Japan’s Sacred Mount Miwa
Mount Miwa, also known as Mt. Mimoro, is unequivocally one of the most sacred places in Japan. Although Mt. Miwa is only a mere 467m tall, this mountain is said to contain the soul of Omononushi, a very influential god
Tag: Japanese Mythology
Oh Gods! The Tales of Omononushi
Which mountain is the most sacred in Japan? Most people would probably assume that Mt. Fuji is the most sacred mountain in Japan, after all, it certainly is the most iconic mountain in Japan and recently became a World Heritage
Yomotsu Hirasaka, Path to the Japanese Underworld
If you will remember from our mythology series, Izanami had died giving birth to the god of fire. Grief stricken by the loss of his wife, Izanagi vowed to go to the Underworld (Yomi) and bring her back. In order to
Suga Shrine: the birth place of Japanese Poem
Suga Shrine [須賀神社] is a little off the beaten path. While the first two shrines we have visited during our trip to Izumo have been big tourist attractions, Suga Shrine is certainly not. However, it had great appeal for us
Izumo Taisha: Must See Spots
It is very easy to spend a couple hours in Izumo Taisha. Aside from the main shrine, there are plenty of interesting and important small shrines and buildings throughout the shrine grounds. It would take far too long for us to
Izumo Taisha: Meeting Place of The Gods
Finally! After all that mythology, we are finally ready to go to Izumo! This is a place we have really been looking forward to going to. Why? Because Izumo is the land of the gods! The Kojiki is largely a
Oh Gods! The Life and Times Of Okuninushi
Okuninushi no Mikoto is essentially the Japanese god of civilization. Though he is the god of many other things, such as medicine, his most important role is that he is the “god of the country.” Through hard work and some