Oct. 25, 2021 - Houston Astros headed to the World Series…
...for the 3rd time in the last 5 years! After clinching the American
League pennant against the Boston Red Sox last Friday, the Astros will
be hosting the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, October 26 at Minute Maid
Park in Houston to begin the 2021 World Series.
The Astros have home field advantage, where 4 of the 7 (if necessary)
games will be played in Houston, and will be playing with 3 days of
rest compared to only 2 days for the Braves, which includes the time
required for them to fly to Houston.
In 2017 after the Astros reached the World Series en route to their
world championship, I purchased a new Astros ball cap at the
"Selection" American sporting goods shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Before leaving, the shop staff asked if he could take my picture
wearing my new cap so he could add it to the store's "snap photo"
blog page and I said "Of course."
I’ve been sporting my Houston Astros ball cap for the past week or so, including in my online university classes, and here I am wearing my cap in 2017. Go Astros!
Caption on Selection blog page: ヒューストンからお越しのお客様です！アストロズのキャップ購入頂きました♪キャップを被ってアストロズを応援して下さい＼(^o^)／
Translation: This customer comes from Houston! He bought an Astros cap. Please support the Astros by wearing the cap.
Oct. 12,
2021 - Young Japanese boy softball pitcher (日本の少年ソフトボールのピッチャー)
I almost fell off my bicycle the other day when I
noticed this young boy, I’m guessing no more than 7 or 8 years old,
pitching like a real pro against grown adults in a parents vs. children
softball game. Having grown up watching my Hall of Famer softball
pitcher dad, Walter F. Wolff, I must say I was totally
impressed. And this precious, tiny little boy was SO cute!
Young Japanese boy
softball pitcher (日本の少年ソフトボールのピッチャー)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
One of the beauties of living in the world's most populous metropolis
is how easy it is to get back to nature. Just one example was a couple
days ago when I joined the Jambo International hiking group for a
4-hour mountain hike in Chichibu, Saitama.
Within just a 2-hour train ride from the city, we were enjoying a
beautiful, sunny fall day and enveloped by thick green forests, a
gurgling mountain stream, colorful cosmos flowers, chirping birds, a
stunning scenic overlook of Hanno City, and new friendships with fellow
hikers from around the world.
Countless easy and accessible hiking courses near Tokyo is just one of
many reasons I have chosen to live in this beautiful country for over 3
decades now.
Here is the hiking course, with more details on the Jambo International event page:
Higashi Agano Station (東吾野駅) → Mt. Monomi (物見山) → Mt. Hiwada (日和田山) →
Kinchakuda (巾着田) → Koma Station (高麗駅) (about 4 hours,
およそ約４時間)
Watch this cute little robot deliver orders to tables in this Tokyo
ramen chain restaurant. The future is HERE! Restaurant servers, your
job is in jeopardy...
Korakuen (幸楽苑)
ramen shop robot
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Let's have fun learning English! Edutainment lesson plans on this page
are optional, but if you take the time to do them, they will not only
improve your overall English communication skills, but will also
broaden your cultural horizons to help you become a more successful
international citizen in today's global society!
Cheers to one of my all-time favorite musicians, a remarkable fella I
had the pleasure of rooming with in our college days and hearing his
wonderful tunes and lovely voice almost every day. My favorites in
those days were songs by John Denver and Neil Young. And now, decades
later, he still has his stuff!
HAA3, with the
Shepherd Pickers
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
0:00 Go Rest High On That Mountain
5:43 Little Mountain Church House
7:42 In Constant Sorrow
12:04 Jesus is Just Alright
15:53 Spirit in the Sky
18:53 Everybody Hurts
And a big TEXAS-size hug to his videographer for her excellent camera
work. Thanks for sharing, my
dear friends...
Thirty years ago this month, along with a bunch of other crazy friends,
I climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji's Yoshida Trail, the busiest and most
popular of its 4 trails. Because one of the most visited pages on my
entire website is the Climbing Mt. Fuji (富士山) Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ) page, I felt it was about time to go back and refresh
my data.
To put it into perspective, from the 5th Station trailhead to the top
requires an elevation gain of over 1400 m (4600 ft), equivalent to 3.7
Empire State Buildings or 4.7 Abeno Harukas Buildings (あべのハルカス),
Japan‘s tallest in Osaka. Needless to say, this climb seriously kicked
my rear, but I was thrilled to learn that this sexagenarian's body
could still pull it off.
I hope you have time to check out the stunning beauty of Japan’s
tallest peak, which is also one of its 3 holiest peaks: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWveVV5
(on the Flickr page, click small right arrow in upper right for
automatic slideshow viewing)
Climbing Mt. Fuji's
Yoshida Trail - Aug. 24-25, 2021
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Aug. 9,
2021 - Shikinejima
(式根島), one of the 11 exotic tropical islands of Tokyo
Even
after 3 decades in Dai Nippon, it still blows my mind that one can
enjoy such a beautiful tropical paradise less than a 3-hr boat ride
from the world's most populous metropolis. Shikinejima (式根島), only 3.7
sq km (1.4 sq mi) in size, is the smallest of 11 islands that extend
some 1000 km south of central Tokyo.
