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Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji (富士山, Fujisan, Japanese: [ɸɯꜜ(d)ʑisaɴ] (listen)), or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft 3 in). It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest peak of an island on Earth.[1] Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano that last erupted from 1707 to 1708.[4][5] The mountain is located about 100 km (62 mi) southwest of Tokyo and is visible from there on clear days. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone, which is covered in snow for about five months of the year, is commonly used as a cultural icon of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photography, as well as visited by sightseers, hikers and mountain climbers.[6]

Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji seen from Ōwakudani
Highest point
Elevation3,776.25 to 3,778.23 m (12,389.3 to 12,395.8 ft) 
Prominence3,776 m (12,388 ft)[1]
Ranked 35th
Isolation2,077 km (1,291 mi) 
Listing
Coordinates35°21′38″N 138°43′39″E / 35.36056°N 138.72750°E / 35.36056; 138.72750[2]
Naming
Native name富士山 (Japanese)
Pronunciation[ɸɯꜜ(d)ʑisaɴ]
Geography
Mount Fuji
Location of Mount Fuji in Japan
Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
LocationFuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
CountryJapan
PrefecturesShizuoka and Yamanashi (with the summit in neither[citation needed])
municipalFuji, Fujinomiya, Fujiyoshida, Gotemba, Narusawa and Oyama
Topo mapGeospatial Information Authority 25000:1 富士山[3]
50000:1 富士山
Geology
Age of rock100,000 years
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Last eruption1707–08
Climbing
First ascent663 by En no Odzunu (役行者, En no gyoja, En no Odzuno)
Easiest routeHiking
Official nameFujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration
CriteriaCultural: iii, vi
Reference1418
Inscription2013 (37th Session)
Area20,702.1 ha
Buffer zone49,627.7 ha
Mount Fuji
"Mt. Fuji" in kanji
Japanese name
Kanji富士山
Transcriptions
RomanizationFuji-san

Mount Fuji is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (三霊山, Sanreizan) along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku. It is a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and one of Japan's Historic Sites.[7] It was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on June 22, 2013.[7] According to UNESCO, Mount Fuji has "inspired artists and poets and been the object of pilgrimage for centuries". UNESCO recognizes 25 sites of cultural interest within the Mount Fuji locality. These 25 locations include the mountain and the Shinto shrine, Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha.[8]

Etymology

The current kanji for Mount Fuji, and , mean "wealth" or "abundant" and "man of status" respectively. However, the origins of this spelling and of the name Fuji continue to be debated.

A text of the 9th century, Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, says that the name came from "immortal" (不死, fushi, fuji) and also from the image of abundant (, fu) soldiers (, shi, ji)[9] ascending the slopes of the mountain.[10] An early folk etymology claims that Fuji came from 不二 (not + two), meaning without equal or nonpareil. Another claims that it came from 不盡 (not + to exhaust), meaning never-ending.

Hirata Atsutane, a Japanese classical scholar in the Edo period, speculated that the name is from a word meaning, "a mountain standing up shapely as an ear (, ho) of a rice plant". British missionary John Batchelor (1855–1944) argued that the name is from the Ainu word for "fire" (fuchi) of the fire deity Kamui Fuchi, which was denied by a Japanese linguist Kyōsuke Kindaichi on the grounds of phonetic development (sound change). It is also pointed out that huchi means an "old woman" and ape is the word for "fire", ape huchi kamuy being the fire deity. Research on the distribution of place names that include fuji as a part also suggest the origin of the word fuji is in the Yamato language rather than Ainu. Japanese toponymist Kanji Kagami argued that the name has the same root as wisteria (, fuji) and rainbow (, niji, but with an alternative reading, fuji), and came from its "long well-shaped slope".[11][12][13][14]

Modern linguist Alexander Vovin proposes an alternative hypothesis based on Old Japanese reading */puⁿzi/: the word may have been borrowed from Eastern Old Japanese */pu nusi/ 火主 meaning "fire master".[15]

Variations

In English, the mountain is known as Mount Fuji. Some sources refer to it as "Fuji-san", "Fujiyama" or, redundantly, "Mt. Fujiyama". Japanese speakers refer to the mountain as "Fuji-san". This "san" is not the honorific suffix used with people's names, such as Watanabe-san, but the Sino-Japanese reading of the character yama (, "mountain") used in Sino-Japanese compounds. In Nihon-shiki and Kunrei-shiki romanization, the name is transliterated as Huzi.

Other Japanese names which have become obsolete or poetic include Fuji-no-Yama (ふじの山, "the Mountain of Fuji"), Fuji-no-Takane (ふじの高嶺, "the High Peak of Fuji"), Fuyō-hō (芙蓉峰, "the Lotus Peak"), and Fugaku (富岳/富嶽), created by combining the first character of 富士, Fuji, and , mountain.[16]

History

 
Fine Wind, Clear Morning woodblock print by Hokusai, 19th century
 
Mount Fuji from Omiya, c. 1890

Mount Fuji is an attractive volcanic cone and a frequent subject of Japanese art especially after 1600, when Edo (now Tokyo) became the capital and people saw the mountain while traveling on the Tōkaidō road. According to the historian H. Byron Earhart, "in medieval times it eventually came to be seen by Japanese as the “number one” mountain of the known world of the three countries of India, China, and Japan".[17] The mountain is mentioned in Japanese literature throughout the ages and is the subject of many poems.[18]

The summit has been thought of as sacred since ancient times and was therefore forbidden to women. It was not until 1872 that the Japanese government issued an edict (May 4, 1872, Grand Council of State Edict 98) stating, "Any remaining practices of female exclusion on shrine and temple lands shall be immediately abolished, and mountain climbing for the purpose of worship, etc., shall be permitted.”[19] However, Tatsu Takayama (also known as Takayama Tatsu), a Japanese woman, became the first woman on record to summit Mount Fuji in the fall of 1832.[20][21]

Ancient samurai used the base of the mountain as a remote training area, near the present-day town of Gotemba. The shōgun Minamoto no Yoritomo held yabusame archery contests in the area in the early Kamakura period.

The first ascent by a foreigner was by Sir Rutherford Alcock in September 1860, who ascended the mountain in 8 hours and descended in 3 hours.[22]: 427  Alcock's brief narrative in The Capital of the Tycoon was the first widely disseminated description of the mountain in the West.[22]: 421–27  Lady Fanny Parkes, the wife of British ambassador Sir Harry Parkes, was the first non-Japanese woman to ascend Mount Fuji in 1867.[23] Photographer Felix Beato climbed Mount Fuji two years later.[24]

On March 5, 1966, BOAC Flight 911, a Boeing 707, broke up in flight and crashed near the Mount Fuji Gotemba New fifth station, shortly after departure from Tokyo International Airport. All 113 passengers and 11 crew members died in the disaster, which was attributed to the extreme clear-air turbulence caused by lee waves downwind of the mountain. There is a memorial for the crash a short distance down from the Gotemba New fifth station.[25]

Today, Mount Fuji is an international destination for tourism and mountain climbing.[26][27] In the early 20th century, populist educator Frederick Starr's Chautauqua lectures about his several ascents of Mount Fuji—1913, 1919, and 1923—were widely known in America.[28] A well-known Japanese saying suggests that a wise person will climb Mt. Fuji once in their lifetime, but only a fool would climb it twice.[29][30] It remains a popular symbol in Japanese culture, including making numerous movie appearances,[31] inspiring the Infiniti logo,[32] and even appearing in medicine with the Mount Fuji sign.[33][34]

