About
Fuji: More than a Mountain
Japan’s Mt. Fuji is an active volcano about 100 kilometers
southwest of Tokyo. Commonly called “Fuji-san,” it’s the country’s
tallest peak, at 3,776 meters. It is the tallest mountain in
Japan, the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia
A pilgrimage site for centuries, it’s considered one of Japan’s 3
sacred mountains, and summit hikes remain a popular activity. Its
iconic profile and special place of scenic beauty is the subject
of numerous works of art, notably Edo Period prints by Hokusai and
Hiroshige.
The current kanji for Mount Fuji, 富 and 士, mean "wealth" or
"abundant" and "man of status" respectively. However, the origins
of this spelling and of the name Fuji continue to be debated. A
text of the 9th century, Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, says that the
name came from "immortal" (不ć», fushi, fuji) and also from the
image of abundant (富, fu) soldiers (士, shi, ji)[note 1]
ascending the slopes of the mountain.
Mount Fuji Facts
1. Mount Fuji is an active volcano.
2. Fuji may look like a solitary mountain, but it’s actually three
peaks layered on top of one another.
3. The peak is private property.
4. Women were not allowed to climb Mount Fuji until 1872.
5. In specific conditions, the mountain is known as Red Fuji,
Diamond Fuji, and Pearl Fuji.
6. Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain.
7. The mountain stands at 3,776 meters or 12,388 feet.
8. Mount Fuji has erupted several times already starting about
100,000 years ago.
9. Mount Fuji’s height high is enough to cause altitude sickness
to its climbers.
10. Depending on your skills, climbing Mount Fuji​ can take
between 5 to 10 hours.
11. If Mount Fuji erupts, it can possibly paralyze Tokyo in less
than 3 hours.
12. It became part of the World Heritage List in 2013 as a
cultural site.
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