Last Saturday I joined Stephen Gill and Okiharu Maeda of the conservation group P.T.O. for a hike along the Hozu River. The hike wasn't purely for the pleasure of getting out into the fresh country air though, Maeda-san and Mr. Gill were making a detailed report, with photographs of the exact location of trees on Mount Ogura that have been affected by a deadly oak disease. Even … [Read more...] about Hiking Along the Old Hozu River Towpath
小倉山
Clearing up the Mountain
Lovely view, isn't it? Sadly, right below where I stood to take this picture there are piles of rubbish that people have illegally tipped down the wooded slopes of Mount Ogura. A lot of the discarded trash is domestic; buckets, bicycles, old refrigerators, motorbikes... But in this case a building company seems to have dumped some unwanted bags of cement. … [Read more...] about Clearing up the Mountain
One Hundred Poets on Mount Ogura, One Poem Each
朝に夕 眺めし小倉の 山にきて 幼き頃の 山路楽しむ To Ogura I have come, the hill I have looked at every morning and eve: enjoying again it's mountain paths I once walked as a child (Yoshihiro Tsuchida from the collection One Hundred Poets on Mount Ogura, One Poem Each) In a previous post I wrote about the environmental action group P.T.O. (People Together for Mt. Ogura) and the … [Read more...] about One Hundred Poets on Mount Ogura, One Poem Each
People Together for Mt. Ogura – The Poets’ Mountain
...to feel the presence of this graceful Poet's Mount, we should go there. If possible, climb up a bit and take in the view. Listen, as the sounds of the city dwindle and those of nature take over. The trail at your feet will soon turn to earth and rock... - Stephen Gill For the last two weekends I've been taking part in conservation work with the environmental action group … [Read more...] about People Together for Mt. Ogura – The Poets’ Mountain