Mount Fuji - Tokyo's Pride And Joy

Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 7:34 am

Both the Japanese and people of different nationalities have aspired to scale the peak of Mount Fuji at least once in their lives. There are also millions of tourists who embark on a Mt Fuji tour every year in order to experience the journey. It might belong to the category of a dormant volcano, but there is every chance in the world that it might still erupt. So why are there still risk takers who brave the summit of the tallest mountain in Japan?

To begin to understand its significance, one has to realize the symbol of Mount Fuji and its place in Japan and the world. The mountain volcano is considered the tallest mountain in the country, with the highest point measuring over 12,000 feet in height. As with many other well known mountains across Japan, Mount Fuji has its own legends that tell of its rise and fall, and permeates the folk stories of the Japanese. Therefore, the Japanese have a lot of love and respect for the volcano mountain.

The extent of their admiration for Mount Fuji can be seen in the many other smaller Fuji-sans sprinkled all across Japan. They are all much smaller mountains that have been given a name in memory of the original volcano. They serve to be an image of the mountain in their own backyard so that they do not need to go on a Mt Fuji budget one day tour. There are also numerous books on origami that show how you can have a mini Mount Fuji made from paper.

The symbol of Japan also fills the capital's landscape as Tokyo's west side is dominated by the sight of Mount Fuji. As the Mount Fuji peak is often shrouded in clouds and haze, the volcano is humorously said to be shy. Mount Fuji's peak is only clearly seen and unhidden by bad weather for an estimated ten days per year. That rare occurrence perhaps adds to the mystic of the mountain.

A more negative aspect of the attraction that Mount Fuji holds for many individuals is the power and control it has over the immediate areas surrounding it. While the volcano has been dormant for centuries, geographical experts have predicted that Mount Fuji is due to stir with activity in time. Tokyo and many other cities could suffer a terrible fate if that were to happen, and it is perhaps why there are also Japanese legends which have led its people to worship gods and other deities that might be connected to Mount Fuji, praying for their safety and peace. However, Fuji-san is also an enabler of economic well-being, with numerous cheap Mount Fuji hotels surrounding it, not to mention in Hakone and nearby resort towns.

One of the most telling signs that Mount Fuji is much loved in Japan is its imprint on the national 1,000 yen note. It is also the most common denomination of the Japanese currency, and perhaps symbolic of the importance of Mount Fuji in the people’s psyche for it to be used in such a way. The life and death of millions of Japanese are held in the cradle of Mount Fuji’s existence, and it is therefore hard to ignore the allure and attraction the beautiful mountain peak has throughout history.

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