Ōmiwa Shrine
Encyclopedia
, 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 first Shinto shrines were like. Ōmiwa Shrine is one of the oldest extant Shinto shrines in Japan and the site has been sacred ground for some of the earliest religious practices in Japan. Because of this, it has sometimes been named as Japan's first shrine. Ōmiwa Shrine is a tutelary shrine of the Japanese sake brewers.
, Yamato kings and leaders had shifted their attention to kami
worship on Mount Miwa, and Ōmiwa Shrine was the major institution for this branch of worship. The style of Shinto surrounding Miwa became later known as Miwa Shinto, and is set apart from previous practices by a more structured theological philosophy.
The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period
. In 965, Emperor Murakami
ordered that Imperial messengers be sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines, including Ōmiwa.
Ōmiwa was designated as the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) for the former Yamato province
.
From 1871 through 1946, Ōmiwa was officially designated one of the , meaning that it stood in the first rank among government supported shrines.
, or "kami-body", instead of a building housing a "kami-body". This type of mountain worship (shintai-zan) is found in the earliest forms of Shinto
, and has also been employed at Suwa Shrine
in Nagano
, and formerly at Isonokami Shrine
in Nara
and Munakata Shrine
in Fukuoka
.
According to the chronicle Nihon Shoki
, Emperor Sujin
appealed to Mount Miwa's kami
when Japan was crippled by plague. In response, the kami Ōmononushi demanded rituals be performed for him at Mount Miwa. He then demanded that the rites be led by Ōtata Neko, his half-kami, half-human son born from the union with a woman of the Miwa clan. Ōtata Neko performed the rites to satisfaction, and the plague subsided. A building dedicated to Ōtata Neko was later erected in his honor.
A legendary white snake is said to live in around the shrine, and is supposedly one of the kami worshipped there. Indeed, snakes and the snake cult figures importantly in the myths surrounding Mount Miwa as well as early Shinto in general.
), including 12 and 28 which are marked by small structures falling under Ōmiwa's jurisdiction. For example, the sessha Ikuhi jinja enshrines the kami who was appointed Ōmiwa's sake brewer in the 4th month of the 8th year of the reign of Emperor Sujin
. A poem associated with Ikuhi is said to have been composed by Empress Jingu on the occasion of a banquet for her son, Emperor Ōjin
:
Ōmiwa Shrine is situated in a quiet forest, and built directly in front of Mount Miwa. An ancient Japanese cedar tree (Cryptomeria) can be found on shrine compound, and is considered sacred. The mountain itself serves as the honden
, or main hall, instead of a man-made building.
Decorations in the form of Borromean rings
are found throughout the shrine's buildings. This ornamentation symbolizes the three rings, as "Miwa" is written with the kanji
for "three" (三) and "ring" (輪).
Built in 1984, at 32 m the torii on its sandō
is the second highest in Japan. The shrine also has a great shime torii, an ancient form of gate made only with two posts and a rope called shimenawa
. It is one of few shrines that has a "triple-torii" (miwa torii) on its grounds. This gate is also one of the few to actually have doors, which bar access to the mountain it enshrines.
The buildings at Ōmiwa Shrine are a mix of structures built from ancient times to the Edo period
.
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
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...
. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa
Mount Miwa
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...
, 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 first Shinto shrines were like. Ōmiwa Shrine is one of the oldest extant Shinto shrines in Japan and the site has been sacred ground for some of the earliest religious practices in Japan. Because of this, it has sometimes been named as Japan's first shrine. Ōmiwa Shrine is a tutelary shrine of the Japanese sake brewers.
History
Ōmiwa Shrine's history is closely related to Mount Miwa and the religious practices surrounding the mountain. In the early Kofun periodKofun 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...
, Yamato kings and leaders had shifted their attention to 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...
worship on Mount Miwa, and Ōmiwa Shrine was the major institution for this branch of worship. The style of Shinto surrounding Miwa became later known as Miwa Shinto, and is set apart from previous practices by a more structured theological philosophy.
The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. In 965, Emperor Murakami
Emperor Murakami
was the 62nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Murakami's reign spanned the years from 946 to his death in 967.-Traditional narrative:...
ordered that Imperial messengers be sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines, including Ōmiwa.
Ōmiwa was designated as the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) for the former Yamato province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
.
From 1871 through 1946, Ōmiwa was officially designated one of the , meaning that it stood in the first rank among government supported shrines.
Religious significance
The Ōmiwa Shrine is directly linked to Mount Miwa in that the mountain is the shrine's shintaiShintai
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", instead of a building housing a "kami-body". This type of mountain worship (shintai-zan) is found in the earliest forms of 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...
