Mt. Fuji in Midsummer | Yuko Takeda, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care
2020.08.18
The majestic figure of Mt. Fuji can be seen from the west-facing window of my home. This is a seasonal view. Even though the snow-capped Mt. Fuji feels large and close, its form becomes hazy in the spring, disappearing so completely that I wonder where such a massive object could have gone. In the summer, it was usually only visible before dawn as a line of light from the headlamps of climbers hoping to see the sunrise from the summit.
This year is different from usual. Even in spring and summer, there have been many opportunities to see a surprisingly clear, dark Mt. Fuji. It has been reported that the concentration of air pollutants has decreased due to restrictions on socioeconomic activities accompanying the spread of the novel coronavirus, as observed by satellites and other means. While it may not be a direct result, it is said that mountain ranges previously obscured by air pollution have become visible in various parts of the world. For example, it was the first time in 30 years that the Himalayas, 200 km away, were clearly visible from the state of Punjab in northern India, and scenes of snow-capped mountains standing out clearly behind the skyscrapers of Los Angeles were also featured. Although the restrictions on socioeconomic activities have had various impacts on people's lives, many of which are heartbreaking, they have also provided an opportunity to realize firsthand the impact these activities have on the natural environment.
And this summer, judging that it would be difficult to avoid crowds of climbers, both Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures have closed the climbing trails on Mt. Fuji, making them all impassable and causing all mountain huts to close simultaneously. With over 230,000 climbers during the summer mountain season, it seems that the kind of crowding that creates a line of headlamp lights is unavoidable. I had accepted this as inevitable, but I then learned that this situation is also affecting Mt. Fuji in another way. The observatory at the summit of Mt. Fuji is reportedly facing a crisis of survival. The "Fujisan Special Regional Meteorological Observatory" was where the Japan Meteorological Agency conducted radar observations until 1999. This ended with the development of weather satellites, and since 2007, an NPO run by researchers has been leasing the facility, operating it with user fees from researchers as its main source of income. Due to the novel coronavirus, the climbing trails were closed, this year's observations were canceled, and the source of income was cut off. This jeopardized not only the maintenance of the facility but also the very survival of the NPO, leading to a crowdfunding campaign. Fortunately, it achieved over 200% of its target amount and concluded on August 15.
The dark Mt. Fuji of midsummer was also experiencing a "special summer, different from other years."