The Fujizuka in Nakazato

Mount Fuji has long been revered as a sacred mountain, and the practice of making pilgrimages to climb it became particularly popular during the mid-Edo period. However, since actually climbing Mount Fuji was both financially burdensome and dangerous, Fujizuka (mounds modeled after Mount Fuji) were built in various locations for those who could not make the journey.The Fujizuka in Nakazato was built in Bunsei 8 (1825) by members of the Nakazato Kōsha, a group affiliated with the Maruka Kōbu Shū Tanashi-gumi, on the edge of a terrace along the right bank of the Yanagase River.

The current Fujizuka stands about 9 meters higher than the surrounding area.Passing through the torii gate on the north side of the Fujizuka, a winding trail leads upward, marked along the way by small stone pillars indicating the first through the ninth stations. At the summit, there is a small stone shrine and a stone monument engraved with the image of Dainichi Nyorai; various monuments related to the worship of Mount Fuji are also erected at the trailhead and along the trail.

In addition, on the right-hand side of the hiking trail, there is a horizontal tunnel that is currently closed. This tunnel was dug to mimic the “womb pilgrimage”—a tradition in which passing through a cave at the foot of Mount Fuji is believed to ensure a safe childbirth.Even today, religious events such as the Mount Fuji climb and the Fire Flower Festival continue to be held, and the site—including materials related to the Musashi Maruka Kō Tanashi-gumi Nakazato Kōsha—has been designated as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tangible Folk Cultural Property.