Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha, also known as Fuji Sengen Shrine, is an ancient Shinto shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji, in the city of Fujinomiya in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is the head shrine of more than 1,300 Sengen shrines found across Japan, all of which honour the volcanic deity of the mountain.
What to expect
The shrine was founded in the 9th century to appease the deity of Mount Fuji, and it has been a place of worship for many centuries since. Visitors come to walk through the precinct, observe the shrine buildings and take in the quiet of a site that has long been tied to the mountain. For many, the setting is as much the draw as the shrine itself, since Mount Fuji rises directly above the surrounding landscape.
Getting there and around
- Address: 1 Miyacho, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka 418-0067, Japan
- Phone: +81-544-27-2002
- Fujinomiya is in Shizuoka Prefecture, in the foothills on the southern side of Mount Fuji.
Because the shrine sits in a town rather than a large city, it suits a visit made as part of a wider trip around the Fuji area. Calling ahead by phone is a sensible step if you want to confirm details before you travel.
A visit here is best approached as a calm, reflective stop: a chance to see a shrine with deep roots in the life of the region, set against one of Japan's best-known mountains.