Stunning pics!

Sugoi pictures.

Yeah,they might have it in other countries but you're not in other countries are you?! Any snow to me is amazing because a] you don't get any down here and b] I get plenty of time off because no-one knows how to get rid of it! There's plenty in Wales. I bet they know what to do.

Japan is great. And I hope that it would be well. I would like to travel towards japan anyone in my life.

During this tsunami,I've kept thinking "Should I just go to South Korea instead?" then I've thought "Nah!" I'll do the rest of Asia and of course Oceania when I live in Japan!

What I love about Japan is they really know how to make things epic,even if I don't know what the correct term for something is. The best thing I saw in Japan was we were walking along,and there just happened to be some kind of dance/martial arts festival on in the middle of Ikebukuro. And it was totally free. I don't know what it's called. There were like teams from all over Japan and each one did a kind of dance but with music and a voiceover. It was on on Sunday as well. They just never seem to stop. They must be powered by rocket fuel or something. They might just want our money but at least the entertainment is free.

The weird thing is I never saw any other non-Japanese people in Ikebukuro but I look at the photos after[and I've seen these photos loads of times] and I just realised the other day there was a Black Indian woman there too! I don't know how I missed that. This was also the time some bald old guy turned round and stared at me. He was obviously annoyed that a foreigner dared to step out of his little box! I just kept smiling.

Wonderful pics. I also may have to change my wallpaper...

Today was a beautiful day for another trip up into the mountains. Went up Iwao-nupuri (1154m). I drove up to Goshiki-onsen which is just below the peak at an altitude of around 750m.

On the way up


And up. Mt Annupuri (1308m) in the background.


Getting close to the top


At the top. You can see Kutchan, the town where I live, on the plain to the left of the rocks.


Mt Yotei (1898m) in the background


View to the west along the range. The Sea of Japan top right.


Taking in the view


Skied back down to Goshiki and had an onsen. Really nice way to spend a few hours.

Skied? That looks like a snowboard on your back in the photo. Or is that a friend?

Awesome terrrain available there!

best,

................john

I actually went up by myself but met up with those guys on the way up (they are actually friends as well). They all boarded but I am a skier.