In September 2004, the staffed weather station at the summit was closed after 72 years in operation. Observers monitored radar sweeps that detected typhoons and heavy rains. The station, which was the highest in Japan at 3,780 metres (12,402 ft), was replaced by a fully automated meteorological system.[35]

Mount Fuji was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on June 22, 2013.[7]

Geography

Mount Fuji as seen from the air and from the window of a bullet train, 2014
 
Fuji in early summer seen from the International Space Station (May 2001)

Mount Fuji is a very distinctive feature of the geography of Japan. It stands 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft) tall and is located near the Pacific coast of central Honshu, just southwest of Tokyo. It straddles the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures. Four small cities surround it: Gotemba to the east, Fujiyoshida to the north, Fujinomiya to the southwest, and Fuji to the south. It is surrounded by five lakes: Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Sai, Lake Motosu and Lake Shōji.[36] They, and nearby Lake Ashi, provide views of the mountain. The mountain is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It can be seen more distantly from Yokohama, Tokyo, and sometimes as far as Chiba, Saitama, Tochigi, Ibaraki and Lake Hamana when the sky is clear. It has been photographed from space during a space shuttle mission.[37]

Climate

The summit of Mount Fuji has a tundra climate (Köppen climate classification ET). The temperature is very low at the high altitude, and the cone is covered by snow for several months of the year. The lowest recorded temperature is −38.0 °C (−36.4 °F) recorded in February 1981, and the highest temperature was 17.8 °C (64.0 °F) recorded in August 1942.

Climate data for Mt. Fuji (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1932–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) −1.7
(28.9)
0.0
(32.0)
1.0
(33.8)
4.7
(40.5)
12.2
(54.0)
12.3
(54.1)
17.4
(63.3)
17.8
(64.0)
16.3
(61.3)
14.0
(57.2)
6.9
(44.4)
3.6
(38.5)
17.8
(64.0)
Average high °C (°F) −15.3
(4.5)
−14.3
(6.3)
−10.9
(12.4)
−5.9
(21.4)
−0.6
(30.9)
4.0
(39.2)
8.0
(46.4)
9.5
(49.1)
6.5
(43.7)
0.7
(33.3)
−5.9
(21.4)
−12.2
(10.0)
−3.0
(26.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −18.2
(−0.8)
−17.4
(0.7)
−14.1
(6.6)
−8.8
(16.2)
−3.2
(26.2)
1.4
(34.5)
5.3
(41.5)
6.4
(43.5)
3.5
(38.3)
−2.0
(28.4)
−8.7
(16.3)
−15.1
(4.8)
−5.9
(21.4)
Average low °C (°F) −21.4
(−6.5)
−21.1
(−6.0)
−17.7
(0.1)
−12.2
(10.0)
−6.3
(20.7)
−1.4
(29.5)
2.8
(37.0)
3.8
(38.8)
0.6
(33.1)
−5.1
(22.8)
−11.8
(10.8)
−18.3
(−0.9)
−9.0
(15.8)
Record low °C (°F) −37.3
(−35.1)
−38.0
(−36.4)
−33.9
(−29.0)
−27.8
(−18.0)
−18.9
(−2.0)
−13.1
(8.4)
−6.9
(19.6)
−4.3
(24.3)
−10.8
(12.6)
−19.5
(−3.1)
−28.1
(−18.6)
−33.0
(−27.4)
−38.0
(−36.4)
Average relative humidity (%) 53 56 61 63 60 70 79 75 67 53 52 52 62
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[38]

See or edit raw graph data.

Geology

 
 
Relief map and animation realized with SRTM data
 
Geological cross-section of Fuji volcano. Key: N2 = Tertiary sedimentary rocks; αN2 = Tertiary volcanic rocks; αQ1 = Komitake volcano; α-δQ1 = Ashitaka volcano; βQ2 = Older Fuji volcano; αβQ2 = Younger Fuji volcano.[39]

Mount Fuji is located at a triple junction trench where the Amurian Plate, Okhotsk Plate, and Philippine Sea Plate meet.[40][41] These three plates form the western part of Japan, the eastern part of Japan, and the Izu Peninsula respectively.[42] The Pacific Plate is being subducted beneath these plates, resulting in volcanic activity. Mount Fuji is also located near three island arcs: the Southwestern Japan Arc, the Northeastern Japan Arc, and the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc.[42]

Mt. Fuji's main crater is 780 metres (2,560 ft) in diameter and 240 metres (790 ft) in depth. The bottom of the crater is 100–130 metres (330–430 ft) in diameter. Slope angles from the crater to a distance of 1.5–2 kilometres (0.93–1.24 mi) are 31°–35°, the angle of repose for dry gravel. Beyond this distance, slope angles are about 27°, which is caused by an increase in scoria. Mid-flank slope angles decrease from 23° to less than 10° in the piedmont.[42]

 
Crater with the Eight Sacred Peaks (Hasshin-po)

Scientists have identified four distinct phases of volcanic activity in the formation of Mount Fuji. The first phase, called Sen-komitake, is composed of an andesite core recently discovered deep within the mountain. Sen-komitake was followed by the "Komitake Fuji", a basalt layer believed to be formed several hundred thousand years ago. Approximately 100,000 years ago, "Old Fuji" was formed over the top of Komitake Fuji. The modern, "New Fuji" is believed to have formed over the top of Old Fuji around 10,000 years ago.[43]

Pre-Komitake started erupting in the Middle Pleistocene in an area seven kilometres (4+12 mi) north of Mount Fuji. After a relatively short pause, eruptions began again which formed Komitake Volcano in the same location. These eruptions ended 100,000 years ago. Ashitake Volcano was active from 400,000 to 100,000 years ago, and is located 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji started erupting 100,000 years ago, with Ko-Fuji (old-Fuji) forming 100,000 to 17,000 years ago, but which is now almost completely buried. A large landslide on the southwest flank occurred about 18,000 years ago. Shin-Fuji (new-Fuji) eruptions in the form of lava, lapilli and volcanic ash, have occurred between 17,000 and 8,000 years ago, between 7,000 and 3,500 years ago, and between 4,000 and 2,000 years ago. Flank eruptions, mostly in the form of parasitic cinder cones, ceased in 1707. The largest cone, Omuro-Yama, is one of more than 100 cones aligned NW-SE and NE-SW through the summit. Mt. Fuji also has more than 70 lava tunnels and extensive lava tree molds. Two large landslides are at the head of the Yoshida-Osawa and Osawa-Kuzure valleys.[42]

As of December 2002, the volcano is classified as active with a low risk of eruption. The last recorded eruption was the Hōei eruption which started on December 16, 1707 (Hōei 4, 23rd day of the 11th month), and ended about January 1, 1708 (Hōei 4, 9th day of the 12th month).[44] The eruption formed a new crater and a second peak, named Mount Hōei (after the Hōei era), halfway down its southeastern side. Fuji spewed cinders and ash which fell like rain in Izu, Kai, Sagami, and Musashi.[45] Since then, there have been no signs of an eruption. However, on the evening of March 15, 2011, there was a magnitude 6.2 earthquake at shallow depth a few kilometres from Mount Fuji on its southern side. But according to the Japanese Meteorological Service there was no sign of any eruption.[46]

