As the sun rises over the eastern shores of Japan, the Wedded Rocks (Meoto Iwa) come into view. They are just off-shore, close to Ise Shinto (The Holy City or Capital of the Kami) shrine in Mie Prefecture, Japan. These are the “Husband and Wife Rocks,” a Shinto shrine representing the union of creator kami (deities) Izanagi and Izanami, and thereby celebrate the sanctity of marriage between man and woman. Eight of the Japanese islands were created by Izanagi and Izanami, who are very important in Japanese Shinto traditional mythology. Hokkaido was not considered a part of Japan at this ancient time.
Shinto Beliefs
In the ancient Japanese Shinto animistic belief system, deities, or kami, are both represented by natural phenomena, and as spirits dwelling in natural phenomena. The basis of the Shinto belief is the close tie of the people to nature which is connected through the kami. Through worshipping the kami, the deities are able to bestow great blessings on the Japanese people.
During the early Nara period, the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters 712 C.E.) and Nihonshoki (The Chronicles of Japan, 720 C.E.) together recorded the myths and tales surrounding the origin of Japan and the history of the kami, or deities. These are the sacred books of Shinto. The creators of the Japanese islands and other kami are Izanagi and Izanami whose legends are recorded in the sacred Shinto books.
The most important kami to this day is the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, whose chief shrine is at nearby Ise. She was born from the left eye of Izanagi as he purified himself in a river, following his journey to the underworld to try to bring back his wife, Izanami, who had died during childbirth. In the legend of Izanagi and Izanami, Izanami is said to be the creator of death.
The Naiku shrine of the Ise Jingu complex, dedicated to Amaterasu holds one of the three sacred treasures, the sacred mirror. The Naiku shrine is said to have been dedicated and created about 2000 years ago, and other parts of the shrine about 1500 years ago.
According to the Kojiki, Izanagi and Izanami, while she was still alive, had an interesting third son, Hiruko-no-Mikoto. He was born without bones and was thrown to the ocean when he was 3 years old. He survived and came back to land and overcame many hardships to become the deity Ebisu, kami of commerce, fishing, fortune and caretaker of little children.
Ebisu, son of Izanami and Izanagi, is generally identified with the red snapper which also means good fortune. Ebisu is often portrayed with a fishing rod in his right hand and a fan in his left. Ebisu is the only one of the seven lucky kami of Japan, Shichifukujin, who is actually of Japanese origin, derived from Shinto traditions. The other six were imported from India and China and are Buddhist or Taoist in origin.
Meoto Iwa, the Wedded Rocks
The Wedded Rocks are a well-known iconographic representation of Ise and of Shinto. They represent the marriage of the creator gods Izanagi and Izanami. The rocks, just off-shore, are tied together with a shimenawa, a sacred rope made of rice straw which weighs over a ton and must be ceremonially replaced three times each year, in May, September and December.
The larger rock is said to be the male rock, and has a small torii, or sacred purifying entrance, at the top. It is known as Oiwa. The male rock measures 9 meters tall and 40 meters around; the female rock is 3.6 meters high and 9 meters around. The female rock is known as Meiwa.
Meoto Iwa is located off Futamigaura, just south of the important Ise shrines. There is a Futami Okitama shrine, also known as the Frog Shrine, which is dedicated to Miketsu-no-Kami, the goddess of food. From the Okitama shrine people can also worship the nearby Wedded Rocks.
The best time to view the rocks is at sunrise in the summer when the sun appears to rise between the two rocks and the water encircles the rocks, which in the summer can be as early as 4:30 am. The shadow of Mt. Fuji can also be seen in the distance from this location. See directions to the Meoto Iwa shrine and other sites at Ise.
Sources:
Meoto Iwa, available at mie-c.ed.jp/cujiya/gakka/hutami/meotoiwa.html Accesses 21 Feb 2010
New World Encyclopedia. “Ise Shinto,” available at newworldencyclopedia.org Accesses 21 Feb 2010
Yamasa Institute. “Futamigaura,” available at www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/mie/futamigaura.html Accessed 21 Feb 2010
Paula I. Nielson - Paula I. Nielson, Ph.D., holds credentials and interests in anthropology, archaeology, religion, the Middle East and Asia.
