Fujisan

Fujisan, commonly known in English as Mount Fuji, is Japan’s highest mountain, standing at 3,776.24 meters. It sits on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, rising above the Kanto plain and dominating the surrounding landscape.

Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano that forms a near-perfect cone. Its most recent eruption occurred in 1707–1708, during the Edo period, an event known as the Hoei eruption, which deposited ash as far as Tokyo. The summit features a crater and fumarolic activity, and the mountain’s symmetry has long made it a distinctive regional landmark.

Fujisan has long been a sacred site in Shinto and Buddhist traditions and has inspired artists and poets for centuries. In 2013, Mount Fuji and the surrounding cultural landscapes were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the designation Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration, recognizing its cultural significance and influence on worship, pilgrimage, and artistic creation.

The mountain is a popular destination for climbers, with four main routes: Yoshida, Subashiri, Gotemba, and Fujinomiya. The official climbing season runs from July to early September, when weather is more favorable and mountain huts operate. The ascent is demanding and can take several hours, with many climbers aiming to reach the summit for sunrise. The surrounding area is part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

Nearby features include the Fuji Five Lakes (Fujigoko) and Aokigahara, a lava-forest formed by past eruptions. The mountain is often visible from Tokyo on clear days and remains a central symbol of Japan in art, photography, and tourism.