Mt. Fuji
by Basho
Water jewels
falling into a dream,
realm of magic
Sun bumps Her forehead
on peak of Mount Fuji
PHOTO: The city of Fujiyoshida, Japan, with Mount Fuji in the background. Fujiyoshida is located about 32 miles from Mount Fuji. Photo by David Edelstein on Unsplash
NOTE: Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, standing 12,389.2 feet. An active stratovolcano, Mount Fuji last erupted from 1707 to 1708. The mountain stands about 62 miles southwest of Tokyo and can be seen from there on clear days. Mount Fuji’s exceptionally symmetrical cone, which is snow-capped for about five months of the year, is commonly used as a cultural icon of Japan. In 2013, Mt. Fuji was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site. According to UNESCO, Mount Fuji has “inspired artists and poets and has been the object of pilgrimage for centuries.”
POETRY and PLACES 