learn/[id]

基礎
19 分で読める
御
BASICS
Oiwa Shrine: Pilgrimage Guide to the Mountain of 188 Deities in Hitachi
Oiwa Shrine in Hitachi enshrines 188 deities as a syncretic mountain sanctuary — from Jomon ritual sites to Tokugawa Mitsukuni's brush-dipping rite. This guide explains the three-layer structure of main shrine, Kabire Jingu and Satsu Shrine, plus the pilgrimage routes through nine related sacred sites of the Mount Oiwa system.
聖
Author
Hijiri
| Shrines & Temples
Contents
MOKUJI
一
Why Oiwa Shrine Is Called 'the Mountain of 188 Deities'
›
二
The Pilgrimage Order Through the Three-Layer Structure of Mount Oiwa
›
三
A 1- to 3-Day Itinerary Through the Mount Oiwa System
›
四
Practical Information for Oiwa Pilgrimage
›
五
Frequently Asked Questions
›
Bottom line: Oiwa Shrine — said to be ‘a single pilgrimage equivalent to visiting nearly every shrine in Japan’ — is the syncretic mountain sanctuary in Hitachi, Ibaraki, that enshrines 188 deities, holds Jomon-period ritual sites, and is where the second Mito daimyo Tokugawa Mitsukuni performed the brush-dipping rite at the launch of his great history project ‘Dai Nihon-shi.’ Centered on Oiwa Shrine, the upper sanctuary Kabire Jingu, the related Mount Oiwa shrines of Satsu Shrine and Takefu Shrine, and the ‘Ise of the East’ Muramatsu Daijingu, this 30-km radius is densely packed with sacred sites that have been venerated since antiquity.
This article is a practical guide for those planning a pilgrimage to the sanctuaries of northern Hitachi Province centered on Oiwa Shrine. Visitors who stop at Oiwa Shrine alone miss the ‘ancient Hitachi mythological world’ that the entire Mount Oiwa system tells. Understanding the threefold structure of main shrine, upper sanctuary, and lower shrine — and how to circuit ten related sacred sites in 1–3 days — is explained here together with travel times, hiking difficulty, and historical context.
Why Oiwa Shrine Is Called ‘the Mountain of 188 Deities’
A Sacred Ground Since Antiquity
Late-Jomon (ca. 1000 BCE) ritual sites have been excavated on Mount Oiwa (530 m), the precinct of Oiwa Shrine, archaeologically confirming that the mountain has been a focus of worship since pre-historic times. The first written reference is in the Nara-period ‘Hitachi Fudoki’ (713 CE): ‘On the high peak of Kabire the heavenly gods rest; their name is Tachihaya-hiko-no-Mikoto.’ The name ‘Kabire’ is directly carried over today in the name of Kabire Jingu.
How It Came to Enshrine 188 Deities
Originally a mountain shrine dedicated to a single deity — Tachihaya-hiko — the site grew enormously in the Edo period. The first Mito daimyo Tokugawa Yorifusa invited the deities of the Dewa Sanzan (Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan, Mt. Yudono), and the second daimyo Mitsukuni renamed the shrine ‘Oiwa Daigongen’ and reorganized the rituals. Over this process, major deities from Hitachi Province and beyond were added one after another, eventually reaching 188 deities.
The saying that ‘a single pilgrimage here is like visiting nearly every shrine in Japan’ derives from this historical accumulation. But this is not merely a matter of convenience — it tells the story of how Mount Oiwa accumulated, through the religious efforts of each era, the layered traditions of ancient nature worship, medieval Shinto consolidation, and early-modern daimyo ritual organization.
The Sai Shrine: Living Witness to Syncretism
The Meiji-era separation of Shinto and Buddhism (1868) and the ensuing anti-Buddhist movement led to the removal of Buddhist statues from shrines nationwide. But Oiwa Shrine — through the strong determination of its parishioners and former Mito retainers — refused to surrender its Buddha statues. To this day, the Sai Shrine within the precinct preserves a seated Dainichi Nyorai statue (Ibaraki Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property) and an Amida Nyorai statue (Hitachi City Cultural Property). This is a rare example among major Kanto shrines of preserving the physical form of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism.
