13th World Scout Jamboree
Encyclopedia
The 13th World Jamboree was held August 2–10, 1971, on Asagiri Heights
on the western side of Mount Fuji
, in Fujinomiya
, Japan
, approximately 80 miles southwest of Tokyo
.
The Jamboree was interrupted by Typhoon Olive in which 16,000 of the participating Scouts
were evacuated to shelters in the countryside for 48 hours.
The Jamboree site was served from the south by Japan National Highway 139 and a turnpike from Fujinomiya. Arriving Scouts were met at the Haneda International Airport
in Tokyo and transported by coach
to the Jamboree site, or to the Olympic Village
in Tokyo as an intermediate stop.
The American contingent was divided up. A code was given to the troops. Some might be JKT, which meant Jamboree, Kyoto, then Tokyo, before returning to the United States. Some others might tour Tokyo, then go to the Jamboree, then tour Kyoto.
The site itself covered an area of grassy sandbank of about 4 km2, sloping gently from east to west. Roughly rectangular in shape was the Jamboree Camp headquarters, Subcamp #11, Chūō, in the center of the site.
Medical facilities at the Jamboree were operated by the United States Army
and Air Force. Other facilities at the Jamboree were a Skill-o-Rama and Exhibits service center and a large Trading Post.
In the opening days of the jamboree the Scouts played a 'wide game' in which each Scout was given a Japanese character
on a colored card worn around the neck. At a signal the Scouts would fan out over the jamboree site looking for the other characters which would spell out the jamboree theme, 'For Understanding'—no two character cards could be the same color! The Scouts who accomplished this feat then proceeded to a station to have their cards validated with a stamp.
Asagiri Plateau
The is located at the southeast base of Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.The Asagiri Plateau is richly utilized for its pasture land and many dairy farms are situated along it. The elevation of the plateau is generally around or .-Climate:...
on the western side of Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
, in Fujinomiya
Fujinomiya, Shizuoka
is a city located in central Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 122,464 and the density of 389 persons per km². The total area was 314.81 km².-Geography:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, approximately 80 miles southwest of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
The Jamboree was interrupted by Typhoon Olive in which 16,000 of the participating Scouts
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
were evacuated to shelters in the countryside for 48 hours.
The Jamboree site was served from the south by Japan National Highway 139 and a turnpike from Fujinomiya. Arriving Scouts were met at the Haneda International Airport
Tokyo International Airport
, commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....
in Tokyo and transported by coach
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
to the Jamboree site, or to the Olympic Village
Olympic Village
An Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
in Tokyo as an intermediate stop.
The American contingent was divided up. A code was given to the troops. Some might be JKT, which meant Jamboree, Kyoto, then Tokyo, before returning to the United States. Some others might tour Tokyo, then go to the Jamboree, then tour Kyoto.
The site itself covered an area of grassy sandbank of about 4 km2, sloping gently from east to west. Roughly rectangular in shape was the Jamboree Camp headquarters, Subcamp #11, Chūō, in the center of the site.
Medical facilities at the Jamboree were operated by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and Air Force. Other facilities at the Jamboree were a Skill-o-Rama and Exhibits service center and a large Trading Post.
In the opening days of the jamboree the Scouts played a 'wide game' in which each Scout was given a Japanese character
Hiragana
is a Japanese syllabary, one basic component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and the Latin alphabet . Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems, in which each character represents one mora...
on a colored card worn around the neck. At a signal the Scouts would fan out over the jamboree site looking for the other characters which would spell out the jamboree theme, 'For Understanding'—no two character cards could be the same color! The Scouts who accomplished this feat then proceeded to a station to have their cards validated with a stamp.