Mount Miwa
Encyclopedia
or is a mountain located in the city of Sakurai
, Nara Prefecture
, Japan
. It has been an important religious and historical mountain in Japan, especially during its early history, and serves as a holy site in Shinto
. The entire mountain is considered sacred, and is home to one of the earliest Shinto shrines, Ōmiwa Shrine
. Several burial mounds
from the Kofun period
can be found around the mountain.
as Mount Mimoro (三諸山). Both names were in common use until the reign of Emperor Yūryaku
, after which Miwa was preferred. Mimoro has been held to mean something like "august, beautiful" (mi) and "room", or "hall" (moro corruption of muro). The current kanji
三 (mi) and 輪 (wa) are purely phonetic. It has also been written 三和, another a phonetic spelling with the same pronunciation.
power until about the year 350 CE.
The Nihon Shoki also records that a thousand Emishi
swore alliance to the Yamato court while facing Mount Miwa.
The kami generally associated with Mount Miwa is Ōmononushi (Ōmono-nushi-no-kami), a rain kami. However, the Nihon Shoki
notes that there was a degree of uncertainly when it came to naming the principal kami of Mount Miwa.
In early Shinto, mountains were regarded as sacred sites where kami
reside. Mount Miwa was a particularly prominent example of this. Myths and traditions suggest that Mount Miwa was worshiped for its powerful kami long before recorded history. Even today, the mountain itself is unusual for being revered at Ōmiwa Shrine
as the shintai
, or kami-body, whereas virtually all other shrines designate a hall of worship (shinden
) for such purposes. The veneration of the mountain itself at Ōmiwa Shrine, as well as symbols and ritual offerings found on the mountain, points to its status as a prominent sanctuary for both locals and Yamato
kings alike.
Yamato
leaders often ruled from palaces near sacred mountains, and built burial mounds around them. The kami residing on Mount Miwa was judged the most powerful by the Fujiwara clan, and consequently palaces and roads were built in the vicinity.
In a myth from the Nihon Shoki, a princess (Yamato-totohi-momoso) falls in love with a kami from Mount Miwa. The kami however, would only appear to her at night, and the princess asked him to show her what he looked like. The kami warned her not to be shocked, and agreed to meet her in her bathroom the next morning. When the princess went into her bathroom the next day, she was horrified at the sight of a snake
. Furious at her reaction, the kami turned to human form, and ran off to Mount Miwa. The princess was so distraught at this, that she stabbed herself to death with chopsticks
, and is supposedly buried at one of the six mounds near Mount Miwa, the Hashihaka (lit. "chopstick-grave") mound. The Kojiki version of this myth describes a union between a woman from the Miwa clan and Ōmononushi, resulting in the birth of an early Yamato king. Scholars note that this is a clear effort to strengthen Yamato authority by identifying and linking their lineage to the established worship surrounding Mount Miwa.
Later in the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Sujin
appealed to the kami on Mount Miwa when the country was crippled by disasters. Sujin is said to have received, via a princess, a revelation that the disasters would cease should the kami making the revelation be properly worshipped. When asked which kami was speaking, it was revealed to be Ōmononushi, who claimed to reside in the borders of Yamato on Mount Miwa. Proper rites were held, and the disasters came to an end.
The serpent seems to play a key role in Miwa worship, as demonstrated by yet another tale from the Nihon Shoki. In this story, a dispute breaks out about which kami truly resides in the mountain, Ōmononushi, or Uda-no-sumizaka. Emperor Yūryaku then demands a courtier to find out the appearance of the Mount Miwa kami. The courtier went up the mountain and captured a monstrous serpent whose "thunder rolled, and ... eyeballs flamed". Terrified by the huge snake, Yūryaku names it Ikazuchi (lit. "thunderbolt") and orders it released back into the mountain.
Six tumuli
have been found in the Shiki area at the base of Mount Miwa. These earthen mounds were built between 250 CE
to 350 CE, and all display the same keyhole
shape and stone chambers found in earlier mounds. However, the tumuli found at Mount Miwa hint at the beginning of a more centralized Yamato state. All six mounds are exceptionally large, twice as large as any similar mounds found in Korea
, and contain prolific amounts of mirror
s, weapons, ornaments, as well as finely built wood and bamboo
coffins.
They are as follows, in order of discovery:
Religious objects and pottery have also been found on and around the mountain.
