“Vistas Fit For The Eyes of Kings”

TOKYO – Not many people who go to Japan go to enjoy the scenic beauty of the islands. They are much more likely to think in terms of such images as the country’s famous cherry blossoms, geisha, kabuki, the snow-capped peak of Mt. Fuji, huge loin-clothed sumo wrestlers, or even the opportunity to do some shopping for high-tech products in Akihabara, Tokyo’s famed “Electric Town.”

But they will miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime if they do not make a point of experiencing some of the natural beauty that Japan offers.

Of course, most countries are blessed with areas of extraordinary scenic beauty -- some so sublime that they inspire the poetic muse and induce spiritual ecstasy. But few countries in the world surpass Japan in the sheer volume and variety of its natural beauty.

The islands of Japan owe their extraordinary scenic beauty to their volcanic peaks and central mountains chains that have smaller chains radiating out toward the coasts, resulting in numerous narrow valleys and small coastal plains separated from each other by ridges and headlands.

The greatest of these natural mountain ranges are on the main island of Honshu, and are characterized by peaks up to 3,000 meters (9,000 feet) and more in height. While these and other mountains are grand in size and form, it is the volcanic mountains that provide the special flavor of the country’s topography.

Altogether, there are seven great volcanic systems, with some 200 volcanoes, running through the islands -- and Japan has one-tenth of the world’s active volcanoes. Of course, Fuji san (Mt. Fuji) is the mother of all volcanoes in Japan, and although it last erupted in 1707, it is still alive, and recently has been grumbling and quivering.

One hundred kilometers (62 miles) southwest of Tokyo, Mt. Fuji is so high (3,776 meters / 12,385 ft.) that it is visible within a radius of some 200 miles. The base of Mt. Fuji is so massive that extends into several prefectures. Part way up the great cone there are a chain of five lakes that encircle the mountain, adding to its scenic ambiance and its attraction as a recreational destination.

Because Mt. Fuji towers over central Honshu like a great sentinel, it gets most of the praise, but it is in the coastlines of Japan that nature outdid itself. The islands have a total of 16,120 miles of seacoast that alternates between white sand beaches generally bordered by groves of gnarled pine trees, precipitous cliffs also clad in pines, lagoon-like bays dotted with emerald islets, secluded coves and inlets bounded by jagged walls of stone, caves, natural “bridges” of stone, and sculptured rock formations that are literally beyond the hand of man.

The central chains of mountains that make up the bulk of Japan give rise to thousands of streams and dozens of large rivers that course down gorges and ravines that are so beautiful the more finely attuned viewer may become intoxicated. The islands are also rich in lakes.

Outside of its cities, Japan is heavily forested. In the spring and summer the country is covered in a great blanket of green. In the fall, the leaves of great swatches of deciduous trees turn brown, gold and red. In winter, the high country and northern regions are sheathed in deep layers of snow that turn them into white wonderlands.

The natural beauty of Japan has long been celebrated in poetry, song and the arts, and has played an integral role in the life of the people, not only in their aesthetic practices but also in the their religious and philosophical life. The founders of the thousands of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in the country deliberately sought out places of exceptional beauty for their location.

Long ago someone described the Seto Naikai (Inland Sea), the shallow body of ocean that separates the islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, as “A sight fit for the eyes of kings!” And it is just one of many such sights throughout Japan.

Visitors and residents alike who do not avail themselves of the opportunity to gaze upon some of the earth’s grandest scenery are missing one of the great pleasures of life. [I highly recommend the book JAPAN MADE EASY -- Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Japan! ...by you know who!

­ Copyright © 2007 by Boye Lafayette De Mente
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Boye Lafayette De Mente has been involved with Japan, Korea, China and Mexico since the late 1940s as a member of a U.S. intelligence agency, student, journalist, and editor. He is the author of more than 50 books on these countries, including the first books ever on the Japanese way of doing business: Japanese Etiquette & Ethics in Business published in 1959, and How to Do Business in Japan, published in 1961.

To see a complete list of his titles [each one linked to Amazon.com’s buy page], go to his personal website: http://www.phoenixbookspublishers.com/.