Admission
Free
Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture
At a Glance
According to legend, Ame-no-mikage-no-mikoto, grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, descended onto the 432-meter Mount Mikami during Emperor Kōrei's reign around 290 BC to become the mountain's divine spirit.
The rice grown in a nearby paddy field was used for Emperor Showa's first Niiname Festival in 1925, and that same field celebrates the connection every June with a traditional rice planting ceremony.
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Free
Within 300 m Within 600 m
Facilities
Arrive by car or taxi from Yasu Station (about 10 minutes away) since the shrine sits at the foot of Mount Mikami with limited public transit options once you leave the station.
Visit in June if you want to witness the rice planting ceremony held annually to commemorate the paddy field that supplied rice for Emperor Showa's first Niiname Festival in 1925, a unique local tradition tied directly to this shrine.
Plan your visit for October to experience the Zuiki Festival of Mikami, an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property that celebrates the harvest season with traditional rituals you won't see at other times of year.
Wear sturdy shoes suitable for walking around the shrine grounds and potentially up toward Mount Mikami's outer shrine, as the terrain is uneven and the area involves elevation changes.
Take time to examine the Honden (main hall) closely, as it's a National Treasure from the Kamakura Period that uniquely blends Shinto shrine architecture with Buddhist design elements like the Irimoya-zukuri roof style and plaster walls, making it architecturally distinct from typical shrines.
Bring a camera but be respectful of any posted photography restrictions within the inner sanctum areas, as some sacred spaces may prohibit image capture to preserve the spiritual atmosphere.
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1 structures on the grounds
Fascinating facts about this place
According to legend, Ame-no-mikage-no-mikoto, grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, descended onto the 432-meter Mount Mikami during Emperor Kōrei's reign around 290 BC to become the mountain's divine spirit.
The rice grown in a nearby paddy field was used for Emperor Showa's first Niiname Festival in 1925, and that same field celebrates the connection every June with a traditional rice planting ceremony.
Twenty-four ancient dōtaku bronze bells were excavated here during the Meiji period, proving Mount Mikami was worshipped as far back as the Yayoi period, centuries before the shrine's official 718 AD founding.
The shrine's main hall uniquely blends Shinto and Buddhist architecture, featuring a Buddhist-style roof and plaster walls that were so unusual they earned National Treasure status in 1952.
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