The way I began the year of 2019 in Nagano.(part 2)

Each individual has their own ways to spend the very first day of the new year. Some people prefer to spend quietly, and others prefer to start it actively.

I thought I was going to be the former, but my plan for the first of January changed in the very last minute of the night before, and I ended up being “others”.

My friends asked me (well it wasn’t that easy, I was almost forcefully taken)to climb a steep mountain in Ueda for Hatsuhinode(初日の出) , which means Watching the sunrise on New Year’s Day!

Walking up the mountain was tiring, scary and not so easy because we initiated it 4:00 in the morning to reach its peak by the sun rises, and therefore it was too dark to see your step without light.

We prayed for the best of our new year at the shrine on the top of the mountain. Having met a lot of families who habitually visit this shrine every year.

After 2h 30m, we hit the summit and made it before the sun comes out!

It was freezing because The temperature was far below zero(you can easily imagine it judging from the condition of Nagano, At high altitude, winter, and early in the morning.)

Yet, the feeling I had when I caught the view and the shine with my eyes, was beyond description. All the hardships we had up to the top of the mountain were swept away by the breathtaking scene. I feel that I went off on a wonderful start of the year.

Almost forgot to mention the name of the mountain, and that was Taro-yama(太郎山). Strongly recommended to hike and capture what we saw with your own eyes if you had a chance.