When someone said, “Let’s climb Mt. Fuji,” I figured… WHY NOT?!
By Jon Liebman
December 18, 2025
As a touring musician back in the ’80s and early ’90s, I learned pretty fast that if you stay out on the road long enough, you never know what may be in store.
I don’t mean from the shows or the rehearsals, but from those odd little pockets of free time that pop up when a tour takes a left turn. I’ve had a few of those over the years, and looking back, they’re some of my favorite memories.
One of them was in Japan.
During a month-long tour I was doing with an LA-based choral group (that in itself is a story all its own!), we had a few days off — no travel, no rehearsals — so a handful of us decided to climb Mt. Fuji.
What started out as a simple “Why not?” turned into a real adventure, complete with snow, wind, a determined buddy named Dwight, and an unforgettable ride back down the mountain.
Funny how it works. You spend weeks focusing on the music, the venues, the schedule… and then an opportunity comes along that’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Check out this week’s video — it includes a few photos of some priceless moments!
Your comments are welcome.
Love this one. As someone who was a trucker for 25+ years when I got somewhere and was going to be laid over, I got on city buses and rode around. All part of the adventure. Thanks Jon. One of these days I am going to think…maybe I saw you play live somewhere. 🤔
Could be, John. Who knows? 😄 Thanks for weighing in.