Famous for fuji, and with good reason.
When you hear the name “Fujiyama Shrine,” your first thought might be that it’s a shrine located on the slopes of Mt. Fuji. Yama, after all, means “mountain” in Japanese.
But in Japanese, Japan’s tallest mountain is actually called “Fujisan,” and Fujiyama Shrine is all the way on the opposite side of the country, in the town of Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. But while Fujiyama Shrine isn’t anywhere near as famous as Fujisan, it’s still absolutely worth a visit, as these photos from Japanese Twitter user @ramumi8 show.
That’s because the “fuji” portion of Fujiyama Shrine is the Japanese word for wisteria. Sure enough, the shrine is at its most beautiful at this time of year, when the flowering vines unfurl their cascading violet blossoms. The plant itself is estimated to be around 800 years old.
As with many Japanese gardens where the wisteria are the stars of the show, Fujiyama Shrine has an overhead trellis for the plant to climb along, creating a virtual sky of flowers, and when petals fall they add a mirroring layer of color below.
Two prefectures over from Nagasaki in Fukuoka, @ramumi8 has also spotted breathtaking wisteria at the Nakayama Daifuji (left and bottom right photos below) of Yanagawa and the Kawachi Wisteria Garden in Kitakyushu City (top right photo).
Wisteria have been beloved for centuries, frequently appearing as a motif in classical Japanese painting and kimono fabric design. The flowers have been getting an extra boost in popularity these days for the mystical properties they carry in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime/manga franchise…
…with some appreciative admirers of @ramumi8’s photos referencing the series in their comments:
“It’s like a real Fujikasane Mountain.”
“I wonder if the artists the location after Fujiyama?”
“When the wisteria bloom, it’s like it’s raining flowers.”
“These photos are so beautiful they’re almost eerie.”
Fujiyama Shrine asks visitors for a donation of 100 yen (US$0.95) to help cover the costs of caring for its wisteria, but honestly, that seems like a bargain to see a sight this beautiful.
Shrine information
Fujiyama Shrine / 藤山神社
Address: Nagasaki-ken, Sasebo-shi, Kofunecho 120
長崎県佐世保市小舟町120
Source: Twitter/@ramumi8 via IT Media
Images: Twitter/@ramumi8
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