Search this site:             
Home: Gary J. Wolff's Blog

Gary J. Wolff's Blog

Gary J. Wolff's blog is my mini-journal about GaryJWolff.com. It...

  •  lets you know whenever any new pages are added to GaryJWolff.com
  •  allows me to periodically share some interesting stuff about Japanese culture  
  •  keeps you up-to-date on any other postings or news regarding GaryJWolff.com

Enjoy...

Cheers, 
Gary


Recent website updates (at bottom of the page)
Feel free to share your comments below.

May 31, 2023 - Jambo Tama River Hike & Party, May 28, 2023

Hiking Course: Kori Station (古里駅) on JR Ōme Line (青梅線) to Okutama Station (奥多摩駅) plus after-hike Party near Mitake Station (御嶽駅)

(organized & led by the amazing David & Miki Howenstein of Jambo International: jambointernational.org/en/)

Jambo Tama River Hike & Party, May 28, 2023
Jambo Tama River Hike & Party, May 28, 2023
(click link or pic above to view full Flickr album)




May 20, 2023 - Immigration to the USA by country, 1820-2023



​Immigration to the USA by country, 1820-2023
(If player above is not visible, you can view video at YouTube here.)


U.S. immigration flows by country, 1820s to 2010s
U.S. immigration flows by country, 1820s to 2010s
(Source: metrocosm.com)




May 18, 2023 - A Texan's Map of the United States

As is often said, you can take the boy outta Texas, but you can never take Texas outta the boy, ha ha. smiley And we Texicans are very proud folks... after all, EVERYTHING is bigger in Texas... big houses, big cars, big buildings, big people, big Texas longhorns... yes, big everything.

And this very old postcard cracks me up every time. Just LOVE the nicknames given the other states. Funny stuff! laughing icon

A Texan's map of the U.S.
A Texan's map of the United States
(photo credit: etsystatic.com)




May 9, 2023 - Rei Banno, 11-year-old Japanese Girl, Prepares to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

Rei Banno, an 11-year-old Japanese girl, is gearing up to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak.

For the young climber living in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan, climbing the 5,895-meter mountain in Tanzania is what she has "always dreamed of." Rei and her mother hope to travel to Africa as early as this summer, if they manage to secure funds for the journey.

Rei became a mountain lover when she participated in a local mountain climbing event at the age of 4 and completed a 43-kilometer traverse course along the Yatsugatake mountain range that straddles Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures at the age of 7.

She spends weekends touring mountains across Japan together with her 48-year-old mother, Naomi, and friends. Rei is currently in the midst of her challenge to conquer the 300 famous mountains in Japan and has already conquered the 100 most famous mountains in Yamanashi at the age of 6.

Rei began voicing her desire to climb Kilimanjaro around the time when she was 7 years old and has high hopes for the journey, including communicating with guides and other climbers.

She also wants to eventually complete the 7 summits, the tallest peaks on each of the 7 continents.

(Sources: nippon.com, japannews.yomiuri.co.jp)

Rei Banno
Rei Banno, 11-year-old Japanese mountain climber
(photo credit: nippon.com)




April 29, 2023 - Happy Golden Week!

Yep, it's that magical time of year again. Today, Showa Day (昭和の日, Shōwa no Hi), is a national holiday in Japan and kicks off the week-long holiday period known as Golden Week, often abbreviated simply as GW.

Well, GW has another meaning in my life.... not only my initials but also my nickname, courtesy of my most beloved family and friends since my childhood days.

Needless to say, GW is one of my favorite times of the year in Japan because everywhere you look, my nickname is plastered on countless advertising signs all over the city. It's nice to be so famous, ha ha.

The sign below I spotted a few years ago at the local KFC. Yee hah! laughing icon


KFC GW sign in Tokyo
KFC GW sign in Tokyo


And how could we forget about the gorgeous koinobori (鯉幟, carp streamers)? 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.

