Mt. Miwa is the object of worship
”Miwayama Ohmiwa Shrine” is said to be the oldest shrine in Japan. It is located in the southeast of Sakurai city, Nara. Ohmiwa Shrine, overlooks the cone-shaped Mt. Miwa and has been called ”Miwa Myojin” or ”Miwa Jinja” since ancient times. The object of worship is Mt. Miwa itself. According to the ”Kojiki”, the deities Ohkuninushinokami and Sukunabikonanokami were collaborating to create a country, when Sukunabikonanokami passed away leaving Ohkuninushinokami alone, leaving him in despair. Upon seeing this, ”UmiwotersashiteYyorikurukami” volunteered to help. This god was actually the main god, Ohmononushinokami himself, and in appreciation for his help, was worshipped at Mt. Miwa, and that is how Mt Miwa came to be an object of worship.
As the legend notes, ”Ohmiwa Shrine” is worshipped as a god to protect people’s day to day lives. It does not have a main building and upon entering the front gate, you walk through the Mitsutorii Gate and that is where you offer your prayers to Mt. Miwa. There is a huge cedar tree on the premises called the ”Mi no Kamisugi” which is worshipped as well, as legend said that Ohmononushinokami took on the form of a white snake and dwelled by this tree. People often devoted prayers to ask for rain to this tree, as ”Mi sama” was believed to live there and it is still preciously enshrined.
Worshipped by sake brewers
Another facet of ”Ohmiwa Shrine” is ”God for Sake Brewing.” Every year on the 14th of November, sake breweries and master ”toji” of breweries from around the country gather to conduct an event to offer prayers for safely creating their new sake for the coming year. On this day, the large cedar ball (shirushi no sugidama) that is hung by the entrance front roof (sakabayashi) is exchanged to a new one. Participating sake brewers bring back home with them a small cedar ball that is made of Mt. Miwa’s worshipped cedar leaves to hang by their gates, which will be a sign to show their new sake is complete.
Nakata had visited many sake breweries and had witnessed many of these cedar balls. It is a seasonal sign for the breweries, representing their belief. And here, he was able to actually encounter the home to the cedar balls.
Mt. Miwa had long been closed to the public as it is a mountain of worship, however currently by registering at ”Sai jinja” you will be given a sash to wear, allowing you to enter the mountain during designated hours.
From the past to the present. ”Mt. Miwa Ohmiwa Shrine”, gathering people’s worship even as people’s lives transform. The sacred trees, gates, facilities all speak for themselves regarding sacred spirituality.
