30th January – 睦月

富士山　（Fujisan）Mt. Fuji

Active volcano with height 3776m. The highest mountain in Japan located between Shizuoka prefecture and Yamanashi prefecture.

Mt. Fuji became the beautiful symmetry shape about 10,000 years ago due to the volcanic action. In the winter time it is closed but in the summer season, from early July till early September, people can crime up to the top.

There are 4 routes to climb Mt. Fuji. Until to the fifth station, it is accessible by bus, car and taxi. It is recommended to take a overnight trip to the Mt. Fuji rather than one day trip, as there is a risk of getting altitude sickness. Also it is required to book the mountain hut to stay, so it is needed to prepare and plan well for the Mt. Fuji trip.

At the top of the mountain, the temperature can go below 0 even in the summer time, so bringing a warm clothes is the wise way to survive. For the bathroom use, Mt. Fuji governor asks visitors to donate 100-300yen (1-3USdollars) – this is because it requires huge amount of money for waste treatment in Mt. Fuji.

Although the top of the Mt. Fuji does not have the address, Shizuoka and Yamanashi have been arguing which prefecture own Mt. Fuji.

Many visitors come to see Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka and Yamanashi as both side has different beautiful views:

Shizuoka: view with tea farms, shinkansen, beach

Yamanashi: view with five lakes, sunset (赤富士-Akafuji)

ダイアモンド富士　（Diamond Fuji）

When the sun comes right at the top of the Fuji, it shines like a diamond, therefore many people goes to take a shot of this picture.

In addition, just below the Mt. Fuji, there is a forest which has started to gain more recognition from foreign tourists.

青木ヶ原樹海　（Aokigahara-Jyukai）

Huge forest, known as famous ‘suicide forest’. There are many wild animals living.

Many people still believe the urban legend related to this forest. ‘the campus does not work inside the Jyukai’- it was already researched, some spot can be true due to the magnetic rocks, but mostly campus works, so people will not lost the way easily. Another rumor is ‘There is a village where people who could not suicide live’. – it is false but there is a village (people there did not try suicide). Notably, there are many facilities for different religions. People secretly gather inside the Jyukai forest and pray for their own gods…

There are more fantastic things about Mt. Fuji, I might introduce more about it later on as this blog flows, so stay tuned!