Religious Tradition in Japan - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 25

Fig. 2.9 Sacred Tree Festival
5 (Onbashirasai)
the satobikisai ); the tops are carved into kanmuriotoshi (a triangular pyramidal
shape), and the trees erected at the four corners of the shrine hall (Figs. 2.9 and 2.10 ).
Subsequently, after the Shikinen Sengu festival is conducted, the series of religious
events is completed (Suwa Bunkasha 1997 )
The Onbashira religious ceremony dates back to the Jomon period more than
4,000 years ago. In eastern Japan, the remains of enormous trees have been recov-
ered from excavated ruins dating back to the middle and late Jomon period. These
ruins include relics such as the large pillar-supported building of Sannai-Maruyama
Iseki (in Aomori City), and the wood circles of Chikamori Iseki (in Kanazawa City)
and Sakuramachi Iseki (in Oyabe City). These relics were found in non-residential
areas; the fi nds suggest that trees symbolized divinity and were sanctuaries for wor-
ship (Ueda 2004 ). One can witness the legacy of the tree-worship practices in the
Jomon period in the Onbashira festival of the Suwa Taisha.
The shinbashira symbolizes the center of the world and of existence. An exam-
ple is the Shin-no-Mihashira . The Shin-no-Mihashira at Ise Shrine is placed at the
center under the fl oor of the shogu , and the Shin-no-Mihashira in the ruins of the
Izumo Taisha is placed at the center of nine pillars. These pillars were believed to
support the earth (to which the Gods descended) and heaven, and the pillars became
sacred objects that signifi ed the sanctity of the area. The Suwa Taisha has no main
hall, and the shintai (sacred object) of the Kamisha Main Shrine is Mt. Moriya,
while the shaso is a forbidden area. At the top of Mt. Moriya is a group of