Omiwa Jinja

Omiwa Jinja stands out because it lacks a main hall to house a deity. Instead, the entire forest-covered peak of Mount Miwa serves as the sacred object of worship. This mountain is considered the body of the deity Omononushi-no-Okami, and visitors direct their prayers toward the peak itself. Because this form of nature worship predates the construction of formal shrine buildings, Omiwa Jinja is often cited as one of the oldest Shinto sites in Japan.