Recorded eruptions

About 11,000 years ago, a large amount of lava began to erupt from the west side of the top of the ancient Fuji mountain. This lava formed the new Fuji which is the main body of Mount Fuji. Since then, the tops of the ancient Fuji and the new Fuji are side by side. About 2500–2800 years ago, the top part of ancient Fuji caused a large-scale landslide due to weathering, and finally, only the top of Shin-Fuji remained. There are ten known eruptions that can be traced to reliable records.[47][48]

Date(s) Notes Ref
July 31, 781 The eruption was recorded in the Shoku Nihongi and it was noted that "ash fell", but there are no other details. [49]
April 11 – May 15, 800
February 13, 802
The Nihon Kiryaku states that during the first phase, the skies were dark even during the daytime. The second phase is known from the Nippon Kiseki, which notes that gravel fell like hail. [50]
June–September 864
December 865 – January 866
Both phases were recorded in the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku. This eruption created three of the Fuji Five Lakes: Motosu, Shōji, and Saiko, from a single lake that became separated by lava flow. [51]
November 937 This was recorded in the Nihon Kiryaku. [52]
March 999 It is noted in the Honchō Seiki that news of an eruption was brought to Kyoto, but no other details are known. [53]
January 1033 According to the Nihon Kiryaku, news of this eruption was brought to Kyoto two months later. [54]
April 17, 1083 The only contemporary recording of this was written by a Buddhist monk and can be found in the Fusō Ryakuki. Later writings indicate that the sound of the eruption may have been heard in Kyoto. [55]
between January 30, 1435 and January 18, 1436 A record of this appears in the Ōdaiki, a chronicle kept by the monks at Kubo Hachiman Shrine in Yamanashi City and it states that a flame was visible on Mount Fuji. As there is no mention of smoke, this appears to have been a Hawaiian eruption (lava only). [56]
August 1511 The Katsuyamaki (or Myōhōjiki), written by monks at Myōhō-ji in Fujikawaguchiko, indicates that there was a fire on Mount Fuji at this time, but as there is no vegetation at the described location, this was almost certainly a lava flow. [57]
December 16, 1707 The Hōei eruption [58]

Current eruptive danger

Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, there was speculation in the media that the shock may induce volcanic unrest at Mount Fuji. In September 2012, mathematical models created by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NRIESDP) suggested that the pressure in Mount Fuji's magma chamber could be 1.6 megapascals higher than it was before its last eruption in 1707. This was interpreted by some media outlets to mean that an eruption of Mount Fuji could be imminent.[59] However, since there is no known method of directly measuring the pressure of a volcano's magma chamber, indirect calculations of the type used by NRIESDP are speculative and unverifiable. Other indicators suggestive of heightened eruptive danger, such as active fumaroles and recently discovered faults, are typical occurrences at this type of volcano.[60]

Aokigahara forest

 
Aokigahara forest with Mount Fuji and Mount Ashiwada

The forest at the northwest base of the mountain is named Aokigahara. Folk tales and legends tell of ghosts, demons, Yūrei and Yōkai haunting the forest, and in the 19th century, Aokigahara was one of many places poor families abandoned the very young and the very old.[61] Aokigahara is the world's third most popular suicide location after San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge.[62] Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have died in the forest, mostly suicides.[62] Approximately 30 suicides have been counted yearly, with a high of nearly 80 bodies in 2002.[63] The recent increase in suicides prompted local officials to erect signs that attempt to convince individuals experiencing suicidal intent to re-think their desperate plans, and sometimes these messages have proven effective.[64] The numbers of suicides in the past creates an allure that has persisted across the span of decades.[65][66]

Many of these hikers mark their travelled routes by leaving coloured plastic tapes behind as they pass, causing concerns from prefectural officials with regard to the forest's ecosystem.[67]

Adventuring

 
A view of Mount Fuji from the Taisekiji temple as depicted by the woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai. The one hundred views of Mount Fuji. From the Elizabeth Joan Tanney estate, c. 1834.

Transportation

The closest airport with scheduled international service is Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport. It opened in June 2009. It is about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Mount Fuji.[68] The major international airports serving Tokyo, Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) in Tokyo and Narita International Airport in Chiba are approximately three hours and 15 minutes from Mount Fuji.

Climbing routes

 
Historical illustration of the routes to Mount Fuji
 
Torii near the summit
 
Hikers climbing Mount Fuji

Approximately 300,000 people climbed Mount Fuji in 2009.[69] The most popular period for people to hike up Mount Fuji is from July to August, while huts and other facilities are operating and the weather is warmest.[69] Buses to the trail heads typically used by climbers start running on July 1.[70] Climbing from October to May is very strongly discouraged, after a number of high-profile deaths and severe cold weather.[71] Most Japanese climb the mountain at night in order to be in a position at or near the summit when the sun rises. The morning light is called 御来光 goraikō, "arrival of light".[72]

There are four major routes to the summit, each has numbered stations along the way. They are (clockwise, starting North): Kawaguchiko, Subashiri, Gotemba, and Fujinomiya routes.[73] Climbers usually start at the fifth stations, as these are reachable by car or by bus. The summit is the tenth station on each trail. The stations on different routes are at different elevations; the highest fifth station is located at Fujinomiya, followed by Yoshida, Subashiri, and Gotemba. There are four additional routes from the foot of the mountain: Shojiko, Yoshida, Suyama, and Murayama routes.[citation needed]

Even though it has only the second-highest fifth stations, the Yoshida route is the most-popular route because of its large parking area and many large mountain huts where a climber can rest or stay. During the summer season, most Mount Fuji climbing tour buses arrive there. The next-popular is the Fujinomiya route, which has the highest fifth station, followed by Subashiri and Gotemba. The ascent from the new fifth station can take anywhere between five and seven hours while the descent can take from three to four hours.[73]

Even though most climbers do not climb the Subashiri and Gotemba routes, many descend these because of their ash-covered paths. From the seventh station to near the fifth station, one could run down these ash-covered paths in approximately 30 minutes. Besides these routes, there are tractor routes along the climbing routes. These tractor routes are used to bring food and other materials to huts on the mountain. Because the tractors usually take up most of the width of these paths and they tend to push large rocks from the side of the path, the tractor paths are off-limits to the climbers on sections that are not merged with the climbing or descending paths. Nevertheless, one can sometimes see people riding mountain bikes along the tractor routes down from the summit. This is particularly risky, as it becomes difficult to control speed and may send some rocks rolling along the side of the path, which may hit other people.

The four routes from the foot of the mountain offer historical sites. The Murayama is the oldest Mount Fuji route and the Yoshida route still has many old shrines, teahouses, and huts along its path. These routes are gaining popularity recently and are being restored, but climbing from the foot of the mountain is still relatively uncommon. Also, bears have been sighted along the Yoshida route.

Huts at and above the fifth stations are usually staffed during the climbing season, but huts below fifth stations are not usually staffed for climbers. The number of open huts on routes are proportional to the number of climbers—Yoshida has the most while Gotemba has the fewest. The huts along the Gotemba route also tend to start later and close earlier than those along the Yoshida route. Also, because Mount Fuji is designated as a national park, it is illegal to camp above the fifth station.

There are eight peaks around the crater at the summit. The highest point in Japan, Ken-ga-mine, is where the Mount Fuji Radar System used to be (it was replaced by an automated system in 2004). Climbers are able to visit each of these peaks.

