October 28, 2024
TOKYO – The record for the latest snowcap formation of the year on Mt. Fuji was broken on Saturday, with the mountain’s peak still yet to see its first snowfall.
This year will therefore mark the latest snowcap formation on Mt. Fuji since recordkeeping began 130 years ago.
The previous record was Oct. 26, which was set in 1955 and tied in 2016.
Mt. Fuji’s first snowcap of the year traditionally signifies the arrival of winter.
According to the Kofu Local Meteorological Office in Kofu, higher-than-usual temperatures are believed to be behind the delay in snowfall on the mountain.
Each year, weather officials confirm the season’s first snowcap from the meteorological office, about 40 kilometers away from the mountain. The practice began in 1894, when the previous observatory was founded.
The officials said cloudy weather around the mountain or in the city could make it difficult for them to confirm the formation of a snowcap even if snow has fallen.
“We can usually appreciate the view of a snowcapped Mt. Fuji against autumn colors this time of the year,” said Yuka Shimizu, a worker at a green tea shop in the Honcho-dori shopping street in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture. The street has become a famous location for enjoying Mt. Fuji’s picturesque scenery.
“I’m looking forward to the first snowcap so that I can appreciate the changing of the seasons,” she said.