Mount Fuji

Hello there. I am a very, very big mountain in a country called Japan. I am so tall that I can touch the clouds. On my head, I wear a beautiful white hat made of snow all year long. My sides are wide and gentle, like a paper fan you might use on a warm day. Every morning, I am the first to say hello to the rising sun. At night, I watch the little lights of the cities twinkle down below, like tiny stars on the ground. I am strong and I am quiet. I am Mount Fuji.

I was born a very, very long time ago. Deep, deep inside the Earth, it was hot and rumbly. I grew bigger and bigger until I popped up to say hello. I am a special kind of mountain called a volcano. That means I used to have a fiery tummy. Sometimes, I would rumble and shake. My last big rumble was a long, long time ago, in the year 1707. But now, I am a very sleepy and peaceful mountain. I like to rest. For many, many years, people have looked up at me. They think I am a special place that connects the big blue sky with the green earth below.

Today, I love watching all the people. Artists come with their paintbrushes to make pretty pictures of me and my snowy hat. In the warm summertime, families and friends climb up my gentle sides. They laugh and sing as they walk all the way to the top to watch the sunrise. It makes me feel so happy. I am a special sign for the country of Japan, and I love being their mountain friend. I hope that when you see me standing so tall and peaceful, it makes you feel happy and strong, too.