Today marks “International Mountain Day” , an annual observance that raises awareness about the importance of mountains to people and the planet.
We thought it a good opportunity to shine a light on Mount Fuji, the globally-recognised iconic monument of natural beauty and cultural importance.
Mount Fuji has been capturing the inspiration of artists and poets for Millenia.
As with all our blog-posts, you can click on any of the images to take a closer look.
One of 26 UNESCO World Heritage sites found across Japan, Mount Fuji, (or “Fujisan” as it is affectionately known), is a sacred site in the indigenous religion of Shintoism and is a prominent monument, featuring in countless myths and legends.
Classed as an active Stratovolcano, Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest peak and stands at over 12,000 feet in height. Thankfully though it has not experienced an eruption of note since 1707 (during the Edo period).
That eruption, known as the “Hoei” eruption, lasted three months and caused an immense ash-fall. The consequences were far-reaching causing multiple landslides and crop failure.
Along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, Mount Fuji is one of Japan’s Three Holy Mountains and its famously symmetrical cone attracts pilgrims, hikers and climbers from all over the globe. In fact, Mount Fuji is officially the “most-climbed” mountain in the world and despite the climbing season only lasting two months, it welcomes 300,000 climbers annually.
One of our favourite legends involving Mount Fuji is the popular folktale that describes how the Mountain came to exist:
The Birth of Mount Fuji:
The story takes place on the barren, dry plains of Suruga. A humble farmer by the name of Visu lived on Suruga and every year struggled to provide for his young family. The barren land making it almost impossible for anything to grow.
One night Visu was woken by the terrifying and deafening roar of an incredibly loud cracking noise. Terrified that an earthquake was going to destroy his home, he awoke his family and dragged them out of their modest hut to safety. Once outside, they saw that instead of the characterless plains of Suruga, an impossibly huge Mountain now stood.
It was a miracle. The Mountain created fertile soil and a change in the climate which allowed the young farmer to reap bountiful harvests and his family were able to not just survive but thrive. Visu christened the miraculous Mountain, “Fuji-yama”, the never-dying Mountain.
We hope you enjoyed this short-read. You can find over 100 articles and blogs inspired by our collection of Chinese and Japanese Fine Art and Antiques by clicking here.
