The Mountain Embracing Hell and the Pure Land: Mount Tateyama and Mountain Worship from the Heian to the Meiji Periods

Mount Tateyama, a symbol of Toyama, has long been revered as one of Japan’s most sacred mountains. As early as the Heian period, it was recognized as a mountain for Shugendō ascetic practices, and by the Edo period, it had formed a vast religious sphere of influence that drew pilgrims from across the country. On Mount Tateyama, the main peak, Mount O, was regarded as the Pure Land of Bliss, while Jigoku Valley—where traces of volcanic activity remain—was likened to Hell. By walking through the mountains, people experienced the afterlife while still alive and prayed for rebirth in the Pure Land. The Tateyama Mandala visually conveyed this worldview. The opening of Mount Tateyama, pilgrimages through the mountains, the Pure Land, Hell, and the Fuhashi Kanjō-e ceremony were all depicted within a single painting, and the monks of Mount Tateyama spread the faith by explaining the images in various regions. The Mount Tateyama Mandala was not merely a map; it was a religious artifact that presented the entire mountain as a narrative of death and rebirth. Furthermore, until the Meiji era, Mount Tateyama was off-limits to women, who were not permitted to climb the mountain for pilgrimage. Instead, at Ashikuraji Temple, the Fuhashi Kanjo-e ceremony was held for the salvation of women. The ritual of crossing the bridge is believed to have symbolized the process of passing from this world into the afterlife and being reborn. The Mount Tateyama faith was a religious culture representative of the Hokuriku region, linking mountain worship, conceptions of hell, the Pure Land of Bliss, and memorial services for the dead.