Annually I run Mt. Fuji photography group workshop tours as well as private photo tours, but my visits to Japan’s iconic peak are not limited to workshops specifically devoted to them.  I also include Mt. Fuji on my annual Cherry Blossom, Autumn Leaves, and my Hokkaido wildlife and landscape photo tours as well.  As I mentioned, I’ve visited it for more than two decades, and since its’ in my back yard I will be visiting it for a few more.  Everyone know the impactful symbol of Japan FujiSan, which is a known locally as a renowned power spot, so I include it in almost all of my Japan photo workshop tours.  When visiting Hokkaido and the birding photo ops including the Shima Enaga (Aegithalos caudatus), Steller’s Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus pelagicus), White-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Bubo blakistoni), Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis), and others, I feel it’s paramount to introduce the iconic symbol of Japan to visiting photographers.  Even when the project’s focus is in winter with Snow Monkeys (Macaca fuscata) in Nagano or even during my annual cross country Cherry Blossom photo workshop adventure.  Mt. Fuji has been worshipped for over thousands of years, even before this island nation was called Japan, beginning with the First Nation’s People, the Ainu. The Ainu understood Mt. Fuji’s inherent cultural and spiritual value. Mt. Fuji stands almost unchanged for ages except for a few major eruptions changing the view of the volcano, but it still represents something larger and more meaningful than the nation itself. It carries the essence of the people and the natural world. The Ainu know this and lend the appropriate revery to Japan’s iconic peak. Fujisan became a sacred Shinto owned volcano in the year 864 by Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha because the powers that be used their faith to interpret the guiding force behind the continuing volume of the lava flow, that lasted for over a week.  Interestingly there were never legal documents giving the shrine ownership of Mt. Fuji from the Japanese government, really it was a handshake agreement and not legally binding.  The 864 lava flow phenomenon created the Aokigahara Forest, The Sea of Trees; it’s a phenomenal, legendary forest that spans two thousand and four hundred hectares across the Northwest base of Mt. Fuji, the trees in the forest grow in volcanic planting pots, as there is no soil in the forest, also there are countless caves throughout.  I highly recommend sticking to the walking paths if you visit the forest or you may never be heard from again, especially if traveling alone, as it’s easy to get turned around in the forest to say nothing of the razor sharp volcanic lava tubes with openings spread out all over the labyrinthine forest.   My recommendations come from over 25 years of personal experience exploring the forest and the Mt. Fuji region.