Something to look forward in the New Year when the pandemic is over – a chance to be a miko

Casey Baseel Japan Today Dec 20, 2017

Chief priest cites popularity of miko heroine in anime hit Your Name for increased interest in traditional role.

The title of miko, or Shinto shrine maiden, definitely sounds impressive. However, becoming a miko doesn’t involve the sort of solemn, life-long decision as many other religious roles. In modern Japan, many young women work part-time as miko while leading otherwise secular lives, and there’s even a shrine which offers foreign travelers and residents the chance to sample what it’s like to be a shrine maiden with a miko-for-a-day program (well, technically miko-for-an-hour).

Nobuo Otagaki is the head priest of Amagasaki Ebisu Shrine, located in Amagasaki City in Hyogo Prefecture. The town sees a number of foreign travelers staying overnight on their way to or from sightseeing destinations in Kyoto and Osaka, and last year the Amagasaki Hospitality Group approached Otagaki with the idea of starting a miko experience package.

Having run a similar, successful program in New York, Otagaki agreed, and now interested individuals and groups can participate in one-hour sessions held at Amagasaki Ebisu Shrine where they dress in miko attire, learn about the activities the maidens do to keep the shrine running, and even try their hand at kaguramai, a traditional dance accompanied by bells and chimes, which was featured in a memorable scene of hit anime film Your Name.

Otagaki credits the popularity of the anime with sparking an interest in miko among foreign visitors, particularly those from Taiwan. Participants hail from a number of countries, though. This month, for example, a group of 10 exchange students from Australia and Fiji who are currently studying at Amagasaki’s Sonoda Women’s University took part in the one-hour program.

To date, over 150 groups have done the program, and the shrine plans to continue offering it for the foreseeable future. Reservations are required, with directions available here on the shrine’s website.

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For an article about JAL hostesses being reascribed to New Year duties as miko, please click here.

Suwa Taisha is one of the country’s oldest shrines and well worth a visit for anyone near Nagano Prefecture. Green Shinto has covered the shrine before (click here for a fully illustrated account). This time we focus on the peculiar natural phenomenon pictured above, thanks to an article taken from Japan Today.

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Chasing the Gods’ Crossing By John Asano Jan 29, 2020

A glistening white road upon a frozen lake surface in central Nagano Prefecture is where the gods walk. Across Lake Suwa, a natural phenomenon referred to as “The Gods’ Crossing” appears in winter when the ice forms ridges across the lake’s surface. The scene is out of this world.

Lake Suwa was the inspiration for the lake in the widely-loved 2016 anime Your Name (Kimi no Nawa). If you’re lucky enough to witness this natural wonder up close you’ll be whisked away into a fantasy wonderland. We had a chance to stop by and pay it a visit a few years back after visiting the famous Matsumoto Castle which is located nearby.

The rendition of the lake in *Your Name (Kimi no Na Wa).*

How The Gods’ Crossing forms

The lake has a natural hot spring under its surface which causes this anomaly to occur. During winter when the top of the lake freezes, the hot springs below are still warm and circulating. The warm water interacting with the cold ice forms pressure ridges or ice patterns on the lake surface. Some of the ridges reach heights of more than 30cm and look like sharp blades jutting out of the ice.

Changes in temperature from daytime to night cause the ice to crack and thus the holy road appears.

Locals believe that a god descends once a year to cross the lake via this mysterious road known as omiwatari (御神渡り) in Japanese. This journey sees the god descending across the Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) complex which has shrine buildings situated at opposite ends of the lake. At 1,200 years old, the complex is one of the oldest groups of Shinto shrines in Japan.

An ancient myth tells the story of a god from the main shrine (kamisha) traveling across the ice road to meet a goddess enshrined at the lower shrine (shimosha). It’s quite a heartwarming love story for such a cold place if you really think about it!

Probably the only time a crack in the ice a good sign

While it’s probably the last thing you’d want to see when visiting a frozen lake, a crack in the ice is considered a good omen which locals wait for anxiously every year. Unfortunately, the frequency with which the ice patterns appear has steadily dropped since the 1990s due to rising temperatures. This is truly a rare sight as the Gods’ Crossing doesn’t always form and there’s no real way to predict whether it will show up this year or not.

In 2018, the ice pathway appeared for the first time since 2013. Considering the warm temperatures this year it’s a bit of a toss-up. Blame it on global warming.

This is truly a rare sight as the Gods’ Crossing doesn’t always form and there’s no real way to predict whether it will show up this year or not.

When it does appear though, it’s like something of holy scripture. It’s even studied and analyzed by the locals to predict social conditions and annual crop harvests. They’ve been doing this since the 14th Century. Does that mean this is perhaps one of the world’s oldest weather records?

Thermal activity under the lake also means there are therapeutic onsen (hot springs) nearby. Loads of them can be found along the shores of the lake in the Kami Suwa area. At the very least, if the elusive phenomenon doesn’t occur, you can enjoy a nice hot spring experience on the lake that inspired Your Name for cool points on Instagram.

Lake Suwa itself is quite picturesque, even if the Gods’ Crossing doesn’t make an appearance this year. If you are looking to get out and explore a new and interesting part of the country, then put Lake Suwa near the top of your list of places to visit.