Aka Fuji

Inspired by Hokusai's iconic series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji," I embarked on a personal journey to the Five Lakes region in search of this scene. When I arrived, it was snowing heavily and the sky was completely overcast. Being at the foot of Mount Fuji on a snowy day moved me deeply, but I also knew it would make this photograph impossible. Days went by as I traveled around the lakes. Occasionally, the sky opens, but the mountain remains shrouded. My hope was dwindling. Then, on the last day of my trip, the morning greeted me with a clear sky. The summit of Fuji was covered with that out-of-season snow, lit by the intense red light of the rising sun, and my photograph was there, happening live in front of me.