Mountains of Japan100 Famous Peaks · English Guide

The Mountains Journal

Seasons, routes, list lore and mountain culture — added through the year.
Mountain Culture

The 100 Famous Japanese Mountains: the 1964 List That Chose a Nation's Peaks

2026-11-02

In 1964 the mountaineer and writer Kyūya Fukada published his choice of Japan's 100 finest mountains. Sixty years on, the Hyaku-meizan list still decides where Japan climbs. How the list was made — and why its lowest peak is only 877 metres.

Seasons & Access

When to Climb: Seasons on Japan's Famous Peaks

2026-11-02

Japan's famous mountains are snowbound for much of the year. A plain-English orientation to the summer climbing season — Fuji's official opening, the alpine hut season, and why the same peak can be a walk in August and a serious expedition in May.