Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan (3,776 m / 12,388 ft), and often considered the symbol of the country.

Etymology

Mount Fuji is called Fuji-San in Japanese. "San" means a mountain, while the origin of "Fuji" is uncertain.
According to the official Web site of Fujinomiya city (in Japanese), the most widely accepted theory is that it's derived from a Japanese dialect word "Fuji" which means a long, beautiful slope. Wisteria, a flower with a beautiful sloped shape, is also called Fuji in Japanese (although Kanji is different).

History

The scenery of Mount Fuji's summit is described in a book called "Fuji-san Ki" written by Miyako-no-Yoshika (834-879). Therefore it's safe to assume that someone had climbed to the top of the mountain in the 8th or 9th century.
Around 1150, a monk built the first temple on Mount Fuji. Many buddhist monks then climbed to the mountain for acetic training in the next few centuries.

Climbing

There are 4 trails for climbing Mount Fuji. The official information for each trail is available at:

• Fujinomiya Trail
• Subashiri Trail
• Gotemba Trail
• Kawaguchiko (Fujiyoshida) Trail

Fujinomiya Trail is historically the "entrance" of Mount Fuji. The road from Sengen Shrine in Fujinomiya to Mount Fuji is still called Tozando (trail), although almost everyone starts climbing from the 5th station today.

Subashiri Trail is the best for beginners as it's the most gently sloped trail. It's also the only trail which is not bleak.

Gotemba Trail is the least crowded. The trail is popular for those who want to descent quickly by running down Osunabashiri (big sand slope).
Mt. Fuji Climbing Relay is held every year.

Fujiyoshida (Kawaguchiko) Trail is the most crowded, mainly due to its convenient accessibility from Tokyo.

Weather Forecast

Japan Meteorological Agency provides weather forecast in English.

• Daily Forecasts
  • Shizuoka (Look for Tobu area)
  • Yamanashi (Look for Tobu-Fujigoko area)
• One-week Forecasts
  • One-week forecast for Shizuoka
  • One-week forecast for Yamanachi
• Hourly weather observations
  • Summit of Mount Fuji

Meteorological Weather Station

In 1936, meteorological weather station was constructed at the summit of Mount Fuji. As the technology of aerological observation and automatic observation have been improved, the station became unmanned on October 1, 2004.
The obsolete radar dome was moved to Fujiyoshida city, and it's now open to the public as a museum. Fujiyoshida Radar Dome Museum on Google Map

Sister Mountain

Mount Fuji has a "Sister Mountain" relationship with Mount Rainier in Washington, the United States.

YouTube Links

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=8EieXCWknSQ (Mount Fuji From Above)

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=XPIhSVunucs (On the way from Hiroshima Airport to Haneda Airport)

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=MlMnbxwCU78 (From Toyama Airport to Haneda Airport)