Mountain worship - Sankakushinko

Japanese: 山岳信仰 - さんがくしんこう

This refers to giving religious significance to mountains, worshiping them, and holding various rituals for them. Since ancient times, mountains have been revered all over the world as the homes of spirits, gods, demons, and the like. They were also believed to be the homes of ancestral spirits, the axis connecting heaven and earth, and the universe itself. Mountains were also places for training, festivals, revelations, and oracles. For this reason, ceremonial sites, temples, shrines, small shrines, and tombs were built on mountain peaks and at the foot of mountains, and they were often visited by pilgrims.

Mountain worship can be found in many religions around the world. In primitive societies, mountains were believed to be the home of divine spirits, and festivals were held to pray for rain and for fertility. Mountain worship can also be found in ancient religions, such as the Greek worship of Mount Olympus, where Zeus and other gods were believed to reside, the Babylonian festival in which a mountain was built to worship Enlil, and the Egyptian belief in mountains as a path to the land of the dead. Also well known in the East are the beliefs in the Five Mountains of China, Mount Taishan, Mount Huoshan, Mount Hengshan, and Mount Songshan, the beliefs in Mount Kunlun, the other world of Taoism, the beliefs in the three sacred mountains of Horai, Hojo, and Yingzhou, which were believed to be the abodes of immortals, the beliefs in the sacred Himalayas of India, and Mount Kailash of Tibet. The beliefs in the Himalayas were absorbed into Buddhism, giving rise to a view of the universe centered on Mount Sumeru. Mount Sumeru is the center of the universe, 800 yojanas high, with Taishakuten at its summit, the Four Heavenly Kings residing on its slopes, the sun and moon revolving around it, and humans living on the four surrounding islands separated by nine mountains and eight seas. In Japan, the names of mountains such as Mt. Myoko and Mt. Misen refer to Mount Sumeru. Mountain worship can also be found in other universal religions, such as the Jewish worship of Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments, the Christian worship of Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified, and the Islamic worship of Mount Arafat near Mecca, a holy city.

[Miyaike Jun]

Japanese Mountain Worship

In Japan, mountains have been revered since ancient times as sacred places where divine spirits reside. Farmers believed that divine spirits were gods of water or ancestors who protected rice paddy cultivation, while mountain hunters believed that they were mountain goddesses who bestowed prey. The farmers held festivals at the foot of the mountain, while the hunters held festivals in the mountains. The farmers' mountain god worship was eventually taken over by Shinto shrines, and the hills behind the villages became shrine worships in which the gods resided in small shrines built at the foot of the mountains. Furthermore, shrines such as Omiwa Shrine (Nara Prefecture), Kanasana Shrine (Saitama Prefecture), and Suwa Shrine (Nagano Prefecture) also appeared, where the mountain itself was regarded as a divine object and worshipped directly from a worship hall.

During the Nara period, influenced by Buddhism and Taoism, many people went to the mountains to practice asceticism. Then, as mountain Buddhism was advocated by Saicho and Kukai, mountain temples were built and mountains became training grounds for esoteric Buddhist monks, particularly those of the Tendai and Shingon sects. Among these esoteric Buddhist monks, those who had particularly cultivated miraculous powers were called Shugen or Yamabushi. Shugenda practiced in mountains such as Mount Omine in Yamato (Nara Prefecture). Eventually, towards the end of ancient times, the Shugenda established a religion called Shugendo, with En no Ozunu, an outstanding mountain ascetic from the Nara period, as its founder. In the Middle Ages, Shugendo monks roamed the mountains and fields, using sacred mountains such as Yoshino (Nara Prefecture), Kumano (Wakayama Prefecture), Haguro (Yamagata Prefecture), Hikosan (Fukuoka Prefecture), and Hakusan (Ishikawa and Gifu Prefectures) as their bases, and wielded great power not only in religious matters but also in political and military matters. However, from the early modern period onwards, they settled in villages and engaged in magical and religious activities.

In the early modern period, ordinary people also began to form religious groups and climb mountains. In particular, Mt. Fuji, Mt. Ontake in Kiso, the Dewa Sanzan, Mt. Omine, Mt. Mitsumine (Saitama Prefecture), Mt. Ishizuchi (Ehime Prefecture), and Mt. Hiko attracted large numbers of followers. In the Meiji period, the government separated Shinto and Buddhism and abolished Shugendo, so Shugendo practitioners joined Tendai or Shingon Buddhist sects. At that time, many Shugendo practitioners became Shinto priests or returned to farming. However, after World War II, Shugendo sects became independent, and many pilgrims flock to sacred mountain sites around the country.

