A message from Josh in Nanayama:
It’s time again to play up the famous, the spectacular, the most amusing way of trying to kill yourself:
The Nanayama Waterfall Climb!
(or, International shower climbing in Nanayama as it is sadly written on the sheets…)
Date: Sunday, August 24th
Place: My home of Nanayama
Fee: 1000 yennies
So, we’ve got these waterfalls in Nanayama, and someone decided we should all climb them. There’s usually over 1000 people climbing the falls and we’d like over 100 of them to be foreign folks.
It seemed like a rather easy climb for me last year. There’s usually two courses at every waterfall. The easy course and the hard course. Either way, there’s plenty of ropes and people to keep you from dying. It’s fun, it’s exciting and it’s almost entirely in the river, so you don’t feel horrible and sticky the whole time.
There is provided transportation from Saga City allll the way to Nanayama. Alternatively, you could drive there.
Additionally!
There is a homestay program this year. We’re looking for 10-20 people to come to Nanayama at around noon on Saturday 23rd and stay with a family for the night. They’ll feed you and the like and you might even get a free trip to the great onsen up here. Then, they’ll take you to the waterfall climb and you can have fun.
Since this is Nanayama, there’s a surprising amount of decent English ability to be found. Plus, the families will usually have junior high or high school kids that will probably get a kick out of talking to you. They’re supposed to be showing you how good live is up in the mountains, so expect fresh food and stuff too.
The homestay is, of course, free. Also, you don’t have to pay to participate in the waterfall climb either.
Date: Noon Saturday, August 23rd – 5PM Sunday, August 24th
Place: Nanayama (and maybe Hamatama)
Fee: FREE (The Waterfall climb is also FREE)
For this one, there is no free bus from Saga, but there is one from Karatsu station. Alternatively, you could drive.
I will be helping coordinate the monies and the applications this year, so it should go smoother than last year.
HERE IS THE APPLICATION. You can fill it out on your computer and send it me [Josh] as well.
I’ll also be sending emails and probably a facebook invite as well. One thing I’m not entirely clear on is that you can also form teams and win prizes and such for the climbing. (Not just fastest, but best costume and such) More information on that as I get it. New people will be here at this time and they are also invited.
Deadlines: Waterfall climb July 31st; Homestay mid-July
I live in one of the most beautiful places in Saga. Come, visit, be happy.
Questions? Comments? Quibbles? email, pm, message, call, text, fax me
Even if you have a cell phone, you are limited by your phone’s battery. In my experience, lithium-ion batteries, like the ones in our phones, don’t hold a charge very well. Even if you don’t use them, after a couple of days, they start to lose power. I highly recommend those keitai battery backup kits you can get at keitai shops/Best Denki/Yamada Denki/AEON/konbini/etc. Basically, it’s a charger that runs off of AA batteries. I use rechargeables and take a few when I go on a weekend trip away from an outlet. You can either get the kind that attaches directly to the side of your phone, or the kind that connects to your phone with a cable (you keep the pack itself in your pocket). With one of these in tow, even if your cell battery is dead, you can still make a few calls or texts. They cost between 900 and 1800 yen, depending on the maker and how fancy they are. If you have an newer phone, just match the maker and the model number on the back of the package. Otherwise, call over a store clerk for help.