Paragliding

Paragliders take off in the vicinity of the fifth station Gotemba parking lot, between Subashiri and Hōei-zan peak on the south side of the mountain, in addition to several other locations, depending on wind direction. Several paragliding schools use the wide sandy/grassy slope between Gotemba and Subashiri parking lots as a training hill.

In culture

 

Shinto mythology

In Shinto mythology, Kuninotokotachi (国之常立神?, Kuninotokotachi-no-Kami, in Kojiki)(国常立尊?, Kuninotokotachi-no-Mikoto, in Nihon Shoki) is one of the two gods born from "something like a reed that arose from the soil" when the earth was chaotic. According to the Nihon Shoki, Konohanasakuya-hime, wife of Ninigi, is the goddess of Mount Fuji, where Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha is dedicated for her.

In ancient times the mountain was worshipped from afar. The Asama shrine was set up at the foothills to ward off eruptions. In the Heian period (794–1185) volcanic activity subsided and Fuji was used as a base for Shugendō, a syncretic religion combining mountain worship and Buddhism. Worshippers began to climb the slopes and by the early 12th century, Matsudai Shonin had founded a temple on the summit.[74]

Fuji-kō was an Edo period cult centred around the mountain founded by an ascetic named Hasegawa Kakugyō (1541–1646).[75] The cult venerated the mountain as a female deity, and encouraged its members to climb it. In doing so they would be reborn, "purified and... able to find happiness." The cult waned in the Meiji period and although it persists to this day it has been subsumed into Shintō sects.[76]

Buddhism

The Buddhist Hokkeko believers of Nichiren Shoshu sect piously claim that the Dai Gohonzon mandala grants supernatural protection from the Buddhist deities against possible volcanic eruption of Mount Fuji through the daylight morning ritual of Ushitora Gongyo.

Popular culture

As a national symbol of the country, the mountain has been depicted in various art media such as paintings, woodblock prints (such as Hokusai's Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji and 100 Views of Mount Fuji from the 1830s), poetry, music, theater, film, manga, anime, pottery[77] and even Kawaii subculture.

Before its explosive eruption in 1980, Mount St. Helens was once known as "The Fuji of America," for its striking resemblance to Mount Fuji. Mount Taranaki / Mount Egmont in New Zealand is also said to bear a resemblance to Mount Fuji, and for this reason has been used as a stand-in for the mountain in films and television.

See also

References

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  2. ^ Triangulation station is 3775.63m. "Information inspection service of the Triangulation station" (in Japanese). Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, (甲府–富士山–富士山). Retrieved February 8, 2011.
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  5. ^ "Mount Fuji". Britannica Online. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
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  9. ^ Although the word can mean a soldier (兵士, heishi, heiji), or a samurai (武士, bushi), its original meaning is a man with a certain status.
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  11. ^ . May 31, 2008. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
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External links

  • "Fujisan (Mount Fuji)" (PDF). Japan Meteorological Agency. (PDF) from the original on September 24, 2015.
  • Fujisan (Mount Fuji) – Smithsonian Institution: Global Volcanism Program
  • Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties


