Asian Game 2026 Nagoya

 This is the second Asian Game in which my sons participated.  My sons have been working very hard for this game.

On the 1 Oct, Noah won three fights entering the semi final,  but lost to his old opponent from KAZ, then in the Bronze medal match, lost to KSA Saudi Arab,  narrowly missed from Asian Game medal, this is the second time that he narrowly missed the medal, just as in last edition of Asian Game in Hongzhou,  ranked 5th overall.

In the last match, he felt down hard on his head, he was admitted to local hospital , thankfully, no major injury.  

Paul's fight was the next day, but he lost the his first match.

The results were not as we expected, but I trust God has HIS higher purpose.

As long as my sons are enjoying the sports, the failure does not define them.

.  

Hakuba Sanzen Part 1：唐松岳

 This is our travel plan for Hiking in Hakuba Sanzen.

Day 1                      Arrive Tokyo, travel to Hakuba

Day 2                      Hakuba, Stay at Hakuba for one night, prepare the hiking.

Day 3                Start Karasumadake Tent Hike

Route:
Happo Gondola → Alpen Lift → Happo-ike → Karasumadake Summit → Tent Site

Time	Activity
08:00	Start gondola/lift ascent
09:00	Begin hike from top of lift
14:00	Arrive Karasumadake summit / tent site
17:30	Sunset from summit ridge

🏕️ Camp: 唐松岳頂上山荘 Tent Site (~2,600 m)　http://karamatsu.jp/custom5.html
💧 Water: From hut (limited hours)

Day 4： Descend

              Karamatsu Hut→2:00→Happo Ike→1:20→Happo Ike Hut 【approx. 3.5h】take gondola back to        Hakuba. Stay at Hakuba, rest and resupply

• Tip: Check weather forecast, pack gear, confirm bus schedule.

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Day 5– Hakuba → Tsugaike → Hakuba Oike Camp (24 Aug)

• Transport:
• Bus: Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal → Tsugaike Kogen (~35 min)
• Gondola + Ropeway → Tsugaike Nature Park (1,850 m)
• Hike: Tsugaike Nature Park → Hakuba Oike (~4–5 hours)
• Distance: ~8 km
• Elevation gain: 1,850 → 2,380 m
• Camp: Hakuba Oike Tent Site
• Features: Water available, windy
• Tips: Walk slowly on wooden boardwalks, acclimatize, set up tent before afternoon wind picks up

Trail Details

1. Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal → Tsugaike Kogen
• Transport: Bus (~35 min)
• Notes: Confirm 2026 timetable; first bus ~7:00–8:00 AM.
2. Tsugaike Gondola + Ropeway → Nature Park
• Elevation: ~1,850 m
• Quick lift to the trail start; beginner-friendly.
3. Tsugaike Nature Park → Tenguhara (~2,000 m)
• Boardwalks through wetlands, gentle ascent.
• Beginner-friendly, scenic.
4. Tenguhara → Hakuba Oike (~2,380 m)
• Moderate uphill, well-marked trail.
• Trail passes alpine flowers and small streams.
• Last 15–30 min may be slightly rocky; go slow with packs.
5. Camp: Hakuba Oike Tent Site
• Water available.
• Windy, secure tent stakes.
• Sunset over Hakuba peaks.

Highlights: Wetlands, alpine flowers, mirror-like lake. Perfect acclimatization.

Tips: Take breaks on boardwalks, carry 1–1.5 L water, trekking poles optional but helpful.

Day 6 – Hakuba Oike → Shirouma / Hakuba-dake Tent Site

• Hike: Hakuba Oike → Korenge → Shirouma summit (2,932 m)
• Distance: ~12 km
• Elevation gain: 2,380 → 2,932 m
• Estimated time (beginner pace with tent): 5–6 hours
• Camp: Hakuba Sanso Tent Site (near summit)
• Features: Limited water (small supply at hut)
• Tips: Secure tent stakes, expect strong winds at ridge
• There is no tent site this year, so book Hakuba sanso instead

Trail Details

1. Hakuba Oike → Mikunizaka (~2,470 m)
• Gently ascending alpine trail.
• Scenic ridge views start here.
2. Mikunizaka → Korenge-sawa (~2,460 m)
• Slightly flatter section.
• Optional short rest stops.
3. Korenge-sawa → Shirouma-dake Summit (2,932 m)
• Steeper but well-marked trail.
• Ridge exposure: moderate winds; tent backpack is heavy—take frequent breaks.
4. Summit → Hakuba Sanso Tent Site (~2,830 m)
• Slight descent; set up camp below summit.
• Water limited (available for purchase at hut).
• Tent stakes must be secure; wind can be strong.

Highlights: Panoramic Northern Alps views, ridge walking, high alpine scenery.

Tips: Start early (~6–7 AM), carry poles, pace carefully for beginners

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Day 7 – Shirouma → Shakushi → Hakuba-Yari → Yari Onsen Tent Site (26 Aug)

• Hike:
• Shirouma → Shakushi → Hakuba-Yari → Yari Onsen (~6–7 hours)
• Distance: ~10 km
• Elevation: 2,932 → 2,812 → 2,903 → 2,100 m
• Camp: Yari Onsen Tent Site
• Features: Natural hot spring for soaking, very scenic, popular
• Tips:
• Early start (~5 AM)
• Bring 1–2 L water; some sections have limited supply
• Trekking poles recommended on steep descents
• Highlights: Ridgeline walking, alpine scenery, soak in hot spring after long day

Trail Details

1. Shirouma-dake Summit → Mt. Shakushi (2,812 m)
• Slight descent followed by small climb.
• Ridge walking; some exposure to wind.
2. Shakushi → Mt. Hakuba-Yari (2,903 m)
• Moderate climbing; good views of surrounding peaks.
• Trail is narrow in places; take care on rocky sections.
3. Hakuba-Yari → Yari Onsen (2,100 m)
• Long descent through forested trail.
• Some steep sections; trekking poles highly recommended.
• Stream crossings possible; water boots optional if stream high.
4. Camp: Yari Onsen Tent Site
• Natural hot spring (soak after hiking!).
• Water available for tents.

