Before and After

It looks like Spring is peeking its head around the corner in this part of the world, and though I really enjoyed the winter here I’m looking forward to being able to spend more time outdoors. I only started renting a car for myself at the very end of autumn, so before then I had got around entirely by bicycle or on foot. The car has been truly indispensable over the past few snow-buried months, but compared to the bike I found it a little... claustrophobic? I’d gotten used to just bounding out the door with a backpack on and heading off anywhere, stopping wherever I wanted. The car is just less elegant. It’s a lot more confining in terms of to what extent you can explore. Which, after all, is one of the main reasons I came here.


But I digress. Watching the weather changing and the piles of packed ice melting, it struck me that some of you might not have had quite as white a winter as I have. I thought my brother would give me a run for my money, but it turns out he moved to the wussy part of Canada. Like a total wuss.

So I’ve put together a few photos I’d snapped of the area. Half taken back in late summer/early autumn, half taken in winter. Come closer, I’ll show you around.

First shots here are a look at the street behind my apartment.

This is where I updated my first blog entries, on "borrowed" WiFi

There's a beautiful view of Gassan (the mountain) from my window

Summer transportation

And now I present to you, early winter!

As you can imagine, I don't spend quite as much time on my balcony during the winter...

I really need to stress that this is only the beginning of winter. But I like how this shot shows just how sticky the snow is, lying heavy even on the power lines

Winter transportation

The next pictures were taken from inside my school.

There seriously are mountains everywhere you look

You just have to look a little harder in winter...

This is the really thick snow that we saw in January. Amazing for snowboarding

The local mountain that I love to climb, Haguro-san, is a really beautiful place in summer. I thought I'd give it a try while the snow was at it's heaviest, to see the change in scenery.

Haguro's fancy old pagoda. I took this shot on my first week in Japan, so here it is in July

Now in February. Let's play a little game I call "Find the Sign"...

The sunlight filtered through the cedar trees really makes this hike

Winter definitly has its own appeal though

This is the entrance to the mountain trail. It's plowed as far as the gate, then you're on your own. A local thought we must be slightly unhinged trying to climb it, and offered us a loan of some hiking poles. Amazing people

The view over the countryside, the town and out to sea

Slight difference here

And just for the fun of it, he’s a comparison video of the rice-field near my apartment.

Drop a comment to let me know what you think of my new home. I shot a little video in Autumn of the surrounding countryside, but I never edited it on account of being well and truly lazy. Also, it’s got me in it, and I’m shy like that. But if you’re interested, I could probably be convinced to upload it.
Possibly.
Maybe.
No Promises.