The foothills of the mountain are about 125 kilometers (78 miles) in circumference, and the base diameter is about 40 to 50 kilometers (25 to 30 miles), along with the wide lava flow at the foot of the mountain. The crater surface at the summit is about 500 m (1,600 ft) in diameter and about 250 m (820 ft) deep. Surrounding the jagged rim of the crater are the "Eight Summits of Fuji", namely Kempei, Hakusan-Dake, Kusushi-Dake, Dainichi-Dake, Izu-Dake, Sakushi-Dake, Komagatake, and Mitsu-Dake. Mt. Fuji belongs to the Fuji Volcanic Belt, a chain of volcanoes that runs from the Marianas Islands through the Izu Islands and the Izu Peninsula to the northern part of Honshu. The world-famous Mt. Fuji is one of the most important symbols of Japan, and is also known in ancient texts as Buji, Buji or Fuchi, and is often referred to as Fubuki Peak or Mount Fuji. Since ancient times, the mountain's name has often appeared in the traditional Japanese poem "Waka.
The name Fuji is derived from the Ezo language, which now means "eternal life," and was originally pronounced "mountain of fire" or "god of fire" in the language of the Ainu, an ethnic group in Japan. The mountain's graceful conical shape is known throughout the world as a sacred symbol of Japan.
Mount Fuji is globally recognized as one of the symbols of Japan. It is often referred to as the "Hibiscus Peak" or "Mount Fuji" and the "Fudo Highlander". Since ancient times, the mountain's name has often appeared in the traditional Japanese poem "Waka".
Today, Mt. Fuji is regarded by the Japanese people as a "sacred mountain" and a symbol of pride for the Japanese nation. Mt. Fuji's towering height and snow-capped summit make it look like a fan hanging upside down in the air, hence the name "Jade Fan".
The mountain is cone-shaped, **** eruption 18 times, the most recent eruption in 1707. Although in a dormant state, but there are still jet phenomenon. It was formed about 10,000 years ago and is a typical layered volcano. The basement is a Tertiary stratum. At the beginning of the Quaternary, the lava broke through the Tertiary strata and erupted and piled up to form the mountain, and after many eruptions, the volcanic eruptions piled up layer by layer and became a cone-shaped layered volcano. There are more than 2,000 species of plants on the mountain, with obvious vertical distribution, subtropical evergreen forests below 500 meters above sea level, temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests from 500 to 2,000 meters, cold-temperate coniferous forests from 2,000 to 2,600 meters, and alpine chaparral forests from 2,600 meters above. The top of the mountain is covered with snow all year round. The five weir lakes (Fuji Five Lakes: Yamanaka, Kawaguchi, Nishi, Seishin, and Motosu) in the northern foothills, reflecting the snow-covered peaks, and the scenic beauty of the lakes and mountains, make it a popular tourist destination in Japan. There are various parks, science centers, museums and playgrounds. At the top of the mountain is a huge crater, about 800 meters in diameter and 200 meters deep.
Mount Fuji is a typical stratified volcano, and in terms of shape, it is a standard cone-shaped volcano with a uniquely graceful silhouette. To date, Mt. Fuji can be roughly divided into three stages in the formation of the mountain:
Komoridake, Paleo-Fuji, and Neo-Fuji
Of these, Komoridake is the oldest, a volcano formed hundreds of thousands of years ago in the Pleistocene Era.
Gu Fuji was formed by the settling of volcanic ash and other materials that continued to erupt from about 80,000 years ago until about 15,000 years ago, and its height is close to 3,000 meters above sea level. It is estimated that the summit at that time was located 1-2 kilometers north of what is now the Hoyon crater.
Due to the eruption of the caldera, Mount Fuji formed numerous caves at the foot of the mountain, some of which are still blowing air today. The walls of the most beautiful cave, the Wind Cave of Mt. Fuji, are covered with stalactite-like icicles that remain there all year round, and are considered a rare spectacle. There are two craters of various sizes on the summit of the mountain, the large crater, which is about 800 meters in diameter and 200 meters deep. When the weather is clear, watching the sunrise and viewing the sea of clouds from the summit is an essential excursion for tourists from all over the world who come to Japan.
The northern foot of Mount Fuji has Fuji five lakes. From east to west, they are Lake Yamanaka, Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Saiko, Lake Seishin and Lake Motosu. Lake Yamanaka is the largest, with an area of 6.75 square kilometers. There are many sports facilities around the lake for tennis, water skiing, fishing, camping and boating. In Oshino Village to the southeast of the lake, there are eight ponds, including the Surge Pond and the Mirror Pond, collectively known as the "Oshino Hachikai", which are connected to Lake Yamanaka. Lake Kawaguchi was the first of the five lakes to be developed, and has become the center of sightseeing for the five lakes because of its convenient transportation. Unashima is the only island in the lake. There is a shrine on the island dedicated to the safe delivery of pregnant women. There is also a 1,260-meter-long bridge across the lake. The reflection of Mt. Fuji in Lake Kawaguchi is called one of the wonders of Mount Fuji.
West Lake, also known as Saikai, is the quietest of the five lakes. According to legend, Lake Saiko and Lake Seikai were originally connected, and then the pleasant scenery under Mount Fuji was divided into two lakes due to the eruption of Mount Fuji, but the bottoms of these two lakes are still connected to this day. Along the shores are scenic spots such as the Red Leaf Terrace, the Aokigahara Sea of Trees, the Narazawa Ice Cave, and Mount Ashiwada. Lake Seishin is the smallest of the Fuji Five Lakes, but it is the most unique in style, with many towering cliffs along its shores and complex terrain. Lake Seishin is the deepest lake, with a maximum depth of 126 meters. The surface of the lake is ice-free all year round and is a deep blue color, revealing an unfathomable and mysterious color.
The southern foot of Mt. Fuji is a vast plateau area with green grass, which is a sightseeing pasture for sheep and cows. In the southwestern part of the mountain, there are the famous Hakusai Falls and Yonji Falls. White system waterfall drop of 26 meters, from the rock wall into more than ten thin streams, like countless white practice from the sky down, forming a 130-meter-wide rain curtain, quite spectacular. Yonji Falls is like a giant pillar coming down from a high place, sounding like thunder and shaking the earth. Mt. Fuji is also known as a natural botanical garden, with more than 2,000 species of plants on the mountain.
There is also the Fuji Safari Park at the foot of Mount Fuji in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, which covers an area of 740,000 square meters and houses more than 1,000 wild animals of 40 species, including more than 30 lions. Visitors can drive their cars through the park and see the various animals that are kept there.
In addition, the Mt. Fuji area is home to the Museum of Fantasy Travel, the Insect Museum, the Natural Science Hall, the Museum of Curious Stones, the Fuji Museum, a large-scale science museum, the Botanical Garden, the Wild Bird Park, the Wild Monkey Park, and a variety of sports and amusement parks.
Kusushi Shrine and Asama Shrine, the sacred temples on the summit, are the main scenic spots of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and are often visited by tourists. Thousands of tourists from home and abroad visit the shrines at the top of the mountain every summer.