♪”Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.”♪
Mt.Fuji (called Fuji or Fujisan in Japanese) appeared in the lyrics of songs I sang in my childhood, and in our school song.
Nowadays, not only Japanese but also many foreign tourists visit Fujisan to view its grandeur from a glance.
However, for me, who grew up in a place where I was fortunate enough to be able to see Fujisan every day, Fujisan is more than just the tallest mountain in Japan.
(Fujisan is only seen in some places, not all over Japan).
On a crisp and clear winter morning, I saw Fujisan on my way to school, which refreshed my mind and invigorated me.
Fujisan is sometimes covered by clouds that hide its presence, but when the clouds clear up again they reveal its majestic appearance. Fujisan is something mysterious.
“Fujisan looks beautiful today, doesn’t it?”
This is one of the greetings among people and Fujisan connects our hearts.
As the sun sets, the sky and Fujisan turn bright pink. The colours gradually change from pink to purple, to blue, to deep blue and then to black.
The sight is absolutely breathtaking and makes me realise that the day is coming to a peaceful end.
Everything around us is ever-changing, but Fujisan always stands firmly and warmly by our lives, and its existence gives us a feeling of serenity in our hearts.
On the other hand, Fujisan has erupted many times in history and taken many lives.
So for some time, Japanese ancestors started to put their hands together and worship Fujisan, in gratitude for being able to live each and every day in peace.
Even now, there is some fear that Fujisan could erupt at any time, as it is an active volcano.
Living together with Fujisan has taught me important things like:
“All things are impermanent and transient.”
“People are part of nature. We should be humble and not arrogant.”
“Living life embraces both joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, and birth and death.”
So for me, Fujisan is more than just the highest mountain in Japan. The existence, is something mysterious, something great, and something magnificent.
◎Fujisan has been registered as a World Heritage Site（Click more details)
◎We can drive to the 5th station of Fujisan. This is the picture taken there.
There is a post office on the 5th station and we can buy and send wooden postcards as nice keepsakes.
My name is Mari. I’m a native Japanese living in Japan.
I’m writing about 365 stories of Japanese daily life and culture based on my own experiences and perspectives.
#006 story is about Mt.Fuji — more than just a mountain.