The gods have be come fire. The Jōgan eruption of Mount Fuji (864 A.D.)

Abstract

Mount Fuji rises, in peace, dominating Japan, as a national symbol. The sacred mou­ntain has made eruption 16 times since 781 A.D. The Jōgan eruption of 864 was one of the most virulent, according to the data. This eruption occurs also in a primarily religious, political and social context which will formulate the way of being in the Japanese world. The two major Japanese religions, at least until the arrival of Christianity, are at a time of profound change. In addition, the conception of the terrestrial and celestial world will be marked by the way in which these religions explain the eruption. It is probably one of the volcanic eruptions in Japan that has produced fewer victims, and also it is one of the most decisive for its history. Recent findings have teamed up to a few historical sources, which allow us to rebuild the eruption and to study their social consequences.