Mount Miwa

Mount Miwa
三輪山
Highest point
Elevation467.1 m (1,532 ft)
Coordinates34°32′06″N 135°52′00″E / 34.53500°N 135.86667°E / 34.53500; 135.86667
Naming
Language of nameJapanese
Geography
Mount Miwa is located in Japan
Mount Miwa
Mount Miwa

Mount Miwa (三輪山, Miwa-yama) or Mount Mimoro (三諸山, Mimoro-yama) is a mountain located in the city of Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It has been an important religious and historical mountain in Japan, especially during its early history, and serves as a holy site in Shinto. The entire mountain is considered sacred, and is home to one of the earliest Shinto shrines, Ōmiwa Shrine. Several burial mounds from the Kofun period can be found around the mountain.

The kami (spirit) generally associated with Mount Miwa is Ōmononushi (大物主) (Ōmono-nushi-no-kami), a rain kami. However, the Nihon Shoki notes that there was a degree of uncertainly when it came to naming the principal kami of Mount Miwa, but he is often linked to Ōkuninushi.