During the Edo period many pieces of clothing, such as the uchikake (long overgarment), were decorated with images of Mount Fuji. Interestingly, Mount Fuji was a common motif not only for colorful articles worn in daily life but also for samurai battle gear, including suits of armor, outer coats, scabbards, and sword guards.Even coats of European-inspired arms were decorated with Mount Fuji on their backs.This was no doubt because military commanders associated Fuji with fushi, literally meaning “free from death.”

One notable daimyo (feudal lord) sporting the Fuji motif was Toyotomi Hideyoshi,whose yellow and black woolen surcoat showed flames rising from a torch lit at Mount Fuji’s peak. This suggests a strong desire for Fuji’s blessing and protection. Toward the foot of the mountain are irregularly placed circles indicating dewdrops. The coat’s very modern design incorporates the three elements of mountain, fire, and water, and is another example of the Japanese people’s keen sensitivity toward faith and nature.