The Pilgrimage Order Through the Three-Layer Structure of Mount Oiwa
Main Shrine: A 10-Minute Walk from the Trailhead
The main hall of Oiwa Shrine is about 10 minutes’ walk from the trailhead. Climbing the moss-covered stone steps, visitors look up at the three-trunked cedar (estimated 500 years old, trunk circumference 8.48 m, height ca. 50 m — designated both in the Forestry Agency’s ‘Hundred Forest Giants of Japan’ and as an Ibaraki Prefectural Natural Monument). The main hall enshrines Kuni-no-Tokotachi, Okuninushi, Izanagi, Izanami, and 22 other deities. Most visitors turn back here, but the main hall is only the entrance to the Mount Oiwa pilgrimage.
Front-Trail Upper Sanctuary ‘Kabire Jingu’: 60–90 Minutes from the Main Hall
Kabire Jingu is the front-trail oku-miya, situated at the mid-slope of Mount Oiwa (about 490 m elevation). Climbing the front pilgrimage trail from the side of the main hall takes about 60–90 minutes. The deities are Amaterasu, Ninigi, and Tachihaya-hiko. Behind the sanctuary stands the ‘Kinjo-seki’ iwakura (sacred rock), and the sacred water welling up beyond it forms the ‘Otamari pond’ — the very source from which Tokugawa Mitsukuni took water for the brush-dipping rite at the launch of the ‘Dai Nihon-shi’ compilation.
Rear-Trail Upper Sanctuary ‘Satsu Naka-no-miya’ and the Lower Shrine
The rear-trail oku-miya (Satsu Naka-no-miya) requires a long, demanding climb. Most general visitors instead visit Satsu Shrine in Sato-no-miya-cho, Hitachiota City, which is the lower shrine — and itself an Engishiki-listed shrine recorded in the ‘Hitachi Fudoki.’ As the ‘lower shrine’ to which Tachihaya-hiko was transferred from the Mount Oiwa summit, it forms a unified worship sphere with the main shrine and upper sanctuary within the framework of ancient mythology.
A 1- to 3-Day Itinerary Through the Mount Oiwa System
Day 1: The Oiwa Shrine Core Route
Time
Spot
Duration
09:00
Oiwa Shrine main hall
60 min
10:00
Start front-trail ascent
—
11:30
Reach Kabire Jingu; worship
30 min
13:00
Descend to main hall
60 min
14:30
Satsu Shrine (Hitachiota)
30 min
A course capturing the essence of Mount Oiwa in one day. Hiking boots and ample water and trail food are essential. In winter (December–March), snow and ice make the upper sanctuary climb inadvisable.
Day 2: The Hitachiota Mountain-Faith Shrines
Time
Spot
Duration
09:00
Nishi-Kanasa Shrine (famed for the 72-year Iso-de Daisai-rei)
90 min (incl. hike)
11:30
Higashi-Kanasa Shrine (paired sister shrine)
60 min
13:30
Takefu Shrine (Yoshiie’s Sword-Split Stone)
90 min (incl. hike)
16:00
Mayumi Shrine (Sakanoue no Tamuramaro Emishi-campaign tradition)
60 min
The Hitachiota Shugendo sanctuaries that pair with the Oiwa system. Car travel recommended (public transit is poor).
Day 3: Hitachi Province Second Shrine and the Ise of Tokai
Time
Spot
Duration
10:00
Shizu Shrine (Hitachi Second Shrine, weaving deity, Engishiki Myojin Taisha)
60 min
12:00
Omiwa Shrine (Takehazuchi sealed Amatsu-Mikaboshi in the Shukon-seki)
60 min
14:00
Muramatsu Daijingu (Mitsukuni’s ‘Ise of the East’)
60 min
15:30
Sukegawa Castle Ruins Park (Nariaki’s coastal-defense castle)
30 min
A four-spot day spanning ancient mythology, Ise faith, and bakumatsu coastal-defense history — letting visitors feel the layered history of Hitachi Province.
