Monday, February 14, 2011

Diamond Fuji wishes

for your Valentines Day

The Lonely Planets guide to Hiking in Japan was my first point of contact about the craze of Fuji-viewing. Along with learning about nori-mono from this source, they also mentioned the Diamond Fuji phenomena:
For romantic spotters in Tokyo, 14 February (Valentine's Day) is the best day to see Fuji-san, 100kms away, with the sun going down directly behind its dish shaped peak. At the exact moment the sun dips behind the summit its rays appear as a giant diamond sitting on top of the mountain. The ultimate viewing point is from the top of the Ferris wheel at trendy Odaiba, but be warned, your planning and timing mist be better than good to spot this very special 'diamond Fuji' moment.

I didn't even try to see Fuji last Valentines Day as just about the whole of February was a consistent grey.

From youtube a series of shorts:
This one is of a Double Diamond (shot on the Red camera- resolution is amazing) rising sun with a reflection in one of the Lakes near the mountain, and this one of the sun setting by the same film makers at Lake Yamanaka; and finally another one from with a view from Tokyo city centre. The first one is the best to get a sense of what it must be like to see it.

This one is much lower resolution but it shows really well the sun setting exactly on the crest, the effect of the light and the view the mountain through the humidity and haze from Tokyo city.

Fujiyama Journal posted a beautiful shot yesterday with the snow covering the valley floor as well as the mountain down to the tree line.

Dear Fuji, my heart is broken that I wont see you this year, but I know you will be there waiting for me.

6 comments:

  1. Are you not making a trip? There are 2 for ones going through jetstar right now!

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  2. I know I know! and the last days of the sale in term break- but the f**** f*** thesis will not write itself and even 10 days in Japan will set me back 3 weeks of time or more! I know my day dreaming self. My heart is truely broken- but if I go Haico will leave me in frustration. But I still have my fingers crossed for Beppu projects in January- meaning the thesis and studio report will be written by then.

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  3. Happy (belated) Valentine's Day - sorry, impossible to send chocolate via internet - and thank you for linking to the story of those brave lady alpinists over at One Hundred Mountains .....

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  4. Many thanks for your comment on last week's One Hundred Mountains post. Since then, of course, the world has turned upside down. I trust that you, your family and friends are all OK. The world's thoughts are with Japan ....

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  5. Are you OK? I'm worried about you. I'm OK. I hope you, your family and your friend are all fine.

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  6. Hello Sapphire and Project Hyakumeizan,

    Thank you for your thoughts- I am fine- currently based in Sydney Australia- I place that very very rarely experiences tremors (and no fires or floods this year). My friends in Japan are fine- very shaken and distressed from on the ongoing aftershocks- but like the rest of Tokyo returning to routine.

    My mind is still very much on the the people in the north affected by the Tsunami and nuclear accidents- its been hard to think about posting- and not feeling frivilous. But I am trying to take the metaphoric strength and continuity of the mountain we love and that represents the Japanese people.

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