Translated into English by Ms. Asami Masui

The last several decades
A special procurement boom due to the Korean war, and the economic high growth brought Tokyo back to life in the postwar period. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 gave a start to the urban developement of Tokyo, which caused a big change in the scenery of Tokyo.
Owing to environmental pollution, the surroundings became worse and there was hardly a day that Mt. Fuji can be seen. But it was clear that one by one the scenery from Fujimizakas in Tokyo were becoming extinct.


Mt. Fuji from Gokokuji Fujimizaka in Bunkyo Ward (Photo by Mr. Tetsuya Kawamoto)
Fujimizakas, located along and inside the JR Yamate line, some of which were named from the Edo era and the others were made in the Meiji era, may be listed as the following 16 slopes.

In the table, Location is the present address, DownWards direction and Gradient are those of slope, Direction of Mt. Fuji is angle from west direction and towards south, and Width, Altitude of the top, Minimum altitude of the valley, and Difference of Top and bottom are all measured by meter.

No.name
(another names)
L DW G W DM A M DT
1Fujimizaka
(Hanamizaka,
Myouryujizaka)
border of Nishinippori 3-cyoume 7 and 8,
Arakawa ward
From ENE to WSW73.2 23216 15
2Fujimizaka border of Hongou 2-cyoume 2 and 3,
Bunkyou ward
From North to South3.56.4 21.5224 18
3Fujimizaka
(Gotenzaka,
Goten-omotezaka,
Oosaka)
border of Hakusan 2-cyoume and Koishikawa Botanical Gardens,
Bunkyou ward
From NE to SW4.55.4 23218 13
4Fujizaka
(Kamurozaka)
border of Kobinata 4-cyoume 3 and 4,
Bunkyou ward
from ENE to WSW10.83.9 232620 6
5Fujizaka
(Hudouzaka)
border of Ohtsuka 2-cyoume and 5-cyoume (Shinobazu street),
Bunkyou ward
from ENE to WSW4.320 23.52714 13
6Fujimizaka
(Hinashizaka,
Azumazaka)
border of Takada 1-cyoume 23 in Toshima ward and Mejirodai 1-cyoume in Bunkyou ward from NNE to SSW134.3 23.52910 19
7Fujimizaka border of Kanda Ogawacyou 3-cyoume 10 and 14,
Chiyoda ward
from ENE to WSW27.7 21.5102 8
8Fujimizaka border of Kudan Kita 3-cyoume 1 and Fujimi 2-cyoume 15,
Chyoda ward
from ENE to WSW35.6 21.52613 13
9Fujimizaka
(Mizusaka)
border of Nagatacyo 2cyoume and Kioicyou,
Chiyoda ward
from East to West3.538 20.52910 19
10Fujimizaka
(Miyamasuzaka)
border of Shibuya 1-cyoume and 2-cyoume,
Shibuya ward
from East to West2.521 203415 19
11Fujimizaka
(Nanbuzaka,
Nankakuzaka)
border of Higashi 2-cyoume and 3-cyoume,
Shibuya ward
from ENE to WSW3.88.3 19.52714 13
12Fujimizaka
(Kougaizaka,
Dai-yokocyouzaka)
border of Nishiazabu 3-cyoume 16 and 17,
Minato ward
from East to West3.85.5 19.53214 18
13Fujimizaka
(Aokizaka)
border of Minamiazabu 4-cyoume 10 and 11,
Minato ward
from EN to WS8.83.4 192410 14
14Shin-fujimizaka border of Minamiazabu 4-cyoume 5 and 10,
Minato ward
from East to West125.7 192410 14
15Fujimizaka Shiba park 4-cyoume 3 (west of Tokyo tower),
Minato ward
from North to South1.2 19.5215 16
16Fujimizaka border of Meguro 1-cyoume 1 and 2,
Meguro ward
from ENE to WSW5.76 18.5296 23

Table created by Society for Prospect Research of Fujimizaka

Subway Chiyoda line has opened for traffic in 1969, and Nishinippori station was placed, so the surroundings of Suwadai was rapidly developed.
Many high buildings appeared in front of the station from 1983, the time of the so-called bubble economy. From the present Suwa shrine, due to the Yamanote-line which runs under the hill, the horizontal view is still available, but unfortunately, the front view is blocked by the buildings standing in a row nearby, on either side of the track.
Shinobazu street also became a target of developement because the district along it gained a potential from the subway Chiyoda line which runs through the underground of the street, so the place became covered with tall buildings, as well. Since that time, the view of Mt.Fuji from Fujimizaka was becoming at stake.
Nippori Fujimizaka was featured in a TV program on NHK in 1986, but there were no sights of buildings in the scenery at that time.

From Nippori Fujimizaka in about 1990 (Photo by Mr. Tadashi Ishikawa)

The increase of buildings in Shinobazu street started from Nezu area which was near the center of the city, and the wave of developement a little later reached the surroundings of Sendagi, which is located on the foot of Fujimizaka. In relation to the road in front, all the high rises are actually standing in one row along Shinobazu street, and many small shops, residential areas and row houses remain behind the street even today. Most of the tall buildings that suddenly hover over the roof tops are offices or apartment houses, and many of which remain standing without much communication with the neighborhood.
Within these insecure circumstances, Nippori Fujimizaka was chosen for the "May this scenery last forever" award, at the "Tokyo City View Contest" in 1996.

Introduction at 1996 Contest
2 or 3 minutes walk away from JR Nishinippori Station, near Suwadai shrine, there is "Fujimizaka". The road is narrow of no more than 4 meters, but if you walk downwards, curving gently to the right, there are temples down the hill. The slope has a nice, relaxing atmosphere. There are some 20 Fujimizakas in the hilly section of Tokyo, but tall buildings are crowded around many of the slopes, and the scenery are shut to the eyes of the people. An oppressive atmosphere fills the air. It is hardly possible to get a glimpse of Mt. Fuji from a top a slope near the center of the city nowadays,
but you can admire the elegant sight of the moutain from "Fujimizaka".
True, the scenery from the slope is getting threatened by the buildings, but the sight it shows to the passerbys from time to time is enough to make them stop in their tracks and feel enchanted for a while. The scenery of the mountain in a cloudless sky after a storm, and the scenery of the sun setting on the mountaintop of Mt. Fuji is especially far beyond words. There are some people who take pictures everyday, even when Mt. Fuji cannot be seen, and the view from the top of the slope is a local fortune to all of the residents.

The contest 1996 awarded photo

The 16 Fujimizakas which has been inherited from Edo to Tokyo, lost all of it's scenery, leaving only a partial view from Gokokuji Fujimizaka and the scenery from Nippori Fujimizaka.
From Nippori Fujimizaka, you can still see the sight of Mt. Fuji which has miraculously been preserved till this day in the 21st century. This scenery exists as a scenic heritage that we must hand down to the next generation.


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