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Gary J. Wolff's BlogGary J. Wolff's blog is my mini-journal about GaryJWolff.com. It...
Enjoy... Cheers, Recent website updates (at bottom of the page) Feel free to share your comments below. Sept. 24, 2016 - Video of GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip0:00 Smokey Bear Historical Park museum, Capitan, New Mexico 1:13 Headwaters of the Pecos River, Cowles, New Mexico 1:48 Runners receiving cheers after Pikes Peak Ascent, Manitou Springs, Colorado 2:38 Tom preparing BBQ Mexican tacos 3:24 Wind turbines in southeast Wyoming 3:57 Horse-drawn stagecoach in Jackson, Wyoming 4:21 Eruption of Old Faithful geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 8:04 Inside Lake Yellowstone Hotel lobby, Yellowstone National Park 8:28 Mud Volcano, Yellowstone National Park 9:17 Lower Falls (from Artist Point), Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone 9:39 BIG buffalo walking down the highway, Yellowstone National Park 10:27 Upper Falls, viewed from Uncle Tom's Parking Area, Yellowstone National Park 11:08 Brink of the Lower Falls, Yellowstone National Park 12:54 Glacier Park Lodge, E. Glacier, Montana 13:33 Mountain stream on Highline Trail, Glacier National Park 14:11 Aster Falls, Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park 14:52 Grizzly bear sow with her 2 cubs, Hwy. 2, just west of E. Glacier 15:38 Musician Benjamin from Austin, performing in Glacier Park Lodge 18:28 Amtrak train, departing eastbound from West Glacier railroad depot 19:37 Gödöllő, Hungary sub-camp of Area 3 during the 1967 Boy Scout World Jamboree, Farragut State Park, Idaho 20:06 Flock of wild turkeys near Scott Field in Farragut State Park 21:23 Ranger Lisa leading the Fiery Furnace Tour in Arches National Park, Utah 22:06 Grand View Point Overlook, Island in the Sky district, Canyonlands National Park, Utah 22:33 Horseshoe Bend Overlook, Colorado River, Glen Canyon, Arizona 23:54 Wahweap Overlook, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Hwy. 89 north of Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona 24:32 Ranger Rachel leading the 8:30 am Nature Walk near the Grand Canyon North Rim Visitor Center, Arizona 25:50 Texaz Grill steakhouse, Phoenix, Arizona 26:35 Max's Sports Bar, Glendale, Arizona 27:10 Phoenix Texas Exes, Football Game Watch Party vs. Notre Dame, Thirsty Lion Sports Bar, Tempe, Arizona 30:39 Piestewa Peak hiking trail, Phoenix, Arizona 32:24 Valley Metro light rail train station, N. 19th Ave. @ W. Northern Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 33:19 Live country music band & children's slide, Rustler's Rooste, South Mountain, Phoenix 34:12 Entrance ramp meter traffic lights, southbound I-17, Phoenix 34:26 Interpretive trail signs, Picacho Peak State Park, Arizona 35:56 Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona 36:51 Brian entertaining us with his guitar 39:08 New Mexico landscape panorama 39:26 Highlights from the 263-acre Windlinger Ranch in the beautiful Texas hill country Sept. 18, 2016 - GW's 2016 Wild West Road TripIt was an absolutely amazing trip...28 days, nearly 7700 miles, 8 states, 10 national parks, and an uncountable number of national forests... connecting with my past & visiting places thru the years where I've lived, worked, and camped out as a Boy Scout.I hope you enjoy my nearly 800 pics @ Flickr. Cheers! Aug. 4, 2016 - YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN TEXAS IN AUGUST WHEN...
