Shimmering Fuji

Motif

Japan’s iconic summit

This obi features the majestic Mount Fuji, rising behind delicate clouds and surrounded by lakes and forests. The fibris is so shimmering it looks like it’s made out of butterfly wings or peacock feathers.

It is not the first fabric I have introduced that depicts Fuji-san, and even if it were, who really needs an introduction to this iconic summit? Still, have you ever wondered why it appears so often in Japanese textiles and art?

Fuji-san is far more than a mountain. It is a sacred and artistic symbol that unites nature, spirituality, and national identity in one breathtaking form, beautifully woven in this obi.

There are many reasons:

• A Perfect Shape
  Fuji’s nearly symmetrical cone is rare among volcanoes, its snow-capped peak instantly recognizable and universally admired.

• A Sacred Mountain
  For centuries, Fuji has been revered in Shinto and Buddhism as a place of deities, immortality, and spiritual rebirth. Pilgrimage routes and shrines emphasize its role as a holy site.

• A Cultural Symbol
  From Hokusai’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji to countless poems and haiku, the mountain has long been celebrated in Japanese culture. During the Japonisme movement, it also captivated Europe, shaping how the West imagined Japan.

• A Shared View
  Its location near Tokyo means it has always been within reach and in old time there was a common poetic idea that Fuji can be seen from everywhere, though of course in reality it depends on weather and distance. In some poems, Fuji is sometimes described as “a mountain that watches over Japan” or “a presence that can be seen from anywhere.”

• A National Icon
  Elegant, harmonious, and enduring, Fuji has become a shorthand for Japan itself, appearing on banknotes, souvenirs, logos, emojis…and I want to add to the list, the surrealistic (highly photoshopped) views that are visible on many touristic companies.

• A World Treasure
  In 2013, UNESCO recognized Fuji as a World Cultural Heritage site—not only for its natural beauty but also for its deep cultural and spiritual significance.

Because it is made of lamé weft (a sort of very thin metallic slat), this fabric has an intense shine when it moves in the light. Seen from different angles, and depending on the lighting, the shimmering landscape seems to change colour as if the sun was rising or setting upon it. When seen in a bright light Fuji-san becomes lighter-colour and more matte, when in darker environnement, the golden patterns stand out even more.