Sakurai, Nara
is a city in Nara, Japan.As of 2007, the city had an estimated population of 63,321 with a density of 630.01 persons per km². The total area is 98.92 km².The city was founded on September 1, 1956....
, Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It has been an important religious and historical mountain in Japan, especially during its early history, and serves as a holy site in Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
. The entire mountain is considered sacred, and is home to one of the earliest Shinto shrines, Ōmiwa Shrine
Ōmiwa Shrine
, also known as , is a Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara, Japan. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa, the mountain on which it stands. For the same reason, it has a , but no . In this sense, it is a model of what the...
. Several burial mounds
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
from the Kofun period
Kofun period
The is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538. It follows the Yayoi period. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period...
can be found around the mountain.
Name
Mount Miwa was first described in the KojikiKojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
as Mount Mimoro (三諸山). Both names were in common use until the reign of Emperor Yūryaku
Emperor Yuryaku
was the 21st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Yūryaku is remembered as a patron of sericulture.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 456–479....
, after which Miwa was preferred. Mimoro has been held to mean something like "august, beautiful" (mi) and "room", or "hall" (moro corruption of muro). The current kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
三 (mi) and 輪 (wa) are purely phonetic. It has also been written 三和, another a phonetic spelling with the same pronunciation.
Geography
Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria, jp. sugi) grows all over the mountain and is considered a holy tree.History
Archeological and literary records demonstrates that Mount Miwa was the center of early YamatoYamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
power until about the year 350 CE.
The Nihon Shoki also records that a thousand Emishi
Emishi
The constituted a group of people who lived in northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region. They are referred to as in contemporary sources. Some Emishi tribes resisted the rule of the Japanese Emperors during the late Nara and early Heian periods...
swore alliance to the Yamato court while facing Mount Miwa.
Religious significance
Religious worship surrounding Mount Miwa have been deemed the oldest and more primitive of its kind in Japan, where the very mountain itself is designated sacrosanct.The kami generally associated with Mount Miwa is Ōmononushi (Ōmono-nushi-no-kami), a rain kami. However, the Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
notes that there was a degree of uncertainly when it came to naming the principal kami of Mount Miwa.
In early Shinto, mountains were regarded as sacred sites where kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
reside. Mount Miwa was a particularly prominent example of this. Myths and traditions suggest that Mount Miwa was worshiped for its powerful kami long before recorded history. Even today, the mountain itself is unusual for being revered at Ōmiwa Shrine
Ōmiwa Shrine
, also known as , is a Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara, Japan. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa, the mountain on which it stands. For the same reason, it has a , but no . In this sense, it is a model of what the...
as the shintai
Shintai
In Shinto, , or when the honorific prefix go- is used, are physical objects worshiped at or near Shinto shrines as repositories in which spirits or kami reside...
, or kami-body, whereas virtually all other shrines designate a hall of worship (shinden
Honden
The , is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined kami, usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a statue. The building is normally in the rear of the shrine and closed to the general public. In front of its usually stands the haiden, or...
) for such purposes. The veneration of the mountain itself at Ōmiwa Shrine, as well as symbols and ritual offerings found on the mountain, points to its status as a prominent sanctuary for both locals and Yamato
Yamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
kings alike.
Yamato
Yamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
leaders often ruled from palaces near sacred mountains, and built burial mounds around them. The kami residing on Mount Miwa was judged the most powerful by the Fujiwara clan, and consequently palaces and roads were built in the vicinity.
In a myth from the Nihon Shoki, a princess (Yamato-totohi-momoso) falls in love with a kami from Mount Miwa. The kami however, would only appear to her at night, and the princess asked him to show her what he looked like. The kami warned her not to be shocked, and agreed to meet her in her bathroom the next morning. When the princess went into her bathroom the next day, she was horrified at the sight of a snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
. Furious at her reaction, the kami turned to human form, and ran off to Mount Miwa. The princess was so distraught at this, that she stabbed herself to death with chopsticks
Chopsticks
Chopsticks are small, often tapered, sticks used in pairs of equal length as the traditional eating utensils of China and its diaspora, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Northern provinces of Laos, Thailand and Burma. Generally believed to have originated in ancient China, they can also be found in some...
