Fuji Mountain

While Japan is known for its bustling urban cities, around 70 per cent of the country is actually mountainous, making it a popular haunt for hiking and climbing enthusiasts who flock to the area to take on the trails and bask in the stunning scenery. And Mount Fuji is perhaps Japan’s biggest attraction, being the country’s highest peak at an impressive 3,776 meters above sea level. It is located near the country’s center, straddling Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days. The best time of day to see Mount Fuji is in the morning. According to Fuji City’s data of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m., the highest chances of seeing the mountain in full are in the morning at 8:00 a.m. As the day progresses into the afternoon, it gets harder to see. There are various spots all around Tokyo from which you can get a nice view on Mount Fuji, with the prime choices being observation platforms such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Observation Deck, Tokyo Tower, Roppongi Hills, and Tokyo Skytree. Although Mount Fuji looks like a mountain to us, it is in fact made up of three successive volcanoes. At the base of Mount Fuji the Komitake volcano, the first eruptions of which could have occurred almost 600,000 years ago. The “ko Fuji” (or “old Fuji”) would have been superimposed on it about 100,000 years ago, and finally, the “shin Fuji” (“new Fuji”) would have formed 10,000 years ago, to make up the mountain we know today.
The first person to ascend Mount Fuji is believed to have been a monk in the year 663AD, although his name is unknown. Following this, the peak was climbed regularly by men with Sir Rutherford Alcok being the first known Westerner to reach the summit in 1860. As the mountain has sacred importance and climbing it has long been a religious practice, it was formally forbidden territory for women until 1912. This rule only came to an end when the Meji Era concluded in the same year. The Meji was a time of transition for Japan that saw the country leave behind its feudal origins and move towards a more modern and accepting culture. However, there are records which show that a woman did make it to summit in the pre-Meji era in 1867. The first western woman to reach the summit was Lady Fanny Parkes in 1869.
In June 2013, Mount Fuji was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its status as a “sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.” The official description on the UNESCO website describes it as “an internationally recognized icon of Japan.”
Climbing Mount Fuji is very popular not only among Japanese but also foreign tourists, who seem to make up more than a third of all hikers. This is one of the shortest climbing seasons for any mountain in the world. Climbing season starts at the beginning of July and ends as the month of August finishes. This is due in part to the climate changes and temperatures in the area. In July, when climbing is allowed, daytime temperatures will be no higher than 41°F. In August, temperatures rise no higher than 44°F. During this period the mountain is usually free of snow, the weather is relatively mild, access by public transportation is easy, and the mountain huts are operating. Because the hike is not technically difficult, and there are many other hikers during the climbing season, the average person will not need a guide. However, inexperienced hikers or people who prefer to leave all the planning to somebody else may want to consider hiring a guide. The specific dates depend on the year and trail. It is one of the few mountains in the world that climbers will make a pilgrimage to. Statistics tell us that of the 200,000 people who climb to the summit each year, 70% are Japanese and the other 30% are foreign climbers, mainly from Europe and the USA.
Not many people know this, but the mountain is actually privately owned. However, it isn’t owned by a corporate conglomeration or a businessman who simply acquired it because he wanted it; it belongs to the Fujisan Hongu Sengentaisha Shrine. They acquired it in the year 1609 and will own the uppermost part of the mount forever. Shinto priests who practice at the shrine say, however, that Mount Fuji belongs to the world and not one individual person or group.
While it may be a site of serene and sacred beauty, Mount Fuji is actually an active volcano which sits on a triple junction of tectonic activity, where the Amurian, Okhotsk and Philippine plates meet. Mount Fuji is a volcano with a bubbling interior – 16 eruptions since 781 -. The last eruption was recorded in December 1707, some 49 days after the earthquake of the Hoei era, the most powerful earthquake in the country’s history after that of Tohoku in 2011, and sent ashes to the city of Edo (modern Tokyo) and formed a new crater and peak on its south-eastern side.
There are five lakes around Mount Fuji: Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Motosu, Lake Sai, Lake Yamanaka and Lake Shoji. To get up close and personal with Fuji, head to the Fuji Five Lakes region at the mountain’s northern base. Stay overnight in a traditional Japanese inn and enjoy hot springs baths with postcard-worthy views of the mountain reflected in the rippling waters below. Alternatively take a day trip to Kawaguchiko, the most accessible of the five lakes, and rent a bike for a picturesque cycle around its circumference. Hiking, camping, snow sports, fishing, and museums are on offer, as well as some pretty hardcore rollercoasters at Fuji Q Highland, a theme park at the base of Fuji.
Mount Fuji is synonymous with Japan itself and a must-see for pretty much every tourist and traveler. Knowing the best and worst timings for Mount Fuji visibility does drastically increase the chances of making the most out of your Mount Fuji experience!