Mount Fuji: Active Volcano, Last Eruption & Visitor Guide

There’s a good reason Mount Fuji appears on so many travelers’ bucket lists: it’s an active volcano that last erupted in 1707, and its perfectly symmetrical cone has become Japan’s most recognizable landmark. Over 300,000 people climb it each year, yet few know the summit is owned by a Shinto shrine.

Elevation: 3,776 m (12,389 ft) ·
Last Eruption: 1707–1708 (Hōei eruption) ·
Volcanic Status: Active, but low risk of imminent eruption ·
Location: Honshu Island, Japan ·
Climbing Season: July to early September ·
Ownership: Mostly public land; summit section owned by Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha shrine

Is Mount Fuji Still Active?

Volcanic status

Yes — Mount Fuji is classified as an active stratovolcano by the Japan Meteorological Agency (national volcano monitoring authority) per Oregon State University. It has erupted at least 16 times since 781 CE, with the last confirmed event being the Hōei eruption of 1707–1708. Currently, JMA keeps it at Volcanic Alert Level 1, meaning normal conditions with no signs of imminent eruption, as reported by Samurai Car Japan JDM.

• Eruptive history spans roughly 100,000 years, built over four stages: Sen-komitake, Komitake, Old Fuji (Ko-Fuji), and New Fuji (Shin-Fuji) per Samurai Car Japan JDM
• Modern cone largely formed during the New Fuji period starting ~10,000 years ago
• Current seismicity at background levels — Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (Tier 1 monitoring body) per Smithsonian Institution notes recent earthquake swarms were monitored without eruption indicators

The implication: Mount Fuji is very much alive geologically, but the probability of an eruption in any given year remains low. The volcano simply is not showing the telltale signs — persistent tremor, ground deformation, or gas release — that precede an eruption.

Monitoring systems

Japan maintains a dense monitoring network around Fuji. The Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (Tier 1 monitoring body) confirms that scientists did not believe the elevated earthquake counts from recent swarms were indicative of an imminent eruption. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism operates the Mt. Fuji Sabo Office, specifically tasked with erosion control and volcanic hazard mitigation.

Which City Is Mount Fuji In?

Nearby cities: Fujinomiya, Fujiyoshida, Gotemba

Mount Fuji doesn’t belong to a single city. It spans two prefectures — Yamanashi and Shizuoka — and three major gateway towns serve as the primary access points. Fujinomiya sits on the southwest side (Shizuoka), Fujiyoshida on the north side (Yamanashi), and Gotemba on the southeast side (Shizuoka). Each provides trailhead access and tourist infrastructure.

• Fujinomiya: closest city to the Fujinomiya Trail, population ~130,000
• Fujiyoshida: gateway to the popular Yoshida Trail, population ~50,000
• Gotemba: access to the Gotemba Trail, known for its long, gradual ascent

Access from Tokyo

Travelers from Tokyo can reach Mount Fuji in 2–3 hours by bus or train. The fastest option is the JR Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train) to Shin-Fuji Station, then a local bus to the trailheads. Direct highway buses from Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchiko Station — the transport hub for the Yoshida Trail — run frequently during climbing season.

The catch: the closest city with substantial tourism infrastructure is Fujiyoshida, but the mountain’s administrative presence spans three prefectures, meaning local regulations and disaster response are coordinated between Yamanashi and Shizuoka governments.

When Was Mount Fuji’s Last Eruption?

Hōei eruption 1707–1708

The most recent eruption of Mount Fuji was the Hōei eruption, which began on December 16, 1707 and ended on February 24, 1708, according to Wikipedia per Wikipedia. This was a VEI 5 event — the same scale as the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption — and it ejected about 0.8 cubic kilometers of ash, blocks, and bombs, per Volcano World, Oregon State University. The vent was on the southeast side of the cone, and ash deposits reached as far as Edo (present-day Tokyo).

Five historic eruptions of Mount Fuji have caused damage, but no fatalities are recorded in the Oregon State University summary. The Hōei eruption’s ash fall disrupted agriculture and daily life over a wide area, but the population density in 1707 was far lower than today’s Tokyo metro.

Current risk assessment

The Japan Meteorological Agency classifies Mount Fuji at Volcanic Alert Level 1, meaning normal conditions with no signs of imminent eruption, as noted by Samurai Car Japan JDM. The Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (Tier 1 monitoring body) confirms that recent earthquake swarms were monitored carefully without immediate eruption indicators, and scientists did not believe the elevated counts indicated an imminent eruption.

• Average eruption recurrence: roughly every 30–50 years, though dormant periods vary
• No fatalities recorded at Mount Fuji from historic eruptions per Oregon State
• Current monitoring includes seismic, GPS, gas, and visual surveillance

What Are 10 Interesting Facts About Mount Fuji?

Seven key facts, one pattern: the mountain blends natural power with deep cultural ownership.

