Comments on: Gorgeous Rural Japan Blog with Exquisite Photos http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/2008/11/07/gorgeous-rural-japan-blog-with-exquisite-photos/ Dayhikes/Backpacking: Bay Area | Coast | Redwoods | Sierra Nevada | Desolation Wilderness | Lake Tahoe | Lassen Park | Mount Shasta | Trinity Alps | State Parks | National Parks | National Forests | Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:10:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: John Soares http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/2008/11/07/gorgeous-rural-japan-blog-with-exquisite-photos/comment-page-1/#comment-255 John Soares Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:54:18 +0000 http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/?p=117#comment-255 Ron, Yakushima sounds like an absolutely beautiful place; it's definitely on my short list for foreign hiking adventures. Right now I'm considering a trip to Hua Shan in central China. Hua Shan harbors several Taoist monasteries. Ron, Yakushima sounds like an absolutely beautiful place; it’s definitely on my short list for foreign hiking adventures.

Right now I’m considering a trip to Hua Shan in central China. Hua Shan harbors several Taoist monasteries.

]]> By: Ronald Thompson http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/2008/11/07/gorgeous-rural-japan-blog-with-exquisite-photos/comment-page-1/#comment-254 Ronald Thompson Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:54:36 +0000 http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/?p=117#comment-254 John, The photos brought back memories of my outings in Japan when I lived there from 1980 to 1997. If you ever get to Japan and want to take a hike the best place (my opinion ) is the 200 square mile island of Yakushima. It is a several hour ferry ride south from the city of Kagoshima in south Kyushu. About 20% of the island is now set aside as a World Heritage Preserve. It contains giant cedar (yakusugi), whose bases are the size of coastal redwoods and can live to be 7000 years old. Oh yes they can, don't trust Americans to know and have all the superlatives. The lower areas have tree ferns and banyon trees, fine Yosemite-like waterfalls, mountains that come up over 6000 feet and are above timberline at the same latitude as Ensenada, Baha California. Also, the largest wild monkey population in Japan, and above all else, Rain. The mountains there are the wettest in Japan, getting about 400" of rain and snow a year. The saying for Yakushima goes, "It rains 35 days out of every month." So if you do go hiking there, be prepared. John, The photos brought back memories of my outings in Japan when I lived there from 1980 to 1997. If you ever get to Japan and want to take a hike the best place (my opinion ) is the 200 square mile island of Yakushima. It is a several hour ferry ride south from the city of Kagoshima in south Kyushu. About 20% of the island is now set aside as a World Heritage Preserve. It contains giant cedar (yakusugi), whose bases are the size of coastal redwoods and can live to be 7000 years old. Oh yes they can, don’t trust Americans to know and have all the superlatives. The lower areas have tree ferns and banyon trees, fine Yosemite-like waterfalls, mountains that come up over 6000 feet and are above timberline at the same latitude as Ensenada, Baha California. Also, the largest wild monkey population in Japan, and above all else, Rain. The mountains there are the wettest in Japan, getting about 400″ of rain and snow a year. The saying for Yakushima goes, “It rains 35 days out of every month.” So if you do go hiking there, be prepared.

]]> By: John Soares http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/2008/11/07/gorgeous-rural-japan-blog-with-exquisite-photos/comment-page-1/#comment-248 John Soares Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:38:47 +0000 http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/?p=117#comment-248 Yes, a lot of Japan is still rural. Much of the population concentrates in the cities. Yes, a lot of Japan is still rural. Much of the population concentrates in the cities.

]]> By: Roy Scribner http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/2008/11/07/gorgeous-rural-japan-blog-with-exquisite-photos/comment-page-1/#comment-247 Roy Scribner Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:16:54 +0000 http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/?p=117#comment-247 It's funny, we tend to think of Japan as vast cities of concrete and high rise buildings. It's a very beautiful place! It’s funny, we tend to think of Japan as vast cities of concrete and high rise buildings. It’s a very beautiful place!

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