, and has also been employed at Suwa Shrine
Suwa Shrine
A is a shinto shrine part of the shrine network headed by Suwa Taisha. There are many Suwa Shrines in Japan. Famous Suwa Shrines are as follows.*Suwa Taisha -- Sōhonsha of Suwa Shrines.*Suwa Shrine *Suwa Jinja *Akita Suwa Gū...
in Nagano
Nagano Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...
, and formerly at Isonokami Shrine
Isonokami Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in the hills of Tenri in Nara prefecture, Japan. It is one of the oldest extant Shinto shrines in Japan and has housed several significant artifacts....
in Nara
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....
and Munakata Shrine
Munakata Shrine
is a collection of three Shinto shrines located in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the head of the approximately 6,000 Munakata shrines all over the country. Although the name Munakata Taisha refers all three shrines—Hetsu-gū, Nakatsu-gū and Okitsu-gū—it is commonly used to refer to...
in Fukuoka
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
.
According to the chronicle 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...
, 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 Mount Miwa's 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...
when Japan was crippled by plague. In response, the kami Ōmononushi demanded rituals be performed for him at Mount Miwa. He then demanded that the rites be led by Ōtata Neko, his half-kami, half-human son born from the union with a woman of the Miwa clan. Ōtata Neko performed the rites to satisfaction, and the plague subsided. A building dedicated to Ōtata Neko was later erected in his honor.
A legendary white snake is said to live in around the shrine, and is supposedly one of the kami worshipped there. Indeed, snakes and the snake cult figures importantly in the myths surrounding Mount Miwa as well as early Shinto in general.
Auxiliiary shrines
The Ōmiwa shrine complex includes notable auxiliary shrines (setsumatsushaSetsumatsusha
and , also called are small or miniature shrines having a deep historical relationship with a more important shrine or with the kami it enshrines, and fall under that shrine's jurisdiction. The two terms used to have legally different meanings, but are today synonyms...
), including 12 and 28 which are marked by small structures falling under Ōmiwa's jurisdiction. For example, the sessha Ikuhi jinja enshrines the kami who was appointed Ōmiwa's sake brewer in the 4th month of the 8th year of the reign 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....
. A poem associated with Ikuhi is said to have been composed by Empress Jingu on the occasion of a banquet for her son, Emperor Ōjin
Emperor Ojin
, also known as Homutawake or , was the 15th 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 270 to 310....
:
-
- This is sacred sake
- is not my sacred sake.
- This sacred sake brewed by Ōmononushi
- How long ago
- How long ago.
- This is sacred sake
Architecture
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...
, or main hall, instead of a man-made building.
Borromean rings
In mathematics, the Borromean rings consist of three topological circles which are linked and form a Brunnian link, i.e., removing any ring results in two unlinked rings.- Mathematical properties :...
are found throughout the shrine's buildings. This ornamentation symbolizes the three rings, as "Miwa" is written with the 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...
for "three" (三) and "ring" (輪).
Built in 1984, at 32 m the torii on its sandō
Sandō
A in Japanese architecture is the road approaching either a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple. Its point of origin is usually straddled in the first case by a Shinto torii, in the second by a Buddhist sanmon, gates which mark the beginning of the shrine's or temple territory...
is the second highest in Japan. The shrine also has a great shime torii, an ancient form of gate made only with two posts and a rope called shimenawa
Shimenawa
Shimenawa are lengths of braided rice straw rope used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion. They can vary in diameter from a few centimetres to several metres, and are often seen festooned with shide...
. It is one of few shrines that has a "triple-torii" (miwa torii) on its grounds. This gate is also one of the few to actually have doors, which bar access to the mountain it enshrines.
The buildings at Ōmiwa Shrine are a mix of structures built from ancient times to the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.
Important Cultural Assets
- The entire shrine compound
- The 17th century haiden, or prayer hall, built with cypress barkBarkBark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
roofing - The "Triple-torii" (miwa torii)
- The shinden dedicated to Ōtata Neko.
- Suit of bronze armor, lacquered red
- A copy of the Book of ZhouBook of ZhouThe Book of Zhou was the official history of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou, and it ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was compiled by the Tang Dynasty historian Linghu Defen and was completed in 636...
, scroll number 19.
See also
- List of Shinto shrines
- Twenty-Two Shrines
- Mount MiwaMount Miwaor 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...
- Ko-shinto (Jomon)
- Modern system of ranked Shinto ShrinesModern system of ranked Shinto ShrinesThe The The (sometimes called simply , was an organizational aspect of the establishment of Japanese State Shinto. This system classified Shinto shrines as either official government shrines or "other" shrines...
External links
- Official Site (Japanese)