The pattern: every measure of Fuji — height, age, eruptions, climbing records — points to an entity that is both physically immense and culturally layered. The summit’s private shrine ownership is a legal relic of Japan’s Shinto tradition, a fact that surprises most visitors.

Who Owns Mount Fuji Now?

Public land vs private ownership

Most of Mount Fuji is national land managed by the Ministry of the Environment. But a critical detail: the summit — the area above approximately 3,100 meters elevation — is privately owned by Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha (the largest Shinto shrine in Japan) per Mini Museum. This dates back to a land reform dispute in the 1600s when the Tokugawa shogunate granted the shrine control of the upper slopes and the crater.

• Shrine ownership extends to the sacred crater rim and the weather station area
• The shrine conducts Shinto rituals at the summit, including annual ceremonies
• Public access to the summit is permitted, but the shrine retains property rights

What this means: Mount Fuji is the rare case of a major national park whose most iconic feature — the summit — is not actually owned by the state. This arrangement reflects the deep intertwining of geography and religion in Japan.

Can Planes Fly Over Mount Fuji?

Airspace restrictions

Yes, commercial aircraft fly over Mount Fuji regularly. There is no permanent no-fly zone over the mountain, according to standard Japanese airspace regulations. The airspace above Fuji is part of regular Tokyo-area en-route paths used by domestic and international carriers. Many flights between Tokyo’s airports and western Japan pass close enough to the cone that passengers on the right side of the aircraft get clear views on clear days.

• No permanent restricted area over the summit
• Temporary flight restrictions could be imposed during volcanic unrest
• Pilots use Fuji as a visual waypoint in VFR conditions

Flight paths

During volcanic unrest, the Japan Meteorological Agency would issue advisories, and air traffic control might reroute flights to avoid ash clouds. Ash ingestion is a serious hazard for jet engines, so any eruption would trigger immediate airspace restrictions. For now, though, the sky above Fuji is open to traffic.

The trade-off: the same visual prominence that makes Fuji a navigational landmark also makes it a hazard during eruptions. The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull disruption in Europe showed how ash plumes can ground air travel across an entire region — Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda airports would be directly affected.

Which Side of Mount Fuji Is the Climbing Trail?

Four main trails

Mount Fuji has four established trails, each on a different face of the mountain. The Yoshida Trail (Yamanashi side) is the most popular, accounting for about 60% of climbers. It starts from the 5th Station of the Subaru Line, accessible by bus from Fujiyoshida. The Fujinomiya Trail (Shizuoka side) is the shortest but steepest route, starting at a higher 5th Station (2,400 m).

• Yoshida Trail: most popular, moderate difficulty, many mountain huts
• Fujinomiya Trail: shortest route, steep ascent, great for sunrise views
• Gotemba Trail: longest and most gradual, least crowded, fewer huts
• Subashiri Trail: merges with Yoshida near the summit, good for descent

Difficulty levels

The climb is strenuous — 4–8 hours up, 2–4 hours down — with altitude sickness a real risk above 3,000 m. The trails are non-technical (no climbing gear required), but steep sections, loose volcanic scree, and sudden weather changes make it a serious trek. Guides recommend at least two days: climb halfway on day one, sleep at a mountain hut, summit for sunrise on day two.

No entrance fee is charged, but donations are encouraged for trail maintenance. Reservations for huts are essential during peak season (August). The climb is not a casual day trip from Tokyo.

The implication: your trail choice determines your entire summit experience, from physical exertion to crowd exposure, so match your route to your climbing priorities.

Clarity: Confirmed Facts vs. Unclear Areas

Expert Perspectives

“Mount Fuji remains non-eruptive in Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program weekly report excerpt. Recent earthquake swarms at Mount Fuji have been monitored carefully without immediate eruption indicators.”

Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (Tier 1 monitoring body) per Smithsonian Institution

“The Hōei eruption ejected about 0.8 cubic kilometers of ash, blocks, and bombs. The vent was on the southeast side of Mount Fuji’s cone.”

Volcano World, Oregon State University (volcanology research) per Oregon State University

“Mount Fuji has a summit shrine tradition associated with Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha, described as the largest Shinto shrine in Japan.”

Mini Museum (geoscience collection) per Mini Museum

“The crater of the Hōei eruption can be visited from the Fujinomiya or Gotemba trails on Mount Fuji.”

Wikipedia (collaborative encyclopedia) per Wikipedia

Mount Fuji is simultaneously Japan’s most climbed peak and its most closely watched volcano. For the 300,000 annual hikers, the risk is negligible; for Tokyo’s 37 million residents, the monitoring network is a quiet insurance policy against a repeat of 1707. For travelers, the decision is clear: climb during the official season, respect the shrine’s summit, and keep an eye on JMA’s alert level — because the mountain is not a dormant relic, but a sleeping giant with a calendar of its own.

For a detailed look at Mount Fuji’s volcanic history, Mount Fujis volcanic history provides comprehensive facts on its last eruption and current activity.

Frequently asked questions