Mountain Day August 11
A shared sky above the peaks

Japan is a country where mountains cover most of the land and hold profound sacred significance. The national holiday Mountain Day (Yama no Hi / 山の日) offers a special opportunity to express gratitude to nature for its majesty, protection, and harmony.

For the Japanese people, mountains represent sacred space, strength of spirit, and a path towards spiritual growth. This philosophy resonates deeply with the Ukrainian soul, in which respect for one’s native land and the grandeur of nature has always held an important place.

Majestic Fujisan holds a special place in the heart of every Japanese person. It is a sacred peak and the most recognisable symbol of the Land of the Rising Sun. For the Ukrainian women from the Ukraine House Japan community, climbing Fujisan became a quiet ritual of respect, undertaken with love in their hearts and profound gratitude towards the land that welcomed them.

Each of these women made the journey to the summit carrying her own thoughts, experiences, and hopes.

Olena Zemliachenko climbed the mountain filled with inspiration and a desire to gain a deeper understanding of the Japanese spirit.

For Tetyana Solotska, this challenge became a way to find inner strength and express gratitude to the Japanese people for their support and sincere hospitality.

Victoria Shetliez-Virich followed the rocky paths to witness Goraiko at the summit—the sacred first rays of the rising sun, regarded as a symbol of blessing—and to pray for peace in her homeland.

Despite their different life experiences and individual paths, all these women were united by sincere respect for Japanese traditions and a prayer for light and harmony. Their climbing experiences demonstrate that an open heart can perceive the depth of another culture and discover meanings within it that feel familiar and close.

When people in Japan climb mountain peaks to offer silent thanks to nature for the gifts of life, we Ukrainians feel an invisible connection with them.

Mountains are humanity’s shared language with the Heavens. Whether it is majestic Fujisan veiled in mist or the contemplative Hoverla beneath Ukraine’s starry sky, they teach us what matters most: to remain steadfast, strive for greater heights, and protect the beauty that makes us human.