羊の神社絵巻｜北口本宮冨士浅間神社の御祭神｜木花開耶姫命と家族の神話｜日英対訳｜JP/EN

When I hear the words "the deity of Mount Fuji,"

I inevitably think first of Konohanasakuya-hime-no-mikoto.

A beautiful goddess who blooms like the cherry blossoms. And a deity who gave birth to her child amid raging flames.

……She is strong.

No, she's actually quite a powerful goddess.

But when I took another look at the deities enshrined at Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine this time, it wasn't just Konohanasakuya-hime.

Her husband, Hikoho-no-ninigi-no-Mikoto.

And the father, Ōyamazumi-no-kami.

When I look at the three deities together, they form something of a “family portrait.”

"Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine"

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine is enshrined at the northern foot of Mt. Fuji in Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture.

According to the shrine's tradition, its origins date back to the 40th year of Emperor Keikō's reign, when Yamato Takeru no Mikoto, during his eastern military campaign, worshipped Mount Fuji from afar from this location.

Later, following an eruption of Mt. Fuji, the shrine building was constructed at its current location in the 7th year of the Enryaku era (788 CE).

From the medieval period onward, it developed as a center of Fujikō faith and as a base for those ascending Mt. Fuji from the Yoshida trail.

According to the shrine's official account,

"Konohanasakuya-Hime-no-Mikoto"

"Hikohono-Ninigi-no-Mikoto"

"Ōyamazumi-no-kami"

These three deities are enshrined as the principal gods.

The Deity Who Blooms Flowers Amidst Fire:"Konohanasakuya-hime-no-mikoto"

First, there is the deity Konohanasakuya-hime-no-mikoto.

She is a deity known as the goddess of Mount Fuji.

As her name suggests, she is a deity possessing a beauty like that of blooming flowers.

However, what remains most strongly in this deity's story is not merely the word "beautiful."

It is said that Konohanasakuya-hime safely gave birth to three princes amidst raging flames.

For this reason, at Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine as well,

safe childbirth.

And fire prevention.

It is worshipped as a deity possessing this divine virtue.

Mt. Fuji is a beautiful mountain.

But at the same time, it is also a mountain that holds fire within it.

A beauty like that of a flower, and a strength to give birth to life even amid flames.

Considering that Konohanasakuya-hime-no-mikoto is enshrined as the deity of Mount Fuji, these two qualities seem to overlap in a wondrously striking way.

From Heaven to Earth:"Hikoho-no-ninigi-no-mikoto"

Her husband is Hikoho-no-ninigi-no-mikoto.

He is the grandson deity of Amaterasu-Ōmikami, a god who descended from the heavens to the earth through the Descent of the Heavenly Grandchild (Tenson Kōrin).

If I simply wrote "a god who came from heaven," it would be brief.

However, when placed alongside Konohanasakuya-hime-no-mikoto, the impression shifts slightly.

A deity who descended from heaven to the earth, and a goddess who seems to symbolize the earthly mountain.

At Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine, the two deities are enshrined together as husband and wife, and it is said that they bestow the divine virtues of marital harmony and conjugal happiness.

This creates a somewhat different picture than looking at just one deity alone.

The Father Who Governs All Mountains:"Ōyamazumi-no-kami"

And there is one more deity.

Ōyamazumi-no-kami.

He is the father deity of Konohanasakuya-hime-no-mikoto.

As the name suggests, a deity who governs the mountains.

Having listed things this far, I found it a bit amusing.

The goddess of Mount Fuji.

Her husband, who descended from heaven.

And the father who governs all mountains.

Behind the single phrase "the deity of Mt. Fuji," a relationship among these three deities comes into view like this.

With myths, there are times when things suddenly become three-dimensional—not when you memorize each deity one by one, but when you connect their relationships like this.

Regarding Ōyamazumi-no-kami, Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine also introduces the divine virtue of family harmony.

He is the god of mountains and the father of Konohanasakuya-hime-no-mikoto.

At this shrine, where the three deities are enshrined together, the aspect of being a “family” also leaves a somewhat memorable impression.

August 27: "Susuki Matsuri" (Pampas Grass Festival)

At Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine, the “Yoshida Fire Festival (Chinka Matsuri)” is held on August 26th and 27th.

This time, we focus on the second day of that festival.

It is the "Susuki Matsuri" held on August 27th.

On this day, two mikoshi (portable shrines) make a circuit of the ujiko district before returning to Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine in the evening.

Within the shrine precincts, people carry "susuki tamagushi" (sacred sakaki branches adorned with Japanese pampas grass) and circle Takamagahara following behind the mikoshi.

For this reason, this day is also called the "Susuki Festival."

And the Fire Festival itself is a festival to appease the eruptions of Mount Fuji.

According to the shrine's official account, this is also linked to the ancient legend of Konohanasakuya-hime, who safely gave birth amidst raging flames.

The burning mountain.

The goddess who gave birth to life amidst the fire.

The husband who descended from heaven.

Father who governs the mountains.

Though each is a separate myth when viewed individually, when lined up at the foot of Mount Fuji, they gradually become woven into a single landscape.

This week's shrine scroll, I thought I'd begin with these three deities.

References/Sources

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine Official Website https://www.sengenjinja.jp/

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine "Enshrined Deities" https://www.sengenjinja.jp/saijin/index.html

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine "Yoshida Fire Festival (Fire-Quelling Festival)"
https://www.sengenjinja.jp/himatsuri/index.html

"Fujiyoshida City Tourism Guide: 'Yoshida Fire Festival and Susuki Festival, August 26–27, 2026'"
https://fujiyoshida.net/event/154

This time, since I'm introducing a shrine, I decided to try a bilingual format 😊
Since automatic translation can sometimes render names differently, this is a little experiment.

This is a trial implementation, so whether it will continue going forward is undecided 🌱✨

And with that, today's shrine chronicle comes to an end.
Thank you for staying with me until the end (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)

Yours sincerely, Natsume Hitsuji

Bonus

No jokes this time—for a change. 😄

Here are a few of my personal favorites from the images that didn’t make the final cut. 🤗

1. Sakuya-hime, strong at heart

2. An even more delicate-looking Ninigi-no-Mikoto

3. Ōyamazumi-no-Kami in his younger days

That last one is my personal favorite. 🤭

This is an occasional diary series introducing shrines. ⛩️

I hope you’ll join me again in the next installment.
(❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)