Mount Fuji: Snow back on Japan landmark after longest absence

Snow was spotted on Wednesday, 5 November, by the Japan Meteorological Agency’s branch in Shizuoka.

As photos of the snowy peak spread on Wednesday, an X user commented, “Oh, I’ve been waiting for this”. Another wrote, “I’ve never been so excited for the first snowfall this year”.

“Finally… make-up makes you look even more beautiful,” read a third tweet, referring to the white peak.

The weather agency’s Kofu office is expected to announce the exact date snow fell.

This was the most delayed sighting since 2023 when snow was first seen on the summit on 5 October, according to AFP news agency. The previous record was 26 October – that happened twice, in 1955 and 2016.

Located south-west of Tokyo, Mount Fuji stands at 3,776m (12,460 ft). It last erupted just over 300 years ago and is visible from the capital on a clear day.

With temperatures between June and August 1.76C (3.1F) higher than average, Japan had its joint hottest summer on record – the other was in 2003.

The warmer-than-usual weather continued in September.

While it’s hard to attribute delayed snowfall on Mount Fuji directly to climate change, it is in line with what experts predict in a warming world.