Storm at the peak of Mount Fuji

I have posted this stuff in my other blog in Bahasa Indonesia. This posting is just an English version, because I'm just to tired (or lazy) to make a new vision.

This year is my second time to do (富士登山) (Fujitozan - climb mount Fuji) after I did it before at 2005 without any satisfaction, because I couldn't make it to watch sunrise from the peak of mount Fuji. It was cloudy and I found that the peak had shrouded with mist that you would never saw anything beyond 5 meters. So this year, I join my other 3 mates to conquer mount Fuji and fulfill my hope to watch the sunrise from the peak.

Maybe our preparations were not very good, at least I have been checked the weather forecast that during our climb schedule days, the weather will be 曇り時々晴れ (cloudy occasionally clear). I hope that the clear weather will overcome the cloudy. Everything seems to be fine and we were starting to climb about 7 o'clock in afternoon from 五合目 (Gogoume - the fifth station), Fujinomiya. Nothing special happen during our climb until we were arriving at 九合目 (Kyuugoume - the ninth station) when the storm has come. One of my friend feels not so well and decided to quit and wait until the storm over then return to Gogoume. The rest three of us, including me, still curious to conquer the mount even in the rainstorm and keep our trudge continued.

At the peak of mount Fuji. Shrouding by rainstorm

We were reaching the 3776 meters of mountain peak and found that rainstorm was not passing over yet, it was more and more wilder than before and forced us sheltering in a Jinja (Shinto's shrine) with another hikers. After waiting 5 hours and there was no sign that the rainstorm will over yet, we decide to hike down before dusk and dark have shrouding us and make it harder to trek down the mountain.

During hiking down. Storm was not passing over yet

Slowly but sure, we set out from the Jinja and trek down step by step toward Kyuugoume, Hachigoume and finally Nanagoume. From Nanagoume, pouring rain has became drizzled although it still strong wind but our trek was getting easier. At Gogoume, we reunite with our friend that had return earlier and all of us can go home from rainstorm at the peak of mount Fuji safe and sound.

How about watch sunrise from mount Fuji's peak? Just forget it! We didn't find a clear weather, let alone watch the sunrise. Glad to reach my dormitory without any serious injury, only some scratches and contusion on my knee. Well, I think I will hate stairs for three days, at least. :(

NB.
I found this news later and it happened at the same day with our climbing day. I feel very lucky that I am still breathing right now. Thanks God....

Wish upon a star at Tanabata

笹の葉　さらさら
Sasa no ha sara-sara
軒端にゆれる
Nokiba ni yureru
お星様　キラキラ
Ohoshi-sama kira-kira
金銀砂子
Kingin sunago


The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle,
Shaking away in the eaves.
The stars go twinkle, twinkle;
Gold and silver grains of sand.

(Traditional Tanabata song)

Today is the Tanabata day.
What is Tanabata?
Tanabata, “the night of the seventh”, is a holiday usually celebrated on July 7th every year. It has roots in the Chinese Qi Xi festival, but has a unique character in Japanese culture. It is primarily celebrated at night time when the stars are in view. Many local areas held the festivals in parks around July 7th, and there is often a call for people to turn off their lights in the evening so that the stars, Vega and Altair, will be more easily visible.

The hanging wish papers on the bamboo branch. Hirose-kun took the branch from somewhere.

As many festivals around the world, Tanabata also have several folk tales behind the festival. The most famous folklore originated from Chinese legend about love story between Niulang (Altair) the cow herder and Zhinu (Vega) the beautiful fairy. If you ever heard the legend of Jaka Tarub and Seven Goddess you will find similarities between them including the plot of Niulang steal the fairy’s clothes. You can find their tragic love story in another site if you want. This story give several cultural impact to China and even influence Japan, Korea and Vietnam's culture with their own story version. The Chinese legend was passed to Japan during the feudal period and combined with traditional local customs to become an official event at the Imperial Court. Soon, commoners began observing this festival with different localities developing their own distinctive ways of celebrating. Niulang’s Japanese version was called Hikoboshi (cow herder star) and Zhinu version as Orihime (weaving princess).

The original Tanabata date was based on the Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is about a month behind the Gregorian calendar. As a result, some festivals are held on July 7, some are held on a few days around August 7, while the others are still held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is usually in August in the gregorian calendar.

Hirose-kun hanging the wish paper to the bamboo branch

Recently in Japan, people celebrate Tanabata by writing wishes or sometimes with poems on a small piece of paper and hanging or tied them on bamboo branch with some other decoration. To ensure secrecy, the bamboo is placed into a nearby river or burned after the festival ends. Originally, these wishes were meant to be for increased abilities or talents, but today can be any wish deeply desired.

The Tanabata Festival is celebrated throughout Japan with a variety of carnivals and customs. Many regions hold decoration competitions or parades, and some even have beauty pageants to crown a Miss Tanabata. Special decorations like paper kimono and cranes are hung to ask for specific blessings such as long life or good business. Colorful paper streamers decorate the streets in honor of the strips of cloth used by the weaver of the legend.

We also celebrate Tanabata in our laboratory by write our wish on a small piece of paper and hanging it on a bamboo branch. Takero write a wish if he can take a cute cat as his pet. Dai-chan wish a peace world without violence (hehehe... seriously???), The others wish to get a good job after graduate from university, since the economy crisis hit Japan and make it harder to get. I just wish for good health and wealth in my life, a wish to the supreme God, not to the star.