Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration, Sacred mountain in Shizuoka and Yamanashi, Japan

Mount Fuji is a cone-shaped peak with symmetrical slopes and a distinctive snow-capped crown that rises across two prefectures and remains visible from great distances. The surrounding area includes five large lakes at the mountain's base, sacred shrines, and forest zones that together form a World Heritage site.

The first recorded ascent was made by a monk around 1206, and from then until the Meiji era the mountain was held sacred and women were barred from climbing. Shrines such as Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha enshrined its kami, and under Tokugawa Ieyasu the area above the eighth station was donated to the shrine. In 2013 UNESCO inscribed it as a cultural World Heritage site.

The mountain has inspired Japanese artists for centuries through paintings, prints, and decorative arts that show it from different angles and seasons. This artistic tradition reflects how deeply the peak is woven into Japanese identity and aesthetic values across generations.

The site can be accessed by bus or train from Tokyo, with the journey taking several hours and routes connecting to different starting points around the base. Visitors should prepare for changing weather conditions and bring appropriate gear based on the season, as conditions at higher elevations shift quickly.

The 25 component sites include the summit itself, where the eight peaks were called "Hachiyō" in a 13th-century commentary on the Man'yōshū. Above the eighth station, the mountain belongs to Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha, granted by the Edo shogunate after Tokugawa Ieyasu's patronage.