Diamond Fuji at Lake Yamanaka
Short answer: Next Diamond Fuji from Lake Yamanaka: Wed 10 February 2027 at 16:28 (sunset). In the next 12 months: 10 February 2027 (16:28), 11 February 2027 (16:29), 31 October 2027 (15:58), 1 November 2027 (15:57).
Lake Yamanaka is the classic Diamond Fuji lake: Fuji rises 16 km to the south-west, and from autumn to late winter the sun sets close to the summit. The exact day depends on where on the shore you stand; this is the Hirano shore at the east end.
Sat 7 November 2026 · summit at 245.0° bearing, 9.67° up, 16 km away
No Diamond Fuji
The sun sets 2.9° to the left of the summit at 15:50; not a Diamond Fuji day. Next Diamond Fuji from here: Wed 10 February 2027 at 16:28.
Moonset over Fuji at 14:25, 1.8° to the right of the summit (moon 4% lit).
Diamond Fuji days (next 12 months)
| Date | Time | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 10 Feb 2027 | 16:28 sunset | On the summit |
| Thu 11 Feb 2027 | 16:29 sunset | On the summit |
| Fri 12 Feb 2027 | 16:30 sunset | 0.5° to the right of the summit |
| Sat 30 Oct 2027 | 15:59 sunset | 0.5° to the right of the summit |
| Sun 31 Oct 2027 | 15:58 sunset | On the summit |
| Mon 1 Nov 2027 | 15:57 sunset | On the summit |
| Tue 2 Nov 2027 | 15:56 sunset | 0.8° to the left of the summit |
Pearl Fuji: the moon on the summit
| Date | Time | Position | Moon lit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 18 May 2027 | 01:55 moonset | 0.5° to the left of the summit | 92% |
| Wed 21 Jul 2027 | 05:55 moonset | 0.4° to the right of the summit | 96% |
| Mon 11 Oct 2027 | 00:26 moonset | On the summit (Pearl Fuji) | 78% |
Plan it
Photographers line the Hirano and Nagaike shores 30 minutes before sunset. On a still day the diamond is reflected in the lake (Double Diamond Fuji).
Questions
When is Diamond Fuji at Lake Yamanaka?
Next Diamond Fuji from Lake Yamanaka: Wed 10 February 2027 at 16:28 (sunset). In the next 12 months: 10 February 2027 (16:28), 11 February 2027 (16:29), 31 October 2027 (15:58), 1 November 2027 (15:57). The sun is close to the summit for a day or two either side; see the full table.
What time does Diamond Fuji happen at Lake Yamanaka?
It is a sunset event: the sun sets onto the summit, a little before the official sunset because the mountain is higher than the horizon. On 10 February 2027 it is at 16:28.
When is Pearl Fuji at Lake Yamanaka?
With a moon at least half lit on the summit: 11 October 2027 (00:26, 78% lit).
What are the chances of seeing it?
Fuji has to be clear of cloud on the horizon side. Winter mornings and evenings are clearest; from June to August Fuji is hidden more often than not. See our clear-view odds for Mount Fuji.
How do you calculate it?
For each spot we work out the direction of Fuji's summit and how high it appears above the horizon, allowing for the curve of the Earth and normal refraction. Then, for every day, we find the moment the sun (or moon) sinks to, or rises from, that height and measure how far left or right of the summit it is. Within about 0.4° the sun's disc sits on the summit: that is a Diamond Fuji. Pearl Fuji is the same with a moon at least half lit.
Summit bearing 245.0°, apparent height 9.67°, distance 16 km. Times are Japan time. Moving a few hundred metres along the shore shifts the best day by a day or so.