I'm in Okinawa right now, but I lived near Narita Airport for my first three years. Been in Japan for 5 years total, wife is Japanese, so half of my family is here. I've done Mt. Fuji four times now, each time navigating a more difficult route. My first time up there was interesting to say the least. Saw a man in his 50's get blown over the rope by a big wind gust and he fell about 50-75ft, he survived, but sustained significant injuries. Also I guess a someone in a group of European tourists a couple hours behind us was blown off as well and died. We got to the top and saw absolutely nothing, weather was terrible. But the next three times were all good weather.
How long do I plan to be here? Another 2.5 years, then getting out of the military to go to medical school in the US. Might come back here to retire some day, but that will be many years from now.
I grew up in Seattle....Madison Park area near Lk Washington at the end of Madison Ave. Parents live across the water from Seattle now though.