Original textbyAhmadArif, adapted byDarmansjah
Nightbefore, bringingthe windblowing hard. Halfmoonemergedfrom behind thethickclouds. Cold airandraincan suddenlydimdownnodesirecrowdedclimbersgetting readyinPosVKawaguchi-ko, on the slopes ofFuji.
Windowclimbing MountFuji, Japan's highest mountainwith an altitude of3,776meters, which isonlyopenduringthesummermonths ofJuly-August, staying another day. Manyclimbersarereluctant tomiss.
"It's been almost three years in Japan I have never climbed Fuji. Well, I come, "said Fathia Anzilni, old friend who was taking doctoral education in Japan, welcomed my invitation.
During July-August, the snow is usually blanketed peaks Fuji has disappeared. The weather is considered more friendly and warmer temperatures, although sometimes drop to near freezing. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people climb Fuji during these two months. Based on data from Japan's Ministry of Environment, the climbing season in 2012 Fuji climbers to reach 319,000 people. When averaged, there were 5,316 people a day who climb this mountain for two months.
PostKawaguchi-ko, at an altitude of2,300meters, includingthe mostpopularfor hikersbecause it canbe accessedby busfromShinjukuStationinTokyoto2,600yenone-wayfare. In addition, along theascent routeto the summitKwaguchiknownas theYoshidalinethere are manystallsthat providefoodandbeverages, room fora break, until theoxygentube.
Than throughKawaguchi, actuallythere arethreeotherclimbinggates, namelySubashiri, Fujinomiya, andGotemba. Wechoosea busthatdeparts at04:50 PMfromShinjukuandarrivedatPosVKawaguchiat 07.50 pm.
Stillenough time. AscentofPos VKawaguchitoPos Xor PeakFujiestimatedsix toeighthours. Afterfillingthe stomachwithhotudonnoodles, thenmeetwith awaterbagandtwopacks ofonigiri(rice ball type), wewerepreparing tocatchthe morning sunontop of MountFuji.
Almost at 09.00pm. The climbers one by one disappeared in the dark hiking trail. We followed the directions they disappear. About 15 minutes walking, hiking trail from Pos V still flat, even then declined.
While waiting for other climbers, we capture the views of a settlement in the form of flickering lights at the foot of Fuji, who disguised thousands of fireflies.
A man whocamefrom thedirection ofPosVemerge fromthe darkness. Westopped himandasked. "It looks just like this,"he saidfriendly. "I justclimbedFujionce."
The mancontinued totalkwhilewalking."After the age of50years, Iwas alsofinally abletoFuji. It'smy goalbefore I die, "he said.
Protectedfiguredark of night. Ido not want tobother himwith questionsthat are personal. Wechoose to enjoya conversationwithoutintroducingthemselvesto each other. "At leastoncein lifeJapanesepeoplehaveclimbedto the summit ofFuji,"he saidbeforedisappearingin the dark.
Exceptional mountain
For the Japanese, Fuji was special. Hundreds of years, the highest mountain in the country has been a source of inspiration. Many poems, writings, paintings inspired by the charm of Fuji. The mountain is also one of the followers of the spiritual orientation of the center of Shinto, the traditional religion in Japan. Some Shinto shrine established in Mount Fuji, reminiscent of the many temples and shrines built on volcanoes in Indonesia.
Fuji is actually an active volcano located at the junction of three tectonic plates collision active: Amurian plate (Eurasia), Okhotsk Plate (America), and the Philippine Plate. When last erupted in 1707, Fuji ash falls to Tokyo which is about 100 kilometers.
In June 2013, the Mount Fuji established as one of the eight world heritage by the United Nations. The climb to Fuji this year also added crowded. Not only teenagers, but parents until the children were mostly found in Fuji climbing lane.
In contrast tothe mountainsinIndonesia, whichtracksmostlyleft naturalandoftenmisleading, hiking trailFujipackedintoconvenientfor tourists. Someroadshave been madeandbraided ropeladderstonefence offa cliff.
Exhaustedclimberscanstayandeatatthemanyfound in almostevery stop. Toiletswereavailable at thepeak ofthetariff¥ 200perperson. Notonly that, ineachpost, climberscan getsouvenirs typicalFuji, thestampisengravedonwoodensticksto markwehadto get there. Thesestickscan bepurchased atPostVfor ¥1200 and¥200 foronestamp.
Windchill
Hiking trailto MountFujiislike anight marketalone. Climberssnaking, hand in handalong thesteepascentthatstartsfrom the PostVII. Severaltimeswehad towaitin line.
04.30am. Fujipeakcloser, buttheuphillroadanddense. The cold windblowingdustflewfaster and faster, evengravelstinging duringgrabbingface.
Some ofthe exhaustedclimberschooseto restin theflat landsurrounding-gate woodentoriigate, usuallypaintedredwhichconnectsto asacredplace-not far from thesummit. Theycrouchedbehind athickjacketand ashoulder toeach other, while waiting forthe sunrise.
05.00. a.m, a thickfogsuddenly came. Temperature of4degreesCelsiusandthe windrushingattacks.However, the climberswhohad beenwaitingat the topdid not move. "The sunrise was incrediblemomentfor the Japanese. RememberOurcountryis often called'the City of Sunrise, "Masahide Sasakisaid, solo climberfromTokyo. "Waiting for the sunriseatopFujimore special."
So specialsunrisefromFuji, the Japanesehave their own termstocall it, isgoraiko.
Lavender colorfinallypaintedskyon the eastern horizon. Andat about5:20, thesun-awaited emerged. Solarraysled toa row ofthe lakeat the foot ofthe originalFujidisappeared. Lake surfacereflectsthe colorsilver. Onlya fewseconds the sundisappearedagain. Then camebackagaina fewsecondsanddisappear.
As soon asthe sun rose, people cheered.
"Goraiko ...goraiko," said Sasaki. Hethenoffered tophotograph mewiththe backgroundgoraiko. In return, he asked me totake a picturewiththe same background. "Sorry, Idid notbringa camera. Allowyoumy photoand thensent toFacebookore-mail tome? "He saidrepeatedlyutterarigatouand bowed.
Ah, one photo shots can make new friendships. Fuji is full of inspiration, but it all ultimately depends on how we interpret it. Fuji winds are roaring and painful skin can be a valuable souvenir, as written haiko poet of the Edo period, Matsu Basho (1644-1649); The wind from Mt Fuji - I put it on the fan - Here, the souvenir from Edo ...