Fujiyama

Photograph of Mount Fuji taken from an unidentified village, Japan circa 1945-1952.

Typed caption in margin: "Fujiyama."

Typed caption on verso: "Mt. Fuji: -- Officially, the annual Fuji climbing season begins between July 5-10 & closes Sept 10, but actually, the closing time is celebrated with offerings made to the Goddess of the Mt on Aug 26, as it has been for centuries, when the Fire Festival is held at Yoshida, at the foot of the mt. The festival centers around the temples there, which Fuji climbers by the Yoshida trail will remember as the temple where the priests purify all climbers. Incidentally, it may be mentioned that for the past several years the mt. has been ascended by nearly 100,000 climbers annually. There is a long, straight narrow street in Yoshida, lined by houses, small shops and inns, which leads from the station, past the temple and on to Lake Yamanaka. Everyone there is busy for days before the celebration in preparation for the festival. Faggots of resinous pine wood, cut into xxxx equal lengths, are built up in log-cabin style to a height of about 4 ft. At regular intervals great pillars of pine wood are also built with sticks of equal length, and are so arranged in sections that when the top section is nearly consumed it lights the section under it. Never are the lower sections ignited accidentally, nor has there been a mishap to passing the spectators from falling embers, so carefully and skillfully are these pillars of faggots built. Approaching Yoshida about dusk from the lake Kawaguchi direction Fuji-yama is seen in dark silhouette against the sky. As it fades away there appears what seems to be a string of 5 radiant stars, which are fires blazing upon the mt side at each station up to the 5th station, as signals to the people at the foot to light their piles of faggots. There are many diversions and attractions with a circus, side shows and booths where trifles of many kinds are sold. At the time there is absence of drunken men as there is a great sale of luscious red grapes, apples & pears which are eaten by the people, and there by lessening the drinking of sake. The Mr. has been euiescent [quiescent] since 1707."