Thursday, August 16, 2007 Searching for Mt. Fuji By Dorothy Bangayan The Unlonely Planet
MT. FUJI -- not even the faintest outline is evident in the dense fog just as Kayo, our tour guide warned us. We insisted still in going, convincing ourselves that desire is enough to make the mountain show itself.
On a good day, Mt Fuji is clear and grand but today the air is laced with wet white cotton that clung to our skin like dewdrops on a spider's web. The fifth station of Mt Fuji, accessible by car is the start off point for most trekkers. It is official climbing season (July-August) and a plenitude of neon raincoat clad men -- Europeans, Latinos, Malays, Asians crowded the area, despite zero visibility, to attempt to plant the wooden pole strung with a lucky bell at the top of Mt. Fuji.
We stayed inside the stores, a comforting sight of wet floors, indoor heating and tasty treats. After a few harried minutes of mailing postcards to loved ones back home, (for those who did not receive any, that's because I forgot to write down addresses on mine.), we left for a scheduled cruise on a gaudy pirate boat that seemed more Chinese than Japanese, more touristy than authentic.
The ride across the Ashi Lake was supposed to give a good view of Mt. Fuji but still the majesty of the mountains eluded us.
From Hakone, we boarded a shinkasen, (bullet train) to Hamamatsu and from Hamamatsu a ferry boat to Toba where we visited Futamiga couple rock and Ise Shrine.
Futamiga Couple Rock is simple. Two rocks jutting from the sea tied together with a rope. A symbol of a love that once was. The dock was provincial with the subtle pungency of a wet market and fisherman's wives selling fresh abalone, dried scallops, seaweed mix and other delicacies, all hungry for a day's income.
A shrine with turtle statues for luck and circular straw rings that are supposed to cure ailments when rubbed on the body sits beside the sea. But still nothing compared to the vastness of the Ise Shrine at the Mie Prefecture.
Ise Shrine is a complex of a hundred shinto shrines. Passing through a torii, a gate that separates human ground from sacred, we followed the spotless gravel path with towering cedar trees, its forest scent sharp and clean.
There is a pond full of koi, some fat looking roosters, a miniature forest that does not seem miniature at all and a clear clean river that rises above ground level when it rains. The walk from and back took us one hour. I find paying homage more superstitious than service.
Like Hallmark cards, shops sell charms for a hundred million occasions. Buy one for unrequited love, for passing an exam, for happiness, for good business, for marriage. Throw a coin and make your wish come true by writing it on wooden plaques.
Pick a number from wooden cubby holes and exchange it for the day's fortune. Maybe the monks are more enterprising than you will credit them for. Ancient tradition requires two of the shrines be rebuilt every 20 years. Everything from the old must be destroyed. We stared listlessly at this 14 year old shrine, our minds silently wondering if we will ever get the chance to see the shrine or Mt. Fuji again.
* * * * *
I arrived in Davao City last Sunday and found a pleasant surprise -- a cultural dance show at the arrival area. The month long Kadayawan Fiesta has begun. Our airports are clean and orderly, the presentation beautiful and well thought of. Our welcome to tourists is truly world class!