Blessed with not only gorgeous white sand beaches, snorkeling, rare
birds, hiking trails, and the Milky Way, this tiny island is also
famous for its seaside open-air hot springs whose temperature varies
with the tide, determined by the amount of seawater that mixes in with
the hot water in the natural rock baths which are free and open 24/7.
Heaven on earth.
Shikinejima (式根島), one of the 11 exotic tropical islands of Tokyo
The full photo album is viewable here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWsbhAn
(on that page, click small right arrow in upper right for automatic
slideshow viewing)
Shikinejima (式根島),
one of the 11 exotic tropical islands of Tokyo
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Yesterday I climbed Japan’s highest and holiest peak for the 4th time.
Well, this time only to the 5th Station. And by bus.
Since it'd been 6 years since my last visit to the Fuji Subaru Line 5th
Station (also by bus), I felt it was about time to go back and refresh
my data.
But also for mental therapy purposes, I was fortunate enough to escape
Tokyo‘s hot and humid concrete jungle to spend a day hiking around, and
really, really nice and refreshing to breathe cool, crisp fresh air for
a change.
From the 5th Station, I hiked up to the 6th Station Safety Guidance
Center, down past the Seikanso mountain hut to the Sato-goya mountain
hut at the Yoshidaguchi Trail 5th Station, then back to the Fuji Subaru
Line 5th Station.
I also took time to hike around part of the Ochudo Nature Trail, a
level course that partially circumnavigates the Mt. Fuji volcano. It
was SO green and lush, with the Hakusan rhododendrons in full bloom!
It was a magnificent, fun-filled 7 hours in God's country. I hope you
enjoy my pics... especially the Mt. Fuji toilet paper and the Eruption
Veggie Curry dish I had for lunch, with the white rice piled up in the
shape of Fujisan, ha ha…
Mt. Fuji 5th & 6th Stations
(view full album here)
July 29,
2021 - In loving
memory of Larry "LJ" Jones
Best
wishes in the next stage of your eternal journey up there on the big
playground in the sky. Thanks for your loyal friendship and for
touching our lives in a very profound way the past half-century. Will
always luv ya like a bro....
In loving memory of
Larry "LJ" Jones
July 14, 1953 - June 10, 2021
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
July 17,
2021 - Mt. Fuji's climbing season opens for the 1st time in 2 years!
In celebration of Mt. Fuji's climbing season opening for the 1st time
in 2 years, I was reminded of this breathtaking view I was lucky to
capture a remarkable decade ago of Japan’s tallest peak, as seen from
near Mt. Kita-dake, Japan's 2nd tallest peak, some 60 km (37 mi) away.
And unbeknownst to me at the time, I found out later that my longtime
good buddy George was standing at the summit of Fujisan at the exact
same moment, worshiping the same sunrise as me. Wow, what an incredible
coincidence. Happy trails and best wishes for Covid safety to this
year’s Mt. Fuji climbers...
Mt. Fuji at sunrise, 5:31 am, Aug. 14, 2011,
taken from near Mt.
Kita-dake
July
3, 2021 - TODAY’S ENGLISH LESSON (今日の英語レッスン)
- I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger.......then it hit me.
- To write with a broken pencil is…….pointless.
- When fish are in schools, they sometimes…….take debate.
- A thief who stole a calendar…….got twelve months.
- When the smog lifts in Los Angeles…….U.C.L.A.
- The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes…….was on
shaky ground.
- The batteries were given out…….free of charge.
- A dentist and a manicurist married…….and then fought tooth and nail.
- A will is a…….dead giveaway.
- If you don't pay your exorcist…….you can get repossessed.
- With her marriage, she got a new name…….and a dress.
- Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you…….A-flat
miner.
- You are stuck with your debt if…….you can't budge it.
- Local Area Network in Australia: …….The LAN down under.
- A boiled egg is…….hard to beat.
- When you've seen one shopping center…….you've seen a mall.
- Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old
was…….resisting a rest.
- Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off?
…….He's all right now.
- If you take a laptop computer for a run, you could…….jog your memory.
- A bicycle can't stand alone:…….it is two tired.
- When a clock is hungry…….it goes back four seconds.
- The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine…….was fully recovered.
- He had a photographic memory…….which was never developed.
- Those who get too big for their britches will be…….exposed in the end.
- When she saw her first strands of gray hair…….she thought she'd dye.
- Acupuncture: …….a jab well done.
- You can tune a piano.......but you can't tuna fish.
- Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Have your say about this page! Feel free to comment in the box below:
Website
Updates
Oct 25, 2021
Houston Astros headed to the World Series…
...for the 3rd time in the last 5 years! After clinching the American League pennant against the Boston Red Sox last Friday, the Astros will be hosting the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, October 26 at Minute Maid Park in Houston to begin the 2021 World Series.
The Astros have home field advantage, where 4 of the 7 (if necessary) games will be played in Houston, and will be playing with 3 days of rest compared to only 2 days for the Braves, which includes the time required for them to fly to Houston.
