Shizuoka Sengen Shrine, Shinto shrine complex in Aoi-ku, Japan
Shizuoka Sengen Shrine is a shrine complex at the southern foot of Mount Shizuhata in Aoi-ku, consisting of three independent buildings: Kanbe Shrine, Sengen Shrine, and Otoshiomiya Shrine. The 25-meter-high main hall follows the Sengen-zukuri architectural style and connects multiple levels through covered stairways and verandas.
The shrine was founded in 901 as a branch of Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha and grew into a religious center of the region. Several clans, including the Minamoto, Hojo, Imagawa, and Tokugawa, protected the complex over the centuries and expanded its buildings.
The name Sengen refers to the goddess of Mount Fuji, whose presence visitors recognize through the red lacquered pillars and carved ornaments of the buildings. Inside the Ohaiden, ceiling paintings by members of the Kano family decorate the rooms and show traditional motifs from the Edo period.
From Sumpu Castle Park, a 15-minute walk through a covered shopping arcade leads directly to the red main gate of the shrine. Access is provided via gently sloping paths that are also manageable for visitors with limited mobility.
Twenty-six structures within the complex carry the designation of Important Cultural Properties, making this one of the largest such collections in the country. The wooden carvings on the roof supports show mythological figures and dragons in unusually fine execution.
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