For the Japanese, Mount Fuji has long been the ultimate symbol of beauty. It is incredibly beautiful when seen from any , at all times of day and in any season. But the mountain does not only a major part in the landscape — it has also inspired poets and artists for centuries, and has come to be with Japan itself. From the top, the sides of the mountain slope away, then flatten out before reaching the ground. Here, at ground level, the foot of the mountain an almost perfect circle.
To the north of Mount Fuji the famous ‘Five Lakes’. The lakeside area is a sea of colour in spring, when the fruit trees are flowering, and it is also a stunning in autumn, when the leaves turn first brilliant red, then many shades of brown. Indeed, many of the best views of Mount Fuji are from these lakes, whose still waters reflect the mountain’s beautifully symmetrical outline like a mirror. Both Mount Fuji and its lakes are volcanic in , and that is probably why traditional stories say that Mount Fuji appeared overnight; and, for the same reason, it may one day just as suddenly!