Interpreter Takezawa here!
Continuing our exploration of Mount Fuji.
In April, Mount Fuji reaches its peak snow accumulation. By May, the snow begins to melt, revealing the volcanic landscape beneath.
It’s during this snowmelt season that “snow shapes” appear—irregular patterns formed by the remaining snow on the mountain.
Snow shapes aren’t unique to Mount Fuji; they can be seen in mountainous regions with snowfall throughout Japan.
These shapes typically cover an area of about 100 meters square (roughly 330 feet). They come in two patterns: those where the snow forms the shape against the dark mountainside (positive shapes) and those where the shape is defined by the absence of snow (negative shapes). On Mount Fuji, positive shapes are more common, where the white snow forms the figure.
The timing of their appearance depends on the amount of snow during winter and the spring temperatures, so it varies each year. However, the shapes that appear in a particular location are generally consistent, as the underlying terrain remains mostly unchanged. The amount of snow can, however, influence the clarity of the image.
These snow shapes sometimes even inspire the names of mountains. For example, Mount Jonen in the Northern Alps is said to resemble a priest (“Jonen-bo”) with a sake bottle. Mount Chogatake is said to look like a butterfly (“Cho”) with its wings spread. Mount Hakuba and other mountains called Komagatake are said to resemble horses, which is why they got their names.
Historically, these snow shapes have also been used to predict the start of farming and to forecast the success of the harvest. On Mount Fuji, the appearance of the “Nobi” (noutori), or “farming bird,” signals the start of rice planting and is an annual news item.
The “Nobi” snow shape does look like a bird, but depending on the snow conditions, it can resemble a chick, a dove-shaped cookie, or even a phoenix! Other snow shapes said to be visible on Mount Fuji include “Bean-Throwing Child” on the Yamanashi side and “Farming Man,” “Dog Snow,” and “Kaguya-hime” (Princess Kaguya) on the Shizuoka side. I’ve only ever seen something resembling the Nobi…
First Snowfall (Hatsu-Kansetsu)
Let’s talk about hatsu-kansetsu , or “first snow covering.”
This refers to the first time a mountain appears white due to solid precipitation such as snow.
For Mount Fuji, the hatsu-kansetsu is determined by the Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory. Even if snow is observed from Shizuoka Prefecture (where I live), it doesn’t count as the hatsu-kansetsu until Kofu confirms it.
The earliest recorded hatsu-kansetsu was August 9, 2008, and the latest was October 26 in both 1955 and 2016. Records have been kept since 1894.
There’s also the term “first snow” (hatsuyuki), but it’s not announced for Mount Fuji since manned meteorological observations at the summit ended.
Distant Views & Reverence for Mount Fuji
Since ancient times, people have practiced yohai (遥拝), or worship from afar, toward Mount Fuji. There’s also a long-standing culture of admiring the mountain’s beauty from a distance.
Diamond Fuji
This refers to the moment when the sun aligns with the peak of Mount Fuji at sunrise or sunset, creating a diamond-like sparkle. Lake Tanuki is known as one of the few places where you can see a “Double Diamond Fuji,” with the reflection in the lake.
Red Fuji & Crimson Fuji
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Red Fuji (Aka-Fuji): Mount Fuji dyed red by the sunrise or sunset in seasons when there’s no snow.
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Crimson Fuji (Beni-Fuji): Mount Fuji dyed red by the sunrise or sunset when there’s snow on the peak.
The distinction between these terms might be just a theory, but the famous woodblock print “Fine Wind, Clear Morning” by Katsushika Hokusai (also known as “Red Fuji”) depicts snow on the mountain. (Though there are various interpretations of this work…)
There’s also the “Shadow Fuji” (Kage-Fuji), where the shadow of Mount Fuji is projected onto a sea of clouds.
All of these phenomena can only be seen on clear days with few clouds. In Fuji City, at the base of Mount Fuji, they keep a record of how many days Mount Fuji is visible each year.
According to the 2019 records, Mount Fuji was “fully visible” on 119 days. The months with the most days of full visibility were January (17 days), November (20 days), and December (15 days). The months with the fewest were July (0 days), June (4 days), and August (5 days). Generally, it’s easiest to see Mount Fuji from November to January and hardest from June to August.
Where’s the farthest place you can see Mount Fuji from?
Considering the Earth’s curvature and atmospheric refraction, the theoretical maximum distance is 236 km (147 miles) at sea level. From high mountains, it can be seen from even farther away. As of May 2020, the record is 322.9 km (200.6 miles) from Komugi Pass (Irokawa Fuji-mi Toge) in Nachikatsuura Town, Wakayama Prefecture. The northernmost point is Mount Hiuchi in Fukushima Prefecture, at 299 km (186 miles).
I love seeing Mount Fuji from distant mountains. Even from far away, its presence is overwhelming and reinforces its status as Japan’s most iconic mountain. Although it becomes harder to see the farther you are, I always try to imagine its direction and shape while hiking, no matter what mountain I’m on.