mount, fuji, fujiyama, redirects, here, other, uses, fujiyama, disambiguation, 富士山, fujisan, japanese, ɸɯꜜ, ʑisaɴ, listen, fugaku, located, island, honshū, highest, mountain, japan, with, summit, elevation, second, highest, volcano, located, island, asia, afte. Fujiyama redirects here For other uses see Fujiyama disambiguation Mount Fuji 富士山 Fujisan Japanese ɸɯꜜ d ʑisaɴ listen or Fugaku located on the island of Honshu is the highest mountain in Japan with a summit elevation of 3 776 24 m 12 389 ft 3 in It is the second highest volcano located on an island in Asia after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra and seventh highest peak of an island on Earth 1 Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano that last erupted from 1707 to 1708 4 5 The mountain is located about 100 km 62 mi southwest of Tokyo and is visible from there on clear days Mount Fuji s exceptionally symmetrical cone which is covered in snow for about five months of the year is commonly used as a cultural icon of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photography as well as visited by sightseers hikers and mountain climbers 6 Mount FujiMount Fuji seen from ŌwakudaniHighest pointElevation3 776 25 to 3 778 23 m 12 389 3 to 12 395 8 ft Prominence3 776 m 12 388 ft 1 Ranked 35thIsolation2 077 km 1 291 mi ListingHighest peak in Japan Ultra prominent peaks List of mountains in Japan 100 Famous Japanese Mountains List of volcanoes by elevationCoordinates35 21 38 N 138 43 39 E 35 36056 N 138 72750 E 35 36056 138 72750 2 NamingNative name富士山 Japanese Pronunciation ɸɯꜜ d ʑisaɴ GeographyMount FujiLocation of Mount Fuji in JapanShow map of JapanMount FujiMount Fuji Shizuoka Prefecture Show map of Shizuoka PrefectureLocationFuji Hakone Izu National ParkCountryJapanPrefecturesShizuoka and Yamanashi with the summit in neither citation needed municipalFuji Fujinomiya Fujiyoshida Gotemba Narusawa and OyamaTopo mapGeospatial Information Authority 25000 1 富士山 3 50000 1 富士山GeologyAge of rock100 000 yearsMountain typeStratovolcanoLast eruption1707 08ClimbingFirst ascent663 by En no Odzunu 役行者 En no gyoja En no Odzuno Easiest routeHikingUNESCO World Heritage SiteOfficial nameFujisan sacred place and source of artistic inspirationCriteriaCultural iii viReference1418Inscription2013 37th Session Area20 702 1 haBuffer zone49 627 7 haMount Fuji Mt Fuji in kanjiJapanese nameKanji富士山TranscriptionsRomanizationFuji sanMount Fuji is one of Japan s Three Holy Mountains 三霊山 Sanreizan along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku It is a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and one of Japan s Historic Sites 7 It was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on June 22 2013 7 According to UNESCO Mount Fuji has inspired artists and poets and been the object of pilgrimage for centuries UNESCO recognizes 25 sites of cultural interest within the Mount Fuji locality These 25 locations include the mountain and the Shinto shrine Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha 8 Contents 1 Etymology 1 1 Variations 2 History 3 Geography 3 1 Climate 4 Geology 4 1 Recorded eruptions 4 2 Current eruptive danger 5 Aokigahara forest 6 Adventuring 6 1 Transportation 6 2 Climbing routes 6 3 Paragliding 7 In culture 7 1 Shinto mythology 7 2 Buddhism 7 3 Popular culture 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksEtymology EditFurther information wikt 富士 Etymology 3 The current kanji for Mount Fuji 富 and 士 mean wealth or abundant and man of status respectively However the origins of this spelling and of the name Fuji continue to be debated A text of the 9th century Tale of the Bamboo Cutter says that the name came from immortal 不死 fushi fuji and also from the image of abundant 富 fu soldiers 士 shi ji 9 ascending the slopes of the mountain 10 An early folk etymology claims that Fuji came from 不二 not two meaning without equal or nonpareil Another claims that it came from 不盡 not to exhaust meaning never ending Hirata Atsutane a Japanese classical scholar in the Edo period speculated that the name is from a word meaning a mountain standing up shapely as an ear 穗 ho of a rice plant British missionary John Batchelor 1855 1944 argued that the name is from the Ainu word for fire fuchi of the fire deity Kamui Fuchi which was denied by a Japanese linguist Kyōsuke Kindaichi on the grounds of phonetic development sound change It is also pointed out that huchi means an old woman and ape is the word for fire ape huchi kamuy being the fire deity Research on the distribution of place names that include fuji as a part also suggest the origin of the word fuji is in the Yamato language rather than Ainu Japanese toponymist Kanji Kagami argued that the name has the same root as wisteria 藤 fuji and rainbow 虹 niji but with an alternative reading fuji and came from its long well shaped slope 11 12 13 14 Modern linguist Alexander Vovin proposes an alternative hypothesis based on Old Japanese reading puⁿzi the word may have been borrowed from Eastern Old Japanese pu nusi 火主 meaning fire master 15 Variations Edit In English the mountain is known as Mount Fuji Some sources refer to it as Fuji san Fujiyama or redundantly Mt Fujiyama Japanese speakers refer to the mountain as Fuji san This san is not the honorific suffix used with people s names such as Watanabe san but the Sino Japanese reading of the character yama 山 mountain used in Sino Japanese compounds In Nihon shiki and Kunrei shiki romanization the name is transliterated as Huzi Other Japanese names which have become obsolete or poetic include Fuji no Yama ふじの山 the Mountain of Fuji Fuji no Takane ふじの高嶺 the High Peak of Fuji Fuyō hō 芙蓉峰 the Lotus Peak and Fugaku 富岳 富嶽 created by combining the first character of 富士 Fuji and 岳 mountain 16 History Edit Fine Wind Clear Morning woodblock print by Hokusai 19th century Mount Fuji from Omiya c 1890 Mount Fuji is an attractive volcanic cone and a frequent subject of Japanese art especially after 1600 when Edo now Tokyo became the capital and people saw the mountain while traveling on the Tōkaidō road According to the historian H Byron Earhart in medieval times it eventually came to be seen by Japanese as the number one mountain of the known world of the three countries of India China and Japan 17 The mountain is mentioned in Japanese literature throughout the ages and is the subject of many poems 18 The summit has been thought of as sacred since ancient times and was therefore forbidden to women It was not until 1872 that the Japanese government issued an edict May 4 1872 Grand Council of State Edict 98 stating Any remaining practices of female exclusion on shrine and temple lands shall be immediately abolished and mountain climbing for the purpose of worship etc shall be permitted 19 However Tatsu Takayama also known as Takayama Tatsu a Japanese woman became the first woman on record to summit Mount Fuji in the fall of 1832 20 21 Ancient samurai used the base of the mountain as a remote training area near the present day town of Gotemba The shōgun Minamoto no Yoritomo held yabusame archery contests in the area in the early Kamakura period The first ascent by a foreigner was by Sir Rutherford Alcock in September 1860 who ascended the mountain in 8 hours and descended in 3 hours 22 427 Alcock s brief narrative in The Capital of the Tycoon was the first widely disseminated description of the mountain in the West 22 421 27 Lady Fanny Parkes the wife of British ambassador Sir Harry Parkes was the first non Japanese woman to ascend Mount Fuji in 1867 23 Photographer Felix Beato climbed Mount Fuji two years later 24 On March 5 1966 BOAC Flight 911 a Boeing 707 broke up in flight and crashed near the Mount Fuji Gotemba New fifth station shortly after departure from Tokyo International Airport All 113 passengers and 11 crew members died in the disaster which was attributed to the extreme clear air turbulence caused by lee waves downwind of the mountain There is a memorial for the crash a short distance down from the Gotemba New fifth station 25 Today Mount Fuji is an international destination for tourism and mountain climbing 26 27 In the early 20th century populist educator Frederick Starr s Chautauqua lectures about his several ascents of Mount Fuji 1913 1919 and 1923 were widely known in America 28 A well known Japanese saying suggests that a wise person will climb Mt Fuji once in their lifetime but only a fool would climb it twice 29 30 It remains a popular symbol in Japanese culture including making numerous movie appearances 31 inspiring the Infiniti logo 32 and even appearing in medicine with the Mount Fuji sign 33 34 In September 2004 the staffed weather station at the summit was closed after 72 years in operation Observers monitored radar sweeps that detected typhoons and heavy rains The station which was the highest in Japan at 3 780 metres 12 402 ft was replaced by a fully automated meteorological system 35 Mount Fuji was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on