On August 11th it is Mountain Day in Japan, an apt holiday for a country of which 73% is mountainous, that has a mountain range running through each of its main islands. The highest mountain of Japan is Mount Fuji, with an elevation of 12, 388 feet (that is 3,776 meters). We have discussed Mount Fuji before in it’s own bento but there is a lot more mountain and mountain lore to uncover about Japan. Mount Fuji is one of the Three Holy Mountains of Japan, a trio of mountains most revered by the tradition in Japan, the other two mountains being Mount Haku (The White Mountain, which is best know for its UNESCO World Heritage site, Shirakawago) and Mount Tate, known for its onsen and the cobalt blue waters of Mikurigaike).
Mount Haku, commonly referred to as Hakusan, is a dormant volcano, which was estimated to be first active 300,000 to 400,000 years ago and its most recent eruption was in 1659. Hakusan is the westernmost mountain in Japan, and is over 2,000 m (6, 562 ft) in height. It is located on the borders of Gifu and Ishikawa prefectures in Japan. Thanks to the dormant volcano, the mountain is also well-known for its many onsen. Mount Tate, also known commonly as Tateyama, is located in the southeastern are of Toyama Prefecture. The mountain is the source for the Hayatsuki as well as Tsurugisawa rivers, which each flows to the Sea of Japan.
There are hundreds more mountains each unique but one mountain deserves an honourble mention: Mount Asama. This mountain is an active complex volcano in central Honshū, which is the main island of Japan. It is the most active on Honshū and has been classified by the Japan Meteorological Agency as a rank A. It stands 2,568 meters (8, 425 feet) above sea level, bordering the Gunma and Nagano prefectures. Japanese history is riddled with confirmed volcanic eruptions. Here is examples of eruptions in the last 100 years: 2009, 2008, 2004, 2003, 1995, 1990, 1983, 1982, 1973, 1965, 1961, 1958–59, 1953–55, 1952, 1952, 1950–51, 1949, 1947, 1946, 1944–45, 1938–42, 1935–37, 1934, 1934, 1933, 1931–32, 1930, 1929, 1929, 1927–28, 1924, 1922, 1920–21, and 1919. These eruptions are but drops in a melting bucket of history. The real reason why Mount Asama is our honourable mention is because it served as the backdrop to Japan’s first colour film, Carmen Comes Home and in the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, the Eighth Angel was located inside Mount Asama.
We share with you two brilliant videos, in celebration of Japan’s majestic mountains. First off we will visit Mount Fuji and then we will be ‘Escaping to a Secluded Japanese Mountain’ with two gentlemen experiencing Japanese cuisine and becoming one with a mountain.