The Proposal

Jeff's version

Alright, so where should I do it...? In our foreign travels I've learned that one of the most enjoyable, but rarely done activities for Leizel and I is the "light" outdoors -- mainly hiking or biking. We'd been talking all year about hiking up the tallest mountain in Ise -- we had tried the previous year and made it halfway up but then had to turn back because it looked like it'd rain. So I decided I would propose while we were hiking this mountain.

She came to Ise the first weekend after I came back from a visit to Ohio (during which I'd purchased the ring), and we planned to go then but then she didn't feel very good the morning of the hike, so we canceled. The next day, Sunday, it rained. So it was put off a week, but then the next weekend we were in Suzuka so we couldn't do it. Put off another week. Finally, she came back to Ise again the following weekend but had to go to a speech contest for work on that Saturday -- so we planned the hike for the following day: Sunday, October 28th.

On the morning of the hike she didn't really feel like going, but I pushed heavily since it was clear weather, neither of us were sick, and it was one of the last warm weekends of the year. Since we typically enjoy the "light" outdoors I figured she'd warm up to the hike once we started, and luckily this proved to be the case. I figured I'd propose at the top of the mountain. However, there was a big problem. When we got to the top of the mountain, there were people everywhere! I felt it had to be done in secluded area with a nice view -- but after exploring around the area at the top of the mountain for almost 90 minutes, we came across no such place! This mountain, called Mount Asama, has a road up to the top so a lot of people were there because it was a weekend and a clear day. There was even a pseudo-festival going on at the top! It was the first time I've ever been unhappy to randomly encounter a Japanese festival. It was extremely frustrating because I'd assured myself that "today is the day". Eventually I gave up and we headed back towards the trail down the mountain, Leizel oblivious as to why I was seeming slightly grumpy (I tried to hide as best I could, but it became increasingly difficult). Right before the trail back down the mountain there were old, secluded benches looking out over Ise Bay that I was pinning all of my hopes on because I remembered they were in an out-of-the-way area. They weren't near the main road up the mountain so I figured they'd be free of people -- but, alas, there were two guys sitting there. At this point I basically lost it and kind of muttered a few things under my breath, which confused Leizel because she still didn't guess the reason behind my frustration -- she "knew" that the ring was still being made back in Ohio somewhere (this is the white lie I told her for the purpose of surprising her, I'd actually brought it with me on the plane).

So, we headed down the mountain and I was convinced the proposal was a failure. The hike itself was really fun, and we were both really excited because it was so clear we were able to see the tip-top of Mount Fuji from the top of Mount Asama (Fuji is over 150 miles from Ise), but since I had an objective during the hike and had not yet achieved it, it felt like a failed day. Soon it was going to be Winter and we probably weren't going to go up a mountain again next weekend, so I would have to pick some other way to give it to her.

But then, on the way down the mountain, I'd forgotten there was a great lookout point (pictured right) about 1/3 down the mountain but still relatively high up. No benches, so she couldn't sit while I gave it to her, but a beautiful view over Ise city and the bay in the background. This was it. I stopped her and told her I was taking her picture. I positioned her on a rock so I could do this properly. I did take the picture, mainly so she can look at it forever and think "this was right before we became engaged". I took a picture of her from the back (with the view), and then from the front (with the path). Then she said "Can I move now?". I said "no", and she sighed (at this point she was kind of anxious to get down the mountain). Then I said "there's just one more thing". Only at this point in time did it dawn on her what was going to happen, and I already had the ring out. I walked over to be right in front of her, got down on one knee, and made my formal request. There were tears. There was a "yes". There was a hug. And, just like that, we officially became engaged. On the way down the rest of the mountain I happily got to explain why I'd insisted we climb the mountain that day and why I'd been so grumpy about there being so many other people around. She also wanted to know all the details of the ring purchasing story. All-in-all the trip down the mountain went very quickly.

It was time to celebrate. Even though it was Sunday afternoon and I had work the next day, I went to Suzuka with her for the evening. She suggested dinner at the best yakiniku restaurant in town, so we went there. It's kind of ironic because among Japanese people, yakiniku is very unromantic, but to us it's a great restaurant for dates because it's really elegant (and delicious) to people like ourselves who didn't grow up with it.

On the way home from dinner, we saw a shooting star.

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Last update: 2009.04.03 

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