Hanazono 308
It was a beautiful and rare bluebird day for Hirafu, and I was two runs in with my camera when I started to feel sick. I made my way slowly down the mountain (snapping photos as I went), sticking to tree trails so that no one would see me throw up. Luckily, I made it to the Hanazono cafe before I did, threw my snowboard down and stumbled into the bathroom as an intense migraine hit me. I lay on the dirty bathroom floor for forty minutes, shedding layers and using my jacket as a pillow as I tried to sleep it off. Finally, the pain subsided and I left the cafe for the snow and sunshine. I had considered calling it a day and heading straight down the mountain, but I stopped to ring the Hanazono 308 bell and realised that I only had one more week in Japan; no way was I spending the day in bed. I don't think the bell brought me any luck, but it did give me strength.