The
Japan Mountain Day Foundation, a member of the Mountain Partnership, has launched the
English version of its official website celebrating Japan Mountain Day (Yama no Hi), the national holiday dedicated specifically to mountains, celebrated on 11 August.
Mountains cover approximately 70 percent of Japan’s land area and are central to Japan’s identity, shaping its geography, culture and livelihoods. Japan Mountain Day draws attention to the vital role of mountains as sources of water, biodiversity, cultural heritage and community life.
The inaugural Japan Mountain Day celebration took place in 2016 in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture and was attended by the Crown Prince and his family (now the Emperor and Empress), displaying the national significance of mountains in Japan’s social and cultural fabric.
Each year, Mountain Day is marked by nationwide celebrations organized in collaboration with prefectural governments and municipalities, complemented by a National Mountain Day Summit hosted in a different region to showcase local mountain landscapes, cultures and communities. The next summit will take place in Gifu Prefecture in 2026, continuing the tradition of rotating host regions across Japan.
The website provides a space to share Japan’s experiences and perspectives with the global mountain community, while learning from international initiatives and good practices to support dialogue and collective action for sustainable mountain development.
