By: Katie Lauber and Eric Eversole

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain on the island of Honshu, with an elevation of 12,388 feet. It is surrounded by five lakes, and is a part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, with an elevation of 12,388 feet. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka, and is surrounded by five lakes. It is also a part of the Fuji-Hakone- Izu National Park. The temperature is usually somewhere between -18°to +8°C, and the atmospheric pressure 630 to 650 mb The volcano is currently classified as active with low risk of eruption. The last recorded eruption occurred in 1707 during the Edo Period. At this time, a new crater, along with a second peak, named Hōei-zan, formed halfway down its side.

Scientists believe that Mt. Fuji was formed in four distinct phases of volcanic activity. The first phase, called Sen-komitake, is composed of an andesite core that has just recently been discovered deep within the mountain. The second phase was called Komitake Fuji, which is a basalt layer believed to be formed several hundred thousand years ago. “Old Fuji,” the third phase, was formed approximately 100,000 years ago over the top of Komitake Fuji. Finally, the modern, "New Fuji" is believed to have formed over the top of Old Fuji around 10,000 years ago. Scientists believe that Mt. Fuji was formed in four distinct phases of volcanic activity. The first phase, called Sen-komitake, is composed of an andesite core that has just recently been discovered deep within the mountain. The second phase was called Komitake Fuji, which is a basalt layer believed to be formed several hundred thousand years ago. “Old Fuji,” the third phase, was formed approximately 100,000 years ago over the top of Komitake Fuji. Finally, the modern, "New Fuji" is believed to have formed over the top of Old Fuji around 10,000 years ago.

For Mt. Fuji’s history of about 100,000 years, it has only emitted basalt, regardless of the fact that it is an island-arc type volcano. It has been assumed that this may be due to its tectonics settings. The tectonics of the region has three converging plates, the Eurasia (EUR), the North American (NAM), and the Philippine Sea (PHS) plates. Beneath Mt. Fuji, the PHS plate is subducting along the Sagami and Suruga troughs toward the northeast, while the Pacific plate is subducting along the Japan Trench toward the west.

This region can also be regarded as a cross over area between the volcanic front and plate boundary regions. It is also a zone of collision where the Izu block is colliding with the Honshu block and is pushing it northwestward. Because of this, the region has had many historic earthquakes; however, an amazing lack of activity is displayed around Mt. Fuji, so many previous studies disagree on the exact location of the plate boundary and the detailed configuration of the PHS plate