Abstract

This reflection captures a deeply personal and transformative experience during my academic sabbatical in Japan in November 2017. Among various memorable encounters, the visit to Mount Tsukuba stands out for its blend of physical journey, spiritual serenity, and symbolic significance. Despite its modest elevation of approximately 877 meters-far less than Malaysia’s Genting Highlands (1800 meters)- Mount Tsukuba offered a uniquely sacred ambiance shaped by autumn foliage, cultural elements, and introspective walkways. This reflective article narrates my walk with my family through rock stairs, past shrines, and along a colorful path toward the cable car station, all culminating in a symbolic ascension that resonates with ecological principles and environmental ethics. Drawing from this lived experience and supported by studies on mountain ecology, agro-ethics, and conservation, I connect personal aging, spiritual grounding, and the rise and fall patterns of nature and life itself to the ecological Shelford Law of Tolerance. This reflection articulates the emotional landscape of walking up and down-not only the mountain, but the metaphor of life’s journey.

Keywords: Mount Tsukuba; Personal reflection; Environmental ethics; Autumn foliage; Sacred nature