Mount Fuji, Active stratovolcano in Shizuoka and Yamanashi, Japan
Mount Fuji is a volcano in Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures in Japan, rising to 3,777 meters (12,388 feet) and forming a symmetrical cone. Snow rests on the summit between October and May, sharpening the profile and giving it the appearance most people recognize.
Tatsu Takayama became the first woman on record to reach the summit in autumn 1832, despite the ancient ban on women. Sir Rutherford Alcock made the first ascent by a foreigner in September 1860, climbing in 8 hours and descending in 3. The last eruption, the Hōei eruption of 1707, formed Mount Hōei on the southeast slope and dropped about 4 cm of ash on Edo.
Pilgrims climb to the summit and visit shrines scattered along the slopes, while many locals see the ascent as a spiritual journey. White-clad hikers are a familiar sight, and on some days believers gather to hold ceremonies or recite prayers.
Four main trails reach the summit, and the Yoshida route on the Yamanashi side carries most hikers. Mountain huts along each route offer overnight stays, and the season runs from July to early September. Warm clothing and sturdy footwear are needed even in midsummer, as temperatures drop sharply near the top.
The volcano sits at the meeting point of three tectonic plates: the Amurian, the Okhotsk, and the Philippine Sea Plate, a geological setup found in very few places around the world. Visitor centers along the routes display records of past eruptions and explain how lava flows shaped the terrain hikers cross today.
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