Volcanoes: Fuji
1968: Japan; 12,389 ft
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In 1968 two PCV's (Barbara Nottingham and David Almquist) and I flew to Japan for a several week tour of the country. At our first stop, Tokyo, we ambled over to the famous Imperial Hotel, designed by Frank LLoyd Wright, and asked at the front desk if we could look around. We explained we were Peace Corps Volunteers, and unable to afford staying there. The front desk clerks huddled for a moment, then told us we could stay for free (!). It turns out that Japan had just begun the JOVC (Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers) program, modeled after the Peace Corps, to great acclaim in Japan. We were royalty!
So we got a gorgeous suite with handmade stained glass, Ooa stone reliefs, and funky oak chairs. Not too shabby a deal.
A Frank Lloyd Wright chair he designed for the Imperial Hotel.
Once esconced in our luxurious suite, I plotted my next move: a climb up Mt. Fujl. It sounded doable: a two hour bullet train to Kawaguchiko 5th station, then up to the summit (about 6 miles) along the trail in 5 hours, and back to the train station in giant steps in the pumice beside the trail in about an hour. Throw in an hour or so for stops at the many tea stations and to get my hiking stick stamped and Voila! I should be back at the hotel by dinner time. And that is exactly what happened.
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