First Snowcap on Mt. Fuji for This Season

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced today that the first snowcap of Japan's iconic 3,776-meter Mount Fuji has been observed — 15 days earlier than last year. The average date for the first snowcap is October 2, making this year's observation the fourth latest since records began in 1894.

The "first snowcap," or hatsukansetsu (初冠雪), is defined as the first time the summit of a mountain appears white with snow when seen from its base during the year that starts in August and ends in July. This means that hatsukansetsu may not necessarily indicate the first snowfall — snow may fall earlier but go unnoticed if it does not accumulate enough to appear white from below or if clouds obscure the summit.

The observation of Mount Fuji's first snowcap is widely regarded as a seasonal landmark, signaling the deepening of autumn and the approach of winter.

The photo above was taken from Kanagawa Prefecture.