扶桑教 · ふそうきょう · sects_organizations

Fusōkyō

A Mt Fuji–centred Shintō sect descended from the Edo-period Fujikō confraternities, recognised in 1882.

Definition

Organised by Shishino Nakaba in 1875 from the Fujikō pilgrimage associations that had grown around the teachings of the ascetic Hasegawa Kakugyō (1541–1646) and his successor Jikigyō Miroku. Fusōkyō treats Mt Fuji (Fuji-Sengen-Daijin, identified with Konohanasakuya-hime) as the axis-mundi from which divine life emanates and codifies fasting, climbing, and water austerities (mizugori) at sacred springs around the mountain.

Etymology

"Fusō" is a classical poetic name for Japan