A moving step forward.

Not heard “Congratulations” recently?
Wanna be congratulated?
It’s not as difficult as you think. Just start something new.

In May I suddenly came up with the idea of going to the mountains! It’s a choice I’ve never had to make before. And three weeks after asking my sister, who enjoys mountaineering, to take me to the mountains, I made my mountaineering debut! So it is interesting to start something new.

When I told the people around me that I was making my mountaineering debut tomorrow, they said, “Congratulations!” More than a birthday, “Congratulations!” They said!

Which mountain are we going to? I wasn’t informed until the night before. At 7 pm I was finally told where we were going. But I didn’t google the mountain. I’m the type of person who likes to watch films without knowing any information.

On the train, I was blogging and commenting back. And then I arrived at Shin-Ohirashita station. It was 2 hours from Tokyo. I had always felt that mountain climbing was somewhat of a big event, but for those who go to the mountains every week, it is probably no different from a walk around the neighborhood.

On the way to the mountain trail, I found fields of rapeseed flowers, white butterflies, large flowers that looked like they were blooming in a tropical country, rice paddies, railway crossings, and eating American corn dogs at 7-Eleven before climbing the mountain. It was already an extraordinary experience and was very moving.

On the other hand, there was a DAISO and a shopping mall. I forgot long gloves so I got them in DAISO and was relieved.

The trailhead was a torii gate and was suddenly followed by a long flight of steps. I took just one step in and was hit by cool air and immediately got my first taste of the mountain vibe.

After the stairs, the path became flat. I started taking videos with my selfie stick. Even though I was not an actress, I was surprised to capture a cinematic scene, lit by the sun shining through the trees.

The birdsong, the sound of my footsteps, the sunlight filtering through the trees, the wind, the smell of the earth… all were emotions I had never experienced before. Even the cobwebs and silver lizards glistened. My sister took a picture of me in the mountains, I looked like a fairy.

It was a steep climb to the summit, but as the mountain is just 419 m high, the summit was reached in no time. Thanks to the clear skies, I could see the plains below and the further mountains clearly and felt a sense of achievement. ”My first mountain!” I shouted at the summit, and a stranger said, “Oh, it’s your first time on the mountain? Congratulations!” I was congratulated again!

The downward trail was quick. As I got closer and closer to the exit, I started to sweat. Then, in the middle of the forest, a wind that sounded like a waterfall from 360 degrees enveloped us. It was like a natural air purifier. I was purified.

Even the first 7-Eleven “Kilimanjaro Iced Coffee” I had after leaving the trailhead was the best I’d ever had.

On the train home, my sister dozed off while I edited the video. Whether it’s on the plane or the bus on a tour trip, I don’t sleep until I’ve edited. Rather, I don’t feel sleepy.

Taking the first step is a blessing. I want to share my own inspiring experience of taking the first step while providing inspiration to others around me to take their first steps.