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No.047: Omika Shrine (Ibaraki)

2025年6月9日 09:04

Following Taira no Masakado, is it... the unyielding? This is the Omika Shrine, part of the series on rebellious gods.

Basic Information

Deities: Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto, Mikaboshi-Kagaseo
Location: Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture
History and Origins: The founding of Omika Shrine is ancient, with origins documented as far back as the 'Hitachi no Kuni Fudoki' (early 8th century). It strongly reflects indigenous myths of the Kanto region, which differ from the myths in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. (← Researched by Generative AI.)
Shikinai-sha?: Yes (Engishiki-naisha, 'Omika Shrine' in Taka-gun, Hitachi Province)
Special Notes: Within the shrine grounds is a massive 'iwakura' (sacred rock) called the 'Shukukon-seki,' which is said to be the place where the star god Mikaboshi was sealed.

Main Hall (The grounds are wide, and the main hall is cute.)

What kind of shrine is it?

Many mythologies, including Greek mythology, have a close relationship with 'stars,' but in Shinto, there are few, and the major ones associated with stars are perhaps only Amaterasu Omikami, Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, and Myoken-sama (Amenominakanushi).

I believe Omika Shrine occupies a very unique position as a shrine that enshrines (or seals?) one of these few star gods, Mikaboshi-Kagaseo.

Since one of the enshrined deities, Mikaboshi-Kagaseo, is a star, the shrine crest is also a star.

To begin with, you can't read 'Omika' at first glance, can you? Haha.

It seems Mito Komon relocated the shrine to its current site, but the present shrine stands on top of and beside the Shukukon-seki, which sealed the rebellious god Mikaboshi-Kagaseo, incorporating elements of iwakura worship.

The entire mountain behind this is the Shukukon-seki.

The Shukukon-seki is quite a large rock, and it feels like you couldn't climb it in heels. It is set up so you climb by grabbing a chain (what is called a 'chain section' in mountaineering terms. Note that the chain is for assistance and not meant to support your full weight). That said, the distance is only about 5 meters, so if you are used to mountain climbing, you can easily climb it even in loafers without the chain.

The chain section. It's not that long and the danger level is low, but it's impossible in heels.

This is what it looks like when you look back after finishing the climb up the chain section.

In addition, there is a 'boundary stone' on the grounds for severing ties. It looks very cool, similar to the tie-severing stone at Yasui Konpiragu Shrine, so please check it out!

When passing through the boundary stone, there are instructions to chant the incantations 'Harube yurayura to harube' and 'Furube yurayura to furube.' The latter is famous, but the former is a special incantation that you don't hear elsewhere.

Besides that, there are gorgeous birds released, a large fortune slip, and various other fun and wonderful things at this shrine.

One of the largest omikuji in the country!

What kind of deity is it?

Mikaboshi Kagaseo, one of the enshrined deities, is said to have been the very last god to resist when Amaterasu-sama questioned the unruly gods and swept them away.

Even the strongest duo of warriors, Kashima and Katori (Takemikazuchi and Futsunushi), who forced the transfer of the land to Okuninushi, could not defeat him, and the shrine even gives him the title of 'the strongest god in our country'.

Since he is Mikaboshi (Star God), his divine crest is also a star. I wonder if there is any other shrine besides Seimei Shrine that has so many star marks?

It is also interesting that he basically does not have the honorifics 'Kami' or 'Mikoto' attached to his name, perhaps because he did not follow the mainstream gods led by Amaterasu-sama.

What is even more interesting is the main deity who defeated this 'Mikaboshi Kagaseo', 'Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto'. Surprisingly, she is a goddess with the divine virtue of weaving (*there are many theories that she is male; here I have adopted the goddess theory based on Wikipedia). 'Take' (warrior), 'Yaiba' (blade), and 'Tsuchi' (hammer) sound like a warrior, but her other name, 'Ame-no-Hazuchi-no-Kami', certainly has an 'Ame-no-Hagoromo' (heavenly feather robe) vibe.

The shrine of Takehazuchi-sama, located on top of the Shukukon-seki rock after passing through the chain-climbing area.

Perhaps it is a case of 'if you can't push, try pulling,' but it is so cool that a goddess whose main profession is weaving easily defeated an unruly god that the two strongest heavenly gods could not defeat.

To begin with, that is the case since Amaterasu-sama is at the top, but between Sarutahiko Okami vs. Ame-no-Uzume, and Izanami-sama, goddesses are strong.

My notes.

Since I went to the trouble of coming here, I stuck an ofuda (talisman) on the boundary stone (500 yen each. The reception was crowded and it looked like it would take time to get change, and it was self-service, so I got two for 1,000 yen). In the Showa era, there was a movie series about 'Jiangshi', which are moving zombies, and you could stop the movement of a Jiangshi (zombie) by sticking an ofuda on them. I love ofuda.

By the way, as I don't own a car and live in Tokyo, I visited by highway bus from Tokyo as usual (Tokyo to Hitachi line). You can arrive in about a 10-minute walk from the highway bus stop (Ishinazaka).

The 'Izumi Shrine', which I plan to introduce in the future, is also nearby, about a 20-minute walk from Omika Shrine, so it might be good for those from Tokyo to visit Omika Shrine and Izumi Shrine as a set!

If you can wake up early and are confident in your physical stamina, it is possible to visit Sakatsura Isosaki Shrine and Oarai Isosaki Shrine as well on a single-day trip.

—The End.—