Practical Information for Oiwa Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage Tips
•
Hiking gear required: ascent to the upper sanctuary is genuine mountain hiking. Sneakers are insufficient — proper hiking shoes recommended
•
Water and trail food: there are no shops along the front trail. Bring at least 2× 500-ml bottles
•
Clothing: long sleeves and long pants recommended even in summer (insect protection, fall protection)
•
Time budget: minimum 3 hours for main hall + upper sanctuary round trip; 5 hours including Satsu Shrine
•
Winter caution: snow and ice from December to March make the upper sanctuary climb dangerous — consider main hall only
•
Photography: permitted at the main hall; signs request restraint near the upper sanctuary iwakura
Access
•
Public transit: about 35 min by Ibaraki Kotsu Bus (Oiwa Jinja Line) from JR Joban Line Hitachi Station to ‘Oiwa Jinja-mae’ stop
•
Car: about 10 km from Hitachi-Chuo IC on the Joban Expressway (free parking; crowded in autumn-foliage season)
•
From Tokyo: about 1 hour 40 minutes by Limited Express Hitachi from JR Ueno Station to Hitachi Station
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that Oiwa Shrine ‘enshrines 188 deities’?
The main hall enshrines Kuni-no-Tokotachi, Okuninushi, Izanagi, Izanami, and 22 others, but the Mount Oiwa precincts contain numerous subordinate sanctuaries totaling 188 deities. This resulted from the invitation of the Dewa Sanzan and many other deities by the Mito daimyo Yorifusa and Mitsukuni in the Edo period — the basis of the saying ‘a pilgrimage here is like visiting nearly every shrine in Japan.’
Is it true that an astronaut saw a pillar of light from this mountain from space?
No verified source for this astronaut testimony exists, and the shrine itself does not officially refer to it. It is an urban-legend-like account that spread from the 1980s onward and was carried further by the Heisei-era power-spot boom. The historical and sacred value of the shrine can be amply confirmed independently of the truth or falsity of this tradition, through both archaeology and document-based history.
How fit do I need to be for the climb to Kabire Jingu?
From the main hall (about 340 m elevation) to Kabire Jingu (about 490 m), the elevation gain is about 150 m and takes 60–90 minutes via the front trail. Beginners can manage, but with steep slopes and many stone steps, light-mountaineering-level fitness and gear are needed. Round trip 2–3 hours including descent. In winter, snow and ice make general visitors advisable to limit themselves to the main hall.
Why are Buddha statues still kept at the shrine?
When the Meiji separation of Shinto and Buddhism (1868) and the ensuing anti-Buddhist movement led to the removal of Buddhist statues from shrines nationwide, Oiwa Shrine — through the strong determination of its parishioners and former Mito retainers — refused to surrender its Buddhist statues. The Sai Shrine within the precinct still preserves a seated Dainichi Nyorai (Ibaraki Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property) and an Amida Nyorai (Hitachi City Cultural Property), making it a rare case among major Kanto shrines that preserves the physical form of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism.
How much can I cover around Oiwa Shrine in a single day?
By public transit, Oiwa Shrine (main hall + upper sanctuary) plus Satsu Shrine is realistic — two spots. By car, Omiwa Shrine and Shizu Shrine can be added for four spots total. The four Hitachiota Mount-Oiwa-system shrines (Nishi-Kanasa, Higashi-Kanasa, Takefu, Mayumi) require their own day, given the hiking time involved.
Last updated: April 26, 2026
The main hall of Oiwa Shrine on Mount Oiwa, Hitachi City, Ibaraki — one of Ibaraki's premier power spots enshrining 188 deities
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / photo by 京浜にけ
The three-trunked cedar of Oiwa Shrine (about 500 years old, trunk circumference 8.48 m) — selected as one of the Forestry Agency's Hundred Forest Giants of Japan and an Ibaraki Prefectural Natural Monument
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / photo by Tsuna72
The torii and avenue of cedars at the entrance to Oiwa Shrine, marking the sacred threshold of an ancient mountain-faith site
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / photo by Tsuna72
The main hall of Nishi-Kanasa Shrine in Hitachiota — a Mount-Oiwa-system mountain sanctuary famed for the once-in-72-years Iso-de Daisai-rei festival
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / photo by Mass Ave 975
The worship hall of Shizu Shrine in Naka City — Hitachi Province's Second Shrine and an Engishiki Myojin Taisha enshrining the weaving deity Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / photo by Hideyuki KAMON
── 了 ──
聖
Author
Hijiri（ひじり）
Shrines & Temples
Toku editorial team — shrines and temples. Former designer who reads temple architecture and gardens through an aesthetic lens, quietly tracing the lineages of sects and doctrines.
