Mount Fuji Records First Snowfall of Winter Season 21 Days Later Than Average

Mount Fuji, Japan's iconic mountain, received its first snow cover of the winter season on Thursday, occurring 21 days later than the historical average based on records dating back to 1894, according to Japan's meteorological agency.

The snowfall this year arrived two weeks earlier compared to 2024, when the 3,776-metre (12,388-ft) peak only saw snow on November 7, marking the latest first snowfall since record-keeping began.

This sacred mountain stands as one of Japan's most significant cultural symbols, with its snow-capped summit inspiring numerous masterpieces of Japanese art, including Katsushika Hokusai's renowned "Great Wave Off Kanagawa," which now adorns the reverse side of the 1,000-yen banknote.

Although the timing of Mount Fuji's first snowfall has been trending later in recent years, Mamoru Matsumoto from the Kofu observatory office of the meteorological agency stated last year that the specific cause for this pattern remains unclear.

Japan experienced extreme temperatures this year, with the nation recording its highest-ever temperature of 41.8 degrees Celsius (107.2 Fahrenheit) in Isesaki, a city northwest of Tokyo, during August.

According to the Kofu observatory office, the "first snowfall" is officially defined as the initial post-summer instance when all or part of the mountain becomes visibly covered with snow or "white-looking solid precipitation" when observed from lower elevations.