I had been in Japan for a shade under two months, and there was just two days left in my summer vacation. I had already accomplished the majority of my goals. I had done some shopping in Tokyo. I had seen The Powerpuff Girls Movie. I had done some more writing. I had just one major goal left to accomplish. Fairly close to Kumagaya is Chichibu National Park. It’s a mountain national park, with hiking trails through forested mountain valleys and babbling mountain steams. Now, ever since I got to Japan, I had seen nothing but city. When I first arrived in Tokyo, I was in a city. I had my training in Omiya, which looks like its outside of Tokyo, but the truth is it’s all city in between. I’m now working in Kumagaya, which looks like it too is a far ways from Tokyo, but the truth is it’s all one massive, teeming, megacity. “Urban sprawl” is an understatement. I had a deep desire to see some greenery, so I knew that, before my vacation was over, I just had to get out to the mountains.
Continue reading Don’t Panic Part 1 →