Abstract
This chapter describes Mount Fuji, which at 3776 m asl forms the highest point in Japan, as a composite heritage. Fuji was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2013 as a Cultural Property, but the mountain and its surrounding landscapes also represent a significant natural heritage. The steep, conically shaped mountain we see today almost wholly comprises volcanic products from the newest phase of Fuji volcanism, and a volcanic complex of three older volcanoes is buried under the ejecta from this new phase. Past eruptions of the mountain posed significant dangers for the densely populated Kanto plain; different landforms and ecosystems were formed out of those events that further underscore the mountain’s value as a composite natural heritage. While Fuji is an exceptionally vigorous stratovolcano, many landforms in this area are formed by active denudation forces. Apart from the mountain, the surrounding areas offer a rich diversity of landforms such as artesian spring rivers, lava tunnels, and lakes. Tourism at Mount Fuji has changed significantly from its pilgrimage roots, and this transformation has put considerable pressure on the landscape. The natural heritage of this area urgently needs holistic planning and conservation measures to control the footprint of tourism and urban development.
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Notes
- 1.
Remnants of giant trees that were buried in the lava flow and were hollowed out.
- 2.
Japanese rivers are managed under two categories, Class 1 and Class 2. Class 1 rivers are typically larger and are considered more important for their environmental and water resource (utility) values.
- 3.
By the early nineteenth century, there were 808 such groups in Tokyo alone (Bernstein 2008).
- 4.
Oshi were low-ranking Shinto priests. Their principal role was to disseminate the Fuji faith, but they also provided lodging for pilgrims in their homes which served as a base camp for climbing and to perform ablutions prior to the ascent (Kureha et al. 2015).
- 5.
Literally, “he who goes first,” the Sendatsu led the mountain climbing and chanting.
- 6.
Each of the four main climbing routes comprises nine vertical “steps” divided up to Shugendo custom, with the tenth step the summit symbolizing heaven.
- 7.
The current manual counting system at the 6th station was introduced in 1981 along with a “Safety Centre” after 12 climbers were killed and 29 injured by a large-scale rock slide on 14 August 1980.
- 8.
The year in which Fuji was placed on the tentative list for inscription as UNESCO cultural heritage.
- 9.
As there is no system of climber registration, this data is estimated from visual monitoring by police (6th station) and infrared trail counters (8th station). It includes some double counts of staff, guides, repeat climbers, etc.
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Chakraborty, A., Jones, T.E. (2018). Mount Fuji: The Volcano, the Heritage, and the Mountain. In: Chakraborty, A., Mokudai, K., Cooper, M., Watanabe, M., Chakraborty, S. (eds) Natural Heritage of Japan. Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61896-8_16
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