Please note that this exhibition closed on Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The PHOTO IS gallery on the first floor of FUJIFILM SQUARE is pleased to announce the photo exhibition "Mount Fuji -- The Heart of Japan" by Yukio Ohyama, a member of the NPO National Council on Mt. Fuji World Heritage. The exhibition runs from July 4 - 29, 2009.

Since ancient times, the magnificent appearance and immense beauty of Mt. Fuji persuaded the people of Japan to believe that it was a sacred mountain. Mt. Fuji is not merely a striking natural landscape of sublime beauty, but has also featured throughout the centuries as a religious icon and plays a central role in the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Japanese people.

Many efforts are currently underway with a view to having Mt. Fuji designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, and the NPO National Council on Mt. Fuji World Heritage has been formed by Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures as a support group for the movement. The group's activities include conservation efforts to ensure that the mountain is passed on to future generations as a heritage to be shared by mankind, and this photo exhibition is also a part of the group's efforts to have the mountain registered as a World Heritage Site. Incidentally, the title of this photo exhibition was conceived by former prime minister of Japan, Yasuhiro Nakasone, who currently serves as the Chairman of the NPO National Council on Mt. Fuji World Heritage.

The photo exhibition is being held to coincide with the official annual opening of the climbing season on Mt. Fuji in July. Last year, a record 210,000 climbers visited Mt. Fuji, and that number is expected to be even higher this year. Photographer Yukio Ohyama, who specializes in Mt. Fuji, has captured scenes of the climbing season along with the beauty of the mighty mountain in a variety of seasons and poses with a large format camera, and has used silver halide prints to further enhance the power of his photographic expression.

Augmented with several historical and cultural images of Japan's national icon, this photo exhibition offers a diverse variety of photos of Japan's best-loved mountain. A number of related events, including a talk show, are also planned throughout the duration of the exhibition.

The PHOTO IS gallery is delighted to extend a very cordial welcome to you to come and visit the photo exhibition "Mount Fuji -- The Heart of Japan"

Yukio Ohyama Born in 1952, Ohyama began his photographic career in 1972 by wandering freelance around Japan and specializing in images of steam locomotives. In 1976, he happened to attend a photo exhibition on Mt. Fuji, and this exhibition served as the turning point in his career. In 1984, he held his first solo exhibition, "One Thousand Years of Mt. Fuji," and moved to Yamanashi Prefecture the following year. In 1990, he built a house on the shores of Lake Kawaguchi, at the foot of Mt. Fuji, and this currently serves as his photographic base. Ohyama shuts himself away and lives like a mountain hermit for long periods engaging only in dialog with the mighty volcano, and this unusual lifestyle has enabled him to capture unique scenes of Mt. Fuji.