July
31, 2016 - In
Loving Memory of Don Davis
Three years ago today our wonderful, longtime American friend went to
be with the Lord at the ripe young age of only 60, after fighting a
brief illness in a Tokyo hospital. Don was one of the most gracious
human beings one could ever know, and was a longtime entertainer for
young Japanese children in English education stage shows conducted in
public halls all over Japan. |
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"If you come to Japan and
don't climb Mt. Fuji, you're a fool; but if
you climb it more than once, you're an even BIGGER
fool."  --old Japanese proverb, especially tailored for gaijin-- |
July 6, 2016 - Japanese post office drop box with thatched roof
I spotted this on my way to work this morning. Never a dull moment in Japan!
Japanese post office drop box with thatched roof
June 26,
2016 - The mysterious vanishing Japanese ducks
Now you see them, now you don't. The mysterious vanishing Japanese ducks
(If player above is not visible, you can view video @ YouTube here.)
June 19, 2016 - THE BIGGEST THREAT TO FATHERHOOD
"As we celebrate Father's Day, we should ponder the sad plight of the 20 million American children who are growing up without their fathers in the home. Among other unfortunate effects, the trends toward non-marriage.....are a direct attack on fathers.The bond between a child and his mother is an obvious fact of nature, but marriage is the relationship that establishes the link between a child and his father.
There are many causes for the dramatic reduction in marriage, starting with unilateral (no-fault) divorce, which spread across the United States in the 1960s and '70s, putting government on the side of marriage breakup.
Since the federal government created the child-support bureaucracy, the majority of divorces have been initiated by women.
They confidently expect that pro-feminist family courts will award them a steady income for which they will never be held accountable.
The more child support that divorced fathers are ordered to pay, the more federal funds flow through the hands of the states, which compete for federal bonuses given to states that collect the most child support.
It is profitable to state bureaucrats to make sure that fathers are permitted to see their own children only a few days per month, so support payments can be set at the highest possible level.
Women have discovered they can use a request for an Order of Protection against their husband as "the gamesmanship of divorce" (in the words of the Illinois Bar Journal) in order to get sole child custody plus generous so-called "child support."
It's easy to get such orders without any evidence of abuse or even a threat, without notice to the husband and with no danger of prosecution for perjury.
Federal and state laws and subsidies that undermine marriage are the biggest fiscal as well as cultural issue of our times."
Phyllis Schlafly
June 14, 2011
*********
God bless all the wonderful fathers in the world, especially those who've made the ultimate sacrifice to help keep our world safe. Here's a tribute to my own dad, a world-famous softball pitcher, who went to be with the Lord in 2004: http://walterwolff.com/
Walter Wolff strikes out 17 straight hitters and 20 of 21 for the game as Metallic of Houston defeated Yazoo, Mississippi 3-0 in a 1965 tournament in Lake Charles, Louisiana. (American Press staff photo by Sam Guillory)
June 17, 2016 - Japanese university English speech contest
This university's ESS (English speaking society) holds a speech contest every June, a recitation contest just for college freshmen, where they recite from memory a famous speech from history, like JFK's inaugural address, Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech, Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement address, etc. These kids were AMAZING!! And it was my honor to be able to help judge the contest again this year.
Japanese university English speech contest finalists
(ALL WOMEN!)
June
10, 2016 - Are you a Twit Face?
June
4,
2016 - I'm famous! (ha-ha)
Yours truly will appear in next month's (July) issue of Japan Up!
magazine, a free English publication widely distributed in Japanese
restaurants, supermarkets, and other stores in the Los Angeles,
California area introducing authentic Japanese cuisine, trends, and
culture. Hoo wah!! 
May 27, 2016 - Japanese university ESS (English Speaking Society) speech contest
I never cease to be amazed at the ambition of some Japanese university students who are so passionate in improving their English and public speaking skills. For the 7th consecutive year, on Sunday, May 22, 2016 I had the pleasure of helping judge a university student English speech contest sponsored by my university's ESS (English Speaking Society). These 2nd-year students were truly amazing, sacrificing an entire day to give by memory in front of 100 people a 7-min. speech which they composed themselves.
