[Mt.Fuji] Captivating the World

Mt.Fuji■Captivating the World

This lofty, majestic mountain transcends borders to captivate people all over the world.

Mt. Fuji and the Peoples of the World
Loved and respected by the people of Japan, Mt. Fuji has from ancient times exerted a fascination on people in other lands as well. In ancient China it was said there was a ‘Fairy Mountain’ across the Eastern Sea, and the Qin emperor sent his envoy Xu Fu to procure a potion said to bring eternal youth from the hermits of that mountain. Xu Fu set sail in command of a huge fleet, and some theories suggest his intended destination was Mt. Fuji. Whether he actually reached there or not is unknown, but legends and stories about Xu Fu remain in many parts of Japan. Feelings for Mt. Fuji have not been limited to the east; in 1860 the first British ambassador to Japan, Sir Rutherford Alcock, defied the wishes of the Shogun’s government and climbed the peak, while Lady Parkes, wife of another British ambassador, in 1867 broke the taboo against women ascending the mountain. Today nearly one-third of those who climb Mt. Fuji come from outside of Japan.