I went to Shizuoka early October 2K19 to attend the much anticipated showdown between South Africa and Italy as part of the 2K19 Rugby World Cup, which was organized across multiple venues in Japan.
Ecopa stadium is one of the largest (capacity of 50.000) and the atmosphere inside was awesome. Unfortunately, the game itself was not as entertaining as I would have thought as SA dominated Italy from the start.
The Shizuoka prefecture is the best place in Japan to watch the mythical Mt Fuji (called Fujisan 富士山 in Japanese) and I went to the lovely town of Fujinomiya to learn more about it. I recommend visiting the Fujisan world heritage center, Mt Fuji is more than a mountain in Japan, it’s a national icon and a symbol of Japan.
In Fujisan, I also visited Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine. This shrine was the headquarters of the Sengen shrines around Japan worshipping Mt Fuji as the deity named Princess of Blossoms (Konohana-sakuya-hime). On the shrine’s ground 500 cherry trees are dedicated to her.
Now some facts about Mount Fuji:
Mount Fuji is located on Honshu Island, Japan, near the Pacific Coast.
Mount Fuji is an active composite volcano that last erupted in 1707. It has been classified as being at ‘low risk’ of erupting again, despite recent nearby earthquakes which often signal that an eruption is imminent.
It is one of Japan’s ‘Three Holy Mountains’, alongside Mount Haku and Mount Tate.
Mount Fuji is 3,766.24 meters high (12,389.2 feet).
It is the highest mountain in Japan.
There are three cities that surround Mount Fuji: Gotemba, Fujiyoshida and Fujinomiya
Mount Fuji is 100km southwest of Japan’s capital, Tokyo, and can be seen from the city on a clear day.
Mount Fuji has been classified as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty because of how symmetrical the mountain looks.
The first person to climb Mount Fuji was a Buddhist monk in 663 AD.
The indigenous inhabitants of ancient Japan, called the Ainu, considered it sacred. Mt. Fuji’s name may be derived from Fuchi, the Ainu god of fire and the hearth.
By the 12th century, Mt. Fuji became a destination for those practising asceticism (shugendo), seeking a rebirth from their time on the mountain.
Eight major shrines were built around the foot of the mountain and hundreds of smaller ones have since been added. The most popular shrine was first constructed in
806 C.E. The Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha was originally founded during the reign of Emperor Suinin.
Mt. Fuji is also believed to be a gathering point for the spirits of deceased ancestors, and prayers are offered to them as well as blessings for safety from volcanic eruption, fire, and during childbirth.
The mountain not only has its own shrines but there are over 13,000 shrines spread across Japan dedicated to Fujisan.
Alo Japan.