Since record-keeping began 130 years ago, Mount Fuji has always acquired its distinctive cap of snow by now. Typically, it settles on the peak’s upper slopes by early October. This year for the first time, the mountain has remained bare.
Sitting southwest of Tokyo, 3,776m Mount Fuji is an active volcano and Japan’s highest peak. Covered in snow for much of the year, it opens for climbing in July. Millions of tourists flock to the UNESCO site each year in hopes of hiking to the summit and seeing the sunrise from its famous slopes.
The average date for the first snowfall on its summit is October 2. In 2023, it fell on October 5. This is now the longest wait for snow since records began in 1894. Since then, the latest date for a snowcap has been October 26 in 1955 and 2016.
The reason for the lack of snow is no mystery. This year, Japan had its hottest summer on record. Through June, July, and August temperatures were 1.76 degrees Celsius higher than the average temperature for that time of year. Between June and September, a record 252 people died from heat stroke in Tokyo. Since summer, the warmer-than-normal temperatures have continued because of the subtropical jet stream hitting Japan.
A more typical view of snow-capped Mount Fuji. Photo: Shutterstock
30˚C in October
Although you can’t pin a single snowless season on climate change, over the last few decades, autumn temperatures in the country have gradually increased. This year, 74 cities recorded temperatures of over 30˚C during the first week of October.
The Japan Weather Association predicts that snow will finally blanket the peak by November 7. The Kofu Meteorological Office will announce the first snowcap of the season as soon as it is visible from their observation point 40km away. They have been announcing the first snow on the peak since records began.