May 20, 2016 - Mt. Ushiokunogangaharasuriyama (牛奥ノ雁ヶ腹摺山)
Is this possibly the longest mountain name in all of Japan?This pic was posted recently in the "Hiking in Japan" Facebook group, and having scaled 38 of Japan's 50 tallest peaks, it really jolted my attention. Loosely translated, I believe it means "Rubbing the belly of a wild goose inside a cow" Mountain. Wow, how funny!
For anyone interested in hiking to the top of this 1990m peak in Yamanashi Prefecture which offers an excellent panoramic view of Mt. Fuji, here's some information in Japanese including route map and here's the Google Map.
Mt. Ushiokunogangaharasuriyama
(Photo credit: Lan Jin)
p.s. This reminds me of a story written by a Japanese university student a few years ago about the longest train station name in the world, the "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch" train station in Wales. Wow!
May
13,
2016 - Tokyo's famous train riding cat
A cool cat has brought fame to Tokyo's otherwise ordinary Seibu
Ikebukuro Line, bringing plenty of smiles to commuters & animal
lovers, many of whom get on just to have a chance of meeting this very
special feline passenger. Apparently, the cat travels on his own and decides where to get on & off. And it is said that the cat has even learned proper train etiquette, keeping himself neatly in a compact manner to save room for other passengers to sit, yet taking the liberty to spread out for a nice cat nap when the train isn't so packed.
Generally, in Japan animal carriers are required for pets on trains, however, for the time being, the Seibu Ikebukuro Line seems to be turning a blind eye to this popular feline commuter.
Source: http://www.lovemeow.com/feline-1708143982.html (click open to see more cute cat pics)
Tokyo's famous train riding cat
(Photo credit: Twitter: @manpukuoya)
May 4, 2016 - Have you noticed that bright orange "star" in the lower southeast sky?
The red planet Mars is often difficult to see, as it’s not a very large planet. But every 2 years, around the time we pass between Mars and the sun, the planet brightens dramatically and becomes a splendid sight in our night sky. That’s happening right now.In fact, we’re now less than a month away from the planet’s May 22 opposition, when Earth will pass between Mars and the sun. When Mars then reaches its crest of brightness, it will have quadrupled in brilliance since the beginning of April.
Mars is easy to spot in the lower southeast sky, and although it's not so bright, you can also see Saturn a little down to the left of Mars, as well as Antares, one of the sky’s brightest stars in the constellation Scorpius, almost directly below Mars. In early May, Mars rises at about 9 p.m. local time at mid-northern latitudes.
2016 is a grand year for seeing Mars. The best months for Mars viewing in 2016 are May and June. But the planet remains bright throughout the summer of 2016. Don't miss it!
Mars, Saturn, & Antares, May 2016
[Note: Because Fri. 5/6 is the new moon, the next week is a good time to see Mars in a dark sky without any interference from a bright moon.]
May 4, 2016 - Japanese windmill house (風車の家)
While out on my mountain bike during Golden Week a few years ago, the highlight of that day was to run across an elderly lady's home adorned by an uncountable number of handmade windmills (kazaguruma, 風車). As you can see in the video below, most of these windmills are made from aluminum drink cans and PET bottles. According to the nice lady, making these amazing windmills is her son's hobby.May 2,
2016 - Can you tell that it's azalea season in Tokyo?
Just LOVE this color! The 2016 Bunkyo Azalea Festival at
Nezu Shrine, one of
the best places to view azaleas in Tokyo, runs thru Thurs. 5/5.
Tokyo azaleas
May 1, 2016 - Sumo's all-time winningest wrestler hawks Mickey D's new Grand Big Mac
Mongolian yokozuna grand champion sumo wrestler Hakuho, the most successful sumo wrestler in Japanese sumo history, is the new poster boy for Mickey D's Grand Big Mac. And having twice tried it myself, although the taste I believe is exactly the same as a Big Mac, I can assure you that this burger is truly GRAND!! Forget the fries or other side orders, as it's a meal all by itself.
