Mt Fuji Volcano

Updated: May 21, 2025 01:58 GMT - refresh

stratovolcano

Honshu (Japan), 35.36°N / 138.73°E

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Summit height: 3776 m / 12,388

Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Last update: 8 Dec 2021

"Ryu sho ten" or "Ryu shoten" (Dragon rising to the heavens), also known as "Gekko Zuihitsu" (Gekko's Sketch), a Ukiyo-e print from Ogata Gekko's Views of Mt. Fuji. A dragon rises out of smoke near Mt. Fuji, ascending towards the sky.

Mount Fuji (Fuji-san, 富士山 in Japanese) is the highest volcano and highest peak in Japan and considered one of the 3 Holy Mountains (along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku). Fuji is a perfect, beautiful stratovolcano about 60 miles south-west of Tokyo, with an exceptionally symmetrical shape making it into famous symbol of Japan and an important element in Japanese art. It is a popular destination for excursions. More than 200,000 people climb to the top of the Mt Fuji every year. The last eruption of Mt Fuji was in 1707–08. Between 2000 and 2001, seismic activity under the volcano was at slightly elevated levels, rising concern about a possible reawakening of the volcano.

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Mt Fuji webcams / live data | News/Updates | Earthquakes | Images

Typical eruption style: Explosive
Mt Fuji volcano eruptions: 1707-08, 1700, 1627(?), 1560, 1511, 1427(?), 1083, 1032, 1017(?), 999(?), 993(?), 952(?), 937(?), 932, 870, 864-65, 830, 826, 802, 800, 781

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location
May 20, 04:27 pm (GMT +9)	0.2 21 km	26 km (16 mi) to the E	Japan: Eastern Yamanashi Pref	Info
Sunday, May 18, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
May 19, 01:35 am (GMT +9)	0.6 15 km	24 km (15 mi) to the E	Japan: Eastern Yamanashi Pref	Info
Thursday, May 15, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
May 15, 06:09 pm (GMT +9)	1.3 24 km	23 km (14 mi) to the NE	Japan: Eastern Yamanashi Pref	Info
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
May 14, 04:37 am (GMT +9)	0.4 25 km	27 km (17 mi) to the NE	Japan: Eastern Yamanashi Pref	Info
Monday, May 12, 2025 GMT (4 quakes)
May 13, 07:30 am (GMT +9)	2.2 22 km	30 km (19 mi) to the NE	Japan: Eastern Yamanashi Pref	Info
May 12, 04:12 pm (GMT +9)	0.4 23 km	30 km (18 mi) to the NE	Japan: Eastern Yamanashi Pref	Info
May 12, 04:05 pm (GMT +9)	0.2 23 km	29 km (18 mi) to the NE	Japan: Eastern Yamanashi Pref	Info
May 12, 11:46 am (GMT +9)	0.7 23 km	20 km (13 mi) to the NE	27 km west of Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan	Info
Saturday, May 10, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
May 11, 01:12 am (GMT +9)	3.1 159 km	26 km (16 mi) to the E	16 km northwest of Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan	Info

View recent quakes

Background

Mt Fuji has a complex geologic origin. The large stratovolcano has a base diameter of almost 50 km and culminates in a 500 m wide and 250 m deep summit crater. The volcano overlies several older volcanoes, whose remnants form irregularities on Fuji's symmetrical profile, including Komitake and Ko-Fuji (Older Fuji) which was active 100,000 - 10,000 years ago.
The present-day, mainly basaltic edifice started to grow about 11-8,000 years ago when large lava flows were erupted that still form 25% of the volume of the edifice today.
From 8000 to 4500 years ago, Fuji's activity was mainly explosive before another effusive cycle took place between 4500 to 3000 years ago. In the past 3000 years, large explosive eruptions occurred in between phases of milder effusive activity. From 3000 to 2000 years ago, most eruptions took place at the summit, while a large number of flank eruptions occurred during the past 2000 years, forming more than 100 flank cones.
The last confirmed eruption of Mt Fuji took place in 1707 and was Fuji's largest during historical time. It deposited ash as far as present-day Tokyo and formed a large new crater on the east flank.
(Source: USGS / GVP)

