Japan is home to Mount Fuji, an active volcano and national symbol.
Mount Fuji stands on Honshu, Japan’s largest island, roughly 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. At 3,776 meters, it is Japan’s highest mountain. Its symmetrical cone has inspired artists, poets, and religious pilgrims for centuries.
Fuji is a stratovolcano formed above a subduction zone where the Philippine Sea Plate moves beneath the surrounding plates. The present cone developed through several volcanic stages, and the mountain’s most recent confirmed eruption occurred from December 1707 to February 1708. That event, known as the Hōei eruption, deposited ash over parts of the region.
The mountain has a long association with Shinto and Buddhist traditions. Its climbing season is generally concentrated in summer because snow and severe weather make other seasons hazardous. In 2013, UNESCO added “Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration” to the World Heritage List, recognizing both its natural and cultural importance.