I feel a bit homesick for my forests. I love strolling off the trail and sticking my nose in a flower or the dirt, running my hand over mossy tree trunks. This is no unique desire among many Americans. Some of us have had the privilege of growing up climbing trees and jumping into lakes. […]

I thought I was prepared for my visit to Nara Park, home to hundreds of Japanese sika deer. I’d seen friends’ selfies with the wide-eyed animals and heard about tourists feeding them the crackers sold by local vendors. I even passed a television screen in the train station of a cartoon deer on two feet […]

Although Mt. Fuji is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Japan’s natural landscape, another landform, tucked away near the tip of the Kii Peninsula, rivals Fuji in both beauty and cultural significance. Such a place is Nachi-no-taki, a waterfall that towers over the surrounding woodland like Mt. Fuji dominates above the five lakes. Although Nachi Falls […]

It’s hard to find something so significant to a country that also means different things to each person.  For the past 7 weeks, it’s been interesting to see how Mt. Fuji serves a variety of purposes for the Japanese from recreation to business.  Those who have either climbed Fuji or live near it all have […]

Hello, Lewis and Clark Fuji Summer Program student. Yōkoso! You’ve made it to Japan, and made it through the first half of your program. Aren’t you excited to climb Mount Fuji?! Most people take a bus up from the fifth station and climb up from there, but you seem like you’re in good shape. Want […]