1/5 conquers the ‘mountain of warriors’
MOUNT FUJI, Japan (Aug. 26, 2006) -- Mount Fuji was once used as a Samurai training area, named by the Japanese as the “mountain of warriors.” The warrior tradition was upheld Aug. 26 when approximately 220 Marines and sailors of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Battalion Landing Team, trekked nearly 4,300 feet to the mountain’s summit.
Aug. 26, 2006; Submitted on: 08/29/2006 05:29:07 AM ; Story ID#: 20068295297
By Lance Cpl. Kamran Sadaghiani, 31st MEU
The combination of steep rocky slopes, cold weather and high altitude made the hike one of their most challenging and strenuous physical training activities, said Lance Cpl. Edward Wilson, a Weapons Company mortarman with the BLT.
“If there is ever an example of perseverance and strong-willed performance to tackle a personal challenge, it is to climb Mt. Fuji,” said the Niceville, Flor., Native.
Fuji walking sticks ornamented with Japanese flags and bells added to the color of the parade, as hundreds of hikers accompanied the battalion up the mountainside. Throughout their climb, many of the service members proudly displayed their walking sticks with stamped seals to track their progress through different stations along the trail.
There were many non-tangible benefits that were gained from the climb, explained Capt. Stephen Fiscus, the Weapons Company commanding officer with the BLT.
“There are certain things that you never get to see when you are training in a foreign country, so this hike was an opportunity for the Marines and sailors to experience something amazing – one of Japan’s greatest highlights – while simultaneously conducting training,” Fiscus continued. “As much as this hike was a personal challenge for each Marine and sailor, it also had a cultural and spiritual significance that they were allowed to experience.”
The hike up Mt. Fuji also aloud the service members to bond with the indigenous people, Fiscus added.
“One of the great aspects about this mountain is that there are no cultural barriers, which is often not experienced in populated areas,” said that Carlsbad, Calif., native. “Experiencing that with them crosses cultural paradigms and truly helps you understand and bring you closer to a different culture.”
Besides the optimistic interaction with the Japanese people, Wilson said the hike fed his inborn craving for a hard-hitting challenge, as he charged up and down the mountain in less than nine hours.
“It was a beautiful and interactive hike, but I enjoyed the physical challenge the most because it encompasses everything that is inherent to an infantry Marine,” said Wilson.
Approximately 290 Marines and sailors with the BLT are in Camp Fuji, Japan to conduct heavy weapons and live-fire sustainment training from Aug.23 to Sept. 14, 2006.
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