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Asahi Shimbun
31-05-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Balloon rides at ancient burial mounds in Sakai get nod
An image that the Sakai municipal government released in 2023 (Provided by Sakai municipal government) SAKAI, Osaka Prefecture--City authorities gave the go-ahead for trial balloon rides at ancient burial grounds here from early October. The area features the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group, a cluster of fifth century 'kofun' burial mounds designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Trial balloon rides using helium gas were initially scheduled to get off the ground in spring 2023 but suspended due to a leak. Authorities here plan to use Daisen Park in the city's Sakai Ward as the launch site. The moored balloon will use helium gas for buoyancy to stay 100 meters above the ground. It will be tethered to the ground by cables and raised or lowered by mechanical equipment. Authorities will make an environmental impact assessment of the flights during the first year. If no problems arise, rides will continue for another six years. The fare for adults is expected to be around 4,000 yen ($28), but the amount will likely vary depending on whether the passenger is a Sakai resident, a domestic resident outside the city or a foreign resident/visitor. Details will be finalized later. Around 60,000 people are expected to take balloon rides annually. The operating company, Advance, is based in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture. Initial plans called for using a British-made balloon in May 2023, but the project was halted just before flights started after helium gas was found to be leaking from the balloon. The cause of the problem was not identified, and the British manufacturer later went into liquidation. As a result, authorities switched to a French manufacturer. Six years have passed since the plan was first announced. 'Safety and security are our top priorities and we want to get started,' Sakai Mayor Hideki Nagafuji told reporters. 'I believe the rides will lead to people rediscovering the charms of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group.' The area includes the 486-meter-long Daisen Kofun tumulus that is thought to be the final resting place of fifth century Emperor Nintoku. The keyhole-shaped moated mound is the biggest memorial of its kind in Japan and cannot be seen in its entirety from the ground. For this reason, Nagafuji announced in 2019, when the site was registered as a World Heritage Site, that the city would set up balloon flights.
Japan Forward
07-05-2025
- Japan Forward
Hokusai's Mount Fuji, Where Tea Fields Meet the Sky
このページを 日本語 で読む 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 このページを 日本語 で読む
Vancouver Sun
30-04-2025
- Vancouver Sun
Man airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji twice returned to look for his cellphone
Article content A climber airlifted with altitude sickness from near the peak of Japan's Mount Fuji last week returned to the slope and was rescued for a second time just four days later, authorities said Monday. Article content Article content Officials urged people to be aware of the harsh conditions at the country's tallest peak during its off-season. Article content The climber was identified only as a 27-year-old Chinese student living in Japan. He made an emergency call on April 22 and was airlifted after developing symptoms of altitude sickness, police said, adding that his climbing irons also were damaged. Article content Article content On Saturday, he returned to the mountain's Fujinomiya trail about 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) above sea level to look for his cell phone and other belongings left behind, Shizuoka prefectural police said. Another climber found him there unable to move after he apparently developed altitude sickness for a second time, police said. Article content Article content The mountain's hiking trails are officially open only from July to early September, but there is no penalty for hiking off-season. There also is no charge or penalty when a climber needs to be rescued, but the Chinese student's case prompted an uproar on social media and generated calls for him to be charged, at least for his second rescue. Article content The Shizuoka police urged all climbers to use caution, noting that the mountain has low temperatures and is covered in snow even in spring. Article content Article content The 3,776-meter-high (12,388-foot-high ) mountain was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013. A symbol of Japan, the mountain called 'Fujisan' used to be a place of pilgrimage and is increasingly popular among hikers today. Article content Article content To control overcrowding and risks from rushed overnight climbing through rocky slopes to see the sunrise, local authorities last year introduced an entry fee and cap on the number of entrants on the most popular trail and will introduce similar rules on other main trails this year. Article content
National Post
30-04-2025
- National Post
Man airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji twice returned to look for his cellphone
Article content A climber airlifted with altitude sickness from near the peak of Japan's Mount Fuji last week returned to the slope and was rescued for a second time just four days later, authorities said Monday. Article content Article content Officials urged people to be aware of the harsh conditions at the country's tallest peak during its off-season. Article content The climber was identified only as a 27-year-old Chinese student living in Japan. He made an emergency call on April 22 and was airlifted after developing symptoms of altitude sickness, police said, adding that his climbing irons also were damaged. Article content On Saturday, he returned to the mountain's Fujinomiya trail about 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) above sea level to look for his cell phone and other belongings left behind, Shizuoka prefectural police said. Another climber found him there unable to move after he apparently developed altitude sickness for a second time, police said. Article content Article content The mountain's hiking trails are officially open only from July to early September, but there is no penalty for hiking off-season. There also is no charge or penalty when a climber needs to be rescued, but the Chinese student's case prompted an uproar on social media and generated calls for him to be charged, at least for his second rescue. Article content The Shizuoka police urged all climbers to use caution, noting that the mountain has low temperatures and is covered in snow even in spring. Article content The 3,776-meter-high (12,388-foot-high ) mountain was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013. A symbol of Japan, the mountain called 'Fujisan' used to be a place of pilgrimage and is increasingly popular among hikers today. Article content Article content To control overcrowding and risks from rushed overnight climbing through rocky slopes to see the sunrise, local authorities last year introduced an entry fee and cap on the number of entrants on the most popular trail and will introduce similar rules on other main trails this year. Article content
Calgary Herald
30-04-2025
- Calgary Herald
Man airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji twice returned to look for his cellphone
Article content A climber airlifted with altitude sickness from near the peak of Japan's Mount Fuji last week returned to the slope and was rescued for a second time just four days later, authorities said Monday. Article content Article content Officials urged people to be aware of the harsh conditions at the country's tallest peak during its off-season. Article content The climber was identified only as a 27-year-old Chinese student living in Japan. He made an emergency call on April 22 and was airlifted after developing symptoms of altitude sickness, police said, adding that his climbing irons also were damaged. Article content Article content On Saturday, he returned to the mountain's Fujinomiya trail about 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) above sea level to look for his cell phone and other belongings left behind, Shizuoka prefectural police said. Another climber found him there unable to move after he apparently developed altitude sickness for a second time, police said. Article content Article content The mountain's hiking trails are officially open only from July to early September, but there is no penalty for hiking off-season. There also is no charge or penalty when a climber needs to be rescued, but the Chinese student's case prompted an uproar on social media and generated calls for him to be charged, at least for his second rescue. Article content The Shizuoka police urged all climbers to use caution, noting that the mountain has low temperatures and is covered in snow even in spring. Article content Article content The 3,776-meter-high (12,388-foot-high ) mountain was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013. A symbol of Japan, the mountain called 'Fujisan' used to be a place of pilgrimage and is increasingly popular among hikers today. Article content Article content To control overcrowding and risks from rushed overnight climbing through rocky slopes to see the sunrise, local authorities last year introduced an entry fee and cap on the number of entrants on the most popular trail and will introduce similar rules on other main trails this year. Article content
