Mount Fuji, << FOO jee >>, is the highest mountain in Japan (12,388 feet, or 3,776 meters). Mount Fuji lies on the island of Honshu, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Tokyo. The Japanese call the mountain Fuji-san or Fuji-yama. Fuji has long, symmetrical slopes. Its top often is hidden by clouds. Its crown of snow melts in summer. The Japanese have long considered it a sacred mountain. Tens of thousands of people climb to its summit every year. The top contains an inactive volcano crater. In 2013, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added Mount Fuji to its list of World Heritage Sites. Such sites are designated places of unique cultural or natural importance.
