[2025 Sakurai Attraction] Travel Guide for Omiwa Shrine (Updated Apr)

Places I went to for my first shrine visit of the year

Omiwa Shrine, located in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, is one of the oldest shrines in Japan and is a rare shrine that worships the mountain itself as its deity. With Mt. Miwa as its backdrop, this shrine has a magnificent atmosphere and attracts many worshippers. It is the perfect place for a trip to experience the history and nature of Nara. Highlights of Omiwa Shrine 1. Faith in worshiping Mt. Miwa as its deity🌄 Omiwa Shrine does not have a main hall and worships Mt. Miwa as its deity. Therefore, the view of the approach to the shrine looking up at the mountain is filled with a sacred atmosphere, and you can feel the mountain worship that has continued since ancient times. You can also climb the mountain, which is a special experience that will touch the nature of the sacred Mt. Miwa! 2. "Sazareishi" that has mystical benefits There is a natural giant stone called "Sazareishi" in the shrine grounds. This stone, which also appears in the Japanese national anthem "Kimigayo," is said to bring good luck in matchmaking, family harmony, and longevity, making it a popular spot for worshippers♪ 3. The deity worshipped as the god of sake🍶 Ogami Shrine's deity, Omononushi-no-Okami, is also known as the god of sake, and is particularly popular among those in the sake brewing industry. When worshiping, you can see offerings related to sake, and you can feel the unique history and faith🥹 Ogami Shrine is a place where Japan's oldest history and mysterious faith live. Why not spend some time to purify your mind in the grounds surrounded by the nature of Mt. Miwa? Thank you for reading to the end. If you've been there! If you have other recommended spots! We look forward to your comments. Also, all of the photos posted here were taken by myself, and unauthorized use and reproduction are prohibited. #OgamiShrine #NaraTourism #Mt.Miwa #Japan'sOldestShrine #MountainWorship

Ogami Shrine is said to be the oldest shrine in Japan, and its sacred object is Mount Miwa itself. There is no main hall, and instead, worshippers pray from the worship hall through the three torii gates toward the mountain. Mount Miwa is a sacred mountain🗻 where Omononushi-no-Okami (Okuni-sama), who opened up the country, is said to have left his spirit there. It is known as a "power spot," and has long been revered as a sacred place revered as a "mountain where gods dwell"! It is said that since ancient times, it has not been permitted to cut down even a single tree or blade of grass on Mount Miwa, the sacred object of the mountain, with an axe. The approach to the shrine, overgrown with large trees such as pine, cedar, and cypress, was enveloped in a nostalgic and gentle atmosphere 🌱𓂃 𓈒𓏸 [Recommended spots] ❶ Praying for love Meoto Iwa (Couple Rocks) for praying for a good relationship ···▸The two rocks are called Meoto Iwa because they are close to each other, and are worshiped by people who pray for a good relationship or marital harmony 👩❤️👨 ❷Patting Rabbit 🐰 ···▸ The deity of Ogami Shrine is Omononushi-no-Okami, who is also known for saving the "White Rabbit of Inaba." Because of this, he has a deep connection with rabbits, and they are even depicted on votive plaques! [Access] From Sakurai Station, take the Nara Kotsu bus to the Miwa Myojin Shrine Approach Exit and walk for about 15 minutes! There is a free parking lot at Ogami Shrine, so you can visit by car. (Please be careful as there will be a lot of people during events and the New Year holidays.) #FreeHongKongAirTickets

Omiwa Shrine is the Ichinomiya of Yamato Province. The shrine within the grounds is Kuehiko Shrine. The deity worshipped is Kuebiko-no-Mikoto, who is described in the Kojiki as "though he cannot walk, he knows everything about the world." When the country was being created, many of the gods did not know the name of Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto, but Kuebiko-no-Mikoto taught it to Okuninushi-no-Mikoto. There is an observation deck next to the main shrine, from which you can see Mount Kongo, Mount Katsuragi, and the large torii gate! ✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼ ꕥShrine name: Ogami Shrine ꕥAddress: 1422 Miwa, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture ꕥAccess 🚉Miwa Station → 7 minutes walk ✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼ #besttrip2023 #Nara trip #Nara sightseeing #Shrines and temples #Shrine tour

Ogami Shrine is the Ichinomiya of Yamato Province. It is said to be the oldest shrine in Japan, with Mt. Miwa as its deity. There is no main hall, but there are three torii gates ⛩ at the back of the worship hall. From the worship hall, you can pray towards the mountain through the three torii gates. This shrine still retains the form of primitive Shinto. The highlights of the shrine grounds are ◎Meoto Iwa ◎The snake in the chozuya ◎The Snake God Cedar (From the legend that the enshrined deity, Omononushi-no-Okami, transformed into a snake) Because the grounds are so large, it's impossible to see everything in one day! The shrines within the grounds that you should especially visit are Sai Shrine and Hibaru Shrine. These are power spots that you can't miss. ✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼ ꕥShrine name: Ogami Shrine ꕥAddress: 1422 Miwa, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture ꕥAccess 🚉Miwa Station → approx. 7 minute walk ✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈┈••✼ #besttrip2023 #Nara trip #Nara sightseeing #Shrine tour #Temple and shrine