The 20th boasted perfect weather--not a cloud in the sky--but a drinking party on the night of the 19th had dissuaded me from thinking about climbing that day. So, our friends arrived on the 20th and we set out the next morning--the 21st. The weather was not as brilliant as it had been the day before, but we were able to stay above the clouds for most of the climb.
Some highlights from the climb:
Just above Ta-no-hara 田の原 (the highest point you can reach by car--about 2200 meters) we encountered this group of Shingon Buddhists chanting as they descended. I have previously met the monk that was leading the group and he explained to me that the red cords that the worshipers wear at their waists symbolize umbilical cords that tie them to their "mother", Ontake-san.
The summit, with ni-no-ike 二の池 (second pond) in the background (Mt. Norikura 乗鞍 and Hotaka-dake 穂高岳 are also back there somewhere).
View of san-no-ike 三の池 (third pond). There are five ponds on Ontake-san, and the third is perhaps the most famous. It's waters are known for their medicinal properties.
This fellow was meditating above the second pond.
I wonder how many years he's been there.
Walking on walking,
under foot earth turns.
Streams and mountains never stay the same.
-Gary Snyder
(from the poem "The Mountain Spirit")
The 20th boasted perfect weather--not a cloud in the sky--but a drinking party on the night of the 19th had dissuaded me from thinking about climbing that day. So, our friends arrived on the 20th and we set out the next morning--the 21st. The weather was not as brilliant as it had been the day before, but we were able to stay above the clouds for most of the climb.
Some highlights from the climb:
Just above Ta-no-hara 田の原 (the highest point you can reach by car--about 2200 meters) we encountered this group of Shingon Buddhists chanting as they descended. I have previously met the monk that was leading the group and he explained to me that the red cords that the worshipers wear at their waists symbolize umbilical cords that tie them to their "mother", Ontake-san.
The summit, with ni-no-ike 二の池 (second pond) in the background (Mt. Norikura 乗鞍 and Hotaka-dake 穂高岳 are also back there somewhere).
View of san-no-ike 三の池 (third pond). There are five ponds on Ontake-san, and the third is perhaps the most famous. It's waters are known for their medicinal properties.
This fellow was meditating above the second pond.I wonder how many years he's been there.
Walking on walking,
under foot earth turns.
Streams and mountains never stay the same.
-Gary Snyder
(from the poem "The Mountain Spirit")
4 comments:
"ITS waters", not "it's waters". Don't you write for a living? Apostrophe s is not possessive for it - "it's" is only a contraction of "it is".
Dear Anonymous,
Thanks for visiting and for pointing out my mistake.
I do wish you would no post anonymously so I could lambast you in private, but since I have no way of contacting you directly I'll just do it here.
While I do sincerely welcome readers pointing out my mistakes, I don't welcome the god-damned arrogant commentary.
To answer your question: No, I don't write for a living. When I do write professionally I do much more editing than when I pound out a blog post quickly. Yet, even then, MISTAKES seem to wriggle their way in. They are mistakes, please recognize them as such. I don't need the grammar lesson; or the glib comments.
I do appreciate you pointing out my mistaken use of "it's", but I think I'll leave it as is--just cuz.
Cheers, and do visit again!
oops forgot to add a "t" to "not". . .another mistake--damn!
Pretty funny. People get very possessive with their apostrophes! A vote for your blog from me though - I enjoy your descriptions its it's it is giving me a real insight to Ontake - many years ago I travelled to Kiso-Fukushima... a professor friend of mine said, as an actor, I should climb Ontake on my way through West. I had no idea what I was doing. I showed up with an ordinary suit-case and black dress shoes for the occasion. The locals there looked at me and told me that I really shouldn't attempt it by myself and without the proper gear (thank goodness), so I missed out. I'll do it one day. Anyways, thanks so much for the blog... keep it up. Anony mouse... get a life! Matt
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