[hanomantoto]

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Mount Fuji, the highest peak in Japan, finally saw snow. According to local media, the first snow seen on Fuji was reported on Wednesday morning, November 6, 2024, ending the longest snowless period in 130 years.

Snowflakes on Mount Fuji usually start appearing in early October, but the mountain peak considered sacred by the Japanese people remained bald until November. If November 6 is confirmed as the date of the first snowfall, this means it is one month late and the latest date since the Japan Meteorological Agency began recording in 1894.

This volcano has long been worshipped as a spiritual, political, and cultural symbol because of its snow layers. When snow did not appear until early November, many Japanese people felt anxious about its bare peak.

Official Announcement Not Yet Made

While snow has appeared, the official announcement has not been released according to Al Jazeera. The Japan Meteorological Agency or JMA in Kofu, responsible for making announcements since 1984, is on the other side of the mountain and its view is obscured by clouds.

However, JMA Shizuoka stated that snowfall was observed on the southwestern side of the mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Fuji City Hall in Shizuoka shared images of the snow-covered peak.

“These are photos of Mount Fuji, seen from the city hall this morning. We can see a thin layer of snow near its peak,” a post on the official X account owned by the city of Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture stated.

Many residents in that area also posted their own snow photos. Aerial footage from the national broadcaster NHK also showed a close-up of white snow powder on the rocky slopes.

Covered by Snow Almost Year-Round

With a height of 12,389 feet, Mount Fuji is an active volcano covered in snow almost year-round. However, for about two months between July and September, snow is not visible and climbers are allowed to ascend its cone-shaped slopes.

This summer in Japan was the hottest on record, equivalent to 2023, due to extreme heat waves triggered by climate change in many parts of the world.

This symmetrical Mount Fuji has been immortalized in many works of art, including the “Great Wave” by the ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai. The mountain last erupted about 300 years ago.

JAPAN TODAY | NEW YORK TIMES | AL JAZEERA

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