In this season of dazzling fresh greenery, I took a break from the rainy season to climb Bodaiji Mountain, which has a 'petroleum village' in Niitsu. (In between the rainy season, Niigata City has not had any rain for a long time.)

When I say that I do mountaineering, people tend to think that I am a mountaineer, but I am just a "nature lover". I would rather avoid mountain climbing, which is as tiring as running. However, the mountain air and the unique smell of greenery captivate me like an aphrodisiac, and I want to take it into my body before it fades away. With these thoughts and urges, I head for the mountains even though I feel like throwing up.

This time was no exception and my heart was full of anxiety on the way to pick up my friend. I climb at a very slow pace. (After all, it takes 1.5 hours to climb a mountain where the standard climbing time is about one hour.) I was worried that I might slow my friend down, and even her voice saying "don't worry about it" was halfway right to left...

But I will go. And that's fine, maybe. The aphrodisiac that is the mountain lures me with such power.

There are several trailheads to the Bodaiji mountain, which I climbed this time, with gentle trails and trails with many undulating wooden steps. I took the gentle trail. The asphalt path gradually narrows and later becomes gravel. The grass growing on the sides of the path gradually becomes more and more woody. Among them I found raspberries. And they are yellow. A friend of mine who lives near Mt Bodaiji told me that local climbers eat them. I had only seen raspberries, but this was the first time I had eaten them. The strawberries are strangely shaped, with small grains in a single cluster. When I put them in my mouth, the grains popped and the sweet and sour taste spread. The strange texture was like eating gummy bears! I was impressed by the snacks that I could easily eat in the mountains. In this day and age, we don't often put natural things in our mouths, so I was very moved by this.

When we reached the summit, we suddenly came upon private property. There was a wooden table and chairs there, with a dog and a cat side by side at the table. A combination of different species of animals, which I sometimes see in photographs. I don't see them very often in real life, so that alone was a source of strength for me as an animal lover.

These two are just good friends. They seem to like people (especially the dog) and when they saw us, they wagged their tails. I was wary that they might be the type to bark if we got too close to them because of their bare fangs, but their tails wagged even when we closed the distance between us. When I put out my hand, they immediately licked it. If I put my face close to it, it also licks my face. The cat was not that affectionate, but when I stroked it, it looked pleasant.

At this point, the summit is 15 minutes away. 'I feel energised!' I started to walk, but the pace was still very restful. I was very grateful for the patience of my friend, who kept me company without losing her temper.

Arrival at the summit: even at 248m, the view is spectacular and cannot be underestimated. The mountain is surrounded by a green carpet of rice paddies, and towns are scattered around the mountain. We checked the topography of Niigata as we talked, "Is that Gosen over there and Yokogoshi over there?" The topography of Niigata is confirmed as we talk. The large number of rice paddies made me feel once again that Niigata is an agricultural 'town'. As someone involved in agriculture in the field of information dissemination (not beyond the scope of civic activities), this view was nothing but a happy one and something I felt very fond of.

Incidentally, the colour green means 'revival of life'. Niigata is said to have a nationally high suicide rate, but it is really a place full of the colours of life. (In winter, though, it usually turns white with snow. White means 'reset' in white, which translates to green meaning 'resurrection').

On the way down the mountain, we walked along the undulating wooden staircase track. It was a path that made us feel glad that we didn't climb the mountain this way, but it was this path that was more like climbing a mountain. Oil drilling rigs were scattered along the side of the road, as if it were an 'oil village'. This one was actually in operation until 1996. I thought to myself, "Heisei 8, that was only a few years ago!" I thought, but it was already 18 years ago.

Niitsu supported Japan's energy. Facing it again, it is a terrific land.

In recent years, Niitsu has become popular as a 'bedroom town near the centre of Niigata City', but it is a land rich in nature and history. The land is also recommended for its famous sanshoku dango (three-coloured dumplings). This is a place you should definitely visit at least once in your lifetime.