Catch the 2016 first light on Mount Fuji with ANA — Japanese say it brings a year of happiness

▲ The first light of 2016 shining on Mount Fuji. (Photo courtesy of ANA)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

As the new year begins, do you remember where you were when you welcomed the first light of 2016?For the Japanese, seeing the first rays of sunlight on Mount Fuji is believed to bring a whole year of good luck and happiness.That’s why ANA organizes special first-light flights from Tokyo and Nagoya every year, taking passengers high above the clouds to witness the sunrise over Mount Fuji. Watching the earth awaken under the first light also brings a unique sense of renewal.

At 5:35 a.m. on January 1, 2016, an ANA 777-200 aircraft carrying 223 passengers took off from Tokyo Haneda Airport. Footage from the cockpit showed that while the runway was still pitch dark during takeoff, the horizon soon began to glow with the first hints of dawn. Before long, the first light of 2016 broke through the sky, shining brilliantly in the distance. The sky was painted in gradient hues of orange, yellow, pink, and light blue. Towering Mount Fuji, bathed in the first light, looked elegant and mesmerizing, while the layered sea of clouds and mountain ranges below accompanied passengers in welcoming the arrival of 2016.

ANA said that the first-light flights are one of the most important events of the New Year. The pilots circle Mount Fuji several times to ensure passengers on both sides of the aircraft can enjoy the breathtaking sunrise. In addition to the flight departing from Haneda, this year an ANA 737-800 aircraft carried 166 passengers from Nagoya to witness the first light, giving even more people the chance to greet the new year with good fortune.
 

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