Hakuho & McDonald's Japan's new Grand Big Mac
April 30,
2016 - Geisha girl bento
Japanese people are SO creative! But wait....isn't she a little too
gorgeous to eat?!! 
Geisha girl bento
April 28, 2016 - 35 flying koinobori (鯉幟, carp streamers) along the Edo River (江戸川) in Tokyo
It's that time of year in Japan again....GOLDEN WEEK!! To celebrate Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no hi), May 5, one of the 4 national holidays during this week-long holiday period, "koinobori (鯉幟)," or carp streamers, are flown around the country in honor of Japanese children in the hope that they will grow up healthy, strong, & happy. These koinobori were flying along the banks of the Edo River (江戸川) on an absolutely gorgeous day in Tokyo.35 flying koinobori (鯉幟, carp streamers)
along the Edo River (江戸川) in Tokyo
(If player above is not visible, you can view video @ YouTube here.)
April
17, 2016 - Attention university students! The Odakyu Railway Co. is
hiring.
And your dream job is waiting for you as a train station
attendant.
Make up to ¥1,300(~$12)/hour if you're willing to brave the morning
crush hour from 7:00-9:30 am. 
Odakyu Railway Co. help wanted poster
Tokyo, Japan
April
13,
2016 - Japanese mini-steam locomotive (ミニＳＬ)
Wow, even a shinkansen!
In Gyotoku Ekimae Koen & operated the 2nd Sun. of every month
(except August) by the Ichikawa Steam Railway Club. Google map for
Gyotoku Ekimae park: http://g.co/maps/tbekfJapanese mini-steam locomotive (ミニＳＬ)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video @ YouTube here.)
April 9,
2016 - Stair climbing calorie consumption
Ever wondered exactly how many calories you burn up when walking up the
stairs? Well, the Japanese have you covered. In fact, they have it down
to an exact science in the famous Tokyu Hands household goods store in
Shibuya, Tokyo. From the B2 (2nd basement) floor all the way up to the top 6th floor, they've put the cumulative calories consumed on each stairstep! WOW! Only in Japan!
 Calories consumed, from bottom of B2 floor |
 Calories consumed, @ top of 6th floor |
Bonus question for extra credit: How many total stairsteps are there in the Tokyu Hands Shibuya store?
(The
first
person to post the correct answer in the comments section below is the winner!)April 8, 2016 - Nihonbashi Sakura Dori light & music show
As part of the 2016 Nihonbashi Sakura Festival, visitors to the vibrant and historical Nihonbashi Sakura Dori between the Coredo Muromachi 1 and 2 restaurant and shopping complexes are being treated to an immersive projection mapping light and music show which wraps you in an authentic feeling of the sakura season, as if the cherry blossoms are snowing down upon you. 3/18(Fri)–4/10(Sun), 5:30-8:00pmNihonbashi Sakura Dori light & music show
(If player above is not visible, you can view video @ YouTube here.)
April 1,
2016 - Cherry Blossom Season 2016
Yep, it's that time of year again! Even after a quarter-century in
Japan, it never gets old. I wish we'd had a little more sunshine today,
but some of my pics turned out pretty well anyways.Please check out my 36-pic Flickr cherry blossom album if you get a chance. Chidorigafuchi Park, without question one of the most popular spots to view cherry blossoms in Tokyo (especially for the nighttime lightup), was stunning (and very CROWDED) as always.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog archives:
Website
Updates
Sep 24, 2016
Video of GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip
0:00 Smokey Bear Historical Park museum, Capitan, New Mexico, 1:13 Headwaters of the Pecos River, Cowles, New Mexico, 1:48 Runners receiving cheers after Pikes Peak Ascent, Manitou Springs, Colorado, etc...
Click link to view 43-minute YouTube video of my amazing 28-day, 7700-mile road trip around 8 western US states.
