Hokusai's Mount Fuji, Where Tea Fields Meet the Sky
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Sunlight spills across the tea fields, illuminating the fresh green shoots that glisten with morning dew. The melodic call of a Japanese bush warbler drifts through the air. At the far end of the neatly ordered rows, the snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji rises in serene majesty. Mount Fuji rises above the tea fields.
This breathtaking scene in Obuchi Sasaba was captured nearly 200 years ago by none other than Katsushika Hokusai in his renowned woodblock print, Fuji from the Katakura Tea Fields in Suruga . It is one of the many iconic works in his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series. Mount Fuji seen from the Obuchi Sasaba area. Trails near the summit are clearly visible, though the snow coverage changes daily.
I first encountered this landscape more than a decade ago during a business trip to Vancouver, Canada. A café had used an image of it in an advertisement for matcha lattes.
I remember thinking — could such a perfect, postcard-like view of Japan really exist? Being from Shizuoka Prefecture myself, I couldn't recall ever seeing a place like that. I assumed the image had been digitally altered, but some research revealed that the scene was real—and located in Fuji City. In Fuji City's Obuchi Sasaba area, tea fields have been made more accessible with paved walkways, viewing platforms, and the removal of frost covers—drawing about five times more tourists in recent years.
Eager to see it with my own eyes, I made the journey. On the first day, thick clouds blanketed the sky, completely obscuring Mount Fuji, even though it was supposed to be close by. Undeterred, I returned the next morning before sunrise, quietly hoping for clearer weather. As dawn broke, the clouds parted and sunlight streamed across the fields. Slowly, the slopes of Mount Fuji emerged, deepening to a rich blue with every passing minute. A favorite spot among photographers.
In June 2013, Mount Fuji was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Since then, Shizuoka Prefecture, Fuji City, and local preservation groups have worked together to enhance the area, adding amenities such as parking lots and restrooms. The new tea leaves are hand-picked with the "one bud, two leaves" method, where each sprout has a pointed bud and two young leaves. The new shoots glisten in the sunlight, shining in a bright yellow-green hue.
Yoshihiro Fujita, 70, chairman of the Obuchi 2-Chome Sasaba Scenic Preservation Association, collaborated with landowners to maintain the natural beauty of the site. "After the World Heritage registration, we removed many frost-protection devices to preserve the view," he explained. "We also built a small shop and a photo platform to better accommodate visitors. As a result, tourist numbers have increased nearly fivefold." Rows of tea plants.
Yusuke Sano, 39, a senior official at the Mt Fuji Tourism Exchange Bureau, added, "Compared to the Yamanashi side, we haven't promoted Mount Fuji as much. We're now focused on improving the visitor experience and sharing the charm of this region with more people, including those from abroad."
Now, with summer approaching and the traditional eighty-eighth night—a special date marking the beginning of the new tea harvest—drawing near, the scene feels like something lifted from an old folk song. The fleeting harmony between Mount Fuji and the vibrant tea fields is a sight few are fortunate enough to witness, but once seen, it's never forgotten.
Author: Kenji Suzuki, The Sankei Shimbun
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