Running in this rural Japanese village famous for its apples is slowly stealing my love for the Chicago lakefront and turning me into a mountain lover. Every day this spring- whether I'm running, biking, walking, or blading.. I've fallen more and more in awe of the view of the Northern Alps towering in front of me and the valley of rice paddies and apple orchards.

I go for a run as a minor celebrity- the freaky white girl who teaches English at the junior high school and runs in all kinds of weird weather. I make it a point therefore, to toss a "konnichiwa (hello)!" to all the hunched over, straw-hatted "obaachans" and "ojiisans" (grandpas & grandmas-affectionatley in japanese) as I pass. My greeting is always returned with a surprised smile. Their gardens are magnificent- with so little land they have created a botanical festival for me to enjoy as I pass. There are violet and yellow iris, red poppies, purple tufts of some odd Dr. Seuss like plant all reflected in the water of the rice paddies. Of course, earlier it was the tulips and cherry blossoms and later on I will be greeted by the friendly sunflowers.

As I pass out of the north side of town, I leave the gardens and am in the midst of larger (for Japan) rice paddies. I see white cranes, blue herons, and sometimes if I'm looking carefully- a frog. With no buidings in the way I can see the entire valley- from one range of mountains (including the beautiful Mt. Jonen- on top of which I stood with all my cute new 7th graders last September) all the way down to me then back up the other side. If I look far out in front of me- I can see more mountains- the home of some of the best skiing in Japan - with mountains regally defined by patches of remaining snow.

It's amazing, awe inpiringly, magestic... a view I never imagined existed in Japan, even after living elsewhere in the country for an entire year... I feel like a tiny pin prick on a gigantic world map. My heart feels huge in my chest and running feels like the only natural mode of transportation in the world. I feel like singing the opening bars of the "Sound of Music". I enjoy the feeling that no one I know back home could possibly imagine where I am or the beauty I'm out here witnessing. I feel sorry for them. But for now- for the next two months- I will be out here as much as possible.. and I will keep being thankful for my runs out in the middle of nowhere Japan.