Worshippers climbed the steep stairway to success on Mount Atago
The highest natural mountain in the 23 wards of Tokyo is Mount Atago, where Atago Shrine is located, but few people are aware that they are climbing a mountain when they visit the shrine. Surprisingly, there are more than 100 low mountains in central Tokyo that are less than 50 meters high, just like Mount Atago.
Most of these low mountains are Fuji Mounds, which were built during the Edo period (1603-1867) as part of the popular belief in Mount Fuji. Climbing Mt. Fuji, an object of faith, was much more difficult for people in the Edo period than it is today. Fuji, so that people could obtain the same benefits without having to climb the actual mountain, mounds in the shape of Mount Fuji were built in the neighborhoods of houses. Ukiyoe by Hiroshige Utagawa depicts a mound built in the shape of Mount Fuji as well as the real Mt.Fuji. The mounds are still standing here and there.
The lowest natural mountain is Mount Machitsuyama in Asakusa, which is only 9.5 meters high. I have actually visited the Machitsuyama Shoden Temple on Mount Machitsuyama, but I did not recognize it as a mountain. Some of the Fuji Mounds are said to be as high as 15 meters, which means they are higher than Mount Machitsuyama. This makes me think about the definition of the word “mountain."
| Sep 2023 IN THE CITY TOKYO | |
| ATAGO SHRINE STAIRWAY TORII WORSHIPER |
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PHOTO DATA
No
12529
Shooting Date
Apr 2023
Posted On
September 30, 2023
Place
Atago, Tokyo
Genre
Street Photography
Camera
SONY ALPHA 7R V
Lens
ZEISS BATIS 1.8/85
