LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Mount Fuji
built 221 days ago
While the challenge of cleaning up Mount Fuji has been at the forefront of public attention and action, the possibility of a near-future volcanic eruption is a threat that poses far greater consequences. In fall 2000, Japanese scientists began detecting a surge in activity inside the volcano: a significant increase in small tremors—more than 200 a month compared to prior averages of 10 per month—and the movement of magma, possibly toward the surface. This activity, the scientists said, indicated that the volcano could possibly erupt sometime soon. Mount Fuji’s last eruption, in 1707, lasted 16 days and produced a 6-mile-wide cloud of smoke and ash that blocked out the sun in some areas. A government report issued in 2002 said a new eruption could spew lava, debris and ash over hundreds of square miles—threatening nearby villages, cutting off electricity and water supplies, and disrupting road, rail and air travel. Resulting damage could cost up to $21 billion.
Source:
One of Japan's most famous views, Mount Fuji, was thought to be best seen from the pines of the sandy peninsula, Miho no Matsubara. Toyohiko has here described that scene, with Fuji to the upper left, partly obscured by clouds, and Miho no Matsubara to the lower right. The artist makes a case for the monumental quality of the mountain by placing its peak above the clouds and by correspondingly placing the sandy peninsula toward the very bottom on the right.
Source:
Like Uluru, Mt Sinai and Stonehenge, Mount Fuji has a spiritual power that draws millions of pilgrims. Unlike many sacred sites, though, belief dictates that this one should be climbed and hundreds of thousands of people, religious adherents and tourists, do so every year during the eight-week season. The summit was forbidden to women until the Maiji era (1868-1912). A local proverb says 'He who climbs Mount Fuji once is a wise man. He who climbs it twice is a fool'.
Source:
Aokiga harajukai: Due to volcanic activity, the area around Mount Fuji has a lot of very strongly magnetic igneous rock. This area of wild forest is called Aokiga Harajukai, or Aokiga Sea of Trees. The forest is so dense that the light of day hardly penetrates, and the ground is full of rises and hollows. The magnetic nature of the ground leads compasses astray, and combined with the convoluted landscape, it is said that no living thing can return from the forest.
Source:
Working either at the base of Mount Fuji, or in grasslands along the nearby Fuji River, you will systematically search for either Reverdin's blue adults or larvae. You will capture adults with a butterfly net, mark an identification number on their wings, and collect data on their behavior, condition, and location. When sampling larvae, you will search their food plants to find caterpillars and record data on their location and the presence of symbiotic ants that tend to this species. This is a rare opportunity to see the world-renowned Mount Fuji, the symbol of nature in Japan, from many perspectives. A day off in the middle of the expedition allows time for visiting museums and other cultural attractions, or perhaps even climbing the mountain itself.
Source:
Depending on the route you take and your level of skill, climbing Mount Fuji can take up to seven hours and descent can take as long as five. However many climbers are able to make the journey in less time.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Mount Fuji