The August 2019 issue of the Government of Japan-published “Highlighting Japan” magazine focuses on the country’s mountains and alpine culture. Of particular interest to our readers is the page 14 article on “The Father of Mountaineering in Japan,” Walter Weston. You can read the online text here: http://dwl.gov-online.go.jp/video/cao/dl/public_html/gov/book/hlj/20190801/html5.html#page=15
Weston (1860-1940), was an English clergyman hailing from Derbyshire. Very much in the vein of other Victorian polymaths, he excelled at a number of fields of endeavor, but is remembered primarily for his travel book, “Mountaineering and Exploration in Japan.” This colorful volume (whose title perfectly reflects its contents) helped introduce foreigners and Japanese alike to the wonders of recreational mountaineering in Japan and greatly enhanced the profile of hiking as a pastime. For anyone interested, Weston’s book can be read legally and free of charge here: http://dwl.gov-online.go.jp/video/cao/dl/public_html/gov/book/hlj/20190801/html5.html#page=15
We hope you enjoy “Highlighting Japan”‘s illuminating tribute to one Kamikochi’s great trailblazers.
Sources of Information:
Highlighting Japan homepage: https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/index.html
archive.org homepage: https://archive.org