June 22 2013 7 Geography Edit source source source source source source source source source source source source source source Mount Fuji as seen from the air and from the window of a bullet train 2014 Fuji in early summer seen from the International Space Station May 2001 Mount Fuji is a very distinctive feature of the geography of Japan It stands 3 776 24 m 12 389 ft tall and is located near the Pacific coast of central Honshu just southwest of Tokyo It straddles the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures Four small cities surround it Gotemba to the east Fujiyoshida to the north Fujinomiya to the southwest and Fuji to the south It is surrounded by five lakes Lake Kawaguchi Lake Yamanaka Lake Sai Lake Motosu and Lake Shōji 36 They and nearby Lake Ashi provide views of the mountain The mountain is part of the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park It can be seen more distantly from Yokohama Tokyo and sometimes as far as Chiba Saitama Tochigi Ibaraki and Lake Hamana when the sky is clear It has been photographed from space during a space shuttle mission 37 Climate Edit The summit of Mount Fuji has a tundra climate Koppen climate classification ET The temperature is very low at the high altitude and the cone is covered by snow for several months of the year The lowest recorded temperature is 38 0 C 36 4 F recorded in February 1981 and the highest temperature was 17 8 C 64 0 F recorded in August 1942 Climate data for Mt Fuji 1991 2020 normals extremes 1932 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 1 7 28 9 0 0 32 0 1 0 33 8 4 7 40 5 12 2 54 0 12 3 54 1 17 4 63 3 17 8 64 0 16 3 61 3 14 0 57 2 6 9 44 4 3 6 38 5 17 8 64 0 Average high C F 15 3 4 5 14 3 6 3 10 9 12 4 5 9 21 4 0 6 30 9 4 0 39 2 8 0 46 4 9 5 49 1 6 5 43 7 0 7 33 3 5 9 21 4 12 2 10 0 3 0 26 6 Daily mean C F 18 2 0 8 17 4 0 7 14 1 6 6 8 8 16 2 3 2 26 2 1 4 34 5 5 3 41 5 6 4 43 5 3 5 38 3 2 0 28 4 8 7 16 3 15 1 4 8 5 9 21 4 Average low C F 21 4 6 5 21 1 6 0 17 7 0 1 12 2 10 0 6 3 20 7 1 4 29 5 2 8 37 0 3 8 38 8 0 6 33 1 5 1 22 8 11 8 10 8 18 3 0 9 9 0 15 8 Record low C F 37 3 35 1 38 0 36 4 33 9 29 0 27 8 18 0 18 9 2 0 13 1 8 4 6 9 19 6 4 3 24 3 10 8 12 6 19 5 3 1 28 1 18 6 33 0 27 4 38 0 36 4 Average relative humidity 53 56 61 63 60 70 79 75 67 53 52 52 62Source Japan Meteorological Agency 38 See or edit raw graph data Geology EditFurther information Historic eruptions of Mount Fuji List of volcanoes in Japan and Triple junction Relief map and animation realized with SRTM data Geological cross section of Fuji volcano Key N2 Tertiary sedimentary rocks aN2 Tertiary volcanic rocks aQ1 Komitake volcano a dQ1 Ashitaka volcano bQ2 Older Fuji volcano abQ2 Younger Fuji volcano 39 Mount Fuji is located at a triple junction trench where the Amurian Plate Okhotsk Plate and Philippine Sea Plate meet 40 41 These three plates form the western part of Japan the eastern part of Japan and the Izu Peninsula respectively 42 The Pacific Plate is being subducted beneath these plates resulting in volcanic activity Mount Fuji is also located near three island arcs the Southwestern Japan Arc the Northeastern Japan Arc and the Izu Bonin Mariana Arc 42 Mt Fuji s main crater is 780 metres 2 560 ft in diameter and 240 metres 790 ft in depth The bottom of the crater is 100 130 metres 330 430 ft in diameter Slope angles from the crater to a distance of 1 5 2 kilometres 0 93 1 24 mi are 31 35 the angle of repose for dry gravel Beyond this distance slope angles are about 27 which is caused by an increase in scoria Mid flank slope angles decrease from 23 to less than 10 in the piedmont 42 Crater with the Eight Sacred Peaks Hasshin po Scientists have identified four distinct phases of volcanic activity in the formation of Mount Fuji The first phase called Sen komitake is composed of an andesite core recently discovered deep within the mountain Sen komitake was followed by the Komitake Fuji a basalt layer believed to be formed several hundred thousand years ago Approximately 100 000 years ago Old Fuji was formed over the top of Komitake Fuji The modern New Fuji is believed to have formed over the top of Old Fuji around 10 000 years ago 43 Pre Komitake started erupting in the Middle Pleistocene in an area seven kilometres 4 1 2 mi north of Mount Fuji After a relatively short pause eruptions began again which formed Komitake Volcano in the same location These eruptions ended 100 000 years ago Ashitake Volcano was active from 400 000 to 100 000 years ago and is located 20 kilometres 12 mi southeast of Mount Fuji Mount Fuji started erupting 100 000 years ago with Ko Fuji old Fuji forming 100 000 to 17 000 years ago but which is now almost completely buried A large landslide on the southwest flank occurred about 18 000 years ago Shin Fuji new Fuji eruptions in the form of lava lapilli and volcanic ash have occurred between 17 000 and 8 000 years ago between 7 000 and 3 500 years ago and between 4 000 and 2 000 years ago Flank eruptions mostly in the form of parasitic cinder cones ceased in 1707 The largest cone Omuro Yama is one of more than 100 cones aligned NW SE and NE SW through the summit Mt Fuji also has more than 70 lava tunnels and extensive lava tree molds Two large landslides are at the head of the Yoshida Osawa and Osawa Kuzure valleys 42 As of December 2002 update the volcano is classified as active with a low risk of eruption The last recorded eruption was the Hōei eruption which started on December 16 1707 Hōei 4 23rd day of the 11th month and ended about January 1 1708 Hōei 4 9th day of the 12th month 44 The eruption formed a new crater and a second peak named Mount Hōei after the Hōei era halfway down its southeastern side Fuji spewed cinders and ash which fell like rain in Izu Kai Sagami and Musashi 45 Since then there have been no signs of an eruption However on the evening of March 15 2011 there was a magnitude 6 2 earthquake at shallow depth a few kilometres from Mount Fuji on its southern side But according to the Japanese Meteorological Service there was no sign of any eruption 46 Recorded eruptions Edit About 11 000 years ago a large amount of lava began to erupt from the west side of the top of the ancient Fuji mountain This lava formed the new Fuji which is the main body of Mount Fuji Since then the tops of the ancient Fuji and the new Fuji are side by side About 2500 2800 years ago the top part of ancient Fuji caused a large scale landslide due to weathering and finally only the top of Shin Fuji remained There are ten known eruptions that can be traced to reliable records 47 48 Date s Notes RefJuly 31 781 The eruption was recorded in the Shoku Nihongi and it was noted that ash fell but there are no other details 49 April 11 May 15 800February 13 802 The Nihon Kiryaku states that during the first phase the skies were dark even during the daytime The second phase is known from the Nippon Kiseki which notes that gravel fell like hail 50 June September 864December 865 January 866 Both phases were recorded in the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku This eruption created three of the Fuji Five Lakes Motosu Shōji and Saiko from a single lake that became separated by lava flow 51 November 937 This was recorded in the Nihon Kiryaku 52 March 999 It is noted in the Honchō Seiki that news of an eruption was brought to Kyoto but no other details are known 53 January 1033 According to the Nihon Kiryaku news of this eruption was brought to Kyoto two months later 54 April 17 1083 The only contemporary recording of this was written by a Buddhist monk and can be found in the Fusō Ryakuki Later writings indicate that the sound of the eruption may have been heard in Kyoto 55 between January 30 1435 and January 18 1436 A record of this appears in the Ōdaiki a chronicle kept by the monks at Kubo Hachiman Shrine in Yamanashi City and it states that a flame was visible on Mount Fuji As there is no mention of smoke this appears to have been a Hawaiian eruption lava only 56 August 1511 The Katsuyamaki or Myōhōjiki written by monks at Myōhō ji in Fujikawaguchiko indicates that there was a fire on Mount Fuji at this time but as there is no vegetation at the described location this was almost certainly a lava flow 57 December 16 1707 The Hōei eruption 58 Current eruptive danger Edit This section needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information November 2022 Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake there was speculation in the media that the shock may induce volcanic unrest at Mount Fuji In September 2012 mathematical models created by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention NRIESDP suggested that the pressure in Mount Fuji s magma chamber could be 1 6 megapascals higher than it was before its last eruption in 1707 This was interpreted by some media outlets to mean that an eruption of Mount Fuji could be imminent 59 However since there is no known method of directly measuring the