Mt Fuji Volcano Photos

The beautiful volcanic cone of Ostrzyca Proboszczowicka is also known as Silesian Fujiyama. Kaczawskie mountains, Poland (Photo: Janka)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Mt Fuji volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Mt Fuji has had at least 58 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 15 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
Additionally, there are 9 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Mt Fuji volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Mt Fuji volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Mt Fuji can be found on the news page of Mt Fuji volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths	Damage
?? 1854 Dec 23 - 1855 Jan 9	Uncertain Eruption	?
?? 1770 Sep 16	Uncertain Eruption	?
?? 1708 Dec - 1709 Jan 16 ?	Uncertain Eruption	?
1707 Dec 16 - 1708 Feb 24 ?	SE flank (Hoei Craters) Historical obs./docs.	5
1707 Dec 16 (eruption 1707 Dec 16 - 1708 Feb 24 ?)	Historical obs./docs.	4	1-50 (*)	light	Info
1707 Dec 16: The 1707 eruption of Mt. Fuji (called the Hoei eruption) was one of the most violent eruptions from this volcano. The tephra covered most of the south Kanto plain, including Tokyo, and is found in deep sea cores in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Many lost their lives due to starvation after the eruption, however no victims were recorded as a direct result of the tephra fall-out. In Subashiri, 72 houses and 3 Buddhist temples were burned or crushed on the first day of the eruption. Following this eruption, many could not obtain food from their farms and thus died of starvation. The eruption started forty-nine days after the devastating 1707 Hoei Earthquake (M8.4). Hoei eruption. Houses and agricultural land at the foot of the volcano were damaged. Many people died due to starvation. The eruption was followed by landslide damage. (reference #12936) Cited references #3996 Miyaji, N. (2002): The 1707 Eruption of Fuji Volcano and it's Tephra. Global Environmental Research, vol. 6; part 2, p. 37-40. #3997 Koyama, M., A. Nishiyama, H. Sumiya, K. Inoue, K. Sasahara and N. Anyoji (2002): Reconstruction of the 1707 Hoei eruption of Fuji Volcano, Japan, based on historical documents. Abstract 2002 Japan Earth and Planetary Science Joint Meeting, V032-P025. #12936 Japan Meteorological Agency and Volcanological Society of Japan (2013): National Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes in Japan (fourth edition, English version). Japan Meteorological Agency. [accessed May 20, 2021] Link Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1700	Historical obs./docs.	2?
?? 1627 AD	Uncertain Eruption	?
?? 1560 AD Jan 4	Uncertain Eruption	?
1511 AD Sep 1 ±30 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2?
1435 AD Dec 31 ±60 d.	North flank (Onagare lava?) Historical obs./docs.	2?
?? 1427 AD Jun 28	Uncertain Eruption	?
1083 AD Apr 17	Historical obs./docs.	2?
1033 AD Jan 19 ?	Summit, SSE flank (Nishi-Asakizuka) Historical obs./docs.	2
?? 1017 AD Oct 1 ±30 d.	Uncertain Eruption	?
999 AD Mar	South flank ? Historical obs./docs.	2?
?? 993 AD Sep 1 ±30 d.	Uncertain Eruption	?
?? 952 AD Mar	Uncertain Eruption	?
937 AD Dec 18	North flank (Kenmarubi II?) Historical obs./docs.	2
932 AD Nov 19	North flank (Kenmarubi I) Historical obs./docs.	2?
870 AD Aug	Historical obs./docs.	2?
864 AD Jun 12 ? - 866 Feb 1 ±30 d.	NW flank (Nagao-yama, Kudari-yama) Historical obs./docs.	3
830 AD	NW flank (Koriana) Historical obs./docs.	2
826 AD Dec 31 ±30 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2?
800 AD Apr 11 - 802 Feb 6 or later	Summit, NE and NW flanks (Tenjin-yama) Historical obs./docs.	4
781 AD Jul	Historical obs./docs.	3
720 ±100 y. AD	NW flank (Kori-ike, Hakudairyuo)	2
530 ? AD	South flank (Takabachi)	3
520 ±100 y. AD	SE flank (Makuiwa, Nishi-Futatsuzuka)	2
470 ±100 y. AD	SE flank (Kita-Kansu-yama)	3?
400 ? AD	SE flank (Akatsuka)	2
370 ±200 y. AD	SSE flank (Obuchi Craters)	?
350 ±300 y. AD	SE flank (Kurotsuka)	3
300 ? AD	NW flank (Oniwa-Okuniwa)	1
250 ? AD	NW flank (Kita-Koriike)	2
240 ±150 y. AD	SE flank	?
220 ? AD	NE flank (Hinokimarubi lava flow)	2
200 ? AD	NW flank (Sajiki-yama)	2
100 ? AD	NW flank (Ohira-yama)	2
50 ? AD	NW flank (Futatsuzuka)	2

(*) Estimated numbers

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Eruptions of Mt Fuji volcano

1707 eruption of Mt Fuji
On 26th October 1707, a new eruption announced itself with a large 8.4 magnitude earthquake devastating Honshu island, followed by several smaller earthquakes felt near Mt Fuji.
The eruption started on 16th December 1707 from a new vent on the SE flank of the volcano erupting a sub-plinian column of ash and pumice, turning into basaltic lava fountaining after 6 hours into the eruption. On the first day of the eruption, 72 houses and 3 Buddhist temples were destroyed in Subassiri town 10 km from the volcano.
Ash fell all over the south Kanto plain, Tokyo, and on areas of the NW Pacific ocean 280 km from the volcano. The total volume erupted over 16 days was estimated to 0.68 cubic km of magma.
Violent explosions were recorded until 25-27 December, before the eruption calmed down and ended on 1st January 1708.

Mt Fuji Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Mt Fuji volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Mt Fuji occurred during 1707 - 1708.

+How often does Mt Fuji volcano erupt?

Since 781 AD, Mt Fuji volcano has had at least 15 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 83 years.
Many eruptions of Mt Fuji have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 20 out of 1244 years until now. In other words, Mt Fuji has been active at least one in 62.2 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Mt Fuji is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+When was the largest eruption of Mt Fuji volcano?

The largest eruption of Mt Fuji volcano in historic times occurred during 1707 - 1708. It ranks as a plinian eruption with a magnitude 5 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale. Eruption of this size are often catastrophic on a regional scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Mt Fuji Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).