Omiwa Shrine

It is located in Miwa-cho, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture. The deity enshrined is Omononushi-no-Okami (also Yamato no Omononushikushimikatama no Mikoto), with co-enshrined deities Oonamuchi-no-Kami and Sukunahikona-no-Kami. According to mythology, after Sukunahikona-no-Kami left for the land of eternity, Omononushi-no-Kami (also called Sakimitamakushimitama of Omonamuchi-no-Kami) appeared from the sea to join Oonamuchi-no-Kami in building the country on his own, and the origin of the shrine is said to be that Omononushi-no-Kami (also called Sakimitamakushimitama of Oonamuchi-no-Kami) appeared from the sea to join Oonamuchi-no-Kami in building the country, and Oonamuchi-no-Kami chose to enshrine him on Mt. Mimoro (Mt. Miwa) at his own will. Mt. Miwa is the sacred mountain, and there has been no main hall since ancient times. There is a worship hall (nationally important cultural property) at the foot of the mountain, and behind it stands a Miwa torii gate (nationally important cultural property). In the Engishiki, it is Myojin Taisha, Yamato Province Ichinomiya, and in the Meiji government system, Kanpei Taisha. The annual festival is held on April 9th. Other famous festivals include the Nyo-do-sai (sacred fire festival), in which the sacred fire is transferred to torches and distributed to worshippers on New Year's Day; the Onda-sai on February 6th; the Hanashizume Festival on April 18th, in which medicinal herbs are offered; the Sake Festival on November 14th, in which sake brewers are given cedar balls as a symbol; and the Saikusa Festival (lily festival) on June 17th at Igawa Shrine, a subsidiary shrine of Nara City. Daigorin-ji Temple and Byodo-ji Temple, which were shrine temples and developed Miwa Shinto from the Middle Ages onwards, were abolished in the early Meiji period, and the main hall of Daigorin-ji Temple was converted into the main hall (an important cultural property) of the auxiliary shrine Otataneko Shrine (within the grounds of the main shrine), and its principal image, the eleven-headed standing Kannon statue, was moved to Shorin-ji Temple (Shimo, Sakurai City). The old road that runs north and south in front of the worship hall is known as the "Yamanobe no Michi" (Yamanobe Road).

[Shogo Tani]

"History of Ogami Shrine" (1975, Ogami Shrine Office)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良県桜井市三輪(みわ)町に鎮座。祭神は大物主大神(おおものぬしのおおかみ)（また倭大物主櫛玉命(やまとのおおものぬしくしみかたまのみこと)）、配祀(はいし)は大己貴神(おおなむちのかみ)、少彦名神(すくなひこなのかみ)。神話によれば、少彦名神が常世(とこよ)の国に去ったあと、独力で国造りをしていた大己貴神の前に、国造りをともにするため海上より出現した大物主大神（大己貴神の幸魂奇魂(さきみたまくしみたま)ともいう）を、その意志によって御諸山(みもろやま)（三輪山）に祀(まつ)ったのが起源であるという。三輪山を神体山とし、太古以来本殿はない。山麓(さんろく)に拝殿（国の重要文化財）があり、その奥に三輪鳥居（国の重要文化財）が立つ。『延喜式(えんぎしき)』では名神(みょうじん)大社、大和(やまと)国一宮(いちのみや)、明治の官制では官幣大社。例祭は4月9日。ほかに、元旦に神火を松明(たいまつ)に移して参詣(さんけい)者に分かつ繞道祭(にょうどうさい)（御神火祭）、2月6日の御田植祭(おんださい)、薬草を供える4月18日の鎮花祭(はなしずめのまつり)、印(しるし)の杉玉を酒造家に授ける11月14日の酒まつり、摂社率川(いさがわ)神社（奈良市本子守(ほんこもり)町）の6月17日の三枝祭(さいくさのまつり)（百合(ゆり)祭）などが有名。なお、神宮寺であり中世以降三輪神道を発達させた大御輪寺(だいごりんじ)と平等寺は、明治初年に廃され、大御輪寺の本堂は摂社大直禰子(おおたたねこ)神社（本社境内）の本殿（重要文化財）に転用、その本尊十一面観音立像は聖林寺(しょうりんじ)（桜井市下(しも)）に移された。拝殿の前を南北に通る古道は、いわゆる「山辺(やまのべ)の道」である。

［谷　省吾］

『『大神神社史』（1975・大神神社社務所）』

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