Kawanarijima Sengen Shrine, Shinto shrine in Fuji, Japan
Kawanarijima Sengen Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Fuji, Japan, built in the nagare-zukuri style, where the roof curves gently downward at the edges. The grounds are divided into an East Shrine and a West Shrine, each made up of traditional wooden buildings set among trees and stone lanterns.
The shrine is said to have been founded around the year 20 AD, with the first official building erected in 788. The structures standing today date to 1615, when Torii Naritsugu rebuilt the complex.
Kawanarijima Sengen Shrine is one of around 1,300 Sengen shrines in Japan, all dedicated to Konohanasakuya-hime, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Visitors can observe stone lanterns, small wooden structures, and a water basin used for ritual hand-washing before prayer.
The shrine is easy to walk around, with short paths connecting the East and West Shrine areas. Clear days offer views of Mount Fuji from the surrounding area.
In 1561, the warlord Takeda Shingen had the East Shrine built after a victory at the Battle of Kawanakajima and came here to pray. This military origin sets the East Shrine apart from the rest of the grounds.
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