A typical koinobori set consists of, from the top of the pole down, a pair of arrow-spoked wheels (矢車, yaguruma) with a ball-shaped spinning vane, a mounting windsock (吹流し, fukinagashi), and finally the koinobori. For the windsock above the koinobori, one kind is the 5-colored windsock (五色吹流し), based on the 5 elements of Chinese philosophy.

Nowadays the koinobori typically consist of the biggest (black) koinobori for the father of the family, next biggest (red or pink) for the mother, and an additional, smaller carp of a different color for each child in decreasing order by age.



Koinobori (鯉幟, carp streamers) for Children's Day, May 5, 2023
(If player above is not visible, you can view video at YouTube here.)




April 25, 2023 - Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers (チームラボプラネッツ)

"A seasonal year of flowers bloom and change with time, life spreads out into the universe. Flowers grow, bud, bloom, and in time, the petals fall, and the flowers wither and die. The cycle of birth and death continues for perpetuity. The artwork is not a pre-recorded image that is played back; it is created by a computer program that continuously renders the artwork in real time. As a whole, it is continuously changing, and previous visual states are never replicated. The universe at this moment in time can never be seen again."

teamLab Planets Tokyo: https://planets.teamlab.art/tokyo/
(チームラボプラネッツ)



Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers (チームラボプラネッツ)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video at YouTube here.)




April 16, 2023 - JR Station Booths in Tokyo

JR Station Booth in Tokyo
JR Station Booth in Tokyo

How 'bout a private work space at a Tokyo JR train station? These station booths are popping up across Japan's capital, providing commuters a chance to conduct business too urgent to wait till they get to the office. smiley

The booths can be reserved from 7:00-21:30 & are rentable for ¥275 per 15 minutes, payable by credit card, Suica transport IC card, etc. They come equipped with power supply, dedicated Wi-Fi, USB, & a screen for video calls.

More info (in Japanese) is here: https://maiuma.com/station-work/  

Inside a JR Station Booth
Inside a JR Station Booth
(photo credit: https://maiuma.com/station-work/)




April 3, 2023 - Retirement speech

Having recently acquired "retired" status, today I was reminded of a retirement speech I'm so happy I didn't hear from MY boss:

"As a symbol of our gratitude, we'd like to present you this special gold watch to serve as a reminder of your many years with the company. It needs a lot of winding up, is always a little late, and every day at quarter to five, it stops working." laughing icon




Mar. 24, 2023 - Spring has sprung!!

The springtime flowers in Japan bring a non-stop exhilarating display of brilliant colors and sweet fragrances to titillate the senses. The plum blossoms begin in mid-February, followed by the absolutely breathtaking cherry blossoms, and then a continuous overlapping of blooming periods for azaleas, camellias, wisteria, magnolias, peonies, roses, tulips, pansies, irises, hydrangeas, etc. that last well into mid-summer.

What you see now in the album linked below is just the start, so I'm planning to add more pics to it in the weeks ahead! Stay tuned and check back soon! smiley

2023 spring flowers collage
My 2023 Spring Flowers in Tokyo Flickr album
(click link above to view entire album)

Updates:
- 39 new pics added Mar. 27
- 13 new pics added Mar. 31
- 8 new pics added April 4
- 14 new pics added April 12
- 15 new pics added April 18
- 19 new pics added April 19
- 19 new pics added April 30
- 10 new pics added May 8
- 22 new pics added May 18




Mar. 17, 2023 - Happy 70th Birthday to Mr. HAA3

​Congrats to my lifelong good buddy on completing 70 laps around the sun and his promotion to septuagenarian status! smiley All the best to you, my dear friend, for many more wonderful years ahead. Luv ya, brother...



Happy 70th Birthday to Mr. HAA3
(Background music: "World on a String" by Neil Young)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video at YouTube here.)




Mar. 10, 2023 - Spring is in the air!