›
This article was
♡ Helpful
⤴
詣
Visit Related Places
History truly comes alive when you visit in person. Choose your next destination from the related sites and pilgrimage courses below.
1. Oiwa Shrine (Mount Oiwa)
Mount Oiwa enshrining 188 deities — from late-Jomon ritual sites and the 'Hitachi Fudoki' record to Tokugawa Mitsukuni's brush-dipping rite, this entire mountain remains a sacred body and the only major shrine in Ibaraki to preserve its syncretic Buddha statues through the Meiji separation
›
K
2. Kabire Jingu (Oiwa Oku-miya)
The summit upper sanctuary of Oiwa Shrine — the original 'Kabire peak' recorded in the 8th-century Hitachi Fudoki, enshrining Amaterasu, Ninigi, and Tachihaya-hiko
›
S
3. Satsu Shrine
The lower shrine of Oiwa Shrine's rear-trail oku-miya — enshrining Tachihaya-hiko-no-Mikoto, recorded in the 8th-century Hitachi Fudoki and listed in the Engishiki
›
T
4. Takefu Shrine
An ancient shrine atop Mt. Tatsuwari enshrining Tachihaya-hiko-no-Mikoto — sharing divinity with Oiwa's Kabire Jingu, a Kuji-district mountain sanctuary
›
M
5. Mayumi Shrine
Atop Mt. Mayumi — an ancient shrine carrying both Heian-era Emishi-campaign legend and Minamoto tradition, deeply revered by the Mito daimyo
›
N
6. Nishi-Kanasa Shrine
Founded 806 atop Mt. Nishi-Kanasa — famed for the Iso-de Daisai-rei, Hitachi's grandest festival held only once every 72 years
›
H
7. Higashi-Kanasa Shrine
Founded simultaneously with Nishi-Kanasa in 806 atop Mt. Higashi-Kanasa — a Shugendo sacred site under deep Satake patronage, the eastern wing of the twin Kanasa-go shrines
›
8. Shizu Shrine
The Second Shrine of Hitachi Province listed in the Engishiki, with an ancient sacred grove designated a prefectural natural monument
›
9. Omiwa Jinja
Rock-face shrine where legend holds the star deity Amatsu-Mikaboshi was sealed in the sacred Shukonseki stone
›
M
10. Muramatsu Daijingu
Called 'the Ise of the East' — a great shrine directly enshrining Amaterasu Omikami of Ise, set in the seaside pine forests of Tokai Village
›
S
11. Sukegawa Castle Ruins Park (former Sukegawa Coastal Defense Castle)
Built 1836 by ninth Mito daimyo Nariaki as the bakumatsu coastal-defense outpost watching for foreign ships — a hilltop castle ruin overlooking the Hitachi coast
›
Pilgrimage Course
Ibaraki 12 Shrines Pilgrimage
Visit 12 sites
›
Pilgrimage Course
Shinbutsu Reijo Pilgrimage
Visit 150 sites
›
Related Articles
O
共通のスポット
Okuninushi and Izumo Taisha: The World of Prayer Woven by the God of En-musubi
Okuninushi-no-Mikoto is the principal deity of Izumo Taisha, presiding over en-musubi (the tying of
›
O
共通のスポット
Oyamatsumi no Mikoto and Oyamazumi Shrine: The Divine Father of Mountains and Seas
Oyamatsumi no Mikoto is the deity of mountains, seas, and warfare who appears in the Kojiki as the f
›
S
共通のスポット
Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto: The Small Deity of Medicine, Sake, and Hot Springs
Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto is a deity of medicine, brewing, and hot springs who worked alongside Okuninu
›
I C H I G O I C H I E
📱
Explore pilgrimage with the app
Download on the App Store
✕