[Miyaike Jun]

"The Establishment and Development of Mountain Religion" by Taro Wakamori (1975, Meishu Publishing) " "A Study of Mountain Religion and Folk Beliefs" by Tokutarou Sakurai (1976, Meishu Publishing)

[Reference] | Shugendo

Kinzaku Shrine
An ancient shrine that boasts the status of one of the two Musashi shrines. It is said to have been founded by Emperor Yamato Takeru during his eastern expedition. The shrine enshrines Mt. Omurogatake behind it as its sacred object, and instead of having a main hall, it conveys the original form of mountainside rituals in which worship is directly performed from the worship hall (photo). On the right is Mt. Omurogatake, the sacred mountain. Kamikawa Town, Kodama District, Saitama Prefecture © Kamikawa Town Office ">

Kinzaku Shrine

Mount Hakusan
A volcano straddling the border between Ishikawa and Gifu prefectures. Known as a sacred mountain for religious climbers. The summit is made up of the highest peak (2,702m above sea level), Gozenmine (center of photo), Kengamine (left), and Oonamunemine. The photo was taken from Oonamunemine. Hakusan National Park. Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture / Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu Prefecture © Hotto Ishikawa Travel Net ">

Mount Hakusan

Mount Fuji
Boasting the highest elevation in Japan (3,776m) and a beautiful mountain shape, this sacred mountain is a symbol of Japan. It has been worshipped as an object of faith since ancient times. It shows different appearances depending on the season and the direction from which it is viewed. It is the center of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. The photo was taken from the sky on the Shizuoka side. Part of the World Cultural Heritage "Mount Fuji - Object of Faith and Source of Artistic Inspiration" (registered in 2013) Fujinomiya City, Fuji City, Susono City, Gotemba City, Oyama Town, Sunto District, Shizuoka Prefecture / Fujiyoshida City, Narusawa Village, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture ©Shogakukan ">

Mount Fuji

Mount Ontake
A stratovolcano also known as "Kiso Ontake." It is 3,067 meters above sea level. It is a symbol of the Kiso Valley and has been known as a sacred mountain since ancient times, and is still worshipped by many people. The photo shows the view from Kaida Plateau. Kiso Town, Kiso County, Nagano Prefecture, Otaki Village / Gero City, Gifu Prefecture © Shinshu-Nagano Prefecture Tourism Association ">

Mount Ontake

Gassan
Located in central Yamagata Prefecture, this is the main peak of the Dewa Sanzan (1,984m above sea level). Gassan Shrine is enshrined on the summit, and it has been worshipped as a sacred mountain since ancient times. It is part of Bandai-Asahi National Park. The photo shows the view from Nishikawa-cho on the south side. Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture; Shonai Town, Higashitagawa District; Nishikawa Town, Nishimurayama District ©Yamagata Prefecture ">

Gassan

Mount Ishizuchi
View of Mt. Tengu (right in photo) from the northwest side of Mt. Misen. Ishizuchi Quasi-National Park. Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture and Kumakogen Town, Kamiukena District. © Ehime Prefecture Tourism and Products Association .

Mount Ishizuchi

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

山岳に宗教的意味を与えて崇拝し、種々の儀礼を行うことをいう。古来、山岳は世界各地で精霊、神々、悪魔などの居所として畏敬(いけい)されてきた。さらに祖霊のすみか、天と地を結ぶ軸、宇宙そのものと信じられた。山岳は修行・祭り・啓示・託宣などがなされる場所でもあった。こうしたことから山頂や山麓(さんろく)などには、祭場・寺社・祠(ほこら)・墓などがつくられ、巡拝者が訪れることも多かった。

　山岳信仰は世界の諸宗教にみることができる。未開社会では山岳は神霊のすみかとされ、雨乞(あまご)いや豊饒(ほうじょう)の祭りが行われた。古代宗教でも、山岳信仰は、ゼウスをはじめとする神神がいるとされたギリシアのオリンポス山の信仰、バビロニアで山を築いてエンリルを祀(まつ)る祭り、エジプトの死者の国への道としての山岳の信仰などにみることができる。また東洋では、中国の泰山(たいざん)・霍山(かくざん)・華山(かざん)・恒山(こうざん)・嵩山(すうざん)の五岳(ごがく)の信仰、道教の他界である崑崙(こんろん)山、仙人のすみかとされた蓬莱(ほうらい)・方丈(ほうじょう)・瀛洲(えいしゅう)の三神山の信仰、インドの聖なる山ヒマラヤ、チベットのカイラス山信仰などが広く知られている。ヒマラヤの信仰は仏教に摂取されて、須弥山(しゅみせん)中心の宇宙観を生み出した。須弥山は宇宙の中心をなす山岳で、高さ800由旬(ゆじゅん)、山頂には帝釈天(たいしゃくてん)、山腹には四天王が住み、日月がその周囲を回り、人間は九山八海を隔てた周囲にある四つの島に住むとされたのである。わが国でも妙高(みょうこう)山、弥山(みせん)などの山名はこの須弥山を意味している。山岳信仰は、ユダヤ教のモーセが十戒を授かったシナイ山信仰、キリスト教のイエスが磔(はりつけ)になったゴルゴタの丘の信仰、イスラム教の聖地メッカ近くのアラファト山の信仰などのように、他の普遍宗教にも認めることができる。