, and is supposedly buried at one of the six mounds near Mount Miwa, the Hashihaka (lit. "chopstick-grave") mound. The Kojiki version of this myth describes a union between a woman from the Miwa clan and Ōmononushi, resulting in the birth of an early Yamato king. Scholars note that this is a clear effort to strengthen Yamato authority by identifying and linking their lineage to the established worship surrounding Mount Miwa.
Later in the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Sujin
Emperor Sujin
; also known as Mimakiiribikoinie no Sumeramikoto or Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto; was the tenth emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
appealed to the kami on Mount Miwa when the country was crippled by disasters. Sujin is said to have received, via a princess, a revelation that the disasters would cease should the kami making the revelation be properly worshipped. When asked which kami was speaking, it was revealed to be Ōmononushi, who claimed to reside in the borders of Yamato on Mount Miwa. Proper rites were held, and the disasters came to an end.
The serpent seems to play a key role in Miwa worship, as demonstrated by yet another tale from the Nihon Shoki. In this story, a dispute breaks out about which kami truly resides in the mountain, Ōmononushi, or Uda-no-sumizaka. Emperor Yūryaku then demands a courtier to find out the appearance of the Mount Miwa kami. The courtier went up the mountain and captured a monstrous serpent whose "thunder rolled, and ... eyeballs flamed". Terrified by the huge snake, Yūryaku names it Ikazuchi (lit. "thunderbolt") and orders it released back into the mountain.
Archaeology
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
have been found in the Shiki area at the base of Mount Miwa. These earthen mounds were built between 250 CE
250
Year 250 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Gratus...
to 350 CE, and all display the same keyhole
Keyhole
A keyhole is where a key is inserted to open a lock. It is more properly known as a keyway.Keyhole has the following meanings:* Gravitational keyhole is a region of an orbit where a small gravitational input could cause a small body to collide with the large body it is orbiting.* Keyhole surgery is...
shape and stone chambers found in earlier mounds. However, the tumuli found at Mount Miwa hint at the beginning of a more centralized Yamato state. All six mounds are exceptionally large, twice as large as any similar mounds found in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and contain prolific amounts of mirror
Mirror
A mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror. Some mirrors also filter out some wavelengths, while preserving other wavelengths in the reflection...
s, weapons, ornaments, as well as finely built wood and bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
coffins.
They are as follows, in order of discovery:
| Name | Japanese | Size (length) | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hashihaka mound | 箸墓古墳 | 280m | Sakurai Sakurai, Nara is a city in Nara, Japan.As of 2007, the city had an estimated population of 63,321 with a density of 630.01 persons per km². The total area is 98.92 km².The city was founded on September 1, 1956.... |
Said to be grave of Princess Yamato-totohi-momoso |
| Nishitonozuka mound | 西殿塚古墳 | 230m | Tenri | |
| Chausuyama mound | 茶臼山古墳 | 207m | Sakurai | |
| Mesuriyama mound | メスリ山古墳 | 240m | Sakurai | |
| Andonyama mound | 行燈山古墳 | 242m | Tenri | Sometimes called the tomb of Emperor Sujin Emperor Sujin ; also known as Mimakiiribikoinie no Sumeramikoto or Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto; was the tenth emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.... |
| Shibutani-mukō mound | 渋谷向山古墳 | 310m | Tenri | Sometimes called the tomb of Emperor Keikō Emperor Keiko ; also known as Ootarashihikooshirowake no Sumeramikoto, was the 12th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 71–130.-Legendary narrative:Keikō is... |
Religious objects and pottery have also been found on and around the mountain.
Cultural references
- Mount Miwa was the subject of a wakaWaka (poetry)Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
poem by Princess Nukata, found in the Man'yōshū - Mount Miwa was the site of a kendoKendo, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
tournament in Yukio MishimaYukio Mishimawas the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor and film director, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état...
's novel, Runaway HorsesRunaway Horsesis a 1969 novel by Yukio Mishima, the second in his Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Mishima did much research to prepare for this novel, including visiting locations recorded in the book and searching for information on the Shimpūren Rebellion .-Plot:Set between June 1932 and December 1933, it tells...
.
See also
- List of mountains and hills of Japan by height
- Ōmiwa ShrineŌmiwa Shrine, also known as , is a Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara, Japan. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa, the mountain on which it stands. For the same reason, it has a , but no . In this sense, it is a model of what the...
- Ōmononushi
- Ko-shinto (Jomon)
- Jōmon periodJomon periodThe is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
- Kofun periodKofun periodThe is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538. It follows the Yayoi period. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period...