Mmm, how to get to the peaks without a driver’s license. Short of hitching and nightbuses, I’d be tempted to retake the test. A Canadian friend in the same position eventually went to a school in Tokyo that teaches the test entirely in English (the same school where Charles Jenkins took his!), but it was not cheap.

For me, doing the 100 has become more than just peak-bagging. I had got into a rut of hiking in Okutama almost every weekend. Having to travel across the country has opened my eyes to the far-flung beauty of Japan. May you take the same plunge!

Marja-Leena, sad to say, no climbing or hiking. Much too dangerous. There have been major floods throughout the country and more people have died in the mountains this summer than I’ve ever heard of before, mostly due to landslides, but quite a few due to lightning hits, too. I couldn’t even get out of my town for several days because the trains had stopped so often due to floods.

RR, dancing it is! During the lulls the crickets have been entertaining me en masse. Quite a lot of joy there!

Taintus, for mountain climbers this has been a truly awful summer. It must have been a disaster for all the mountain huts that rely on all the walkers during the summer. Though I live right by the ocean (10 kilometers away, Kujukuri, the longest beach in Japan), I’m not really a beach person (though I love sea kayaking and want to learn scuba diving), and since there are not even any reasonable hiking trails nearby it is hard to find anything to do on the shorter days when traveling five hours to the nearest slopes is not an option. So I envy your living in the countryside of Nagano! It must be beautiful there!

Sally, your words bring back wonderful memories! How I miss your company. When we camped on Mt. Houhou I wanted so much to warn you and J. that the site you had both selected would probably not do well in a rainstorm, but I dreaded saying anything to J. He seemed angry with me or else proud of his own mountaineering skills and I didn’t want to step on that. I hope one day we get to take a hike together again. I most definitely will visit your area some time, and I wouldn’t miss any chance to see you again.

Rana, It’s so weird to think that I, who has a strong aversion to four walls, could spend several weeks holed up in this shoe box. Every time I take the train to work and pass my apartment, I look out the window and am amazed by just how small it is! And I actually hole up in there!!! I’m certain that a mind hindered by walls and ceilings and unable to perceive and open itself to the expanse of the sky must somehow go through a kind of neurosis.

Julian! So wonderful to have you here! I’ve been following your 100 Mountains posts and quietly cheering you on as you and Hana pocket one peak after another. You’ve truly inspired me to attempt to bag the 100, too, and may actually start officially walking them this autumn as my 1 to 2-day sanity restoration therapy that you suggest. I’ve actually already walked quite a number of the 100, but never really counted them before. One problem is that I don’t have a car or a driver’s license (my American one expired a while back) and so getting to some of the mountains is expensive (I can’t take paying ¥15,000 one way to get to the trailhead and then another ¥15,000 to get back down. $300.00 just for access? Oy weh!)

Everyone, you just have to check out Julian’s site, “Hanameizan”. It’s a joy to read, especially if you like hiking and dogs!

Let’s hope the autumn brings settled blue skies and you can find the time for even a 1 or 2-day trip to restore your sanity.