seeing is believing; there's a big difference between hearing about something and seeing it yourself
Proverb emphasizing that firsthand experience is far more impactful or different from secondhand reports.
When I saw photos of Mt. Fuji I thought it was ordinary, but when I actually went there, seeing it in person was completely different from hearing about it.
A more formal, classical proverb with the same meaning: 'hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once.' 見ると聞くとは大違い is a more colloquial, modern-sounding expression.
A straightforward Japanese proverb composed of 見る (to see), 聞く (to hear), and 大違い (big difference). The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects a common folk wisdom.