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The mountain you see here is not Mt. Fuji. Its official name is Mt. Yotei. This mountain stands tall near my hometown in Makkari Japan. Because its shape is almost identical to that of Mt. Fuji, its informal name is Ezo Fuji. During my childhood, I was fortunate to be able to see this mountain everyday. It was huge and literally took up a third of the entire sky, but I absolutely loved it. During the summer, it presented a luscious green contour. During the fall and winter, it looked colder as snow covered the top and trees turned grey. Every once in a while, Mt. Yotei became an entertainment place for kids. I climbed up to the top of the mountain multiple times. I also spent a few nights at a campground which is located at the bottom of the mountain. In the summertime, our entire 6th grade class took a bike ride around the entire perimeter of the mountain.
This mountain truly played a central role in my childhood. It’s been many years since I last saw Mt. Yotei and I miss it dearly. I decided to paint it so thought I can feel close to the mountain again. If you’re lucky, you will find the perfect spot to see the symmetric shape of Mt. Yotei glimmering in the evening sky. It is a surreal and magical sight to see.