Tourism Fuji City issues certificates to tourists unable to view Mt. Fuji

At the tourist information centre at Shin-Fuji Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, visitors can receive a "handsome certificate" or a "beautiful certificate" free of charge if Mount Fuji cannot be seen. Based on a local legend that Mount Fuji is a female deity, the idea is that she hides out of shyness when handsome men arrive and out of jealousy when beautiful women appear. A tourist from South Korea who received a certificate said, "Thank you. I'm really happy right now. It's a bit sad not to see it, but it's nice to be able to experience it in this way here." Suzuki of the tourism bureau said the goal is to help visitors feel connected to Mount Fuji even on days when it cannot be seen and to encourage them to explore the surrounding area before heading home. City officials in Fuji also monitor the mountain daily. According to Hiroyuki Suzuki of the city's promotion division, "At Fuji City Hall, we observe Mount Fuji three times a day from the eighth floor at 8 a.m., noon, and 4 p.m. We record whether clouds blocked the view, whether the mountain was clearly visible, or whether only part of it could be seen."

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