Peak Experience: Unveiling the Mystical Weather of Koyasan Mountain

The weather in Japan changes in an instant, like flipping the palm of your hand. The soft inside of the palm is reminiscent of a quiet garden under warm sunlight, and beyond that the blue sky spreads endlessly. As of this moment, everything is stable. The air is warm and slightly windy, and it feels like it will never change. But when the palm turns, the rough and cold floor is revealed. The calm sky is suddenly covered with clouds, and sudden drops of rain wash away the world. Having lived in Japan and often experienced the vagaries of the weather, I had to learn how to adapt to its rapid changes.

The weather at Koyasan was especially subject to change. The morning sunlight in the quiet mountains was mysterious, but in winter, it snowed so much that the 20-minute walk to school felt like hours. There were students who went to school by car, but I always had to walk to school. As I walked down the snow-covered road step by step, I occasionally read the wooden signs on the side of the road. One of them said, “World peace belongs to mankind,” and strangely enough, that simple sentence stuck deep in my mind. With the quiet winter mountains in the background, those words seemed to give me a sense of mission.

While walking to and from school in Koyasan, I often ran into acquaintances. Every time I did that, I did not forget to practice the Japanese polite way of greeting people. I bow my head in greeting, and when the other person bows his head again, I bow my head again. What was felt in the repeated manners was their deep consideration. However, this way of greeting people can be a waste of time, and you will sometimes be late while greeting people you meet. At the time, I wondered why it took so long, but as I learned the polite manners of the Japanese people, I learned that it was their culture and way of life.

In particular, the word “excellent” came up often to me in conversations among Japanese people. At first, I didn’t know what they meant by ‘great’. However, as time passed, they learned that they had a habit of valuing and praising even the smallest and most insignificant things about the other person. They were people who could find excellence in small things and truly praise them.

Living as the only international student in Koyasan, I became a little more cautious. The rumor spread quickly, and it was easy to attract attention because he was a Korean student studying abroad. As a result, I started to pay more attention to my every action and tried to attend school more diligently. However, sometimes when I was late, the professor would call my name twice or three times while waiting for me while looking around instead of calling my name once. Sometimes I was grateful for that thoughtfulness, but at the same time, I felt sorry. In particular, a professor who was very interested in Korea liked the Korean Chusache script. Later, when he came to Korea, I saw him admire the Chusache script in person at the university library. When I think of that scene, my heart still feels warm.

However, the weather changes in the afternoon. Before you know it, dark clouds cover the sky, a cold wind blows, and it starts to become cloudy or snowy. In Japan, carrying an umbrella was essential. At that time, I thought I would only need an umbrella in England, but living in Japan made me realize once again the importance of an umbrella. Just as you never know when your palm might turn over, the sky in Japan could become cloudy and rain or snow at any time.

Despite the changeable weather, Japanese people continued their daily lives without wavering. They seemed to have learned how to adapt to changes in the weather and breathe with nature. Like the soft and rough sides of the palm of your hand, Japan’s weather also has two faces. While there are soft and quiet moments, there are also rough and ever-changing times. However, all those moments come together to complete Japan’s four seasons. I realized that the vagaries of Japan’s weather, and the small joys I find in it, are what make life here more special.

Change is sometimes difficult, but it was difficult to understand the duality of humans.