Mount Fuji - in addition to being an active volcano, it is also the highest mountain in Japan, whose height is 3776 m above sea level. The volcano is located on Honshu Island, southwest of the capital Tokyo. In 2013, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural heritage site and source of artistic inspiration. This volcano is revered as a sacred mountain and is Japan's calling card.
Short description
Mount Fuji, which is located on the island of Honshu, has been quite often depicted in numerous paintings since ancient times due to its unique, almost perfect conical shape.
Fuji is considered not only a place visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, but also a sacred place for Buddhists and people who practice Shintoism. The height of the largest mountain in the entire Land of the Rising Sun, which is also an active volcano, is almost 3,800 meters (3,776 m). However, modern geologists and volcano researchers say that there is no need to fear an eruption of Fuji in the near future. The volcano, in the depths of which, according to ancient beliefs, the souls of the dead live, has been sleeping since 1708.
The surroundings of Fuji, which, thanks to the efforts of local authorities, have been preserved in almost their original form
, quite often attract the attention of numerous contemporary artists and professional photographers. By the way, at the very top of Mount Fuji there are still structures that were built by human hands: this is a meteorological station, which monitors weather changes and the volcano, a post office and even a jinja. For those who are not familiar with this definition, let us clarify that jinda is a Sinoist temple. Jinja in Japan were erected only in those places in which some miracles occurred or which were distinguished by extraordinary beauty. It is not at all surprising that the Japanese shrine was built on Mount Fuji, which, according to experts, is considered the most beautiful and extraordinary place in Japan.
By and large, Fuji can be safely included in the list of the most beautiful sights of the Land of the Rising Sun. However, to be extremely precise, Fuji can be considered one of the most beautiful volcanoes on our planet. It is for this reason that the Japanese authorities included Fuji, the surrounding area and the “Five Legendary Lakes of Fuji” into the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. This park was founded back in 1936, and its area is about 1,230 square kilometers. Naturally, the most famous mountain in Japan, which is often mentioned in Japanese culture and history, attracts the attention of travelers from all over the world.
It is also interesting that the Fuji stratovolcano is part of a mountain range called... Japanese Alps. “What could Fuji have in common with the Alpine mountains, the ridge of which lies in the Old World?” asks almost every tourist. Indeed, the fact that Fuji is part of the Japanese Alps mountain range is little known. Three mountain ranges in the Land of the Rising Sun were named Alps not by the Japanese, but by an Englishman named William Gowland. It was this native of the Old World who wrote the “Guide to Japan” for tourists, which gained popularity thanks to Walter Westen, who at one time was a missionary and brought faith in Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of the country located on the islands.
If we assume that Fuji is part of the Japanese Alps, then we should definitely clarify that this is the highest mountain range. Although, in fairness, it is worth noting that the definition of “Japanese Alps” is rarely mentioned by geologists and historians in their works, especially if they are talking about the majestic, mysterious and beautiful Fuji.
Data
- Dimensions and location: Fuji, or Fuji-san, has a height of 3776 m and is located on the island of Honshu, 100 km from Tokyo.
- Status: Considered an active volcano with a limited likelihood of eruption.
- History: Fuji was formed about 100,000 years ago, finally forming 10,000 years ago.
- First ascent: An unknown monk climbed to the top in 663.
- Eruptions: Since 781, 6 eruptions have been recorded, the last one lasting from November 24, 1707 to January 22, 1708.
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Mount Fuji in Japan - origin of the name
If you delve into such a difficult question as the origin of the name Mount Fuji, you can simply get confused in the numerous versions put forward by historians and linguists. If you decipher the Chinese character (and there are quite a few of them in Japanese writing) for Fuji, then you can assume that the name of the volcano means immeasurable wealth. In addition, the second hieroglyph suggests that Fujiyama is also a noble person. It is unclear which of these definitions to believe. There is a proverb that is known to almost every Russian-speaking traveler; it goes like this: “the further you go into the forest, the more wood you will break (collect).” It is perfectly suited for Mount Fuji; the deeper the researcher studies the question of the origin of the name of the mountain, the more mysteries become before him. In the 10th century, in one of the many stories, you can find a mention that the name of Mount Fuji means “immortality” or ... “a soldier slowly climbing the mountain.” Further even more interesting: until the 10th century, Fuji was designated with hieroglyphs meaning “immortality”, “eternity”, “incomparability”
.
