Rainier, Japan's Fuji To Be Named `Sisters'

Peggy Weiss thought the idea of making Mount Rainier and Japan's Mount Fuji sister mountains was, as she put it, "goofy."

But to her surprise, the idea was embraced by Seattle and Japanese officials. As she boarded a plane to Japan yesterday afternoon, she took with her the Seattle City Council proclamation declaring the "volcanic icons" sister mountains.

Tomorrow, Weiss will join Osamu Watanabe, mayor of Fujinomiya, Japan, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Tom Foley and several Japanese executives to proclaim the mountains siblings.

"This sets the stage for increased cultural tourism and cultural exchange between the national-park services," she said.

William Briggle, former superintendent of Mount Rainier National Park, first attempted to make the mountains sisters two years ago, but after the superintendent of Mount Fuji National Park unexpectedly retired in 1998, the idea died.

Briggle, who went to Japan with Weiss, said he had waited a long time to see his idea become a reality.

"This is one of the last pieces of . . . business I didn't get finished," Briggle said. "It's just right. It's a good thing."

Weiss said she toyed with rejuvenating Briggle's idea after organizing an art exhibit celebrating the centennial of Mount Rainier for Seafirst Gallery, a nonprofit branch of Seafirst Bank. She serves as director of the gallery.

One hundred Northwest artists put together artwork celebrating Mount Rainier, which to Weiss seemed to be a perfect excuse to build yet another connection with Japan. Washington and Kobe are "sister states," and the ports in Seattle and Kobe are "sister ports." Comparisons have been made between the two mountains for years.

"There are so many similarities in terms of the way they are revered by local populations, and the way they inspire creativity, philosophy and art," Weiss said. "They are these two geological volcanoes that have this mythical relationship to people."

Weiss contacted the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, where former Washington congressman Foley serves as ambassador, to see if there was interest in displaying the art near the mountain.

The embassy was more than welcome to do just that. Forty-six of the works were shipped to the Fujinomiya Citizens Cultural Center, located at the bottom of Mount Fuji, where they have been on display since July 15. The art will return to Washington next week and will be displayed first at the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner and then at the Yakima Valley Museum.

In November, 25 works from contemporary Japanese artists will be on display at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

"About 500 times along the way, this could have just stopped in its tracks," Weiss said. "But it seems to capture people's imagination and creativity. It's really a cool project."

Sara Gonzalez's phone message number is 206-748-5811. Her e-mail address is sgonzalez@seattletimes.com