MT. FUJI

Mount Fuji is Japan’s tallest peak at 3,776 meters and is worshipped as one of the three sacred mountains in the country. Towering over the surrounding Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, the awesome symmetry of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from many locations in the area; on a clear day, it can even be seen from the Tokaido line Shinkansen and 100 kilometres away in Tokyo.

As it is an active volcano, Mount Fuji is both revered and feared by locals, but thankfully has not erupted since 1707. Its beauty has made it the subject of many Japanese works of art, famously the Hiroshige and Hokusai woodblock prints from the Edo period.

For centuries, pilgrims have trekked from the base to the peak and back again to be cleansed of their sins. These days, people from all walks of life hike to Mount Fuji’s summit via one of four trails of varying difficulty. Most popular is the overnight climb which positions you at the summit to watch a spectacular sunrise. The climbing season runs from July to September.