Japan's Iconic Mount Fuji Remains Snowless, Breaks 130-Year Record

Mount Fuji remains snow-free, marking the latest point in the year without snowfall since records began 130 years ago. Japan's highest peak, which typically sees snow by early October, has yet to experience snowfall due to unusually warm weather this season. In 2023, snow first appeared on October 5, as reported by AFP.

This delay follows Japan's joint hottest summer on record, with June-August temperatures 1.76 Degrees C above average. The sub-tropical jet stream's northern position allowed warmer southern air to flow over Japan, keeping September temperatures warmer than usual, the BBC reported. 

Almost 1,500 locations reported "extremely hot" days (temperatures reaching 35 Degrees C last month. October has cooled slightly, but temperatures remain above average, leaving Mount Fuji's summit bare as November approaches- setting a new record since data collection began in 1894.

According to Yutaka Katsuta of the Kofu Local Meteorological Office, the previous record, set on October 26, was reached twice before, in 1955 and 2016. Though a single event doesn't directly confirm climate change, the absence of snowfall on Mount Fuji aligns with patterns anticipated in a warming climate.

Mount Fuji, southwest of Tokyo, is Japan's tallest peak at 12,460 feet. Visible from Tokyo on clear days, the iconic volcano last erupted over 300 years ago and is famously featured in traditional Japanese artwork. Last year, over 220,000 people climbed Mount Fuji between July and September.

Mount Fuji is covered in snow for most of the year, but more than 220,000 visitors trudge up its steep, rocky slopes during the July-September hiking season. 

Many climb through the night to see the sunrise from the 3,776-metre (12,388-foot) summit.

Fewer climbers tackled Mount Fuji this year however after Japanese authorities introduced an entry fee and a daily cap on numbers to fight overtourism.

The symmetrical mountain has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai's "Great Wave".

It last erupted around 300 years ago.