JAPAN’S NATIONAL HOLIDAY MOUNTAIN Day
A Message from the Chairperson
Mountain Day was established in 2016 under a simple yet profound principle:
to become familiar with mountains and to express gratitude for the blessings they offer.
For the people of Japan, mountains are not distant landscapes. They shape our water, our climate, our culture, and our ways of life. In a country where mountains define much of the land, we have long cultivated a sense of respect, humility, and coexistence with nature. Mountain Day reflects this cultural foundation.
The Japan Mountain Day Foundation emerged through the initiative of individuals who believed that caring for mountains and the natural environment is a shared civic responsibility. Over time, it has grown through grassroots efforts, supported by those who recognize the public value of nature in our lives. From the beginning, the Foundation was not formed as a government-led organization, but as a civic initiative grounded in this philosophy.
Our journey has not always been easy. Securing stable resources remains an ongoing challenge. Yet across regions and generations, a shared respect for mountains has continued to connect people and sustain our work. These connections—between people, communities, and nature—are the true driving force behind our activities.
In 2026, the Japan Mountain Day Foundation will mark its 10th anniversary. As we reach this milestone, we see the coming decade as a time to help shape the future of mountains. We believe that this future cannot be created by any single sector alone. It calls for co-creation—bringing together diverse knowledge, experience, and a shared sense of responsibility.
To protect ways of life that exist in harmony with nature and to pass on healthy mountain environments to future generations, it is time to work together. By linking urban and rural communities, younger and older generations, citizens, researchers, and businesses, we seek to contribute to a society in which people and nature can thrive side by side.
We also hope to share Japan’s experience and perspectives with the global community, and to take part in a broader international dialogue on sustainable ways of living with mountains.
We invite you to reflect on the meaning of Mountain Day and to join us in this shared effort to care for the mountains that sustain life—today and for generations to come.
Sadakazu Tanigaki
Chairperson
Japan Mountain Day Foundation
Mountain Day was established in 2016 under a simple yet profound principle:
to become familiar with mountains and to express gratitude for the blessings they offer.
For the people of Japan, mountains are not distant landscapes. They shape our water, our climate, our culture, and our ways of life. In a country where mountains define much of the land, we have long cultivated a sense of respect, humility, and coexistence with nature. Mountain Day reflects this cultural foundation.
The Japan Mountain Day Foundation emerged through the initiative of individuals who believed that caring for mountains and the natural environment is a shared civic responsibility. Over time, it has grown through grassroots efforts, supported by those who recognize the public value of nature in our lives. From the beginning, the Foundation was not formed as a government-led organization, but as a civic initiative grounded in this philosophy.
Our journey has not always been easy. Securing stable resources remains an ongoing challenge. Yet across regions and generations, a shared respect for mountains has continued to connect people and sustain our work. These connections—between people, communities, and nature—are the true driving force behind our activities.
In 2026, the Japan Mountain Day Foundation will mark its 10th anniversary. As we reach this milestone, we see the coming decade as a time to help shape the future of mountains. We believe that this future cannot be created by any single sector alone. It calls for co-creation—bringing together diverse knowledge, experience, and a shared sense of responsibility.
To protect ways of life that exist in harmony with nature and to pass on healthy mountain environments to future generations, it is time to work together. By linking urban and rural communities, younger and older generations, citizens, researchers, and businesses, we seek to contribute to a society in which people and nature can thrive side by side.
We also hope to share Japan’s experience and perspectives with the global community, and to take part in a broader international dialogue on sustainable ways of living with mountains.
We invite you to reflect on the meaning of Mountain Day and to join us in this shared effort to care for the mountains that sustain life—today and for generations to come.
Sadakazu Tanigaki Chairperson Japan Mountain Day Foundation
