Ascent is a reflection on this mountain that has such great significance to the Japanese, but also a study of its visual culture and a tribute to the history of both photography and film. Tan combined the images with a fictional narrative, which causes the distinction between still and moving images to shift. She thereby reveals a unique realm in which photography and film come together and interrelate. The story, resounding with the climb to the top of the mountain, alternates between narration and history, from Western imperialism to modern tourism, from the early days of photography to the present day.