Tips: Start very early (6 AM) to finish descent by afternoon, keep pace slow for beginner, frequent breaks,

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Day 8 – Yari Onsen → Sarukura → Hakuba (27 Aug)

• Hike: Yari Onsen → Sarukura (~3.5–4 hours)
• Distance: ~7 km
• Elevation: 2,100 → 1,250 m
• Transport: Bus from Sarukura → Hakuba Station / Happo Bus Terminal
• Tips: Steep descent; trekking poles highly recommended
• Highlights: Forest trail descent, final views of Northern Alps

Route Overview

• Start: Yari Onsen Tent Site (2,100 m)
• End: Sarukura Trailhead (1,250 m)
• Distance: ~7 km
• Estimated Time: 3.5–4 hours
• Elevation Loss: ~850 m

This is mainly a descent through forested alpine terrain, ending at the bus stop for transport back to Hakuba.

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Hiking Details

1. Early Start
• Start around 6:30–7:00 AM to avoid midday heat and allow time if anyone is slow on the descent.
• Breakfast and pack gear the night before to save time.
2. Trail Sections
• Yari Onsen → Kominata Col:
• Moderate descent initially on rocky, uneven path.
• Watch footing; trekking poles are highly recommended.
• Kominata Col → Forested Ridge:
• Trail becomes wooded; less exposure but still steep in sections.
• Rooted trail sections can be slippery if wet.
• Forest → Sarukura Trailhead:
• Final 1–2 km gradually flattens out.
• Signs mark the trail clearly; this is a very scenic forest walk to finish your trek.
3. Water and Facilities
• No water sources after Yari Onsen; ensure you carry at least 0.5–1 L if needed.
• Toilets: Some along the trail near huts, but not continuous.

                                                         ******

As much as we had planned, there are always unpredictable factors.

This time, for the first time, my husband joined us for this hiking trip.

It was started as my friend suddenly could not go with me for the first part, so my husband offered to come.  I considered his fitness and mountain readiness, and thought that the first part was okay for him.  So he started to train, after a period of time, he felt so good, that he wanted to come with us for the second part.

He went with me for the first mountain, the pace was really slow, but he managed to climb the the summit, and after the descending, he felt not bad, especially after onsen, he felt confident enough to go on the second mountain, but the second mountain was much harder.

The rope way up 

The rocky path

Happo Gate

Happo Ike

Maruyama

Karamatsu Sanjio sanso

Hakuba ni Ikune白馬に行くね

 It is about one month till our trip to Hakuba sanzen.  We are really excited.

Besides, the normal strength training with my son, we also did a few trips of full loaded climbing for practice.

While, we can never predict what is going to happen in the really mountain journey, we can only do what we can to prepare ourselves, most important, to pray for the safety, for good weather, for the strength and memory created in the journey.

I am already looking forward to the journey beyond.

PPS Club

 Every year, I make about 5 or 6 trips to Japan and Europe ．But I have never given the thought to PPS club until recently.

Maybe as I am getting older, my body could not take the red-eye, long haul flights as well as younger days, also could be, nowadays, there are more people to travel , somehow, I feel the quality of characters of people who travel are getting lower and lower.

So I decided, from now onwards, I will fly business for long haul.

So I did a rough calculation, if I fly business for long haul flights,  I only need $25,000 value to be PPS club, the 5 to 6 trips to Japan and Europe will easily reach to that amount.

For business flight, I don't have to chase the 50,000 miles for Krisflyer Gold, nowadays, it is getting harder to even qualify Krisflyer Gold too.

By focusing on Business flight and PPS club, I will reach to Krisfyler Gold even faster.

The action plan:

Put to $300,000 investment, aiming for 8% per year.  The return is $24,000, that will pay for my business flight expense.  

Plus, monthly saving $6,600 x 12=79,200

So by next year, I will be in PPS club:)

台風一過

 This year first week of June, I went to Tokyo for Fooma Show.  

The first day in Tokyo was very hot, almost 34 degree, the second day, there was a typhoon Jingmi No 6 coming.  We were at Tsuchiura, the factory people advised us to go back earlier in case of train cancelling.

Sure enough, at night, typhoon arrived in Tokyo, the temperature plunged to 18 degree, and heavy rain, and foggy.

Luckily, we were in door at Fooma the whole day, at night the sky had cleared up, really 台風一過❣

Hiroshima

This was my first time coming to Hiroshima.  A city with deep sadness of human history.  The floating tori, standing among the water and sky, solemnly display the dignity and beauty of this land... and  tell the story of the never ending human tragedy.  

from this side of world, we hardly know, or could not possible know the pain that generation of people suffered, and the pain the following generation have to bear.... it was to hard to see, it was too hard to withhold the tears.

Yet, today's Hiroshima, stands gracefully, as a city, it is clean and well organized, the people are friendly, smiling, but deep inside their heart, how many crying souls lingering along?

Mt Misan is a nice place to hike, we went to the furthest route, took us about 4 hours, but totally worthy it.  That route avoided the main crowded and offered the real nature.

Atomic dome 

Peace Memorial Park

The darkest point in human history