The Story of Unomi Sengen Shrine and the Gods
At the summit of Eboshiyama sits Unomi Sengen Shrine. On clear days, it offers a superb vantage point with sweeping views of Mt. Fuji and the Southern Alps.
While most Sengen shrines across the country enshrine Konohanasakuya-hime (associated with Mt. Fuji), in the Izu Peninsula there are a few Sengen shrines—such as the one in Unomi, Matsuzaki Town, and the Ōmuroyama site of the Itō clan—that honor only her elder sister, Iwanaga-hime.
In the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki myths, the sisters’ father, Ōyamakui no Kami, offered them to Ninigi-no-Mikoto, who descended from heaven. Because Iwanaga-hime was less beautiful than her sister, she was rejected. The character iwa (rock) in Iwanaga-hime symbolizes eternal life. By abandoning Iwanaga-hime, Ninigi-no-Mikoto and his descendants became destined to have limited lifespans.
Iwanaga-hime, envious of her beautiful younger sister, left a legacy of local legends, including warnings that praising Mt. Fuji on Eboshiyama will bring misfortune or injury.