Posts Tagged ‘mt fuji’

Japan is one of the most beautiful countries in East Asia with her many attractions and sights of nature such as park, lakes, majestic mountains and quiet countrysides. They provide a perfect balance of urban charm and seductive nature, and the locations that illustrate this the best way are her parks. Some can be found in the modern cities that are the focal point of busy Japan, while others flourish in Mother Nature with quaint little towns and villages.

The national parks in Japan are often high on the itineraries of first time visitors to the country. As we all face the pressures of the modern world, it is a simple but pleasurable experience to travel to faraway destinations that allow us to escape from that if only for a moment. There could be nothing better to satisfy that than making a point to visit the Japanese gardens and parks that infuse both Eastern and Western culture?

Taking up more than five per cent of the total land area in Japan, there are 29 national parks within the country. While locals are an ever present in terms of visitors, there is an increasing number of foreign tourists who are eager to have a taste of what the nature of Japan has to offer. Some of the most popular parks are the Nikko, Shiretoko and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Parks.

Nikko National Park is guarded by the small city of Nikko, which houses a small population. However, visitors arrive non-stop to see for themselves the scenic beauty of the area. From the peace and quiet of Lake Chuzenji to the towering awe of dormant volcano Mount Nantai, the park covers an immense land size that stretches over four prefectures. Even visitors on a budget Nikko National Park day tour would be able to enjoy other highlights that include the large Kegon waterfall as well as the Toshogu shrine that has become a recognizable landmark for the city itself.

Mount Fuji can safely be said to be the one sight that everyone associates most often with Japan. But, the area in which it is located has a quiet elegance of its own in the form of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It has an even larger area relative to Nikko park. This is due to the inclusion of Mount Fuji, the Fuji Five Lakes and other locations within it. There are even tiny islets found within the region, giving credence to the feeling that it is Japan's biggest national park.

Perhaps one of the most understated parks in Japan is Shiretoko National Park. It is a true natural haven untouched in the most part by civilization or commercialization. In fact, there is no way one can get there on wheels. There is also diverse wildlife that cannot be found elsewhere in Japan, while the flora and fauna existing within Shiretoko had prompted UNESCO to mark the area as a World Heritage Site, a great achievement for a humble site in a modern country.

Whether it be an adventure to the wilderness in Shiretoko, an experience with national symbols in Fuji-Hakone-Izu or visiting Nikko National Park on a tour package, Japan’s national parks have so much to offer for the eager and willing traveler. One will never cease to be amazed by a country that has an advanced and modern metropolis in its city centre of Tokyo, while surrounded by such extensive and beautiful nature.

Both the Japanese and people of different nationalities have aspired to scale the peak of Mount Fuji at least once in their lives. There are also millions of tourists who embark on a Mt Fuji tour every year in order to experience the journey. It is considered to be dormat, but experts have been predicting a possible eruption in the near future. So why are millions of people risking their lives to scale Japan's highest mountain peak?

To first understand that, one must take into account the symbolism of Mount Fuji in both Japan and across the world. The mountain is officially the highest peak in Japan, with an estimated height of over 12,000 feet at its highest point. As with many other well known mountains across Japan, Mount Fuji has its own legends that tell of its rise and fall, and permeates the folk stories of the Japanese. This has cultivated both a love for and respect for the snowy peak in the people.

The extent of their admiration for Mount Fuji can be seen in the many other smaller Fuji-sans sprinkled all across Japan. They are all much smaller mountains that have been given a name in memory of the original volcano. They serve to be an image of the mountain in their own backyard so that they do not need to go on a Mt Fuji budget one day tour. There have also been many origami books that have taught avid paper folders how to create a likeness of Mount Fuji using the art form.

The symbol of Japan also fills the capital's landscape as Tokyo's west side is dominated by the sight of Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is said to be very shy in nature as it often hides its peak behind clouds or haze. There are only ten days every year that Mount Fuji's peak can be seen in full view, unobstructed by weather conditions. That rare occurrence perhaps adds to the mystic of the mountain.

A more negative aspect of the attraction that Mount Fuji holds for many individuals is the power and control it has over the immediate areas surrounding it. While the volcano has been dormant for centuries, geographical experts have predicted that Mount Fuji is due to stir with activity in time. Tokyo and other cities in Japan will be devastated by such an event. This has led to many Japanese praying for a safe future from the gods and deities that are said to inhabit the mountain according to old legends. However, Fuji-san is also an enabler of economic well-being, with numerous cheap Mount Fuji hotels surrounding it, not to mention in Hakone and nearby resort towns.

Perhaps the final sign of how much the volcano mountain is revered in Japan is the sight of its peak shown on the country's 1,000 yen note. It is also the most common denomination of the Japanese currency, and perhaps symbolic of the importance of Mount Fuji in the people’s psyche for it to be used in such a way. The life and death of millions of Japanese are held in the cradle of Mount Fuji’s existence, and it is therefore hard to ignore the allure and attraction the beautiful mountain peak has throughout history.