March 31, 2010
Mt. Fuji continues to charm Japanese with many faces
Mt. Fuji has continued to charm Japanese over the centuries while showing them many faces as a god-like object and a beautiful but dangerous peak for climbers. Japan’s highest mountain stands on a border that separates Shizuoka Prefecture facing the Pacific to the south and the landlocked Yamanashi Prefecture. But the 3,776-meter-high dormant volcano can be seen from various places as remote as some 300 kilometers away on Japan’s main island of Honshu on clear days, because it has no other mountain or mountain range around.
Fuji used to be an active volcano in the ancient times. The mountain was depicted in many classical literary works as a volcano that constantly emits big columns of smoke to no purpose. In later periods, Fuji became to be seen as an awe-inspiring mountain.
Following is a love poem composed by Ki Tsurayuki, one of the greatest waka poets in the Heian period from the late eighth century to the 12th century:
My unrealized ardent love will remain to be met.
A fire in my heart may climb up to the sky like a cloud.
As Mt. Fuji constantly burns itself,
I will continue to burn the fire of my love forever.
(A personal translation)
Those who start their trail from the southern bottom point can see an old big shrine that stands to guard the mountain as a god. Most of the areas above the eighth station of Fuji are believed to be part of the precincts of the shrine, Sengen Shrine. One of the buildings that belong to the shrine is on the top of the mountain.
Today, paved roads take people up as high as the half way point of the mountain, but it sometimes shows its dangerous face, exposing climbers to the risks of developing altitude sickness and being hit by strong winds or fallen rocks. In the winter season, they must also be careful about the danger of slipping down the icy slopes and freezing to death.
Accidents on the mountain claimed at least nine lives in 2009. Among the dead were two Americans. A total of nearly 1,000 people are seen to have lost their lives on the mountain since modern mountaineering was introduced into Japan in the Meiji era.
Local people and authorities have been campaigning to get Mt. Fuji on the list of world heritages of UNESCO. They first tried to have it registered as a natural world heritage, but they switched to a registration as a cultural heritage because the contaminated natural environment around the mountain must be improved.
People in the local community still admire Fuji as a god-hosting mountain. Many people in other areas also watch the mountain while seeking something that heartens or encourages them to get through the current hard time. The mountain is expected to continue to give Japanese a lot of spiritual energies to support their life.
Mt. Fuji continues to charm Japanese with many faces
Mt. Fuji has continued to charm Japanese over the centuries while showing them many faces as a god-like object and a beautiful but dangerous peak for climbers. Japan’s highest mountain stands on a border that separates Shizuoka Prefecture facing the Pacific to the south and the landlocked Yamanashi Prefecture. But the 3,776-meter-high dormant volcano can be seen from various places as remote as some 300 kilometers away on Japan’s main island of Honshu on clear days, because it has no other mountain or mountain range around.
Fuji used to be an active volcano in the ancient times. The mountain was depicted in many classical literary works as a volcano that constantly emits big columns of smoke to no purpose. In later periods, Fuji became to be seen as an awe-inspiring mountain.
Following is a love poem composed by Ki Tsurayuki, one of the greatest waka poets in the Heian period from the late eighth century to the 12th century:
My unrealized ardent love will remain to be met.
A fire in my heart may climb up to the sky like a cloud.
As Mt. Fuji constantly burns itself,
I will continue to burn the fire of my love forever.
(A personal translation)
Those who start their trail from the southern bottom point can see an old big shrine that stands to guard the mountain as a god. Most of the areas above the eighth station of Fuji are believed to be part of the precincts of the shrine, Sengen Shrine. One of the buildings that belong to the shrine is on the top of the mountain.
Today, paved roads take people up as high as the half way point of the mountain, but it sometimes shows its dangerous face, exposing climbers to the risks of developing altitude sickness and being hit by strong winds or fallen rocks. In the winter season, they must also be careful about the danger of slipping down the icy slopes and freezing to death.
Accidents on the mountain claimed at least nine lives in 2009. Among the dead were two Americans. A total of nearly 1,000 people are seen to have lost their lives on the mountain since modern mountaineering was introduced into Japan in the Meiji era.
Local people and authorities have been campaigning to get Mt. Fuji on the list of world heritages of UNESCO. They first tried to have it registered as a natural world heritage, but they switched to a registration as a cultural heritage because the contaminated natural environment around the mountain must be improved.
People in the local community still admire Fuji as a god-hosting mountain. Many people in other areas also watch the mountain while seeking something that heartens or encourages them to get through the current hard time. The mountain is expected to continue to give Japanese a lot of spiritual energies to support their life.
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