Known for its eye-catching views and cultural significance, Mount Fuji, located only 100 km southwest of Tokyo, has just gone the longest without snow in 130 years after suffering from one of Japan’s hottest summers on record. 

The active stratovolcano is easily recognized by its exceptionally symmetrical cone. It is the seventh-highest peak of any island on Earth, with a summit elevation of 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft 3 in). It is also a prominent cultural symbol of Japan, commonly used in art and photography. 

Mount Fuji last erupted from 1707 to 1708. The volcano is now a popular tourist attraction for mountain climbers, hikers, and naturalists alike.

The magnificent volcano is covered with a velvety blanket of snow nine months out of the year, from October to June. Unfortunately, this year, the tip of the mountain was bare until November 6th, when the Japan Meteorological Agency’s branch in Shizuoka finally spotted snowfall.

What is the cause of this? As stated previously, Japan has just survived one of its hottest summers, with the Shizuoka Prefecture becoming the first Japanese prefecture* to reach and surpass 40 °C (104 °F). 

Naturally, or rather, Unnaturally, Japan, along with the entire world has been getting hotter for a dreadful, dangerous, reason:

Global warming.

A study in 2020 predicted a two-degree increase in summer temperatures near the volcano. This, combined with a rise in CO₂ usage, caused the tree line of Mount Fuji to climb a whopping 30 meters upslope. It consequently changed Mount Fuji’s desolate landscape, threatening its ecosystem.

Not only has Mount Fuji been greatly affected by global warming, but so has everything and everyone else. To find out what you can do to stop global warming, please visit climatenetwork.org

*Prefecture: a subsection of Japan. There are currently 47, which rank immediately below the national government and form the country’s first level of jurisdiction and administrative division.