A guardian statue by one of the shrine gates (Photo: Peter Sidell)

Sengen-jinja

A lavish shrine in Shizuoka City

Peter Sidell   - 1 min read

Half an hour north of the station, Sengen-jinja is Shizuoka City's largest and most important shrine. It's worth visiting for the peaceful atmosphere - in one hour here, I saw maybe ten other people - and for the beautiful detailed carvings decorating many of the buildings, contrasting with the ancient moss on the trees and old lanterns. Climb up the hill behind the main shrine grounds and you'll find an old tumulus, a very nice view out over the city, and you might get to meet some of the wild pigs living in the forest there!

Peter Sidell

Peter Sidell @peter.sidell

I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.