［宮家　準］

日本の山岳信仰

日本でも古来、山岳は神霊の住む霊地として崇(あが)められた。その神霊は農民たちには水田稲作を守る水分(みくまり)の神や祖霊とされ、山中の猟師たちには獲物を授けてくれる山の女神と信じられた。そして農民は山麓で、猟師たちは山中で祭りを行った。農民たちの山の神祭祀(さいし)はやがて神社神道(しんとう)に引き継がれ、村の背後の小丘を神の居所として山麓に祠をつくって祀る神社祭祀となっていったのである。さらに大神(おおみわ)神社（奈良県）、金鑽(かなさな)神社（埼玉県）、諏訪(すわ)神社（長野県）などのように、山自体を神体として、拝殿から直接拝する神体山信仰の形態をとるものも現れた。

　奈良時代には、仏教や道教の影響を受けて入山修行をする者も多かった。そして最澄(さいちょう)、空海により山岳仏教が提唱されるにつれて、山岳寺院がつくられ、山岳はとくに、天台、真言(しんごん)の密教僧たちの修行道場となっていった。こうした密教僧のうち、とくに験力を修めた者は修験(しゅげん)とか山伏(やまぶし)とよばれた。修験者は大和(やまと)（奈良県）の大峰(おおみね)山などの山岳で修行した。やがて、古代末ころになると、修験者たちは奈良時代の優れた山岳修行者役小角(えんのおづぬ)を開山にいただいて修験道とよばれる宗教をつくりあげていった。中世期には修験者は、吉野(よしの)（奈良県）、熊野(くまの)（和歌山県）、羽黒(はぐろ)（山形県）、英彦山(ひこさん)（福岡県）、白山（石川・岐阜県）など各地の霊山を拠点として、山野を跋渉(ばっしょう)し、宗教面のみでなく、政治・軍事の面でも大きな力をもっていた。しかし近世以降は村々に定着し、呪術(じゅじゅつ)宗教的な活動に従事した。

　近世期には一般庶民たちも講(こう)を結んで山岳に登るようになっていった。とくに富士山、木曽(きそ)の御嶽(おんたけ)山、出羽(でわ)三山、大峰山、三峰(みつみね)山（埼玉県）、石鎚(いしづち)山（愛媛県）、英彦山などは多数の信者を集めていった。明治期になると政府は神仏を分離し修験道を廃止したので、修験者は天台か真言の仏教教団に所属した。このおり神職になったり帰農した修験者も多かった。しかし第二次世界大戦後は修験教団が独立し、各地の山岳霊場にも数多くの登拝者が集まっている。

［宮家　準］

『和歌森太郎著『山岳宗教の成立と展開』（1975・名著出版）』▽『桜井徳太郎著『山岳宗教と民間信仰の研究』（1976・名著出版）』

[参照項目] | 修験道

金鑽神社

白山
石川・岐阜県境にまたがる火山。信仰登山の霊山として知られる。山頂部は最高峰（標高2702m）の御前峰（写真中央）、剣ヶ峰（左）、大汝峰によって形成される。写真は大汝峰から撮影。白山国立公園域。石川県白山市／岐阜県大野郡白川村©ほっと石川旅ねっと">

白山

富士山
国内最高の標高（3776m）と美しい山容を誇る日本の象徴。古くから信仰の対象として崇められてきた霊峰である。季節によって、また見る方角によって、さまざまな姿を見せる。富士箱根伊豆国立公園の中心をなす。写真は静岡県側上空より撮影。世界文化遺産「富士山―信仰の対象と芸術の源泉」の一部（2013年登録）　静岡県富士宮市・富士市・裾野市・御殿場市・駿東郡小山町／山梨県富士吉田市・南都留郡鳴沢村©Shogakukan">

富士山

御嶽山

月山

石鎚山

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

<<: Delta - Sankakusu (English spelling) delta

>>: Triangular ruler