Researcher(s):
Max Haworth
ENVS course(s): 499 Initiated: February 2014 Completed: August 2014 Go to project site
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Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration: The beauty of the solitary, often snow-capped, stratovolcano, known around the world as Mount Fuji, rising above villages and tree-fringed sea and lakes has long been the object of pilgrimages and inspired artists and poets. (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1418)
In order to nominate Fujisan as a World Heritage Site, Japan has had to identify key players to agree to undertake this monumental effort. The process of nominating Fujisan and outlying areas as well as the identification of specific cultural sites on Fujisan, glaring areas of imperfections were found. The responsible parties for these areas of improvement were discovered. Conservation measures needed to be planned and implemented. Many government agencies (national, prefecture, and municipal), private businesses, non-profit organizations, as well as academic experts gathered and worked together to ensure the preservation of Fujisan, this “sacred place and source of artistic inspiration” and spiritual symbol of Japan.Would so many have committed to this nomination process and take on the responsibility of preservation for future generations of Japan and the world if it was not for Fujisan? In this project I will set out to understand the process of making Fujisan a World Heritage Site, and see if there has been an effect on conservation efforts on the mountain. I will do this by analyzing the efforts of the Fujisan Club on the mountain in its joint efforts to help make Fujisan a WHS, as well as the Ministry of Environment's involvement. This will be done by interviews with officials with the Ministry of the Environment, the director of the Fujisan Club Naoko Aoki, as well as members of the Fujisan Club, and businesses around the mountain.I hope through this exploration and understanding of Fujisan as an iconic symbol, I can understand how the Fujisan World Cultural Heritage Council, the Fujisan Club, the Ministry of the Environment, and other organizations promoted clean-up efforts on and around Fujisan as part of the campaign to have the mountain inscribed as a World Heritage Site.
This project was assisted by Rina Kojima.