Shimizu, Japan - Mount Fuji - 2 of 2

Our next stop was the Miho-no-Matsubara pine tree grove, dedicated as one of the World Heritages properties. In this grove we found the 650-year-old pine which has mythical powers. At the end of a quiet tree lined park of 50,000 pine trees (reminds us of Pine Mountain Road our home in Redding) is the shore and the beach where many come to pray, admire and be inspired by the famous and sacred Mount Fuji (Mt. Fuji), Japan’s highest mountain (7th highest on Earth) and a UNESCO world heritage site. Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano in Japan, with a summit elevation of 12,389 ft 3 in. Mount Fuji last erupted in 1707. About 11,000 years ago, a large amount of lava began to erupt from the west side of the top of the ancient Fuji mountain. This lava formed the new Fuji which is the main body of Mount Fuji. Since then, the tops of the ancient Fuji and the new Fuji are side by side. About 2800 years ago, the top part of ancient Fuji caused a large-scale landslide due to weathering, and finally, only the top of Shin-Fuji remained. There are ten known eruptions that can be traced to reliable records.

Although we may not have had a perfect, or much of any view, of Mount Fuji today, we did look at some wonderful photos, walked the area of the Pines and visited a local museum of Mount Fuji history. We spoke with a guide that does hikes up Mount Fuji and has most of her adult life and was thrilled to hear her passion as to the majesty of climbing the mountain and reaching the top, giving us a feel for not only the beauty but the Mount Fuji mystic.Read more