Hiking to the Heavens

Last weekend I chose a beautiful area in Ueno in which to go hiking. As always, I never really know what I'm getting myself into because of the lack of roman characters on hiking guide-posts and trail markers. In a way, it makes the experience much more satisfying...it makes me feel as if I am the only one who knows about this area because I have no previous knowledge of the particular hike or any idea of what to expect. For instance, a Japanese-literate person would know beforehand that so-and-so hike has a breath-taking view overlooking the area, an amazing waterfall, etc. But with me it's a crap shoot.

This particular hike was unlike any other hike I'd ever been on. Why? Well, for starters, a road abruptly ends where the hike begins, as if the road was put there just to get to the hike (keep reading...you will understand later). Secondly, at the beginning of the hike there is a beautiful statue with offerings laying near its base. As I start my hike I wonder why, but quickly forget about it as the climb ascends toward the orange peak above.
The hike constantly followed a crystal clear mountain stream climbing higher and higher. As the hike passed the 90 minute mark I was beginning to ask myself, "what's up here?" because I was getting no clues with the surrounding nature. Soon I would get my answer.


I came across a huge granite slab with kanji criss-crossing from right to left and top to bottom. "What is this doing way out here?", is the first thing I ponder. Then I noticed some English at the very bottom of this marker.

On August, 12 1985, Japan Airline flight 123 crashed into Mount Osutake after mechanical problems. 520 people perished. There were four survivors. I climbed further to find many shrines and memorials for the people who died. As I rested at the top near the main memorial, I started to think about that day back in August. It was very eerie and peaceful at the same time. The trees were young and a different species compared to those on the nearby mountain peaks. The plane obviously cleared an enormous path of these trees out. Also, the orange foliage from the leaves kept making me think of a blazing fire about 20 years earlier. I could hear chickadees chirping away and the wind cutting paths through the jack pines. It was so beautiful and peaceful--a good place to be a final resting spot. The serenity would be temporarily interrupted as the sound of jet engines rumbled miles over head--a constant and creepy reminder of what took place that fateful August day.



If you want to learn more about JAL 123, click here. If you want to learn about the flight path and final cockpit recordings, click here.

Mr. Isaac: Japan's Fifth Largest Island

Japan consists of 4 main islands: Honshu--the big island, which is home to Tokyo, Osaka, and basically everything Japanese; Hokkaido--the nature-filled island in the north famous for its cheese, beer breweries, and snow festivals; Kyushu--home of Nagasaki and warm temperatures (basically the envy of everyone living in Hokkaido), and; Shikoku--famous for...umm...I have no idea. Recently a new island appeared in the region and geologists are dumbfounded on how it came into being. This island was not formed by volcanoes under the ocean or enormous tectonic plates crashing into one another forcing a huge mass of earth shooting skyward like the others. Instead, this "island" somehow migrated into the cluster. This island is known for its very unique and previously-unseen geological formations, and can only be described as Mister Isaac.

Yep, Mister Isaac, a huge mass of...well, something. Mr. Isaac first appeared in Japan in July of 2005 and has been trying to acclimatize himself to the Japanese surroundings ever since. This is very difficult for several reasons: 1) he IS an island (relatively of course); 2) he does not speak Japanese (although he does speak in the third-person once in a blue moon), and 3) he is not used to being called Mr. Isaac....Mr. Arnquist maybe, but not Mr. Isaac. (Sidenote: Yes, this is what the students call me.) Please view the pictures below to truly understand Japan's 5th largest island.


Yep, this is where I replenish my fluids. You know those small cans of soda that you give your little cousin or nephew because you don't want them to ingest to much sugar....the ones that they still need to hold with two hands, even though your hand wraps around it twice? Yeah, well, that is the super gulp here. Note: please take a look at my disclaimer.

This is my 5th grade class. The lesson was on articles of clothing, and as you can see, I brought in many items. We reviewed the names and what not, and then we played a game. The person that said the name first, got to wear that particular article of clothing. The kids loved it. Note: some of them are actually wearing shorts, although they look like pants.


Tuesday is my favorite night of the week because it is volleyball night. I play with the women's league and straight-up dominate. In fact, I can no longer jump at practice. The coach, the only other man there, says in his Jappenglish accent, "Itsaacku, No JUMP!" So I resort to blocking and spiking while flat-footed. It still works wonders.


Cars in Japan are so small. In fact, I've had friends get out of parking tickets in Japan by lifting their car over tire locks. My car is a tiny little Mitsubishi something-or-other. No joking, your vacuum at home probably has more power than my car. Also, my car is so small that it honestly takes me about 90 seconds to get in and out of it. Oh, and my head just barely scrapes the ceiling of my car, so by the time I get somewhere, my hair is acting as if I was rubbing a balloon on it the entire trip. I end up looking like Alfalfa from the Little Rascals.

This is where I have to do my business. Yep. I think the thing I miss most about America is sitting on a toilet. There is no hurry when sitting on a toilet. You can take your time, do a bit of reading, maybe even clip your fingernails or nod off. With the squatter toilets you want to get out of there as quickly as possible. Especially if you are like me and are still trying to devise a way of sitting on your haunches, hitting the target, and having at least one free hand to grab some toilet paper and wipe. It's easy for the Japanese people...they are flexible and have tiny legs. It takes such agility and flexibility for me, that I would consider making it an event at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Falling for Fall

Fall is my favorite season. My birthday is in the fall. Football is in the fall. Basketball starts in the fall. Thanksgiving is in the fall. But most importantly, the outdoors are absolutely breathtaking in the fall. Cool crisp air and reds, oranges, and yellows always seem to liven up the surroundings, which fell asleep during the long, hot summer days.

Groves of trees which you hadn't even noticed before are now getting more attention than a cute puppy or the big package under the Christmas tree with your name on it. The surrounding mountains here are so colorful that I am beginning to run out of adjectives to describe them. I am now resorting to "Oh wow, I'm in Heaven" and giggling like a little school girl. I don't know if it is Japan, the mountains surrounding me, or all the different species of trees giving different shades of red, but this has been the most beautiful fall I can remember. It is amazing but at the same time I keep wishing I could share these beautiful fall days with someone else. Instead, I am just resorting to posting a few pictures on my blog. Enjoy!

This is one of those lame senior picture poses. You know what I'm talking about.

This is a view from atop a nearby mountain in Ueno. You can't see many colors, but all-in-all the view ain't to shabby.

If you look closely, you can see me and Ashlee's shadows in the valley down below. If you look even closer, it looks like she is trying to push me in. Good thing for my sake that she's not very strong. Ha.

This is a picture of beautiful Uenomura. I am actually pointing at the teacher's dormitory, where I live. As you can tell from the euphoric (and unrehearsed) expression on my face, Uenomura is the place to be. Seriously.

You would think that me being from Minnesota--Land of 10,000 Lakes--I wouldn't get too excited over seeing a lake. Well, Japan is home to about 5 or 6 lakes.