April 20. Some of the members of our international club at Shizuoka University, YASHIO, gathered at Gokoku Shrine in Shizuoka City to hike up the intown mountain Yatsuyama, all 108 meters of it. Only 108 meters, but we climbed, we felt joy breathing in air at the top, and we were able to look out over the ocean and the city–so of course Yatsuyama is a mountain. No question about it.
Eleven of us went. It’s hard to manage a hike with so many people with so much different experience hiking–so I was so happy that we could find the right pace–and that everyone could have a great time. In many ways, we were a lot like the flying carp at Gokoku Shrine, all different colors, flying here and there, but somehow all together.
Or maybe like the dandelions. Just out in the fresh air, enjoying the day, feeling blessed in a simple sort of way.
Pretty happy I’d say, wouldn’t you? This day, we were from Japan, China, and Indonesia.
And the cameraman, moi, representing the Western Hemisphere.
When you’re happy like this, it does something to your eyes. You see better.
Some hikers thought the cherry blossoms resembled a heart. One thought they looked like the face of a praying manus.
We’re lucky to have in Shizuoka so many varieties of cherry trees–they all bloom at slightly different times, making for a long and glorious season.
