Mount Fuji (Mt. Fuji) is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site due to the profound historical and cultural significance it holds with the Japanese people. Not only is Mt. Fuji a must-see, but the surrounding sites are worth a visit as well.

Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine was dedicated to Mt. Fuji by Lord Yoshitada Fujiwara on April 7th 699 A.D. In English, it is known as “The North Sengen Shrine.” After the eruption of Mt. Fuji in 800 A.D., the shrine was damaged. It was not until 1525 that Lord Nobutora Takeda repaired the shrine with great respect. In addition, he built a gate facing North of his castle so he and his family can see it every day and night.

Yabusame, the art of shooting arrows on horseback a.k.a. horseback archery, was originated and dedicated to the shrine by Lord Hidesato Tota Tawara and Lord Yoshimitsu Saburo Shinra. The first performance of yabusame was celebrated at Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine. From the week of April 9th which is Golden Week or Ōgon Shūkan (黄金週間), Ōgata Renkyū (大型連休), the Yabusame Festival takes place here.

On our way to this site, it was drizzling and chilly. Luckily, it stopped when we arrived at the shrine. We were able to walk around without getting drenched. We arrived early in the morning without any crowds in sight. As we got out of our car, the serenity of the area bordered me, I loved how quiet it was while wandering around. I was hit with calmness.

When you visit a shrine, you should first cleanse yourself by passing under the torii gate and then with water. At the water fountain, there will be a ladle for you to grab a scoop of water to rinse your hands, your mouth, and then the ladle or cup. However, with COVID-19, it is not allowed or recommended to use the water fountain in order to minimize human-to-human contact and the spread of germs.

More or less, the cultural site could take up to an hour to walk around depending on how much of the place you want to observe. It is quite nice to take a leisurely walk around and also pray at the shrine. There are different statues around that you can try to spot.

Although on this winter day, it was a bit cloudy from the morning rain and some trees did not have any leaves, I still love how the color scheme of the place looked during this time.

I can imagine springtime being a beautiful place to walk through. When it is cherry blossom season, you will see all the cherry trees bloom along the paths. Cherry Blossom season in Japan usually starts near the end of March until May. The peak dates differ every year so make sure to Google the cherry blossoms forecast for the year to best prepare for the viewing of it. This shrine was dedicated to more than just Mount Fuji. The Goddess of Mount Fuji is not only the goddess of that respective but she is the goddess of Cherry Blossoms as well.

My friends and I were coming from Tokyo. The best way to go from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji for us was to rent a car. It was easier to get to anywhere we wanted around Mt. Fuji. If renting a car or driving is not possible for you then I would highly recommend taking a Fuji Express Highway Bus. You can catch a bus at Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station, or Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchiko Station and vice versa. The bus ride is about 2 to 3 hours. The ticket cost will be around 2,000 yen (~15 USD) for one way. When you arrive at Kawaguchiko Station, take the Saiko Sightseeing Bus (Green Line) to Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine bus stop. The ride is about 12 minutes.

One rule you should keep in mind when visiting the Shrine is not to litter or do anything that could damage the property. This historical lot has been there for decades. Please don’t let any recklessness hurt it. I’m saying this because there was a group of rowdy foreign tourists who were disrupting the peacefulness.

After your stroll, discover more of what is around Mount Fuji. If you’re not one to plan out your own itinerary and would rather have all the activities and transportation planned out for you, I would recommend this classic route day tour of Mount Fuji. Another great day tour is one that would take you to scenic spots around Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi. The lake is very beautiful as the water glistened under the winter sun.

Sincerely,
Amy♡