目次 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. |
Worshipped by sake brewersAnother 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. |