In 2017 after the Astros reached the World Series en route to their world championship, I purchased a new Astros ball cap at the"Selection" American sporting goods shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Before leaving, the shop staff asked if he could take my picture wearing my new cap so he could add it to the store's "snap photo" blog page and I said "Of course."
I’ve been sporting my Houston Astros ball cap for the past week or so, including in my online university classes, :-) and here I am wearing my cap. Go Astros!
Young Japanese boy softball pitcher (日本の少年ソフトボールのピッチャー)
I almost fell off my bicycle the other day when I noticed this young boy, I’m guessing no more than 7 or 8 years old, pitching like a real pro against grown adults in a parents vs. children softball game. Having grown up watching my Hall of Famer softball pitcher dad, Walter F. Wolff, I must say I was totally impressed. And this precious, tiny little boy was SO cute!
One of the beauties of living in the world's most populous metropolis is how easy it is to get back to nature. Just one example was a couple days ago when I joined the Jambo International hiking group for a 4-hour mountain hike in Chichibu, Saitama.
Within just a 2-hour train ride from the city, we were enjoying a beautiful, sunny fall day and enveloped by thick forests, a gurgling mountain stream, beautiful cosmos flowers, chirping birds, a beautiful scenic overlook of Hanno City, and new friendships with fellow hikers from around the world.
Countless easy and accessible hiking courses near Tokyo is just one of many reasons I have chosen to live in this beautiful country for over 3 decades now.
How can I avoid the crowds when climbing Mt. Fuji?
In short, to avoid the crowds when climbing Mt. Fuji, don't climb on the weekends or holidays (especially Saturdays), late in the afternoon or around midnight, during the 3-day Marine Day (海の日, Umi no Hi, 3rd Mon. in July) weekend or the Obon holidays in mid-August (usually around Aug. 10-15). Below are some interesting charts compiled courtesy, with permission, of the National Parks of Japan, showing statistics for Mt. Fuji climbers by route over the past several years, based on data recorded by infrared counters near the 8th station on all 4 mountain trails.
(click link to view updated end-of-season 2021 Mt. Fuji climbing statistics)
Online resources for preparing and presenting scientific posters, including design layout, sample posters, poster templates, and sample student posters.
The most frequently asked questions about climbing Mt. Fuji, including info on routes, maps, videos, transport access, traffic stats, weather, and climber stories.
Cheers to one of my all-time favorite musicians (音楽家), a remarkable fella I had the pleasure of rooming with in our college days and hearing his wonderful tunes and lovely voice almost every day. My favorites in those days were songs by John Denver and Neil Young. And now, decades later, he still has his stuff! :-)
And a big TEXAS-size hug to his videographer for her excellent camera work. :-) Thanks for sharing, my dear friends...
Posts include Tokyo Mega Illumi, Yamanote Line Challenge, baby blue eyes flowers, Japanese girls softball tournament, and Larry Jones' memorial photo album.
Watch this cute little robot deliver orders to tables in this Tokyo ramen chain restaurant. The future is HERE! Restaurant servers, your job is in jeopardy... :-)
Number of 2021 Mt. Fuji (富士山) Climbers Lowest in 40 years
NHK World reported today that Mt. Fuji (富士山) recorded the smallest number of hikers during the summer climbing season in 40 years.
Between July 1 and September 10 this year, only 65,519 people climbed the main Yoshida Trail, the only trail which originates in Yamanashi Prefecture.
The number is the lowest since the earliest available records from 1981, and 120,288 less than the figure from 2 years ago.
Factors for the drop are being attributed to the smaller Covid-related capacity of mountain huts and the Fuji Subaru Line toll road only being open between 3 am to 6 pm, compared to being open 24/7 during the 2019 climbing season (before the pandemic).
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, July-September, 2016
Posts include pics and video of GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip, What's New? Line Game, target bird golf, and a Japanese post office drop box with a thatched roof.
Posts include Japan's longest mountain name, Tokyo's famous train riding cat, a Japanese windmill house, a Geisha girl bento, and a mini-steam locomotive.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, January-March, 2017
Posts include GW's Wild West Road Trip eBook, my Summer 1974 hitchhiking trip eBook, and pics & video for my Feb. 2017 Ao Nang, Thailand travel adventure.
...for the 3rd time in the last 5 years! After clinching the American League pennant against the Boston Red Sox last Friday, the Astros will be hosting the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, October 26 at Min…
I almost fell off my bicycle the other day when I noticed this young boy, I’m guessing no more than 7 or 8 years old, pitching like a real pro against grown adults in a parents vs. children softball…
If you've found value on
this website,
please consider sending a donation of any amount
to help cover my web hosting expenses. I have intentionally limited ads,
have never used pop-ups, and do not collect email addresses
in order to provide visitors a pleasant, hassle-free experience. Thank
you!
(Please rest assured that when you click
the 'Donate' button,
your transaction will be encrypted and secure.
Your information is safe with PayPal,
one of the largest payment processors on the Internet.)
and here I am wearing my cap in 2017. Go Astros! 
New! Add your comment
Have your say about this page! Feel free to comment in the box below: