The origin of the 33 Kannon pilgrimage in Yamagata Prefecture is said to be the "Mogami 33 Kannon Pilgrimage," which began during the Muromachi period. This pilgrimage, which is said to have started about 580 years ago, continues...
Iwadeyama, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. Here lies a shrine dedicated to the mysterious ancient deity "Arahabaki," said to have resided there for 2,000 years. What's remarkable about this shrine is its address: Miyagi Prefecture...
Aoiwa
The Dewa Sanzan is a collective name for the three mountains of Yamagata Prefecture, with Mount Gassan (1,984m above sea level) as its main peak, along with Mount Yudono and Mount Haguro. Mount Haguro is known for...
The mysterious ancient god "Arahabaki"... This enigmatic deity is said to have been worshipped mainly in the Tohoku and Kanto regions, but even today, the most famous shrine bearing its name is the "Arahabaki" located in Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture...
Aoiwa
Despite its small size, the shrine exudes an intense presence, and the sight of countless red cloths tied around it is bizarre. This is Une-Tori, an ancient place of worship that also appears in Kunio Yanagita's "Tono Monogatari Shūi" (Supplementary Tales of Tono) in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture...
A large doll, about 4 meters tall. In Tamura City, Fukushima Prefecture, there is a god known as "O-ningyo-sama" (Doll God), a guardian deity that has been passed down for generations. It is characterized by its piercing gaze and outstretched sword, and is believed to ward off disease and disaster from the region...
What is an Onakama? An "Onakama" is a folk shaman (fugeki) who performs spiritual mediumship, incantations, and divination, primarily in the Mogami and Murayama regions of Yamagata Prefecture. They are similar to Itako and Mikosama in other parts of the Tohoku region...
Aoiwa
Hinoemata Village is located in the southwesternmost part of Fukushima Prefecture. It is situated in the mountainous region between Mount Hiuchigatake, Mount Aizu-Komagatake, and Mount Taishakusan, the highest peaks in the Tohoku region...
Aoiwa
Examples of Itako Spells: As mentioned earlier, Itako chant various incantations, or spells, when performing shamanistic rituals such as spirit mediumship. But what exactly are these incantations like...?.
The Training Process to Become an Itako We've looked at examples of the shamanistic practices performed by Itako, but what kind of training is necessary to become an Itako? Currently, new Itako...
