Even in Kyoto

Your post is beautiful and so strange for me. I think most, perhaps, because I lived most of my life within sight of Mt. Rainier (well, ignoring weather effects, always an issue*.) thewronghands, of course, is in SAR - K, my roommate and long time hiking buddy was in ESAR before moving to Cleveland. A bunch of friends, including my massage therapist of many years (back when I was an overpaid software professional and had a regular massage therapist) were ice climbers. Hell, I rather vividly remember being four years old on my first Mt. Rainier hike (and complaining loudly much of the way that I had wanted to go *hiking* not just walking in the mud. Four year old me did not approve.) Some trails on Mt. Rainier have that sense of being written on my skin - not with the density as do sections of the North Cascades, but with a vibrant intensity. But far more, there is just that sense of looming presence of the mountain.

* https://twitter.com/IsMtRainierOut - sadly on hiatus for the last week.