The Allure of Mt Fuji

The Fuji-Goko, the five lakes area, was the other place other than Hakone from which to view Mount Fuji. Why, we wondered as we gazed at the lovely snow capped view of Mount Fuji from our Ryokan (Japanese word for inn) window did Mt Fuji beckons so? I guessed that it must be the near perfect symmetry of the mountain slopes, the angles were the same on both sides of the mountain. There were no surrounding high features around, so Mount Fuji stood alone. Snow capped the summit forming an inverted cone. The scene was serene and perfect. The Japanese loved symmetry and perfection.

Mount Fuji was the sacred mountain for the Japanese, an object of worship. Those who sought to climb it came on a pilgrimage, a quest to find spiritual fulfillment. During the Edo period (1600-1868) Fujiyoshida, where we stayed, was the original base from which Japanese pilgrims ventured up the holy mountain. There was a shrine, Fuji Sengen Jinja, at the base of Mount Fuji in this bustling tourist town where these pilgrims worshipped. It was landmarked by a very tall and imposing Tori gate. This shrine was founded in 110 A.D. by the Emperor Keiko to the Sengen, the god of the mountain. On the ascent up the mountain were several inns for pilgrims managed by “oshi” the priest-innkeepers. Mt Fuji was once an active volcano. Each year on 26 and 27 August, the Yoshida Fire Festival is observed when the people offered their worship in an effort to quench the fire and to pray for the safety of the climbers in the coming year.

Inn Fujitomita (19 – 22 Apr 2007). The Tsuji family who ran the family inn put us at ease the moment we entered their door that rainy night of 29 Apr 2007. Mrs Tsuji and her two daughters, Sayuri and Shinobu welcomed us profusely we as we alighted from the taxi taken from Fujiyoshida station. Immediately they carried our luggage to the traditional Japanese room prepared for us, tatami-floored with two futon beds and a low square Japanese table with 4 cushioned seats. Accommodation at traditional Japanese inns came with  Japanese breakfast and optional dinner. David Tsuji the innkeeper was a very capable man. He was an inn-keeper, cook, carpenter, builder and mechanic. Sayuri and David spoke very good English having both lived and obtained their college education in California. The Inn provided a hot spring bath, the water pumped up from underground wells and heated. We had a very relaxing bath time after the day’s sight-seeing followed by a delicious dinner. Apparently the springs in the area were all cold springs – Oshino, compared with those in Hakone which are hot springs, Onsen.

Oshino Hakkai. Literally translated eight cold springs, Oshino Hakkai, was a picturesque village about 40 minutes walk from the Inn Fujitomita. This was a village of noodle shops, titbits and pickles stores. Each pond or spring was called by name attached to a certain condition describing the surrounding and associated with one famous pilgrim. There was a ladle pool, where the inlet was beneath the soft sand at the bottom of the pool and ever so often the sand was stirred as the water oozed up from underground.

The Itchiku Kubota Kimono Art Museum. This museum was not to be missed when one visited the rather touristic Lake Kawaguchi area. Nestling among the vistas of the Mount Fuji area, the museum grounds was art in itself with a mixture of Balinese and Japanese themes giving it a rustic outlook. The courtyards and gardens surrounding the main museum building was designed by Itchiku and was styled similar to the Gaudi garden of Barcelona. What was impressive was the creative sensitivity of Itchiku and his unique medium and expression - "I have a very tender feeling with my brush." He had the unique distinction of being the first living artist to have his art form, Kimono Prints, displayed at a Smithsonian Institution museum in Washington DC in 1995-96. After long lasting and continuous effort over 20 years, Itchiku succeeded in reviving the forgotten Tsujigahana method of tie-dye. “I was 20 years old when I encountered the Tsujigahana dye. It was in the Tokyo National Museum. There was a piece of clothing probably a remnant dating back several centuries. I was moved, trembling and fascinated in the face of such mastery and refinement of beauty.” We were treated to Kimonos so beautiful that it brought tears to our eyes. On display were about 80 Kimonos covering the Four Seasons entitled Symphony of Lights, Mount Fuji scenery in various moods entitled ‘Ohn” and Celestial themes.