New Books Network: Andrew Bernstein on "Fuji: A Mountain In The Making"

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Nicholas Gordon
Guest: Andrew Bernstein, Professor of History, Lewis & Clark College
Book Discussed: Fuji: A Mountain In The Making (Princeton University Press, 2025)
Date: December 11, 2025

Overview

This episode centers on Andrew Bernstein's new book, Fuji: A Mountain In The Making, which traces the history—both geological and cultural—of Mount Fuji from its violent origins to its current status as Japan’s most revered symbol and World Heritage site. Through an engaging dialogue, Bernstein discusses how Fuji’s identity has shifted over millennia—from dangerous volcano to spiritual icon, imperial emblem, commodity, and global brand—while probing the mountain’s complex, often-overlooked entanglements with politics, economics, and ecology.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Geological Origins of Mount Fuji

[03:10 – 05:57]

• Fuji as a Stratovolcano:
  Bernstein begins by explaining that Fuji is a stratovolcano, characterized by alternating layers of hardened lava and tephra (ejected ash, rocks, etc.), formed at the junction of the Eurasian, Philippine, and North American tectonic plates.
• Relative Youthfulness:
  "Old Fuji started growing about 100,000 years ago, and new Fuji started taking shape about 17,000 years ago and became especially active from 11,000 years ago." — Andrew Bernstein [04:28]
• Cultural Significance of Geological Recency:
  Fuji is notable for being a mountain that "grew up among humans," with human presence in Japan coinciding with the active formation of the volcano.

2. Early Human Interactions

[06:13 – 07:25]

• Archaeological Evidence:
  Humans have inhabited Fuji's region for nearly 40,000 years; stone arrangements oriented toward the mountain may hint at ritual use.
• Transition to Written Record:
  Fuji first appears in written Japanese accounts in the 8th century.

3. Fuji in Early Literature and Myth

[07:37 – 10:33]

• Unflattering Early Portrayals:
  The earliest mention in the “Hitachi Fudoki” casts Fuji as inhospitable and cursed to be cold.
• Symbolic Role in Poetry:
  In the Manyoshu anthology, Fuji evolves into an awe-inspiring, sacred, and at times romantic image but had not yet achieved national prominence.
  "Mount Tsukuba, which I mentioned just earlier, appears in about double the number of poems in the Manyoshu than Fuji does." — Andrew Bernstein [09:21]
• Lack of Imperial Connection:
  Fuji was ignored in early imperial myth histories, likely due to its geographic distance from the capital.

4. Evolving Religious and Cultural Significance

[10:59 – 15:17]

• Ambivalent Spiritual Reputation:
  Fuji’s image shifted from violent, plague-bringing deity to a stable, cosmic force. "Early ON in the 8th century, going into the 11th century, Fuji was imagined as this really violent, temperamental deity that needed to be appeased... not only would it erupt, but it was thought to cause epidemics." — Bernstein [11:32]
• Pilgrimage Culture:
  From the 12th century onward, Fuji’s volcanic activity waned, establishing its place as a site for chapels, temples, and large-scale pilgrimage groups (Fuji-ko).
• Symbol of National Unity:
  By the late Tokugawa period, Fuji had become "the embodiment of the nation of Japan."
  "In essence, Fuji was cast as a part of Japan that stood for all of Japan. It was seen as this steady and unifying force that linked past to present through its cultural history and physical presence." — Bernstein [14:45]

5. The 1707 Hoe Eruption and Political Economy

[15:31 – 20:26]

• Disaster and Bureaucratic Response:
  The Hoe eruption spewed ash across hundreds of kilometers and devastated local agriculture. Historians have records from both authorities and villagers, offering insight into disaster relief, political tensions, and the evolving "moral economy" of Tokugawa Japan.
• Centralized Relief Effort:
  The Shogunate intervened directly, expropriating half of the Odawara Domain, instituting a nationwide tax to pay for relief—a significant departure from precedent.
• Commoners’ Agency:
  Villagers invoked Confucian ideals of benevolence in petitions for aid, sometimes escalating to protest marches.

6. Fuji as National Symbol: Meiji to WWII

[20:29 – 23:34]

• Nationalization via Culture and State:
  Fuji’s imagery proliferated via schoolbooks, art, and consumer goods as a tool for inculcating national identity and modern statehood. "Fuji is constantly extolled as the pride of Japan, something that foreigners also admire." — Bernstein [22:34]
• Transformation Post-WWII:
  Fuji shifts to icon of peace, while its meaning remains contested—highlighted by postwar legal/political conflicts over land ownership between religious institutions and the state.
• Irony of Symbolism:
  Even as Fuji symbolizes peace, its lower slopes continue to serve as military training grounds.

