Kunozan Toshogu Shrine

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine sits on the summit of Mount Kuno above the Suruga Bay coastline near Shizuoka City, built on the spot where Tokugawa Ieyasu was first interred before his remains were later moved to Nikko. The vermillion-and-gold main hall, gate, and worship hall are lavishly decorated in the same Gongen-zukuri style as Nikko Toshogu but predate it, and several buildings are designated Japanese National Treasures. Most visitors reach the shrine via the Nihondaira Ropeway followed by a short walk, or by climbing the historic 1,159-step stone staircase that switchbacks up the mountainside from the Yumigahama coast, passing strawberry greenhouses and opening onto wide views of Suruga Bay. A small treasure museum beside the shrine displays armor, swords, and personal items associated with Ieyasu. A full visit, including the staircase or ropeway approach and time at the shrine buildings, takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. The gilded carvings and painted panels reward slow viewing in mid-morning light, and clear days give the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji across the bay from the staircase landings. Weekday mornings before tour buses arrive are the quietest time to visit.