Sōdai
Grand, magnificent, splendid, all wrapped up in one simple Japanese phrase. "Sōdai." A top 5 of my library, and #1 depending on how I am feeling that day. The view from Chureito Pagoda in Fujiyoshida has been chewed up and spit out by the algorithm and influencers that I worry it's become nothing but a bland paste to casually scroll away from. But I put my twist and squeeze on it by making sure Mount Fuji is as epic in the photo as it is when you're there in person. One is spoiled on clear days in the region of Lake Kawaguchi with endless epic views of Fujisan. When experienced firsthand, it's easy to understand why they literally worship Mount Fujisan.
It is said that to climb Fuji is to ascend to the heavens, to walk the path of the divine, and to glimpse the world as it is seen from the eyes of the gods. See, Fuji is more than earth and snow. It is the soul of the land, the heart of the people, and the bridge between worlds. In its presence, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. where gods and spirits roam free and the veil between worlds is thin enough to slice with a katana. Here, at the foot of Fuji, time stands still, and in its stillness, the people find peace, and in their hearts, they offer their worship to the silent sentinel rising through the mist, watching over them since the world was young.
The mountain's presence is overwhelming. You can feel it on the shores of the 5 lakes, in adjacent mountains, in the streets of Tokyo, and on the Shinkansen ferrying you to your next destination. Its reach extends far beyond its legal borders for even a Gaijin like me had the urge for a pilgrimage to Fuji since the seeds were planted from the pages of a travel magazine I read as a child.
Getting this photo required multiple 4 am wake-up calls to catch the first train from Lake Kawaguchi to Fujiyoshida to make sure I was among the very first people there. The photo would only work right at sunrise, and by the time 7 am rolls around the small viewing platform is slammed with tourists. I would see them climbing up as I was climbing down. Fuji is known to be quite shy, and the first morning was a bust as a result because he was hiding behind some thick clouds. With only a handful of days to spare in the region and so much to shoot on my itinerary, I prayed for a second day of cooperative weather. I am grateful that it was answered.
Grand, magnificent, splendid, all wrapped up in one simple Japanese phrase. "Sōdai." A top 5 of my library, and #1 depending on how I am feeling that day. The view from Chureito Pagoda in Fujiyoshida has been chewed up and spit out by the algorithm and influencers that I worry it's become nothing but a bland paste to casually scroll away from. But I put my twist and squeeze on it by making sure Mount Fuji is as epic in the photo as it is when you're there in person. One is spoiled on clear days in the region of Lake Kawaguchi with endless epic views of Fujisan. When experienced firsthand, it's easy to understand why they literally worship Mount Fujisan.
It is said that to climb Fuji is to ascend to the heavens, to walk the path of the divine, and to glimpse the world as it is seen from the eyes of the gods. See, Fuji is more than earth and snow. It is the soul of the land, the heart of the people, and the bridge between worlds. In its presence, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. where gods and spirits roam free and the veil between worlds is thin enough to slice with a katana. Here, at the foot of Fuji, time stands still, and in its stillness, the people find peace, and in their hearts, they offer their worship to the silent sentinel rising through the mist, watching over them since the world was young.
The mountain's presence is overwhelming. You can feel it on the shores of the 5 lakes, in adjacent mountains, in the streets of Tokyo, and on the Shinkansen ferrying you to your next destination. Its reach extends far beyond its legal borders for even a Gaijin like me had the urge for a pilgrimage to Fuji since the seeds were planted from the pages of a travel magazine I read as a child.
Getting this photo required multiple 4 am wake-up calls to catch the first train from Lake Kawaguchi to Fujiyoshida to make sure I was among the very first people there. The photo would only work right at sunrise, and by the time 7 am rolls around the small viewing platform is slammed with tourists. I would see them climbing up as I was climbing down. Fuji is known to be quite shy, and the first morning was a bust as a result because he was hiding behind some thick clouds. With only a handful of days to spare in the region and so much to shoot on my itinerary, I prayed for a second day of cooperative weather. I am grateful that it was answered.
Grand, magnificent, splendid, all wrapped up in one simple Japanese phrase. "Sōdai." A top 5 of my library, and #1 depending on how I am feeling that day. The view from Chureito Pagoda in Fujiyoshida has been chewed up and spit out by the algorithm and influencers that I worry it's become nothing but a bland paste to casually scroll away from. But I put my twist and squeeze on it by making sure Mount Fuji is as epic in the photo as it is when you're there in person. One is spoiled on clear days in the region of Lake Kawaguchi with endless epic views of Fujisan. When experienced firsthand, it's easy to understand why they literally worship Mount Fujisan.
It is said that to climb Fuji is to ascend to the heavens, to walk the path of the divine, and to glimpse the world as it is seen from the eyes of the gods. See, Fuji is more than earth and snow. It is the soul of the land, the heart of the people, and the bridge between worlds. In its presence, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. where gods and spirits roam free and the veil between worlds is thin enough to slice with a katana. Here, at the foot of Fuji, time stands still, and in its stillness, the people find peace, and in their hearts, they offer their worship to the silent sentinel rising through the mist, watching over them since the world was young.
The mountain's presence is overwhelming. You can feel it on the shores of the 5 lakes, in adjacent mountains, in the streets of Tokyo, and on the Shinkansen ferrying you to your next destination. Its reach extends far beyond its legal borders for even a Gaijin like me had the urge for a pilgrimage to Fuji since the seeds were planted from the pages of a travel magazine I read as a child.
Getting this photo required multiple 4 am wake-up calls to catch the first train from Lake Kawaguchi to Fujiyoshida to make sure I was among the very first people there. The photo would only work right at sunrise, and by the time 7 am rolls around the small viewing platform is slammed with tourists. I would see them climbing up as I was climbing down. Fuji is known to be quite shy, and the first morning was a bust as a result because he was hiding behind some thick clouds. With only a handful of days to spare in the region and so much to shoot on my itinerary, I prayed for a second day of cooperative weather. I am grateful that it was answered.