pressure of a volcano s magma chamber indirect calculations of the type used by NRIESDP are speculative and unverifiable Other indicators suggestive of heightened eruptive danger such as active fumaroles and recently discovered faults are typical occurrences at this type of volcano 60 Aokigahara forest EditMain article Aokigahara Aokigahara forest with Mount Fuji and Mount Ashiwada The forest at the northwest base of the mountain is named Aokigahara Folk tales and legends tell of ghosts demons Yurei and Yōkai haunting the forest and in the 19th century Aokigahara was one of many places poor families abandoned the very young and the very old 61 Aokigahara is the world s third most popular suicide location after San Francisco s Golden Gate Bridge and the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge 62 Since the 1950s more than 500 people have died in the forest mostly suicides 62 Approximately 30 suicides have been counted yearly with a high of nearly 80 bodies in 2002 63 The recent increase in suicides prompted local officials to erect signs that attempt to convince individuals experiencing suicidal intent to re think their desperate plans and sometimes these messages have proven effective 64 The numbers of suicides in the past creates an allure that has persisted across the span of decades 65 66 Many of these hikers mark their travelled routes by leaving coloured plastic tapes behind as they pass causing concerns from prefectural officials with regard to the forest s ecosystem 67 Adventuring Edit A view of Mount Fuji from the Taisekiji temple as depicted by the woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai The one hundred views of Mount Fuji From the Elizabeth Joan Tanney estate c 1834 Transportation Edit The closest airport with scheduled international service is Mt Fuji Shizuoka Airport It opened in June 2009 It is about 80 kilometres 50 mi from Mount Fuji 68 The major international airports serving Tokyo Tokyo International Airport Haneda Airport in Tokyo and Narita International Airport in Chiba are approximately three hours and 15 minutes from Mount Fuji Climbing routes Edit This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Historical illustration of the routes to Mount Fuji Torii near the summit Hikers climbing Mount Fuji Approximately 300 000 people climbed Mount Fuji in 2009 69 The most popular period for people to hike up Mount Fuji is from July to August while huts and other facilities are operating and the weather is warmest 69 Buses to the trail heads typically used by climbers start running on July 1 70 Climbing from October to May is very strongly discouraged after a number of high profile deaths and severe cold weather 71 Most Japanese climb the mountain at night in order to be in a position at or near the summit when the sun rises The morning light is called 御来光 goraikō arrival of light 72 There are four major routes to the summit each has numbered stations along the way They are clockwise starting North Kawaguchiko Subashiri Gotemba and Fujinomiya routes 73 Climbers usually start at the fifth stations as these are reachable by car or by bus The summit is the tenth station on each trail The stations on different routes are at different elevations the highest fifth station is located at Fujinomiya followed by Yoshida Subashiri and Gotemba There are four additional routes from the foot of the mountain Shojiko Yoshida Suyama and Murayama routes citation needed Even though it has only the second highest fifth stations the Yoshida route is the most popular route because of its large parking area and many large mountain huts where a climber can rest or stay During the summer season most Mount Fuji climbing tour buses arrive there The next popular is the Fujinomiya route which has the highest fifth station followed by Subashiri and Gotemba The ascent from the new fifth station can take anywhere between five and seven hours while the descent can take from three to four hours 73 Even though most climbers do not climb the Subashiri and Gotemba routes many descend these because of their ash covered paths From the seventh station to near the fifth station one could run down these ash covered paths in approximately 30 minutes Besides these routes there are tractor routes along the climbing routes These tractor routes are used to bring food and other materials to huts on the mountain Because the tractors usually take up most of the width of these paths and they tend to push large rocks from the side of the path the tractor paths are off limits to the climbers on sections that are not merged with the climbing or descending paths Nevertheless one can sometimes see people riding mountain bikes along the tractor routes down from the summit This is particularly risky as it becomes difficult to control speed and may send some rocks rolling along the side of the path which may hit other people The four routes from the foot of the mountain offer historical sites The Murayama is the oldest Mount Fuji route and the Yoshida route still has many old shrines teahouses and huts along its path These routes are gaining popularity recently and are being restored but climbing from the foot of the mountain is still relatively uncommon Also bears have been sighted along the Yoshida route Huts at and above the fifth stations are usually staffed during the climbing season but huts below fifth stations are not usually staffed for climbers The number of open huts on routes are proportional to the number of climbers Yoshida has the most while Gotemba has the fewest The huts along the Gotemba route also tend to start later and close earlier than those along the Yoshida route Also because Mount Fuji is designated as a national park it is illegal to camp above the fifth station There are eight peaks around the crater at the summit The highest point in Japan Ken ga mine is where the Mount Fuji Radar System used to be it was replaced by an automated system in 2004 Climbers are able to visit each of these peaks Paragliding Edit Paragliders take off in the vicinity of the fifth station Gotemba parking lot between Subashiri and Hōei zan peak on the south side of the mountain in addition to several other locations depending on wind direction Several paragliding schools use the wide sandy grassy slope between Gotemba and Subashiri parking lots as a training hill In culture Edit Outer shrine of Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shinto mythology Edit In Shinto mythology Kuninotokotachi 国之常立神 Kuninotokotachi no Kami in Kojiki 国常立尊 Kuninotokotachi no Mikoto in Nihon Shoki is one of the two gods born from something like a reed that arose from the soil when the earth was chaotic According to the Nihon Shoki Konohanasakuya hime wife of Ninigi is the goddess of Mount Fuji where Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha is dedicated for her In ancient times the mountain was worshipped from afar The Asama shrine was set up at the foothills to ward off eruptions In the Heian period 794 1185 volcanic activity subsided and Fuji was used as a base for Shugendō a syncretic religion combining mountain worship and Buddhism Worshippers began to climb the slopes and by the early 12th century Matsudai Shonin had founded a temple on the summit 74 Fuji kō was an Edo period cult centred around the mountain founded by an ascetic named Hasegawa Kakugyō 1541 1646 75 The cult venerated the mountain as a female deity and encouraged its members to climb it In doing so they would be reborn purified and able to find happiness The cult waned in the Meiji period and although it persists to this day it has been subsumed into Shintō sects 76 Buddhism Edit The Buddhist Hokkeko believers of Nichiren Shoshu sect piously claim that the Dai Gohonzon mandala grants supernatural protection from the Buddhist deities against possible volcanic eruption of Mount Fuji through the daylight morning ritual of Ushitora Gongyo Popular culture Edit As a national symbol of the country the mountain has been depicted in various art media such as paintings woodblock prints such as Hokusai s Thirty six Views of Mount Fuji and 100 Views of Mount Fuji from the 1830s poetry music theater film manga anime pottery 77 and even Kawaii subculture Before its explosive eruption in 1980 Mount St Helens was once known as The Fuji of America for its striking resemblance to Mount Fuji Mount Taranaki Mount Egmont in New Zealand is also said to bear a resemblance to Mount Fuji and for this reason has been used as a stand in for the mountain in films and television See also EditList of mountains and hills of Japan by height 100 Famous Japanese Mountains List of three thousanders in Japan Fuji Hakone Izu National Park List of World Heritage sites in Japan List of elevation extremes by country Mount Araido 阿頼度山 Araidosan Araido Island 阿頼度島 Kuril Islands Mount St Helens nicknamed Fuji san of America prior to its 1980 eruption Sacred mountains BOAC Flight 911 a British Boeing 707 plane which