Japan’s highest peak and active volcano is Mount Fuji.
Mount Fuji rises to 3,776 meters on Honshu, Japan’s main island. It is a stratovolcano, meaning repeated eruptions built a tall, layered cone from lava, ash, and other volcanic material. Its remarkably symmetrical form has made it one of Japan’s defining cultural symbols, appearing in paintings, prints, photographs, literature, and religious traditions.
Although Fuji is classified as active, “active” does not mean it is erupting now. Its most recent eruption was the Hoei eruption, which lasted from 1707 to 1708. Ash from that event fell over nearby areas, including Edo, the city now known as Tokyo. The mountain’s summit is divided between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures.
Mount Yari, Mount Haku, and Mount Tate are also famous Japanese mountains, but none is Japan’s highest. Mount Fuji is additionally recognized by UNESCO through the cultural site “Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration,” listed in 2013.