7. Environmental and Military Entanglements

[25:22 – 30:15]

• Military Grasslands and Ecology:
  Grasslands around Fuji have been maintained for centuries via local burns, later formalized in military agreements.
• Unexpected Conservation Effects:
  "If there weren't these deals with the military, it's quite likely that the grasslands at Fuji, like elsewhere in Japan, would just disappear. ... In the grasslands of Fuji, there are some butterflies… that are critically endangered throughout Japan… owe their continued existence to military training." — Bernstein [28:38]
• Irony Recognized:
  Bernstein cautions, "I don't want to say, on balance, right. Using landscape for military purposes is ecologically great…" [29:38]

8. Fuji in the Global and Local Economy

[30:15 – 33:40]

• Key Commodities:
  Historically—silk, tea, paper—all dependent on Fuji's water, with the paper industry (notably) creating environmental challenges.
• Globalization & Pollution:
  Paper from Fuji reached global markets; effluent polluted Suruga Bay so badly it inspired the monster in Godzilla vs. Hedera (1971) [32:33].
• Groundwater Concerns:
  Heavy industrial use led to declining water tables and fears of salinization.

9. World Heritage Status and Modern Image

[33:40 – 37:28]

• Controversy over Inscription Type:
  Despite initial pushes to designate Fuji as a Natural World Heritage Site, officials ultimately made it a Cultural World Heritage Site in 2013, emphasizing the “harmonious relationship” narrative and glossing over conflict or destruction. "Making Fuji a World Heritage Site was kind of like conferring a doctorate on a scholar who'd already enjoyed a long and illustrious career." — Bernstein [34:09]
• Simplified Narratives:
  The UNESCO framing ignores ecological damage, religious conflicts, and military occupation, presenting Fuji as unified and benign.

10. Fuji in Global Culture and Overtourism

[37:28 – 41:47]

• Global Recognition:
  Fuji’s image, particularly through Hokusai’s “Great Wave,” is instantly recognizable worldwide, cementing its global symbolic role. "If I showed you a photo or a piece of art representing Fuji… People often think that's Fuji, which is really remarkable that this Fuji has this global recognition, this global status." — Bernstein [38:24]
• Feedback Loop:
  Foreign fascination with Fuji fuels domestic pride, increasing its prominence in Japanese and global representation alike.
• Tourism Challenges:
  Recent stories, like the “Lawson convenience store” installing barriers to manage crowds seeking the perfect Fuji photo [37:28], exemplify issues of overtourism and the ongoing commodification of the mountain.

11. Bernstein’s Future Work

[42:05 – 43:25]

• Bernstein plans to research changes in Japanese land use, common lands, and agricultural modernization, inspired by his studies around Fuji.

Notable Quotes

• “Fuji really made history together with humans. It wasn’t a mere backdrop for a history determined exclusively by humans.” — Andrew Bernstein [05:36]
• “Early ON… Fuji was imagined as this really violent, temperamental deity that needed to be appeased... not only would it erupt, but it was thought to cause epidemics.” — Bernstein [11:32]
• “The most important response (to the 1707 eruption) was to reconstruct burst levees… But even so, the relief offered… was inadequate to keep many people from starving.” — Bernstein [18:09]
• “Fuji as the embodiment of Japan, is now turned into this symbol of peace in general. But… its power as a national icon lay in its capacity to mean different things to different people.” — Bernstein [23:25]
• “This really kind of unexpected… connection between butterflies and bombs… in this kind of strange way, owe their continued existence to military training.” — Bernstein [28:38]
• “Paper produced at the foot of Fuji won prizes at international competitions… but the pollution got so bad that it was actually featured in a Godzilla film in the early 1970s.” — Bernstein [32:24]
• On UNESCO designation: “Making Fuji a World Heritage Site was kind of like conferring a doctorate on a scholar who’d already enjoyed a long and illustrious career.” — Bernstein [34:09]
• “The campaign [to call Fuji a natural site] failed… another started… to make Fuji a Cultural World Heritage Site. And this succeeded in 2013. But… they really downplayed anything that could interfere with this overall message…” — Bernstein [35:18]
• “Foreign admiration for Fuji fuels Japanese admiration… which produces more representations… which get absorbed abroad… so you see how the cycle keeps going.” — Bernstein [40:23]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:10 – 06:13: Geological origins and unique features of Mount Fuji
• 06:30 – 07:25: Early human interactions, archaeological evidence
• 07:37 – 10:33: Fuji in ancient texts and poetry
• 10:59 – 15:17: Evolution as religious deity and national icon
• 15:31 – 20:29: 1707 Hoe eruption, relief efforts, political economy
• 20:36 – 23:34: Fuji’s role in nationalism, postwar transformation
• 25:22 – 30:15: Military land use, ecological outcomes
• 30:45 – 33:40: Commodification & environmental fallout
• 33:58 – 37:28: World Heritage Site debates and contemporary narratives
• 38:17 – 41:47: Over-tourism, Fuji as a global symbol

Memorable Moments

• The “Godzilla vs. Hedera” Connection: Fuji’s environmental woes dramatized through pop culture ([32:33])
• Butterflies and Bombs: Military exercises inadvertently preserve endangered species ([28:38])
• The Lawson Store Barrier: Overtourism and the viral power of the “perfect” Fuji view ([37:28])
• Fuji in Global Branding: Restaurant signage in Oregon illustrates instant global recognition ([41:03])

Tone and Language

Andrew Bernstein’s tone is scholarly but conversational, balancing expertise with accessible explanations and a sense of irony about the complex, sometimes contradictory roles Fuji has played. The conversation is rich with anecdotes, careful qualifications, and a sensitivity to the mountain’s layered histories.

For further exploration:

• Andrew Bernstein’s work on Japanese countryside modernization
• New Books Network interviews on Japanese history