Japan: Snow back on Mount Fuji after longest absence

Japan’s Mount Fuji has seen its first snowfall after going through the longest period without snow since records began 130 years ago.

Snow fell on Japan’s highest peak about a month later than expected, as the country recovers from one of its hottest summers on record.

It was met with celebration on social media, with locals sharing photos of the mountain.

Mount Fuji is one of Japan’s most popular tourist attractions and has inspired centuries of artwork.

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

In 2023, snow was first seen on the summit on 5 October, according to AFP news agency. The previous record for the latest snowfall was 26 October, which was seen twice before in 1955 and 2016.

“Oh, I’ve been waiting for this,” one X user commented.

“I’ve never been so excited for the first snowfall this year,” another X user said.

“Finally … Makeup makes you look even more beautiful,” another X user said, referring to the snow-dusted peak.

The weather agency’s Kofu office is expected to make an official announcement on the exact date the snow fell. It said it could not see the peak clearly on Wednesday.

However, Japanese news agency Kyodo was able to take photos of the snowy peak on Wednesday from a helicopter.

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.

Japan had its joint hottest summer on record this year with temperatures between June and August being 1.76C (3.1F) higher than an average.

In September, temperatures continued to be warmer than expected as the sub-tropical jet stream’s more northerly position allowed a warmer southerly flow of air over Japan.

A jet stream is a fast-flowing current of air that travels around the planet. It occurs when warmer air from the south meets cooler air from the north.