I saw me a tree!

So many of the pastimes in Japan revolve around the seasons, and just looking at things. In the winter, you watch the snow come down. In the spring, you look at the cherry blossoms. In the summer, you look at the flowers and the fireworks. In the fall, you look at the leaves changing (kouyou).

Kouyou is exactly what I did all weekend. I call it 'old man fun time'.

Those young crazy city folk don't get this kind of thing. But, city folk don't really know what trees are anyway.

It is nice to help get in the right frame-of-mind for winter. When you live in one of the snowiest cities on earth, you kind of have to mentally prepare yourself for winter like you're about to play in the Super Bowl or something.

Saturday, up to Akiyamago, a steep canyoned valley with small onsen dotting it all the way to the top. Took one onsen and looked at more leaves. Puuuurrrdy colors. There was snow up high, and I touched and subsequently ate the season's first snow out of a parking lot. It wasn't too tasty, but I had to follow tradition.

Yesterday, went to momiji-en (Japanese maple park) in Ojiya. Nice park, small and maply.

Nice weekend. I'm old.