Monday July 31. First half.

We saw Mt. Fuji!

This was a huge hope. Dependant on weather, luck, and a good guide. And we had all three.

We started with a ropeway up. This isn't the ropeway by our hotel, but a different one in the area. It goes up to Ōwakudani. Ōwakudai is the valley at the top of a mountain, and it is volcanic. There are many fissures (cracks) in the mountain where sulfuric gas comes out. They measure the gasses and determine if it is safe for visitors. The site was closed May 2015-April 2016 because of the gasses. There is a large section of trees that are dead from being suffocated in the gasses. Ōwakudani Is where all the cars were waiting on parking yesterday. Our guide had to convince us that this would be worth the crowds. Also, we realized later part of the clouds is because yesterday was a Sunday and people were off work. Today is a Monday and many of them are back at work.

The view of Fuji was magnificent.

There is a shrine at the top of where tourists can go for prayers for us all.

A great view!

There is a trail and guided hikes a couple of times a day. Along the trail are concrete bunkers in case the hikers or researchers need to shelter.

Hikers and researchers must wear hard hats.

There is a business up here that hard boils eggs in the sulfuric hot water. The iron in the sulfur turn the egg shells black.

An active research place, with guys in hard hats repairing stuff.

These cat cookies hanging on the mug was just so cute.

We are ice cream in a wafer thin cone. I accidentally smashed through my cone with my thumb, it is that thin. A different place up here sold black ice cream colored with charcoal. If I ever come back, I'd try that one.

As we were leaving, we saw the storage of emergency supplies. They are prepared to shelter all the tourists if they have to. By choosing to put the supplies behind glass, instead of hiding it behind something opaque, they have created art of it.

Yes, yes, more toilets. This is the first place on the trip I've seen a squat toilet. I saw it in the restroom, then I discovered the bathroom map in the hall showed where it is. I've seen bathroom maps in some places before, but I didn't look to see if squat toilets were on there - because I didn't realize they would be. Bathrooms tend to have clear labeling for stalls with baby holders, and sinks made for cleaning ostomy bags. Japan seems much more accepting and aware of ostomy bags than America. There is even a bathroom symbol for it.

Yes yes, more cats.

I had seen something of the "Seven Lucky Gods" or "Shichifuku". I had seen something similar on my previous trip, but didn't buy it, and I don't know why. I had also seen these somewhere this trip as figurines, but I didn't know where I would put figurines.

This is a testament to having a native speaker with you . There was no sign on this, so I didn't know if it was for sale or not. We were in a souvenir shop, and it was hanging near other noren (fabric hangings that go over doorways or windows). But I didn't see any packaged ones nearby with prices on them. Our wonderful guide spoke with the shopkeepers and found I could buy this one.

Yea! Lucky Cats!