All About World Heritage Sites
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The Mount Fuji World Heritage Center is a Japanese museum dedicated to Mount Fuji. Designed by Shigeru Ban, the center is shaped like an inverted mountain…
Source: Mount Fuji World Heritage Center Shizuoka (architect: Shigeru Ban) | Inexhibit
The ultimate Japan travel guide with all information on best time & season to visit, travel documents, travelling within Japan, money, what to see & do…
Source: Japan Travel Guide: In-Depth Information For Tourists In Japan
It may be elusive, but it’s a view you’ll never forget.
Comprised of four mountainous, thickly wooded islands, Japan’s landscape is as stunningly beautiful as it is earthquake-prone. There are so many things to see and do in Japan that to focus your attentions in just one area would be something akin to a tragedy.
Loved by all, summit hikes to Mount Fuji is a popular activity for both locals and international tourists alike. However, on Aug 12, 2018, attempting to climb the spiritual peak proved to be challenging when an insane human traffic jam clogged up the hiking trail.
Source: What’s causing the insane ‘human traffic jam’ at Mount Fuji?
Conquer the summit of Mount Fuji for real this time, instead of just looking at it in pictures!
Source: Here’s How You Can Conquer The Summit of Mount Fuji & Catch The Sunrise!
The climbing season for Mt. Fuji got fully underway Tuesday with three trails in Shizuoka Prefecture opening to the public.
Source: Mt. Fuji trails in Shizuoka open for this year’s climbing season
Japan central government and the Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectural governments have drawn up a series of measures to limit the number of climbers who scale Mt. Fuji, in a bid to ease congestion on the trails snaking up the World Heritage site.
Access to the mountain will not be restricted, and the planned measures center on urging climbers to stagger the dates of their hikes. This has created doubt over whether the planned steps will actually improve climber safety at times when the mountain is especially busy, such as when crowds flock to the summit to watch the sunrise.
Spiritual integrity at risk
Under the plan, the daily maximum number of climbers on the Yoshida climbing trail from Yamanashi Prefecture will be 4,000, while on the Fujinomiya trail on the Shizuoka side, it will be held to 2,000.
Compared with the busiest day recorded during the 2017 summer climbing season, these figures represent a 12 percent drop and a 25 percent drop, respectively.
Read more from source: Mount Fuji’s safety still under a cloud
As a spiritual symbol of Japan, Mt. Fuji is one of only three sacred mountains of the country and its tallest at 3,776 meters. Its designation as a UNESCO world heritage site further exemplifies its importance to not only the people of Japan but to the world as well.
When my wife and I went to Japan in the Spring of 2017, I had the opportunity to capture a widely known event called diamond Fuji — the time when the sun rises behind the apex of Mt. Fuji, creating a sparkle on top, much like a diamond would on top of a ring.
The term double diamond Fuji refers to this event and its reflection caught in a body of water in the foreground. This happens around April 20 and August 20 of every year (give or take a few days) at Lake Tanuki.
Prior to my trip, I did my research and found that one of the most picturesque locations to capture a double diamond Fuji is at Lake Tanuki — a man-made lake made for irrigation purposes.
Read more from source: How I Photographed the Double Diamond Fuji
As Japan’s highest mountain, the legendary Mt. Fuji stands 12,388 feet (3,776 meters) tall. Travelers from around the world head to Hakone National Park to see the mountain, and over 1 million of them hike all the way to the top each year for the 360-degree views of Lake Ashi, the Hakone mountains, and the Owakudani Valley.
The Basics
Whether you hike to the top or take it easy at the Fuji Visitor Center’s observation deck, visiting this UNESCO World Heritage site is an unforgettable experience for any traveler to Japan. If you’re not looking to climb the mountain, plenty of viewpoints and attractions are easily accessible by bus: travelers can head to the Fuji Visitor Center to explore a small museum and view exhibits covering the Fuji Five Lakes and Mt. Fuji’s cultural importance; grab a bite to eat; or catch views onto the mountain at the observation deck. Further up at 7,545 feet (2,300 meters), Mt. Fuji 5th Station offers additional unobstructed views along with shrines and souvenir shops. Both locations also serve hikers preparing for their ascent.