Sep 24, 2016
Gary J. Wolff's Blog
Gary J. Wolff's blog keeps you up-to-date with my everyday life in Japan, as well as recent additions/changes to the GaryJWolff.com website.
Sep 23, 2016
Diamond Fuji Viewing Spots, Dates, and Times in Tokyo
A listing of the best high-rise spots in Tokyo to view Diamond Fuji with recommended dates, sunset times, admission fees, and links to Google maps.
Continue reading "Diamond Fuji Viewing Spots, Dates, and Times in Tokyo"
Sep 23, 2016
Mt. Kiso-koma-ga-take (木曽駒ヶ岳) and Mt. Utsugi-dake (空木岳), Japan's 25th & 42nd highest peaks
Pics, maps, and trail description of my Aug. 2002 climb of Mt. Kiso-koma-ga-take and Mt. Utsugi-dake in the Central Japan (Chuo) Alps.
Sep 19, 2016
The Highest Mountains in Japan
Listing of the 25 highest mountains in Japan, complete with pics, videos, and descriptions, based on the 2-decade climbing experience of Gary J. Wolff.
Sep 19, 2016
Can we climb Mt. Fuji in October?
Hello Gary, we are looking at climbing Mt Fuji in the first week of October and have been doing some research on your site including reading the FAQ, i
Sep 19, 2016
GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip
It was an absolutely amazing trip...28 days, nearly 7700 miles, 8 states, 10 national parks, and an uncountable number of national forests... connecting with my past & visiting places thru the years where I've lived, worked, and camped out as a Boy Scout.
I hope you enjoy my nearly 800 pics @ Flickr. Cheers!
Sep 18, 2016
Should we climb Mt. Fuji after the season is closed?
We booked Hut 7 for Monday night, but looks like pretty heavy rain on Tuesday. We have reasonable gear, but everyone says typhoon is coming. Any advice
Continue reading "Should we climb Mt. Fuji after the season is closed?"
Sep 09, 2016
Racing to the top of Mt. Fuji in 1971!
On August 11th, 1971 our Boy Scout Troop arrived at the base of Mt Fuji. We were in Japan for the 13th World Jamboree and our Scout Master, Mr Grubb had
Sep 03, 2016
Are Mt. Fuji descending trails open until Sept. 11, 2016?
Hi there, thanks for the great overview. Looking at the official site (http://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/season) it seems the Yoshida descending trail is
Continue reading "Are Mt. Fuji descending trails open until Sept. 11, 2016?"
Aug 29, 2016
Is a 1-day hike up the Subashiri Trail compatible with the bus schedule?
Hello Gary, Thank you for putting together this website. We want to climb Mount Fuji during the day, Subashiri Trail starting from Gotemba. According
Continue reading "Is a 1-day hike up the Subashiri Trail compatible with the bus schedule?"
Aug 23, 2016
Are sleeping bags or bedding supplied in the Mt. Kita-dake huts?
Hi Gary, Would you be able to tell me please if sleeping bags or bedding is supplied in the huts? Thanks!
Continue reading "Are sleeping bags or bedding supplied in the Mt. Kita-dake huts?"
Aug 21, 2016
Following Subashiri Trail but staying at Ganso-Muro (Yoshida)
I am walking the Subashiri Trail I booked a place at Ganso-Muro (3250m) because It was the 8th station (and only place available) Today I was looking
Continue reading "Following Subashiri Trail but staying at Ganso-Muro (Yoshida) "
Aug 20, 2016
Mt. Fuji Lockers and Bathrooms
How big are the coin lockers at the 5th Station? I'm looking to stow a hiking backpack and just bring a small backpack of essentials. Will the lockers
Aug 20, 2016
Climbing Mt. Fuji a few days after official close season
Hi Gary, I found your website extremely informative and helpful and I'd like to tap into your vast experience and local knowledge to find out a bit more
Continue reading "Climbing Mt. Fuji a few days after official close season"
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