“THE LITERATURE OF MOUNT FUJI” available on the website

With the support of special funding from the Japanese Government’s Promotion of Global Human Resource Development Project, Chuo University has been developing teaching materials for major course subjects offered in foreign languages. A project team led by Professor Tomomi Yoshino of the Faculty of Letters compiled THE LITERATURE OF MT. FUJI: Japanese Classical Literature to assist with teaching classical Japanese literature in English, intending it as a useful text for introducing the characteristics, cultural, and nature of the Japanese people.

“The Literature of Mt. Fuji: Japanese Classical Literature” was compiled by Chuo University as one of the materials to teach specialized courses in foreign languages. Its content is intended to provide an understanding of the characteristics and the cultural context of Japanese classical literature, and the nature of the Japanese people revealed through them.

For centuries, Mount Fuji has been depicted from various perspectives in stories and poetry, and it has exerted a great influence on Japanese culture including religions and arts. This material introduces the literary works that deal with Mount Fuji, dividing them into three categories: (1)Mount Fuji: A Mountain Known to All; (2) Mount Fuji in Pictures; and (3) Mount Fuji as Seen in Literature: Its Religious, Scenic, and Sentimental Connotations. Each work is introduced with a brief introduction with information such as the date of creation, an outline of the whole work, contents of the excerpted portion, and notable characteristics.

Mount Fuji, which has been registered as a world cultural heritage, is recognized as the symbol of Japan by foreigners. Therefore, it is a very suitable material to introduce Japan to an international audience, or for foreign students in Japan to learn about the country. Moreover, Mount Fuji is revered not only for its beautiful form or its status as the highest mountain in Japan, but also for its rich background in religion, literature, and history. Reading literary works in which Mount Fuji appeared is thus useful for understanding the Japanese spirit as well.