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epoch
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Jul 18, 2010, 4:07 AM
Post #1 of 6
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Registered: Apr 27, 2005
Posts: 31872
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It's not every day that you get to take a sizable trip just to climb. Being on a long business trip I don't get to get out, but when I do I have to make it worth it.
I was jonesin to climb. Knowing the nearest gym was a trek aways I was sure to keep in mind how to explain it to everyone.
The journey to the climbing spot, urban or otherwise, is always one of the highlights of the day.
Mine started in the Japan rush hour.
Now, this was after a 20 minute walk to the train station.
After I departed the chaotic whirld that is the Yokohama train staion - there are worse in Tokyo (Shinjaku is one that comes to mind) - I was fortunate to walk along the night streets. Along a series of narrow passages and canals lined with multi-story apartment buildings I was glimpsing the 970 foot Yokohama Landmark Tower.
After 5 years away I was surprised that I still knew my way. B-pump2 is an extraordinary little gym in an unsuspecting location. Minutes away from the chaos of Yokohama station is a quaint multi-level bouldering gym. If you didn't know what it was you'd walk right past it thinking it was a house.
I was here two weeks after they opened their doors in 2003; and I climbed quite a bit with nearly the place to myself for the next two years when I made the journey up.
Tonight, I was told, was now the usual. The downstairs was packed. People were waiting in que out of the padded area for their rotation on the wall. I bypassed the area without taking pics for the upstairs. Historically, it was always the quieter place and this trip was no exception.
I am going to head up there again this week and I'll get some more pics. For what it is, the journey and experience is quite interesting.
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Gmburns2000
Jul 18, 2010, 7:01 AM
Post #2 of 6
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Registered: Mar 6, 2007
Posts: 14536
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looking forward to more pics
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gblauer
Moderator
Jul 22, 2010, 7:18 PM
Post #4 of 6
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Registered: Oct 3, 2002
Posts: 2627
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I try and take my shoes and chalk bag with me on my trips (I travel almost every week). I often find that with international travel I am too jet lagged to climb. Kudos to you for battling the lag and climbing.
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el_layclimber
Jul 22, 2010, 9:13 PM
Post #5 of 6
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Registered: Jan 8, 2006
Posts: 550
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Looks a lot like City Rocks in Osaka. Hidden away, very small, very cramped, and full of climber spirit. They had a bunch of routes there that were set by Koyama Dai; he had put up stuff from very easy to unbelievably frickin' hard, and instead of having names, he had drawn little pandas, chickens and other cute animal stick figures on the tape. Very Japanese in that respect.
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c-money
Jul 23, 2010, 1:59 AM
Post #6 of 6
(1148 views)
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Registered: Apr 25, 2004
Posts: 252
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Cool post! Nice pics.
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