Switzerland vs. Japan: When the mountains speak a different language

A mountain view that changed the way I see Japan.

Hi everyone,

Today’s post is a little different from my usual stories about Japan or wellness — but something I saw recently has stayed with me so deeply, I felt I had to share it.

Mount Pilatus, Switzerland

I’ve been on my graduation trip since last week, and a few days ago, I climbed Mount Pilatus in Switzerland. A few weeks before that, I hiked Mount Tsukuba near Tokyo, Japan — I even wrote a newsletter about it (you can read it here).

At first glance, it might seem odd to compare the two. One is tucked in a quiet forest near Tokyo; the other towers above alpine lakes and medieval towns. But standing at the summit of Pilatus, wind in my face, I suddenly thought back to the hush of Tsukuba — and something clicked.

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Here’s what happened at Pilatus.

We took the world’s steepest cogwheel railway to reach the mountain.

Then hiked for about an hour to the summit — and the view was unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Almost no trees. Just endless green slopes, wildflowers, and cliffs dropping into deep valleys. The sky felt close. The landscape wide open. Nothing in the way — just air, grass, and stone.

I’ve added a photo below — though honestly, no camera can fully capture how it felt to be up there, surrounded by so much space.

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Now back to Japan.

When I climbed Mount Tsukuba, the experience was completely different.
The forest trail was shaded by tall trees. Sunlight filtered softly through the leaves. Birds sang. Streams trickled.

It felt like stepping into a sacred place — a quiet world that reveals itself slowly to those who walk gently and pay attention.
Unlike Pilatus, where everything opens up immediately, Tsukubasan feels like a secret shared one step at a time.

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Both mountains were beautiful — but in totally different ways.

In Switzerland, I felt small — like I was inside something ancient and vast.
In Japan, I felt sheltered — like the mountain was quietly watching over me.

The Swiss mountain was bold, open, exposed.
The Japanese mountain was sacred, hidden, slow.

One opens your lungs wide.
The other slows your breath.

And both are beautiful.

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Personally, I think Japan’s tree-covered trails are better for summer — cooler, more fragrant, and alive with sound.
But if you ever get the chance to stand on a Swiss peak, do it. Just once.

Even as someone who grew up loving nature, it reminded me:
There are still new languages of beauty I haven’t learned to speak yet.

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How about you?
Do different landscapes speak to you in different ways?
Do you feel most alive in forests or on mountaintops?
Have you ever been somewhere so vast, or so still, that it changed you a little?

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From my next post, I’ll be back to Japan and wellness — forest paths, summer foods, travel tips, and health habits from home.
If you haven’t subscribed yet, I’d love to have you join me.

Thanks for letting me share this detour.
And if you’d like — I would like to know: What kind of nature makes you feel most at home?