Diamond Fuji
Diamond Fuji is the sight of the rising or setting sun directly behind Mt. Fuji’s peak. For just a few moments, the orb glows like a jewel on top of the mountain’s iconic silhouette. Thousands of dedicated photographers, amateur and professional alike, seek to capture a shot of Diamond Fuji, which requires planning, patience, and cooperation from the weather.
The Evening Diamond
Because the earth’s axis is tilted, the sun rises and sets at slightly different points on the horizon each day, shifting the angle for viewing Diamond Fuji. Lake Yamanakako is located to the northeast of Mt. Fuji, with a potential Diamond Fuji viewing spot somewhere along the lakeshore every evening between mid-October and late February. Nagaike Water Park, the Hirano lakeside, and Yamanakako Community Plaza Kirara are popular vantage points. If the water is still, photographers may even capture a shot of the coveted “double diamond,” when the mountain and sunset are reflected on the lake.
Jewel of the Morning
To see Diamond Fuji in the morning, you must be west of the mountain at sunrise. Lake Motosuko, the westernmost of the Fuji Five Lakes, has several suitable sites. On New Year’s Day, the best viewing spot is the observatory just below the 1,485-meter peak of Mt. Ryugatake. The diamond emerges at around 7:40 a.m.