Spring is in the air
Spring is in the air!
smiley laughing icon smiley laughing icon smiley laughing icon smiley laughing icon




Feb. 28, 2023 - Emma Jo, Live in Tokyo, Feb. 27, 2023

Kansas City country singer/songwriter Emma Jo thrilled the crowd in the Crocodile live house in Tokyo on Mon. Feb. 27, 2023 as part of her Asia tour! ​​This amazing rising star knocked it outta the park! Don't miss her pretty pink boots in the "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" song! smiley

More details on Emma Jo, including how to purchase her songs: https://emmajo.rocks/



Emma Jo, Live in Tokyo, Feb. 27, 2023
(If player above is not visible, you can view video at YouTube here.)

0:00 Tucumcari on My Mind
3:19 Folsom Prison
6:39 Queen of the Silver Lining
11:25 In the Ozarks
16:00 Kansas City in the Autumn Time
20:00 I’ve Been Everywhere
24:01 Straight into Mine
29:43 These Boots Are Made for Walkin'
34:27 Walk
39:03 Jack & Jim (encore song)




Feb. 27, 2023 - 2023 Cherry Blossom Forecast

Because of a mild winter and warmer than normal temperatures which are expected to continue into March, this year's cherry blossoms are forecast to bloom 7-10 days earlier than in a typical year.

Cherry blossoms can be viewed virtually everywhere in Japan, but the secret of catching them at full bloom is surfing the cherry blossom front, as it progresses from southwest to northeast across the archipelago, as seen in the map below.

This year in Tokyo the cherry blossoms are expected to begin opening up on Mar. 17, with full bloom expected 1 week later on Mar. 24. Can't wait! smiley
 
2023 cherry blossom front
2023 Cherry Blossom Front, as of Feb. 16
(Source: Weather Map Co., Ltd.)




Feb. 17, 2023 - In Loving Memory of Thomas Arthur Todd

I finally got a round tuit (round tuit). smiley For the past year I've been wanting to pull together all the pics & video clips I have of my lifelong good buddy who went to be with the Lord a year ago today. So now I am finally honoring that wonderful guy whom I admired so much.

If you get a chance, you might appreciate my tribute page for Tom (whom I liked to call T-squared) that I just uploaded today. Miss you, T-squared!





Feb. 14, 2023 - The Stages of Life

20s – Learning
30s – Experimenting
40s – Mastering
50s – Reaping
60s – Guiding
70s – Leaving a Legacy
80s – Maximizing Your Zone of Genius
90s – Savoring a Life Well Lived


The stages of life
The Stages of Life
(Source: Dan Miller, 48days.com, Episode 869, Feb. 10, 2023)

Note: I'm not at liberty to say which stage of life I just entered. I'm afraid that top secret is highly classified... laughing icon




Feb. 10, 2023 - Tobu World Square (東武ワールドスクエア)

The Tobu World Square the​​me park (東武ワールドスクエア), an open-air architectural museum, exhibits 1/25 scale reproductions of world famous architectural structures and historic relics. The park displays skillful & authentic miniature replicas of over 100 architectural structures from 22 countries, including 48 registered as World Heritage Sites.

The next time you're in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, you can visit the world's most famous landmarks in less than 2 hours and save all those airfare and lodging expenses. laughing icon

Flickr photo album: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjArywd


Tobu World Square
Tobu World Square, Tochigi, Japan
Flickr photo album: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjArywd




