No snow on Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji yet, breaks 130-year record
It’s almost November, but Japan’s famous Mount Fuji remains snowless, making it the latest time in the year the mountain has remained bare since records began 130 years ago.
Notably, the snowcap on Mount Fuji typically begins forming around October 2, and last year it was observed by October 5. However, warm temperatures this year have delayed any snowfall on Japan’s highest peak, said Yutaka Katsuta from the Kofu Local Meteorological Office.
The latest date beats the previous record set on October 26 in both 1955 and 2016. “Temperatures were unusually high this summer, carrying over into September, which prevented the arrival of the cold air needed for snow,” Katsuta told AFP. He noted that climate change could be playing a role in this delay.
Japan experienced its hottest summer on record this year, matching 2023, with extreme heat waves affecting parts of the world.
Mount Fuji is typically snow-covered for most of the year, but its hiking season, i.e., July to September sees more than 220,000 climbers taking on its steep slopes, many trekking through the night to witness the sunrise from its 3,776-metre summit.
This season saw fewer climbers than usual after Japanese authorities imposed an entry fee and daily cap on visitors to tackle overtourism. The perfectly symmetrical mountain, immortalised in Japanese art, including Hokusai’s “Great Wave”, last erupted approximately 300 years ago.