SHIZUOKA, Feb 13 (News On Japan) - A unique certificate is being issued to visitors to Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture who arrive hoping to see Mount Fuji but find the famous peak hidden from view, part of a local effort to share the mountain’s ever-changing charm even on cloudy days.
“It's just after noon here in Fuji City. Usually, you can see a beautiful Mount Fuji around here, but today you can’t see it at all,” a camera operator from the Fuji bureau said while reporting from the city.
On days when poor weather obscures the mountain, Fuji City offers a limited-time service. According to Chizuru Suzuki of the Mount Fuji Tourism Exchange Bureau, “Mount Fuji is said to be a female deity, so when a handsome man visits, she gets shy and hides. That’s why today we certify that you are handsome.”
At the tourist information center at Shin-Fuji Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, visitors can receive a “handsome certificate” or a “beautiful certificate” free of charge if Mount Fuji cannot be seen. Based on a local legend that Mount Fuji is a female deity, the idea is that she hides out of shyness when handsome men arrive and out of jealousy when beautiful women appear.
A tourist from South Korea who received a certificate said, “Thank you. I’m really happy right now. It’s a bit sad not to see it, but it’s nice to be able to experience it in this way here.”
Suzuki of the tourism bureau said the goal is to help visitors feel connected to Mount Fuji even on days when it cannot be seen and to encourage them to explore the surrounding area before heading home.
City officials in Fuji also monitor the mountain daily. According to Hiroyuki Suzuki of the city’s promotion division, “At Fuji City Hall, we observe Mount Fuji three times a day from the eighth floor at 8 a.m., noon, and 4 p.m. We record whether clouds blocked the view, whether the mountain was clearly visible, or whether only part of it could be seen.”
To gather baseline data on visibility, Fuji City has conducted these observations three times daily since 1990. When asked about the mountain’s appearance on the morning of the 10th, Suzuki said, “As you can see, it was rated as clearly visible this morning.”
The city has posted last year’s observation results on its website, along with insights drawn from 35 years of data. According to the data, Mount Fuji appears more often in winter than in summer and is more likely to be visible in the morning than in the evening, information the city hopes visitors will use when planning their trips.
Whether the mountain is visible or hidden, Fuji City aims to ensure visitors can still enjoy the experience, reflecting an initiative unique to a city where Mount Fuji is part of everyday life.
Source: SBSnews6sb