Jan. 30, 2023 - Diamond Fuji viewing season from Tokyo

The first 2-week Diamond Fuji viewing season of the New Year from Tokyo has now begun. Diamond Fuji (ダイヤモンド富士) is a phenomenon which occurs when the sun sets into or rises out of Mt. Fuji's cone, setting off sunbeams that resemble a glittering diamond. Several years ago I totally geeked out and put together a listing of the best high-rise spots in Tokyo to view Diamond Fuji with recommended dates, sunset times, and links to Google maps: Diamond Fuji Viewing Spots, Dates, and Times in Tokyo

diamond_fuji_23.1.29
Diamond Fuji, Jan. 29, 2023, 16:54 pm




Jan. 28, 2023 - Mt. Fuji in Winter

I just love it when Fujisan puts on her beautiful white winter coat… (and so very thankful I am not attempting to climb the nation’s tallest peak about right now) laughing icon

mt_fuji_white_winter_coat
Mt. Fuji white winter coat




Jan. 24, 2023 - Your daily dose of humor smiley

A woman was flying from Melbourne to Brisbane. Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sydney.

The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft, the plane would re-board in 50 minutes.

Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. A man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her seeing eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight.

He could also tell she had flown this same flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, "Kathy, we are in Sydney for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?"

The blind lady replied, "No thanks, but maybe Max would like to stretch his legs."

Picture this:
All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a seeing eye dog!

The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines!

Have a great day and remember... THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR. A DAY WITHOUT LAUGHTER IS A DAY WASTED!!!

pilot with seeing eye dog
Pilot with seeing eye dog

[Note: Snopes.com has rated the above story "false", but I felt it was just too cute NOT to post, ha ha.] laughing icon




Jan. 8, 2022 - S.O.S.: Slower, Older, and Smarter

An Airbus 380 is on its way across the Atlantic. It flies consistently at 800 km/h at 30,000 feet, when suddenly a Eurofighter with a Tempo Mach 2 appears.

The pilot of the fighter jet slows down, flies alongside the Airbus and greets the pilot of the passenger plane by radio: "Airbus, boring flight isn’t it? Now have a look here!"

He rolls his jet on its back, accelerates, breaks through the sound barrier, rises rapidly to a dizzying height, and then swoops down almost to sea level in a breathtaking dive. He loops back next to the Airbus and asks:   "Well, how was that?"

The Airbus pilot answers: "Very impressive, but watch this!"

The jet pilot watches the Airbus, but nothing happens. It continues to fly straight, at the same speed. After 15 minutes, the Airbus pilot radios, "Well, how was THAT?

Confused, the jet pilot asks, "What did you do?"

The Airbus pilot laughs and says: "I got up, stretched my legs, walked to the back of the aircraft to use the washroom, then got a cup of coffee and a chocolate fudge pastry."

The moral of the story is: When you’re young, speed and adrenaline seem to be great. But as you get older and wiser, you learn that comfort and peace are more important.

This is called S.O.S.: Slower, Older, and Smarter.

Dedicated to all my senior friends  ~  it’s time to slow down and enjoy the rest of the trip. smiley

—Author Unknown—

Airbus 380 and Eurofighter with Tempo Mach 2
Airbus 380 and Eurofighter with Tempo Mach 2






New! Add your comment

Have your say about this page! Feel free to comment in the box below:


Website Updates

Jun 02, 2023

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.

Continue reading "Gary J. Wolff's Blog"

Jun 02, 2023

Preparing and Presenting Scientific Posters

Online resources for preparing and presenting scientific posters, including design layout, sample posters, poster templates, and sample student posters.

Continue reading "Preparing and Presenting Scientific Posters"

Jun 01, 2023

Mt. Ai-no-dake (間ノ岳) and Mt. Shiomi-dake (塩見岳), Japan's 4th & 16th Highest Mountains

Pics, maps, and trail description of my Sept. 1996 climb of Mt. Ai-no-dake (3189m) and Mt. Shiomi-dake, 3047m, Japan's 4th & 16th highest mountains.

Continue reading "Mt. Ai-no-dake (間ノ岳) and Mt. Shiomi-dake (塩見岳), Japan's 4th & 16th Highest Mountains"

Jun 01, 2023

Mt. Kita-dake (北岳), elev. 3193m, Japan's 2nd Highest Mountain

Pics, maps, and trail description of my Oct. 1993 hike to the top of the easily accessible Mt. Kita-dake, elev. 3193m, Japan's 2nd highest mountain.

