Japanese symbol of exceptional beauty and sacredness - Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration 1418
What and Why
Mount Fuji or Fujisan (Japanese: 富士山) needs no introduction. It is the highest and active volcano in Japan (日本) and at 3,776.24 m, seventh highest island-peak in the world. It is a dormant stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707 CE. Mount Fuji lies about 100 km south-west of Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō), and can be seen from almost everywhere on a clear day. Mount Fuji's almost perfect axi-symmetrical cone, which is snow-capped for about half a year, is commonly used as a symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers.
Fujisan is the outright sacred symbol of Japan and there is almost a divine feel to the mountain. Its natural beauty and status has inspired pretty much the majority of art form and cultural output of anything Japan and is universally revered. The awe that Fujisan’s majestic form and intermittent volcanic activities have inspired into religious practices that linked Shintoism and Buddhism, people and nature, with worship ascents and descents to the mountain.
Toponymy
The origin of the name Fuji is unclear, and there is no agreed etymology of the name. The more accepted anecdote would be from a text of the 9th century CE, Tales of the Bamboo Cutter (竹取物語, Taketorimonogatari) which says that the name came from fushi / fuji (不死), meaing 'immortal'.
Fuji is geographically located in the precinct of Narusawa (鳴沢), meaning 'loud river'.
See
Fujisan (富士山)
At a closer point of view, there is actually not too much to see. As we were driving, we used the Subaru Line (スバルライン) to get to the top, which honestly is a very boring strip. This route is easily the most popular route to ascend the mountain. Mount Fuji is divided into various levels (合目, gōme) and the highest you can access via a drive is the 5th level (五合目, Gogōme), which is where most people will disembark and start their hike. Unfortunately during the day we accessed, the weather was not very good and we were allowed only up to the 4th level, the Ōsawa (大沢) station, due to potential danger of snow-avalanche.
The view from Ōsawa.
According to my friend who hiked up the mountain, hiking up to the Mount Fuji is not as strenuous and difficult at other mountain-climbs in the world. In fact she described the hike as 'pretty boring' as it just zigzags endlessly all the way up with not a lot of scenes and views to enjoy. All the trails are extremely well-marked and managed. From the 5th station, it will take a roughly 5 to 8 hours on ascent and another 3 to 4 for descent, so it will be a two-day exercise event, spending a night at any hostel up the mount.
We never planned for a full climb, but at least we can experience the whole fuss about Fujisan. By the way, the climbing season of Fujisan is from July to September only.
With the permission of my friend whom I mentioned, who just achieved the feat of reaching the summit, I plagiarise her facebook pictures with permission, to show what it is like up there at the 8th station (八合目, hachigome) where a number of hostels is located.
The summit station before the final ascent.
The crater.
Incredibly my friend told me that there was a vending machine at the top of the mountain. How this vending machine reached here and remains operating is beyond anyone. Just before this there are a number of shops as well. Expect them to be over-priced.
Fujisan World Heritage Center (富士世界遺産センター)
At the base of the mountain and at the start of the Subaru Line, there is the Fujisan World Heritage Center (富士世界遺産センター) detailing the science, history and culture of Fujisan.
Kawaguchi-ko (河口湖)
One of the best view to see Fujisan from afar is from Kawaguchi-ko (河口湖), literally meaning 'river mouth lake' where Fujisan is reflected perfectly on a serene calm lake on a good day. This is also where most tourists and photographers will take the shot, although it is well-known Fujisan weather is notoriously cloudy and a good show like our picture below is rare. From Fujisan to Kawaguchi-ko it is a 30-minute drive.
Buy and Do
Kimono (着物)
One can do a kimono (着物) at Kotokubiya (寿屋) at Kawaguchi-ko. Apparently a lot of tourists do this around the area, as during a good day, Mount Fuji reflects perfectly on the lake and forms an incredible backdrop. Here is our kimono thing with Fujisan as background (if you can see well).
Walking stick (杖)
Aside from the the climb and the kimono, there is a can of fresh Fujisan air for sales at various souvenir store at JPY 600¥. The most important souvenir to get is the Fuji walking stick (杖), where you can find stamps along the hiking route to mark your achievement.
Onsen (温泉)
The other important activities to do near Fujisan, especially in Hakone (箱根) is to dip oneself into the onsen (温泉), which is practically in every hotels near the mountain. That is what the place is famous for and locals come here for as a weekend pastime. My in-law enjoyed it so much he would rather stay in the onsen for the entire afternoon than going out.
Eat and Drink
Plum curry (梅カレー)
We had an interesting curry rice at the World Heritage Center, where a Fujisan curry rice is served. The curry is a bluish gravy made from plum (梅, ume). There is a 2-kg version which is sold at 3776¥, the height of Fujisan.
Black egg (黒卵)
Another famous snack around the Fujisan area, especially Hakone is the black egg (黒卵, kuro-tamago). This is simply an egg boiled in the sulphur hotspring. This is probably the bestseller in the nearby Ōwakudani (大涌谷), the main tourist hotspring area near Hakone. It is advertised that eating this egg will give an extra seven years of life! I swallowed three on purchase and earned 21 years of extra life!
While we were staying in Hakone, food is not that easily available. We drove all the way to Odawara (小田原) for a good bowl of ramen (ラーメン). We visited this place called Ramen Sōtarō (ラーメン庄太郎), a very basic village ramen house, where the boss Sōtarō apparently is a philanthropist and is well respected in the town by supporting many charity. The food is excellent and honest and the ambience is superb. Unfortunately no English. Chinese patriots beware: He did visit the Yakusuni Jinja (靖国神社).
Stay
We stayed in Hakone Onsen Sanso Nakamura (箱根温泉山荘なかむら) for three nights exploring various parts of Hakone and Fujisan. The best thing about the hotel is of course its onsen. Not too bad but access can be a bit difficult as it is up in a hill.
Getting There and Around
You can take a bus all the way up to the 5th station along the Subaru Line from Kawaguchi-ko. The entrance to the Subaru Line is at Naruzawa and is also where the World Heritage Center is located. From the 5th station, it is all yours to decide. There is an entrance fee of 420¥ for the World Heritage Center. Clearly this is a trip that requires a bit of planning and it would not be fair or even feasible if you allocate less than a week if you plan to do the climb. If there is no climb, then a day-trip is not a bad option between the 5th station and Kawaguchi-ko neither.
UNESCO Inscription
The beauty of the solitary, often snow-capped, stratovolcano, known around the world as Mount Fuji, rising above villages and tree-fringed sea and lakes has long been the object of pilgrimages and inspired artists and poets. The inscribed property consists of 25 sites which reflect the essence of Fujisan’s sacred and artistic landscape. In the 12th century, Fujisan became the centre of training for ascetic Buddhism, which included Shinto elements. On the upper 1,500-metre tier of the 3,776m mountain, pilgrim routes and crater shrines have been inscribed alongside sites around the base of the mountain including Sengen-jinja shrines, Oshi lodging houses, and natural volcanic features such as lava tree moulds, lakes, springs and waterfalls, which are revered as sacred. Its representation in Japanese art goes back to the 11th century, but 19th century woodblock prints of views, including those from sand beaches with pine tree groves have made Fujisan an internationally recognized icon of Japan and have had a deep impact on the development of Western art.
References
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