Photos

Reaching the summit of Fuji and taking in such an immense swathe of emptiness; above, below, and pretty much all around, was something of a jaw-dropping experience.

There was a feeling of vulnerability in the face of raw, unpredictable elements, the likes of which I'd not felt for a long time. And in Autumn, the peak is almost entirely deserted. Which only added to the feeling of exposure to something alien and indifferent. So for two days and nights, I sat up there, gazing uninterrupted into the emptiness, in awe and humility.

During the days, a sea of clouds gathered around the mountain, a mile or two below. And each evening, they dispersed, as the lights of Tokyo flooded the northern horizon with shades of eerie yellow and green. All, in a near perfect silence.

It was a bit like old times.