Japan is home to Mount Fuji, the country’s tallest mountain.
Mount Fuji rises to 3,776 metres on Honshu, Japan’s largest island, near the cities of Fujinomiya and Fujiyoshida. It is an active stratovolcano whose symmetrical cone has become one of the defining symbols of Japan. The mountain’s present form developed through several volcanic stages, with the current edifice known as Shin-Fuji forming over an older volcanic complex.
Fuji last erupted from 1707 to 1708 during the Hōei eruption. Although it is classified as active, it has not erupted since then. Its snow-capped profile has inspired painters, poets, pilgrims, and photographers, especially through the ukiyo-e prints of Katsushika Hokusai.
Mount Fuji is also a sacred site associated with Shinto and Buddhist traditions. The official climbing season is generally limited to the summer months because of severe winter conditions. Fuji is sometimes called a mountain rather than a volcano in casual speech, but its geological identity is a stratovolcano.