68.The first non-Japanese to climb Mount Fuji

Today, I write about ” The first non-Japanese to climb Mount Fuji.”
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m.
Mount Fuji is something that Japanese people can believe in.
There is the relief on the fifth station of Mount Fuji.
It is relief of Rutherford Alcock.
He is the first non-Japanese to climb Mount Fuji.

1853, Japan opened the country to the world.
1859, Rutherford Alcock came to Japan as British diplomatic representative.
He took the pet dog to Japan.
The name of a dog is Tobey.

There was extreme samurai those days.
They threatened the foreigner.
Alcock thought that Japanese people were barbarian.

He had a mission that hold Japan to “Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce.”
The following sentence is in it.
“Consul general and diplomat can travel anywhere in Japan.”
He said, “I go to Mount Fuji.”
Mount Fuji is not a place that can go easily.
The shogunate was troubled.
They were under many escorts.
Mount Fuji mountaineering party became 100 persons.
His pet’s Tobey also went together.

He looked at many kind Japanese during the trip.
The poor traveler ordered nothing in eating house.
Waitress served him free tea.
Alcock get support and succeeds is climbing to the top of Mount Fuji.

On the way home, His pet’s Tobey died in an accident.
He was saddened.
Japanese people requested the funeral from the priest.
His pet was courteously buried.
After, He wrote to memoirs like this.
“Since Japanese people were very kind, I was impressed.”
He became a fan of Japan.

1861, The British legation attack incident arose.
The criticism to Japan was arisen in Britain.
Alcock protected Japan and said like this.
“It is not long since Japan opened the country.
Please don’t confuse Japan by criticism of only anger. “
Criticism to Japan quietened down.
Japan was helped by him.

1867, the samurai’s time was over.
After, Japan developed rapidly.

2013, The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO decided to inscribe Japan’s iconic Mt. Fuji on the World Heritage List.
Even now, Mount Fuji is something that Japanese people can believe in.

Thank you.

Bid Agent in “Yahoo Japan auction”
Kazuyoshi Kawahara