Fuji

Fuji or Fujisan, also Fuji-no-yama and Fujiyama, celebrated dormant volcano of Japan, southern Honshu, near Tokyo. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, rises as a cone to a height of 3,776 m (12,387 ft) above sea level, with the apex broken by a cone-shaped crater 610 m (2,000 ft) in diameter. The southern slopes extend to the shore of Suruga Bay, and the isolated peak can be seen from many of the outlying prefectures. The five Fuji lakes, of which Lake Kawaguchi is considered the most beautiful, lie on the northern slopes of the mountain, all formed by volcanic activity. The mountain is part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, the most popular holiday area in Japan.

According to legend, Fuji arose from the plain during a single night in 286 bc. Geologically the mountain is much older. The most recent recorded eruption of Fuji lasted from November 24, 1707, until January 22, 1708. Certain religious sects regard the mountain as a sacred place. Fuji is visited annually by thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the country, many climbing the mountain as part of their religious practice, hoping to reach the summit by dawn to watch the sunrise. Fuji’s slopes harbour numerous shrines and temples. Fuji is also revered in Japanese literature and is a constant theme in Japanese art, such as the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (1826-1833) by Hokusai.