We climb Mt. Tsurugi

 Today Mark took me and four students to Mt. Tsurugi, the highest point in Tokushima Prefecture.  The peak is 1,955 m high.  After a two hour drive to the starting point (about 900 m or so above sea level) it was a 4 km walk up the last 1,000 m elevation.  We ate lunch at the top.  The sky was very clear.  The pictures don't really do the view justice.  Still, here you go.

This is Mark sitting for his lunch.

Here are the students who came with us.  They are all doing Mark's pose.  Apparently in Japan you need to have a pose when your picture is taken.  I guess it prevents you from standing there with your arms hanging awkwardly at your sides. 

 

We chatted a bit.  All of them are in my Comparative Cultures class (of 32).  They asked if I've eaten at Todai, a ramen shop very near campus.  I have not, and when I said "I'm not sure how to order" they said we should all go together.  So, next Saturday evening we are going for ramen.

It was a bit tiring going up, though coming down was harder.  It went faster, for sure, but trying to keep your speed under control as you descend is tough.  After we came down, Mark drove us to the Iya Vine Bridge.  There are actually two bridges - the Male and the Female.  Those identify the bridges, not the people who cross them.  We got our tickets and then walked down to cross them.  

 

After the first one, we made our way to the bank of the river.  We practiced skipping stones, which it seemed none of the students had done before.  Here's a nice waterfall.

 

Then we crossed back on the other bridge.

We then drove another 5 km or so to a scarecrow village.  This older woman has made around 100 scarecrows.  They aren't what you're thinking, all Wizard of Oz-like.  Think hosiery stuffed with batting and dressed.  Like so.

Imagine 100 of these all over a small, mountain village.  In the fields, fixing wiring, working on cars, sitting and talking.  The whole place has an eerie, B-level horror movie feel to it.  I think it would be unsettling to be there at dusk.  This was the only picture I took there because I felt odd.  It's in an old school.  Most of the town you drive past to see things.  This was the only place we entered and I noted that this was also the only time Mark left the car running when we got out of it.

A lot of time outside, and I saw things that I cannot see anywhere else in the world.  A nice end to the weekend, for sure.