Mt. Fuji Tram Idea Withdrawn

(Yesterday’s view of Mt. Fuji from my apartment.)

The prefectural government of Yamanashi has been studying the idea of building a tram to carry people from the bottom to the midway point of Mt. Fuji. It has now announced that it has given up on that idea due to public concerns over environmental concerns. A citizens’ group opposing the idea submitted about 70,000 signatures to the governor, demanding he withdraw it. They expressed concerns about potential environmental destruction and avalanche damage.

Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki now wants to look into rubber-tired trams with sensors to enable them to follow white lines or magnetic markers, eliminating the need to build a rail line. The Yamanashi Governor promised the light rail in the 2019 gubernatorial election, when he was elected for the first time. 

Mt. Fuji, the 3,776 meter peak and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, straddles Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and attracts climbers and tourists from all over the world. The rising popularity of the mountain had led to overtourism challenges.

What do you think of either the rail line or the rubber-tired tram? I don’t know everything about it, but I think I’m against it.  Why bring more people, when there is already overtourism?

I’m extremely happy I was able to climb Mt. Fuji in 2019 (I posted about it here), but once was enough. Really.

Grapes, Seiwa Temple, Raikoji Temple, and Yamahachiman Shrine

As I was walking between the temples and shrines I was visiting, I saw many grapes growing. Grapes in the stores where I live are quite expensive.  I see why! Each bunch of grapes hanging down are protected.

Some places even have scarecrows.

I found these three places as I was walking toward the train station. Maybe they aren't so famous, but still very impressive to me.

Seiwa Temple

Raikoji Temple

Yamahachiman Shrine

Toko-ji Temple

After visiting Zenko-ji, I walked about ten minutes to arrive at Toko-ji Temple.

This is the information from the temple's website: 

A temple with a beautiful Japanese rock garden

One of the "Kofu Gozan" ("five mountains of Kofu"), a hierarchical system following the one used to organize Buddhist temples in Kyoto and Kamakura, in which Takeda Shingen chose five temples on the slopes of the Kofu basin to be placed under his protection.

Toko-ji was founded around 500 years ago and houses the graves of both Shingen’s eldest son Yoshinobu and Suwa Yorishige (whose daughter gave birth to Shingen’s last son and heir, Katsuyori). After rebelling against his father, Yoshinobu was imprisoned in the temple, where he eventually died by his own blade. Suwa Yorishige was captured and imprisoned there as well following Shingen’s invasion of Suwa, and also committed suicide by seppuku. 

Within the temple’s precincts is a rock garden famously designed by Lanxi Daolong, designated as an prefectural cultural property, that is especially beautiful when the irises are in bloom (May). The temple’s main hall enshrines the "medicine Buddha" Bhaisajyaguru and is considered an important national asset.

These tiny cats and tiny wind chime are so cute!

Zenko-ji Temple

Zenko-ji is about a 15 minute walk from Zenkoji Station, in Kofu. It is open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm and admission to the main hall is 500 yen.

The main hall of Zenkoji is the largest wooden structure in Eastern Japan. The temple gate and statue of Amitabha Tathagata have been designated important cultural properties. 

This is the view from the gate.

I couldn't take photos inside, but it was interesting and very very old.  There were many cultural treasures.