Continue reading "Mt. Kita-dake (北岳), elev. 3193m, Japan's 2nd Highest Mountain"

Jun 01, 2023

Mt. Senjo-ga-take (仙丈ヶ岳) and Mt. Kai-koma-ga-dake (甲斐駒ヶ岳), Japan's 18th & 24th highest peaks

Pics, maps, and trail description of my Aug. 1997 climb of Mt. Senjo-ga-take and Mt. Kai-koma-ga-dake in the Southern Japan Alps.

Continue reading "Mt. Senjo-ga-take (仙丈ヶ岳) and Mt. Kai-koma-ga-dake (甲斐駒ヶ岳), Japan's 18th & 24th highest peaks"

Jun 01, 2023

Mt. Notori-dake (農鳥岳) and the Shiranesanzan (白根三山)

Pics, maps, and trail description of my Aug. 2011 climb of Mt. Notori-dake and the Shiranesanzan in the Southern Japan Alps.

Continue reading "Mt. Notori-dake (農鳥岳) and the Shiranesanzan (白根三山)"

Jun 01, 2023

The Highest Mountains in Japan (日本で最も高い山)

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.

Continue reading "The Highest Mountains in Japan (日本で最も高い山)"

May 31, 2023

List of Mt. Fuji Mountain Huts (富士山の山小屋)

Listing of Mt. Fuji Yoshida Trail mountain huts, including website URLs, phone numbers, elevations, and sleeping capacities, as well as links to the Fujinomiya trail hut sites.

Continue reading "List of Mt. Fuji Mountain Huts (富士山の山小屋)"

May 31, 2023

Climbing Mt. Fuji - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The most frequently asked questions about climbing Mt. Fuji, including info on routes, maps, videos, transport access, traffic stats, weather, and climber stories.

Continue reading "Climbing Mt. Fuji - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)"

May 30, 2023

Jambo Tama River Hike & Party, May 28, 2023

Hiking Course: Kori Station (古里駅) on JR Ōme Line (青梅線) to Okutama Station (奥多摩駅) plus after-hike Party near Mitake Station (御嶽駅).

Organized & led by the amazing David & Miki Howenstein of Jambo International.

(click link to view pics)

Continue reading "Jambo Tama River Hike & Party, May 28, 2023"

May 20, 2023

Immigration to the USA by country, 1820-2023

Click link to see an amazing animated bar chart showing immigration to the USA by countries ranked year-by-year from 1820 to 2023. Also, you will see a colorful static graph showing U.S. immigration flows by country from the 1820s to 2010s.

Continue reading "Immigration to the USA by country, 1820-2023"

May 17, 2023

A Texan's Map of the United States

As is often said, you can take the boy outta Texas, but you can never take Texas outta the boy, ha ha. :-)

And we Texicans are very proud folks... after all, EVERYTHING is bigger in Texas... big houses, big cars, big buildings, big people, big Texas longhorns... yes, big everything.

And this very old postcard cracks me up every time. Just LOVE the nicknames given the other states. Funny stuff! :-)

(click link to see funny Texan's map of the United States)

Continue reading "A Texan's Map of the United States"

May 14, 2023

Smoking Manners in Italy

Smoking in Florence!!

I went to Italy during last summer's vacation. I visited Venice, Rome, and Florence. My first reaction was scorching sunlight and a big population of smokers

Continue reading "Smoking Manners in Italy"

May 09, 2023

Rei Banno, 11-year-old Japanese Girl, Prepares to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

Rei Banno, an 11-year-old Japanese girl, is gearing up to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak.

For the young climber living in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan, climbing the 5,895-meter mountain in Tanzania is what she has "always dreamed of." Rei and her mother hope to travel to Africa as early as this summer, if they manage to secure funds for the journey.

