Month: August 2024

Chimes and Lotus: Summer in Ueno Park

Susan Spann Blog, Flowers in Japan, Travel & Tourism , , , ,
Chimes and Lotus: Summer in Ueno Park

In mid-July, author friend Jonelle Patrick and I headed over to Ueno Park to see the lotus in bloom on Shinobazu Pond, just before the start of the Ueno Natsu Matsuri (Summer festival). Lotus blossoms open early in the morning, and close before noon, so you need to get up early to catch them at their peak. We arrived at the pond before 9 a.m., and walked around to the place where the festival setup was going on. The stands were still under construction, but the hundreds of furin (風鈴)–Japanese wind bells–were already hung and chiming away in the breeze.

Read more

Foodie Friday: Yuzu Jure

Susan Spann Blog, Food , , , , ,
Foodie Friday: Yuzu Jure

On a recent trip to visit friends in Tochigi Prefecture, I saw a bottle of “Yuzu Jure” in the saké section of a farmer’s market. I like saké, and I love yuzu, so although I had no idea what it was, I bought the bottle and brought it home. Before opening it, I consulted the Internet, and although a search for “yuzu jure” didn’t bring up anything in English, I was able to find the website of a saké merchant that sells alcoholic beverages produced in Tochigi prefecture–and, lo and behold, the exact Yuzu Jure I bought was also on

Read more

Sea of Clouds

Susan Spann Blog, Nature in Japan, Travel & Tourism , , ,
Sea of Clouds

One of my favorite natural phenomena–in Japan or otherwise–is the “sea of clouds” (unkai) that you sometimes see while climbing (or traveling in airplanes). It’s neat to see from a plane, but–to me at least–truly special and magical when you see it standing outside, on a trail. The clouds look so soft and puffy, and have so much character. I shot these pictures during my recent (second) climb of Mt. Fuji–always a great place to see the sea of clouds, when the weather cooperates! I climb for many reasons, but this one definitely ranks high among them. Have you seen

Read more

Mt. Fuji, Take Two: Only a Fool

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, 1000 Summits Hikes, Hikes , , , , , , ,
Mt. Fuji, Take Two: Only a Fool

In May, I got a phone call from my friends Erica Berglund and (fellow author) Laura VanArendonk Baugh, who had a spur of the moment idea about climbing Mt. Fuji this year. I hadn’t officially planned to climb Mt. Fuji a second time. In fact, a Japanese proverb about the mountain says “every wise man climbs [Mt. Fuji], [but] only a fool climbs [Fuji] twice.” However, I’m always up for an adventure, so the three of us decided to risk the mercurial summer weather and head for the summit on July 15. We spent the night before the climb in

Read more