Europeans also tried to figure out the origin of the name of the highest mountain in the Land of the Rising Sun: John Batchelor, who, in addition to missionary work, also studied the Ainu language, suggested that Fuji means “fire.” It seems that everything is extremely simple, and most importantly, such a name would fully correspond to the volcano, which at one time threw hot lava into the air. But then a Japanese linguist intervened in the dispute, who pointed out to Batchelor that the hieroglyph, which he mistook for fire, meant “an old woman commanding or fanning the fire.” There was even an assumption that the conical stratovolcano received its name as a result of a change in the hieroglyph “ho”. If you try to explain clearly what this short word means, you will get something like this: a slender mountain that stands like a spike of rice! It’s probably worth dwelling on the origin of the name Fuji: there are several dozen more versions and each of them has not been recognized as official until now. Simply put, these days what the name Fuji means is not completely clear. But what about the end, even the beginning is different for all versions.
Where is Fujiyama located?
The volcano is located on one of the islands that belong to Japan. It can be found ninety kilometers from Tokyo. The top of this amazing mountain can be seen from the city streets.
Mount Fuji on the map of Japan
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Author of the publication
offline 3 years
Nika
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I am interested in hiking and traveling, photography and videography. I have been going hiking since childhood. The whole family went and went - sometimes to the sea, then to the river, to the lake, to the forest. There was a time when we spent a whole month in the forest. We lived in tents and cooked over fires. This is probably why I am still drawn to the forest and, in general, to nature. I travel regularly. About three trips a year for 10-15 days and many 2 and 3 day hikes.
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Mount Fuji - structure
As mentioned above, Mount Fuji in Japan is an active but dormant volcano. The diameter of the crater of this beautiful mountain, the name of which is often found in Japanese poetry, is just over half a kilometer. Its depth, according to the results of recent research by scientists, only slightly exceeds 200 meters. Despite the fact that Fuji in Japan has been sleeping since 1708, previously the area surrounding the mountain was constantly flooded with streams of hot lava. The thing is that Fuji is not one volcano (if we speak in the literal sense): the conical mountain was formed as a result of powerful eruptions of four volcanoes earlier than Fuji. Moreover, modern experts have been able to prove that the eruptions here lasted for millennia. It was the huge amount of lava that formed the modern conical appearance of Fuji.
The first volcano, which scientists call “old Fuji,” formed more than 80,000 years ago, and modern (new) Fuji is relatively “young”, it began to grow “only” 11,000 years ago. Approximately 20,000 years ago, Fuji went on a rampage in earnest: constant explosions and eruptions of lava lasted for millennia! While lava flowed along the slopes of the “old Fuji” volcano and blocked numerous streams and mountain rivers, the most beautiful and world-famous “Five Lakes of Fuji” appeared. By the way, the “Five Lakes of Fuji” are a magnificent sight and deserve to be written about in a separate article: it is not for nothing that all of them taken together are considered one of the best and most popular resorts in all of Japan.
On Mount Fuji and at its foot you can find a huge number of hot springs, thanks to which small warm reservoirs are formed
. However, Fuji’s climate can safely be called harsh: in the hottest month, the air temperature near the mountain only warms up to +18 degrees Celsius, but in winter at the top of the stratovolcano it often drops to -38.
Why is Fuji dangerous as a volcano?
In the entire history of monitoring the volcano, starting in 781 AD, seismologists have recorded twelve eruptions of Fuji, the strongest of which occurred at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Three new craters were formed on the eastern side of the mountain, and volcanic ash covered the streets of Tokyo, located almost a hundred kilometers from Fuji, in a layer fifteen meters thick. As of the eighteenth year, this is the last eruption, so it is currently considered an active low eruption volcano. Not everyone agrees with this definition. Recently, scientists have been talking more and more about the awakening of Fuji: special instruments have recorded that the pressure in the magma basin of the volcano as of the eighteenth year is much greater than it was during its last eruption. An important role in this was played by the nine-magnitude earthquake of two thousand and eleven, which caused a huge tsunami that flooded a number of coastal Japanese cities.
Fujiyama
An approaching earthquake that could trigger a volcanic eruption is also indicated by a rise in the water level in Lake Sai, one of the Five Lakes of the volcano, numerous steam emissions from the vent and an increase in the number of volcanic earthquakes. In the twelfth year, geologists discovered that under Fuji there was a fault line about thirty-five kilometers wide, along which an earthquake could well occur, after which an eruption would begin. The latter, according to scientists, can happen at any time before the twentieth year. The forecasts of some researchers are too pessimistic, since they assume that the eruption will be so powerful that Fuji will completely disappear from the face of the earth, and a huge number of people will be forced to leave their homes. True, not everyone agrees with this - most scientists are still inclined to think that the volcano wakes up gradually, and the magma moves very slowly, so if the volcano begins to show excessive activity, people will have time to evacuate, although damage to agriculture will definitely be caused.
