The absence of snow on Mount Fuji could have implications for local tourism and the environment, as the mountain typically draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The record heat and lack of snowfall could alter the hiking season and affect local ecosystems.
The significant drop in hiker attendance this year, attributed to new control measures to combat overtourism, highlights the ongoing challenges faced by popular tourist destinations amidst environmental changes.
If high temperatures continue and snowfall remains absent, Mount Fuji's winter tourism may be adversely affected, leading to potential economic impacts on local businesses that rely on winter visitors.
The ongoing climate change trends may result in further delays in snowfall in the coming years, potentially altering seasonal weather patterns in Japan.
Mount Fuji, Japan's iconic peak, has not recorded any snowfall by the end of October for the first time in 130 years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Typically, the first snow appears around October 2, but this year, the snowless condition has persisted, marking a historic delay since records began in 1894. Yutaka Katsuta, a forecaster at the Kofu Meteorological Service, attributes this phenomenon to the exceptionally high temperatures experienced during the summer and September, which have inhibited the arrival of cold air necessary for snowfall. The last recorded late snowfall was on October 26, noted in 1955 and 2016, which has now been surpassed. Katsuta also suggested that climate change could be amplifying these weather patterns, as Japan experienced its hottest summer on record in 2024, matching the extreme temperatures of the previous year.
