Mount Fuji or Fujiyama is the highest mountain in Japan. It is in fact a volcano that is located near the Pacific Ocean on the island of Honshu. The symmetrical cone of the mountain which is mostly snow-capped is regarded as a symbol of Japan and is often depicted in artworks.
Originally meaning ‘immortal’, Fuji is considered to be a sacred abode by the Japanese people. Along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, it forms the Three Holy Mountains of Japan. There are several shrines and temples that surround Fujiyama. It is said that each summer, thousands of Japanese climb the shrines as a religious practice.
Although it has remained dormant since the last eruption of 1707, the volcano of Fuji is classified as active by geologists. The actual age of the mountain is unconfirmed. But it is believed to have been formed some 2.6 million years ago.
There are five important lakes that lie on the slopes of Mount Fuji, including the Lake Kawaguchi that gets the famous inverted reflection of the mountain on its still waters and the Lake Yamanaka, the largest of all noted for its popular resort area.