Fujiyama
Fuji - close connection with Japanese culture
As has already been mentioned several times in the material, Fuji was glorified by Japanese poets in their works and depicted on canvas by famous artists. True, the Japanese have always had a penchant for exaggeration. For example, on the Edo panel, Fuji is depicted “bound by eternal snows.” If you look at the engraving of the no less famous artist Ogata Gekko, you can see snow-covered Fuji, to the top of which a formidable dragon is climbing. Historian Alexander Meshcheryakov, who devoted most of his life to the study of Japanese culture, argues that in all works, be it poems, paintings or legends, the image of Fuji is far from its true appearance.
There is nothing surprising in such a touching attitude towards the main “calling card” of the Land of the Rising Sun. According to ancient myth, it was almost impossible to conquer Fuji, only a real hero could climb to its peak. Such a daredevil, having overcome all difficulties, received the main gift - immortality. Smoke is often visible from the mouth of the volcano: even modern Japanese, who invent ultra-modern technologies, but raised from childhood on ancient legends and poetry, firmly believe that this smoke comes from a fire that burns from the magical elixir of immortality.
It is surprising that the first written mentions and drawings of Fuji are attributed by historians to the 8th century. According to research, in those days the volcano still often exploded and threw columns of ash into the air. Surprisingly, not a single chronicle or engraving describes the magnificent Fuji volcano or depicts it erupting! Why the Japanese did not want to talk about Fuji's anger is still a mystery. Probably the point is that this mountain is sacred to every inhabitant of the Land of the Rising Sun, and people try to forget its eruptions as soon as possible.
The Fuji stratovolcano, as everyone has already understood, is considered a sacred place for every Buddhist and person professing the Sino cult. For this reason, the name “calling card of Japan” has been used by many major companies, for example, Fuji. By the way, this is not the only company whose name is based on the name of the mountain. Sociologists who have studied most of the Japanese companies have come to a stunning conclusion: if you look at the Japanese telephone directory, which lists all its companies and enterprises, then the number of names with the Fuji prefix will take up more than eight of its pages! Numerous scientists and Buddhists who familiarized themselves with the results of the sociological study were extremely outraged by this state of affairs. Many experts considered it unworthy to use the holiness of Fuji in the name of their company. Another part of the scientists proposed levying a special tax on these enterprises and firms. The funds received for the use of the name Fuji were supposed to be used to maintain and develop Japan's Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
Flora and fauna of the mountain
The local climate is perfect for the development of flora. Therefore, more than 60% of the territory is covered with forests. In the northern part, conifers characteristic of the Far Eastern zone are common: spruce and fir. Broad-leaved trees are common in the southern part. Here you can find pine, cypress, oak, and maple. Evergreen forests are also common, the most striking representatives of which are the jagged oak and Japanese magnolia. There are also palm trees, ficus, bananas, and other representatives of the tropics. Some trees are over one and a half thousand years old. Some reach a height of 50 m and about 5 m in diameter. It's no wonder that Fuji's flora is considered a real paradise. Even universities and local academies organize special tourist trips for students. It is a great joy for the Japanese to visit such a wonderful place where many trees grow. In the forests you can find Japanese macaques, sable, weasel, mountain antelope, and short-legged wolf.
Such a cute macaque can be seen in the hot springs on the slopes of the mountain
A real fairy tale opens up before travelers after crossing the upper boundaries of the forest zone. Here you can stumble upon rhododendron and beautiful alpine meadows. Some herbs and plants are still used in medicine for the manufacture of medicines, as well as the preparation of aromatic oils.
Mount Fuji in Japan is a dream for climbers and travelers
Everyone who is interested in mountaineering dreams of climbing a mountain sacred to the Japanese. Almost all routes along which you can climb to the top of Fuji are open only in the summer (from early July to late August) . However, even in July, part of the mountain is still covered with snow; climbing Mount Fuji is strictly prohibited in these places. Despite its relatively small height (when compared with Everest), Fuji is not conquered by everyone. It is not without reason that ancient legends say that only a true hero can reach its peak. For this reason, with the beginning of the tourist season, a huge number of centers open in Fuji, where rescuers work and so-called yamagoya - places where you can buy food and drinking water. It is interesting that “yamagoya” can be literally translated into Russian; this word means “hut”.
Only four routes are officially recognized by which you can climb the mountain. True, some careless tourists use the services of guides who want to earn extra money and go through difficult and dangerous areas. The prefectural authorities appeal to such climbers with a request not to make a mistake that could cost them their lives. By the way, these dangerous routes are used by the Japanese themselves, however, they travel on fortified and powerful bulldozers, on which food is delivered, and, if necessary, wounded travelers are evacuated from Fuji.