crashed on the mountain in 1966 References Edit a b 富士山情報コ ナ Sabo Works at Mt Fuji Triangulation station is 3775 63m Information inspection service of the Triangulation station in Japanese Geospatial Information Authority of Japan 甲府 富士山 富士山 Retrieved February 8 2011 Map inspection service in Japanese Geospatial Information Authority of Japan 甲府 富士山 富士山 Retrieved February 8 2011 Active Volcanoes of Japan AIST Geological Survey of Japan Retrieved March 7 2016 Mount Fuji Britannica Online Retrieved October 17 2009 Scheffel Richard L Wernet Susan J eds 1980 Natural Wonders of the World United States Reader s Digest Association p 153 ISBN 0 89577 087 3 a b c 1 Archived June 27 2013 at the Wayback Machine Centre UNESCO World Heritage Fujisan sacred place and source of artistic inspiration UNESCO World Heritage Centre Retrieved February 11 2022 Although the word 士 can mean a soldier 兵士 heishi heiji or a samurai 武士 bushi its original meaning is a man with a certain status Japanese Text Initiative theTaketori monogatari Etext lib virginia edu August 31 2004 Retrieved December 23 2010 富士山の名前の由来 May 31 2008 Archived from the original on May 31 2008 Retrieved December 23 2010 富士山 知泉Wiki Tisen jp October 25 2006 Retrieved December 23 2010 地名 富士山の意味 June 3 2008 Archived from the original on June 3 2008 Retrieved December 23 2010 富士山アイヌ語語源説について Asahi net or jp Retrieved December 23 2010 Vovin Alexander January 1 2017 On the Etymology of the Name of Mt Fuji Studies in Japanese and Korean Historical and Theoretical Linguistics and Beyond Languages of Asia Vol 16 Brill pp 80 89 doi 10 1163 9789004351134 010 ISBN 9789004351134 Fuji san in Japanese Daijisen Archived from the original on July 22 2011 H Byron Earhart May 9 2011 Mount Fuji Shield of War Badge of Peace The Asia Pacific Journal The Fujiyoshida City Board of Education 2003 富士山吉田口登山道関連遺跡II Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan Retrieved September 1 2016 Dewitt Lindsey E March 2016 Envisioning and Observing Women s Exclusion from Sacred Mountains in Japan Journal of Asian Humanities at Kyushu University 1 19 28 doi 10 5109 1654566 S2CID 55419374 Budgen Mara July 4 2022 Climb every mountain Japan s female mountaineers scale new heights The Japan Times Intersect Volumes 9 10 Page 39 Japan PHP Institute 1993 a b Alcock Rutherford 1863 The Capital of the Tycoon A Narrative of Three Years Residence in Japan Vol I London Longman Green Longman Roberts amp Green Lilian Hope Parkes The Cobbold Family History Trust Retrieved February 1 2020 Tucker Anne Wilkes et al 2003 The History of Japanese Photography p 30 ISBN 978 0 300 09925 6 ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 707 436 G APFE Mount Fuji Aviation Safety Network Climbing Mount Fuji route maps PDF pp 4 5 Archived from the original PDF on March 27 2009 Retrieved December 23 2010 Climbing Mt Fuji travel log ChristmasWhistler June 30 2002 Archived from the original on March 5 2016 Retrieved April 6 2013 Starr Tells of Escape American Scientist Found Refuge in a Tokio Temple New York Times New York October 1 1923 Tuckerman Mike Climbing Mount Fuji Japan Visitor a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Bremmer Brian September 15 1997 Mastering Mt Fuji Business Week Archived from the original on January 18 2013 Uchida Tomu 1955 Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji 血槍富士 Chiyari Fuji Launching Infiniti Lippincott Archived from the original on October 30 2006 Sadeghian H September 2000 Mount Fuji sign in tension pneumocephalus Archives of Neurology 57 9 1366 doi 10 1001 archneur 57 9 1366 PMID 10987907 Heckmann JG Ganslandt O Ganslandt April 2004 Images in clinical medicine The Mount Fuji sign The New England Journal of Medicine 350 18 1881 doi 10 1056 NEJMicm020479 PMID 15115834 Weather Station on Mt Fuji Closes United Press International September 30 2004 Retrieved January 5 2010 Fujisan Global Volcanism Program Smithsonian Institution STS 107 Shuttle Mission Imagery NASA January 26 2003 Archived from the original on February 10 2003 Retrieved December 16 2012 気象庁 平年値 年 月ごとの値 Japan Meteorological Agency Retrieved May 19 2021 Miyaji N Geology of Fuji Volcano Fuji Volcano Volcano Research Center Earthquake Research Institute ERI University of Tokyo Retrieved February 27 2018 Moores Eldridge M Twiss Robert J 1995 Tectonics Waveland Press p 208 ISBN 978 1 4786 2199 7 Mount Fuji National Geographic Society December 6 2011 Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved May 18 2018 a b c d Oguchi Takashi Oguchi Chiaki 2010 Migon Piotr ed Mt Fuji The Beauty of a Symmetric Stratovolcano in Geomorphological Landscapes of the World Springer pp 303 309 ISBN 9789048130542 Third ancient volcano discovered within Mount Fuji Japan Times April 4 2004 Koyama Masato March 2007 宝永四年 1707 噴火 1707 Eruption 富士山歴史噴火総解説 Database of eruptions and other activities of Fuji Volcano Japan based on historical records since AD 781 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved September 25 2008 Hayashi Gahō 1834 1652 Siyun sai Rin siyo Nipon o dai itsi ran or Annales des empereurs du Japon Translated by Titsingh Isaac Paris Oriental Translation Society of Great Britain and Ireland p 416 6 0 Earthquake east of Tokyo signs of Mt Fujiyama unrest is possible Archived March 3 2016 at the Wayback Machine peoplestar co uk Retrieved on March 16 2011 Koyama Masato Database of eruptions and other activities of Fuji Volcano Japan based on historical records since AD781 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 All about Mount Fuji Koyama Masato 天応元年 781 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 延暦十九 二十一年 800 802 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 貞観六 七年 864 866初頭 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 承平七年 937 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 長保元年 999 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 長元五年末 1033初頭 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 永保三年 1083 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 永享七年 1435または1436初頭 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 permanent dead link Koyama Masato 永正八年 1511 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Koyama Masato 宝永四年 1707 噴火 in Japanese Shizuoka University Retrieved 29 July 2021 Clark Liat September 6 2012 Pressure in Mount Fuji is now higher than last eruption warn experts Wired Retrieved September 6 2012 Klemeti Erik September 10 2012 Doooom The Perception of Volcano Research by the Media Wired Retrieved September 10 2012 Japan s harvest of death The Independent London September 17 2011 a b Amazeen no December 21 2005 Book Review Cliffs of Despair A Journey to Suicide s Edge Monsters amp Critics Archived from the original on August 6 2012 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Hadfield Peter June 16 2001 Japan struggles with soaring death toll in Suicide Forest The Telegraph London Sign saves lives of 29 suicidal people Daily Yomuri Online February 24 2008 Archived from the original on March 2 2008 Yoshitomo Takahashi Summer 1988 Aokigahara jukai Suicide and Amnesia in Mt Fuji s Black Forest Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior 18 2 164 75 doi 10 1111 j 1943 278X 1988 tb00150 x PMID 3420643 Davisson Jack February 25 2021 The Suicide Woods of Mt Fuji Japazine a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Okado Yuki May 3 2008 Intruders tangle suicide forest with tape Asahi Shimbun Archived from the original on May 6 2008 Retrieved May 3 2008 Mt Fuji Shiozuoka Airport Basic Information Shizuoka Prefecture Archived from the original on May 16 2008 a b title in Japanese The number of climbers of Mount Fuji in 2009 in Japanese Ministry of the Environment Climbing Season Official Website for Mt Fuji Climbing Video Climbing Mount Fuji Japan in May closed season at Youtube com Glass Kathy August 26 1990 Climbing Mount Fuji By Night The New York Times a b Mountain Trails Official Website for Mt Fuji Climbing Mt Fuji s selection as a cultural World Heritage site Mt Fuji World Heritage Div Culture and Tourism Dept Shizuoka Prefecture Retrieved November 24 2020 Melton J Gordon Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena Canton MI Visible Ink Press 2008 p 231 Melton J Gordon Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena Canton MI Visible Ink Press 2008 収蔵品のご紹介 サンリツ服部美術館 www sunritz hattori museum or jp Starr Frederick 1924 Fujiyama the Sacred Mountain of Japan Chicago Covici McGee OCLC 4249926 External links Edit Fujisan Mount Fuji PDF Japan Meteorological Agency Archived PDF from the original on September 24 2015 Fujisan Mount Fuji Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties Mount Fuji at Wikipedia s sister projects Media from Commons Texts from Wikisource Travel guides from Wikivoyage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mount Fuji amp oldid 1142623330, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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