Fuji san from Edo castle

     
CGI Mt. Fuji. Image: Yomiuri Online

CGI Mt. Fuji. Image: Yomiuri Online

Within the grounds of Edo castle in Tokyo there exists an old watchtower named the Fujimi Turret (富士見櫓). The Chinese characters of its name literally read the Mt Fuji viewing turret and no doubt it got it’s name as being a suitable place to um… view Mt Fuji.

It isn’t such a stretch to imagine that there was an even better place to um… view Mt. Fuji & that would have been atop Edo castle’s main tower. Unfortunately, that particular building came crashing down in flames in 1657. So, for the last 450 years or so we have had to settle with simply imagining the view. Well, at long last it has been imagined for us.

A group from Tokyo University have recreated the view using historical maps & computational grunt. Naturally, the view they have come up with differs from the vivid and heavily stylized Ukiyoe images.

Source: Daily Yomiuri online – http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20091126TDY03101.htm

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  • http://www.poolofzen.com コルーズ・真秀

    I’m hate to say it… (Mom always said if you don’t have anything good to say………)

    But…….

    I’m a little disappointed in their CGI… It looks more like an impressionist painting than a quality computer graphic. I’m definitely a fan of the Ukiyoe images.

    I wonder if they could account for the magnification of the atmosphere….. That would make Fuji-san jump off the horizon I bet! ( I know seeing Mt. McKinley on a clear day from Anchorage was phenomenal when the humidity was right.)

    A cool idea, I just think they could have polished it up a bit.

    Thanks!

    Matt

  • admin

    Any & all comments are welcome. Even if they go against your mum’s wise words. As for the pic, I agree, it is somewhat underwhelming. I wish I had more than just thumbnail. It does go to show the difference from what we imagine or perceive to reality, whatever that is.

    btw, I had no idea atmospheric conditions could have the effects you talk about.

  • admin

    I’ve just cranked up the image size…..

    Fuji san isn’t cooperating though.

  • http://www.jcastle.info Eric

    This pic is of the Fujimi Yagura: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/35-Edo-Castle

    There are actually a few places in Tokyo called Fujimi something-or-other. These days you can only see Mt. Fuji from most of them on very clear wintery days.

    As for atmospheric magnification I’ve seen Mt. Fuji looking huge from Yokohama a few times before and also from train lines just north of Tokyo. Then there is this cool picture of Sekiyado Castle which is a bit north and east of Tokyo but it looks bigger than you might expect. http://www.town.sakai.ibaraki.jp/contents_detail.php?frmId=57

  • http://www.poolofzen.com コルーズ・真秀

    Eric,

    Thanks for the link. That’s a striking photo with the Castle and Fuji-san!

    Daniel,
    -Any modern day photo’s looking the same direction as the digital recreation? I’d like to see the difference…

    Matt

  • admin

    Yes. Thanks for those links Eric. I’d love to be able to take photos like that one of Sekiyado Castle.

    btw, I have something to confess… I have never actually set my eyes upon Mt. Fuji ever. And by that I mean under any atmospheric condition. Even after having lived here for 8 years.

    Am going to have to rectify that!

    And Matt, a modern day photo taken from the same position is something I’d like to see too. I’ll have to look into it.

  • http://www.jcastle.info Eric

    I’ll forgive you. Mt. Fuji is probably not a common destination for most Kyushu-ites. If you ever do make it up here though, there’s plenty of nice onsen and some good hiking around the area.

  • admin

    I wonder if I will ever make it. I have so many castle-viewing itineraries planned already and all of them a well west of Fuji-san. Ah… one-day.

    Eric, btw, I’ll be watching here: http://www.jcastle.info/updates/ for the rest of your Kyoto trip updates. tanoshimi!