Until 2005, glider pilots could often be seen from the mountain, soaring over the National Park. After a number of deaths due to strong wind gusts on Mount Fuji, gliding has become less popular, although not officially banned. Sometimes you can see several gliders that launch from the slopes of Fuji (naturally, not from its crater). As mentioned above, Fuji, the surrounding area and the “Five Lakes of Fuji” are part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Therefore, a tourist whose paths have led him to the legendary Fuji must strictly follow all the rules, which are set out in detail in different languages in special booklets. It should also be remembered that disturbing the peace of the monks of Sinoist temples is strictly prohibited. They themselves will invite a tourist to visit at a certain time and introduce him to their faith, history, culture and traditions.
However, you should always remember the most important rule: “No trash!” For throwing packages and bottles, a tourist may be fined and prohibited from even approaching the territory of the National Park in the future. By the way, during the ascent to Mount Fuji, everyone is given a special bag: not even so that they can put their trash there, but also so that along the way they can put there a found bottle, a piece of paper or a bag. Fortunately, there is practically no garbage on Fuji, and tourists reach the top with almost empty bags.
During the ascent to the top of Fuji, where the elixir of immortality burns, it is forbidden to even relieve oneself in places unsuitable for this purpose.
. You shouldn’t be afraid of this rule: on every route you can find a huge number of clean dry closets, in which the seat is even heated (needless to say... Japan). All of these toilets are electronically controlled and their batteries are charged by sunlight. By the way, if anyone doesn’t know, dry toilets are widespread throughout Japan. They can be found on every corner in a major metropolis, and they are all free, almost all…. Everything except the toilets in Fuji. Their visit will cost the traveler 100 yen. Probably, the enterprising Japanese made them paid only because a tourist has nowhere to go on the mountain except to break the rule, and in the Land of the Rising Sun most of the population simply does not understand how one can break a certain restriction. At the end of the material, I would like to say that according to “dry” statistics, Fuji is visited annually by just over 200,000 people. However, this figure only includes those tourists who climb the sacred mountain: the 200,000 visitors to the Fuji Five Lakes resort are not counted.
Attraction rating
Rating 3.15 [13 vote(s)]
| ← Asia | Japan |
Climbing
During the summer seasons, there is a rescue service and hospitable “huts” on the slopes - cafes where you can buy food, drinks and even sleep. The summer months are the most favorable months for conquering the peak, as long as there are no snow deposits. Foreigners arriving in Tokyo often have questions about where Mount Fuji is and how to get to it, but this problem is solved quite quickly, since there are a great many paths leading from the capital of Japan to the foot of the mountain!
Geographically, the mountain is divided into 10 levels. From the fifth level there are four paths leading up. Any of the routes takes 3–8 hours without rest, the descent takes 2–5 hours.
In addition to tourist routes, there are paths intended for bulldozers that deliver food and other materials to the mountain huts and souvenir shops located on the top of the mountain. But bulldozers are also designed to evacuate people in trouble and in need of medical care. For tourists, such routes are a huge danger, since they do not provide special protection from the stones that regularly fall from the top of the mountain. But on such roads you can often meet cyclists who prefer to climb by other routes at their own peril and risk.
Mount Fuji on the map
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World fame
In June 2013, Fuji was included in the UNESCO list. It is noteworthy that it was included in this respectable list not as an interesting natural phenomenon, but as an object of cultural heritage. This is a tribute to the fact that for many centuries the volcano has inspired artists and poets to create. Therefore, officially the UNESCO list includes: “Mount Fuji. An inexhaustible source of inspiration and an object of religious worship." In addition, the volcano and its surroundings are part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Nature Park. And the five lakes - Sai, Shojin, Motosu, Yamanaka and Kawaguchi - are a resort where Tokyo residents like to relax.
Tourism
Without a doubt, Fuji is a volcano that is the most popular and main tourist attraction in Japan. It is not surprising that most residents of the country consider it the most beautiful place on the entire planet. Starting in July, for three months, local rescue centers and small mountain huts are at the disposal of tired tourists and travelers. Trading of food and drinks is also very common here during this time.
Of the three trails to the summit, one main one has been identified. There are ten points intended for recreation. Here, each conqueror of the peak is given special staffs made of bamboo. They significantly help them when climbing. Moreover, at each of the stations a mark is applied to the staffs, which confirms that the tourist has actually overcome the stage. To simplify the ascent, a road has been built up to half the way (to the fifth point).
Religious and cultural significance
In Japan, the vast majority of residents profess Shintoism. For every adherent of this religion, Fuji is a sacred volcano. The ancient inhabitants of the country assumed that its crater was the forge of the fire god Ainu. This, in their opinion, was considered the reason why the slopes were strewn with debris and ash. Now the period from July to August is the period of greatest activity for religious pilgrims who seek to visit their main shrine. During this time, up to three thousand people stay here every night, who want to watch the vast expanses of the ocean and the sun rising from them. Every Japanese considers a pilgrimage to this mountain to be their sacred duty.
