ABSTRACT
Mountain peaks are a major target for nature-based tourism (NBT). This chapter investigates past and present Mount Fuji climbers to re-design experiences that use historical elements of pilgrimage to moderate contemporary peak-bagging trends. The literature review offers a framework to contrast ‘pilgrims’ and ‘peak-baggers’ in the context of contemporary NBT motivations. Our case study combines ethnographic and historical analyses with visitor surveys to triangulate findings from primary and secondary data. Fuji’s ‘worship ascent’ offers not only a legacy of pilgrims’ past heritage but also a means to reimagine current climber experience along a more sustainable trajectory at one of the world’s most accessible peaks. Findings show that few of the contemporary climbers recognize the sacred rites of their pilgrim predecessors, instead seeking to summit quickly without following Shugendō customs such as pre-hike ablutions or a shrine visit. One potential counter-strategy is proposed via observatory participation in a re-enacted pilgrimage tour, a 120-km heritage walk from central Tokyo to the Sengen Shrine at Fuji’s northern foot that coincided with the start of the summer season. Lessons from the re-enacted pilgrimage form a proposal to re-design current climbing experience at Fuji, with implications drawn for other popular peaks.
