Parcly Taxel: Though it may be a volcano, Mount Fuji has all the characteristics of serenity – snow cap, goraikō (御来光) and above all isolation from other Japanese mountain ranges, lending its near-perfect cone to stunning, iconic scenery.

Spindle: It's also a favourite plaza for windigos, who enjoy playing and chatting with hikers ascending the mountain. In the winter, as it is on this trip, they help shape the snow cap with blizzards strong enough to render the trails impassable. They then descend to the five lakes and numerous towns at the foot and take any hateful ponies into their herd, thus keeping the towns vibrant and friendly. Our first stop will be in Fujikawaguchiko (富士河口湖), but we will explore other areas around the mountain too.

Parcly: Sorry, you meant volcano? Anyway, it's around 100 km west of Tokyo, which we will be visiting after an excursion out of the sprawling southern coast (Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, etc.) into Niigata, known for its paddy fields and biodiverse wetlands. I assume you already know that anything can happen in Tokyo.

Like my previous trips to faraway places, I'll be making a picture for each day of the trip. The pose of me and Spindle without the background can be found here; the viewpoint shown is from Chūreitō (忠霊塔), considered the cream of the crop among Mount Fuji lookouts.

(SVG here.)