You know, I must say that your writing about your hikes and your enthusiasm has reignited my own desire and joy in getting out there. My diabetes has scared me so much about the mountains that for too long I have let myself slide into giving up, and letting my body fall into bad shape. For a month now, though, I've been exercising regularly and slowly getting my strength and stamina back. And occasionally getting up into the hills. It's a wonderful feeling. I truly love the mountains. Your writing has reminded me daily of that.

I will be chekcing off a list of new mountains I've never been to this year and then set my sights on a big walk abroad, perhaps in September, perhaps trekking in the Himalaya or walking the Dolomites in Italy, or hoofing it down to Australia. We'll see.

But I just wanted to say thanks. To get this kind of hope back means a lot more than you know.

Well, you've been a constant source of info about those same mountains for me, so the feeling of gratitude is definitely mutual. If you hadn't got me into Shobunsha's mountain books (just bought two more recently and regularly buy their maps as well), I might have hit a wall with finding new ones to climb. We've said it before, but the English hiking literature in Japan is severely lacking.

My big Japan Alps foray for this summer is going to be Yari, and I'm looking at a long trip up north (Tohoku this time) at some stage as well. I can't wait for the summer season. And it's great to hear you're getting yourself back in shape and planning new trips.

And speaking of Yari and the daikiretto Butuki, have you tried them? And while we're at it, does kiretto just mean col?

Sorry to take so long to reply. I spent the entire weekend trying to get to the mountains! Couldn't find any new mountain that would allow two days of walking, no snow, and camping. By the time I decided that it would just have to be one of two mountains that I've walked too many times, Daibosatsu or Kumotori, it was already too late to get going. Aaaargh! May makes me bonkers!

I've never tried Yari... just looking up at the vertical rise is enough to make my palms start sweating. I would like to try it some time, though. I think the sense of accomplishment would be wonderful!

I want to spend more time in Tohoku this year, but probably can only afford one or two trips... it's damn expensive getting up there. I'm thinking Chokai-san and Gassan, perhaps as a joint walk. I really recommend the Asahidake walk in Yamagata. One of the best walks I've ever done (camping is not allowed, though). I also really recommend Iidesan, but it is a long walk and one of the hardest in Japan. Some pretty hair-raising scrambling, including one section where you straddle a knifeblade outcropping and progress for about 20 meters, with drops two thousand meters on either side. I made the big mistake when I went of not reading the literature carefully and then taking along my wife's sister, who had never even climbed a mountain like Takao. She still is angry with me about that, seven years later! Very beautiful mountain chain, though. And not hard to get to, if you use the bus.

The problem for me is that I've climbed so many of the best mountains already that I'm running out of places to go, unless I just want to repeat old walks. The remaining mountains are all far away and expensive to get to. The excitement of exploring places new to me is running dry. I haven't done a lot of mountains in Tohoku and the Gunma area, so maybe this year that is where I will concentrate. One walk I want to give a go when I'm in shape is Echigo sanzan. There are no facilities there so I will have to be prepared. All water has to be carried. And bus access is very limited, so it may mean hoofing it in all the way from the train station. But ever since I saw the wild, cloud-shrouded feet of the mountains while driving past with a friend I've dreamed of walking them. As my experience grows wilder and wilderplaces beckon.

And one dream I have is to follow iin the footsteps of Englishman mountain walker Stephen Pern, who walked the mountains from the tip of Shiretoko all the way south to the tip of Kyushu (I have his television video if you'd like to see it... which suddenly reminds me... would it be possible to get my books some time?).

The word "kiretto"? I'm not exactly sure. I think it might be col, but then again I always associated it with pinnacle or rockface, so I'm really not sure. The dictionary doesn't have the word. I do know that every time I started in an area with a kiretto it was always hard going.

Got to get ready for work here. I'll talk to you again later.