Oiwa Jinja (Oiwa Shrine)

Overview

A rare comprehensive sacred mountain in Japan that enshrines 188 deities in a single mountain complex. The primary enshrined deities (kami) include Kuninitsut<audio|>i-no-kami, Okuninushi, Izanagi-no-Mikoto, Izanami-no-Mikoto, and 22 others. It is said to be the 'oldest sacred mountain in Hitachi Province,' and ritual sites from the late Jomon period have been excavated within the sacred grounds (shin-iki). During the Edo period, it served as a place of prayer for the Mito Domain, and was deeply revered by figures such as Tokugawa Mitsutada and Nariaki. The 'Sanbon-sugi' (Three Cedars), a sacred tree (mikimi) approximately 500 years old and 50 meters tall, is a breathtaking sight and was selected as one of the '100 Giants of the Forest' by the Forestry Agency. In recent years, it has attracted worshippers from across the country as 'Japan's strongest power spot'.

Highlights

• ・Comprehensive sacred mountain enshrining 188 deities
• ・Ritual sites dating back to the Jomon period
• ・Sacred tree: Sanbon-sugi (approx. 500 years old)
• ・Known as 'Japan's strongest power spot'