Fuji-san1 (aka Mount Fuji) is probably the most famous Japanese photographic subject for natives and foreigners alike. A quick browse of flickr reveals 450+ photos tagged with the word fuji. Even the new 1,000 Yen bill is getting in on the act. It features a classic shot of Mt. Fuji reflected in one of the nearby mountain lakes, the mountain and its reflection forming an almost perfect diamond.
You can, of course, invest untold thousands of dollars in equipment then fight your way through throngs of Japanese with equally expensive gear to try and get the perfect shot. This is expensive, timeconsuming and requires going outside.
The approach I’ve taken is to only photograph Mt. Fuji with my cameraphone, when I’m inside, ideally moving at a high rate of speed. This means planes, trains2 and the occasional tall building3. Results below:
1 Not the same san as “Kane-san”, apparently. Just another reading of 山, the kanji for mountain. Not that that stops me from calling it Mr. Fuji, mind you.
2 Interesting fact: When you are taking the bullet between Tokyo and Osaka, you can ask any conductor when you will be able to see Mt. Fuji. It’s actually printed on the train schedule they carry with them.
3 Yes, I just figured out how to use Textile footnotes.
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| Fuji in summer, shot from a NRT-KIX ANA flight |
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| Fuji from Roppongi Hills as the sun was setting |
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| Winter Fuji, taken from a bullet train |