Rei became a mountain lover when she participated in a local mountain climbing event at the age of 4 and completed a 43-kilometer traverse course along the Yatsugatake mountain range that straddles Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures at the age of 7...

(click link to continue reading & see pic of Rei)

Continue reading "Rei Banno, 11-year-old Japanese Girl, Prepares to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro"

May 05, 2023

What's the Mt. Fuji mountain hut and toilet situation before the season officially opens on July 1st?

Hi Gary, I am going to be in Tokyo for a few days (en route to Thailand) at the end of June, but will be departing before July 1. What is the hut and

Continue reading "What's the Mt. Fuji mountain hut and toilet situation before the season officially opens on July 1st? "

May 05, 2023

What’s th​​e email address for submitting the required off-season Mt. Fuji climbing form?

Hi Gary! I've really enjoyed reading over your website and getting to learn more about you and your adventures in Japan. My wife and I are visiting Japan

Continue reading "What’s th​​e email address for submitting the required off-season Mt. Fuji climbing form?"

May 05, 2023

Is it possible to climb the Mt. Fuji trail to the 6th or 7th station in June 2023?

hi i am visiting Lake Kawaguchiko in June 2023. i am wondering if it is possible to visit mount fuji and maybe take the trail from 5th station to 6th or

Continue reading "Is it possible to climb the Mt. Fuji trail to the 6th or 7th station in June 2023?"

May 05, 2023

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.

Continue reading "Mt. Kiso-koma-ga-take (木曽駒ヶ岳) and Mt. Utsugi-dake (空木岳), Japan's 25th & 42nd highest peaks"

May 05, 2023

Mt. Shirouma-dake (白馬岳), elev. 2932m, Japan's 26th Highest Mountain

Despite being a relatively easy climb, Mt. Shirouma-dake is without question one of Japan's most dangerous peaks, claiming lives just about every year.

Continue reading "Mt. Shirouma-dake (白馬岳), elev. 2932m, Japan's 26th Highest Mountain"

May 05, 2023

Mt. Yakushi-dake (薬師岳), elev. 2926 m, Japan's 27th Highest Mountain

This mountain just about killed me, but Mt. Yakushi-dake had some of the most striking panoramas I've ever seen while climbing the Japan Alps.

Continue reading "Mt. Yakushi-dake (薬師岳), elev. 2926 m, Japan's 27th Highest Mountain"





Japan-Texas ebook cover thumbnail
Hot off the press! A FREE download at Smashwords



Pattaya ebook cover
Only $1.99 at Amazon
(¥214 at アマゾン日本)




Alaska ebook cover
Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥340 at アマゾン日本)



Summer 1974 hitchhiking trip ebook cover
Only 99¢ at Amazon (¥105 at アマゾン日本)


What's New?

  1. Gary J. Wolff's Blog

    Jun 02, 23 07:02 AM

    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.

    Read more

  2. Preparing and Presenting Scientific Posters

    Jun 02, 23 07:02 AM

    Online resources for preparing and presenting scientific posters, including design layout, sample posters, poster templates, and sample student posters.

    Read more

  3. Mt. Ai-no-dake (間ノ岳) and Mt. Shiomi-dake (塩見岳), Japan's 4th & 16th Highest Mountains

    Jun 01, 23 09:51 AM

    Pics, maps, and trail description of my Sept. 1996 climb of Mt. Ai-no-dake (3189m) and Mt. Shiomi-dake, 3047m, Japan's 4th & 16th highest mountains.

    Read more










Let's connect!!

Gary J. Wolff
Facebook badge

View Gary J. Wolff's profile on LinkedIn

My pics:

My videos: YouTube logo





GW's road trip ebook cover
Only 99¢ at Amazon
(¥114 at アマゾン日本)




new Climbing Mt. Fuji book
Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥343 at アマゾン日本)




Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥343 at アマゾン日本)