WHAT!? you won! WHAT!? you won!  COOL!

      I have never been one of those people with the ability to avoid my demons, therefore, it was only a matter of time until I found myself in of of Japan's countless Pachinko parlors.  I didn't think that drinking a beer, smoking a cigarette, and gambling would allow me to fit right in on a Sunday afternoon in Japan, but somehow, it did.  Luckily I had my Japanese buddy Takuya with me or I would have been both confused and very bored (its not the most intense game to say the least).

      There are two aspects of this shockingly popular pastime, that stick out to me, one being very different then the norm and one being quite typical.

    The first, after being slightly accustomed to Japanese culture, basically punches you in the head as soon as the doors open.  Japan is a country of very quiet people (for the most part).  You can be shoulder to shoulder on a train and hear a conversation at the other end of the cart.  Well, although nobody is talking in Pachinko (because its too damn loud), it not only by far the loudest place I have been in Japan, but the loudest place I have been anywhere that lacks rock bands and race cars.  The sound of little metallic balls bouncing around and high pitch anime soundtracks echoed through my brain for a while after leaving.

      When we decide to leave we go through the process of turning our marbles into money.  I get my receipt from the first guy and bring it to the second guy.  As I'm waiting in line my buddy says to me, "Hey you know that gambling is illegal in Japan right?"  Interesting.  Then why the hell did I just twist a nob for an hour watching balls bounce around?  Was that supposed to be fun?  Am I about to win a bag of cookies or something?  Well, technically I did win a bag of cookies and some other small weird thing.  Which I had to bring to the third guy, conveniently situated right outside the front door.  I stuck my small weird thing through a tiny hole and then bam, out popped some cash.  This, to me, is another example of how Japan has all of these rules and laws but yet the majority of them are ignored or just not inforced.  I have realized that often times, there is no need to enforce these rules, because for the most part, people just don't break the rules simple because they are not supposed too.  Pachinko is an example of a simple loophole in the system can result in a huge industry found basically everywhere you go in Japan.  Macking the system is not breaking the rules.  Smart people.

To the top of Japan!

I have always been a pretty social person, most things I do in life I appreciate having a partner in crime.  But then again, there are times and events that are better off done alone.  My trip to Mt Fuji was just that kind of event.  I feel that the struggle and adventure can be amplified when its all up to you to find you're way.

  I left Hirakata with a backpack full of gear, a bus ticket, and some extremely broken Japanese language skills.  I quickly found the extreme hospitality that is found basically everywhere in Japan.  The hospitality is what I was dependant on the make this solo trip possible.  And it worked, otherwise there would have been only a few times that I was sure I was heading the right way.
      The climbing of Fuji has multiple purposes depending on a specific individuals intentions.  Some are adventure seekers looking to check another summit off of their list, while others use Fuji for its culturally historical traditions, a sort of pilgrimage.   Five different trails on many sides of the mountains are all broken into ten segments, each station marked by a torii.  This is where the religious significance of the mountains becomes apparent.  The packed trails reach a very slow pace when these Torii's are near, it is a time for many of the climbers to stop for prayer.  I enjoyed watching this because it allowed me to do two things that I am very interested in, exploring the outdoors while learning about a culture, religion, and its people, all in one shot.

         Another aspect of the adventure that is important to note is that although I embarked on this journey by myself,  I was never really alone.  This friendliness of the Japanese people combined with the gruelling efforts involved in climbing this sacred beast create a shared feeling of comradery through the people on the mountain.  The climb was the constant exchange of words and encouragement.  While the summit is a feeling that everyone up there is one extended group of friends.  With everyone feeling an extreme sense of accomplishment, a nice pat on the shoulder by whoever you happened to be standing next to was a sign that everyone was feeling proud of you and themselves.  Just after 5:30 AM when the sun poked itself over the horizon and the day began for the entire world,  I was happy to be sharing this lifetime memory with new friends,  friends of whom I will never know their names.