2025.04.12

Gods of Hitachi Country, Oiwa Shrine Part 1

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At first glance, Hitachi City, located in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, may have a strong image of an industrial city known as the founding place of Hitachi, Ltd., a comprehensive electronics manufacturer. However, did you know that the mind-boggling history of the ancient earth lies beneath its feet, and is filled with a mysterious energy that transcends human knowledge? It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to take the Joban Line Limited Express "Super Hitachi" from Ueno Station, and while looking at the scenery from the train window, which is a mixture of modern comfort and nostalgia, you will find yourself in the eternal flow of time.

Article Contents

Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture: A journey of mystery and superb scenery woven by ancient history and modern architecture
- Hitachi Station, a station with a superb view where the sea and sky blend together

Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture: A journey of mystery and superb scenery woven by ancient history and modern architecture

Hitachi Station, a station with a superb view where the sea and sky blend together

When you get off at Hitachi Station, the first thing that catches your eye is the magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean. This station building, designed and supervised by Kazuyo Sejima, one of Japan's leading female architects, goes beyond the framework of a mere station and is full of a sense of openness like an observatory floating on the sea.

Mr. Sejima himself was born and raised in Hitachi City because his father worked for an affiliate of Hitachi, Ltd., and he has a special attachment to this area.

When you step into the aisles of the station, you will find a transparent space with a lot of glass, and the sunlight glitters and reflects off the surface of the sea, creating a fantastic atmosphere. The design, which gives the illusion of floating in the air, is probably due to the originality unique to Mr. Sejima.

Its beauty has been recognized internationally, and in 2014 it won the Brunel Prize, an international design competition for railways. Hitachi Station continues to fascinate visitors not only as a hub for transportation, but also as a special space that colors the beginning of a journey.

Oiwa Shrine, a sacred mountain where the gods dwell

After enjoying the spectacular view of Hitachi Station, rent a car and head to Oiwa Shrine, a sacred mountain steeped in ancient history. After about 20 minutes of driving, the Oiwa Shrine appears quietly in the silence surrounded by lush green mountains. This shrine has a long history of being revered as a sacred place where the gods dwell, and its mysterious atmosphere overwhelms visitors.

The Oiwa Shrine has many legends and mysterious episodes. One of the most famous is the story of Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, who looked at the Earth from space and saw only one place that seemed to glow tremendously, and when he measured its latitude and longitude, it turned out to be the location of the Oiwa Shrine. Chiaki Mukai, the first female astronaut from Japan, also said that when she looked at the Earth from the space shuttle, "There was a pillar of light standing in Japan, and when I looked up the location, it was in the mountains of Hitachi."

These episodes seem to speak of the special energy that the Oiwa Shrine has. Edgar Mitchell is said to have visited the Oiwa Shrine in his later years and told the story to the priest. The mystique of the Oiwa Shrine, which is also recognized from the point of view of an astronaut scientist, teaches us about the existence of an invisible world.

The secret of the birth of the Japan archipelago: 500 million years ago geological formations

An indispensable part of talking about the mystique of Miiwa Shrine is the ancient geological formations that spread out at its feet. The history of the earth is said to be about 4.6 billion years, and among them, the Cambrian strata of about 500 million years ago exist in the area from Hitachi City to Hitachi-Ota City in Ibaraki Prefecture. This is one of the places where the Japan archipelago was first born, and it has a very important meaning in telling the history of the earth.

In 2008, a research team led by Michio Tagiri, a special specialist at the Hitachi City Folk Museum and professor emeritus at Ibaraki University, discovered this formation. Furthermore, in 2014, Nozaki's team reported the age of copper ore from Hitachi Mines under the Miyatagawa Fudo Falls to 533 million years ago, updating the age of the oldest geological formation in Japan. In the mountains from Hitachi City to Hitachi-Ota City, Paleozoic and Cambrian strata spread over about 50 square kilometers, making it a valuable place where you can experience the history of the earth firsthand.

The discovery of this geological formation was a major clue to unraveling the secret of the birth of the Japan archipelago. Currently, there are six continents on the earth: Eurasia, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, but about 500 million years ago, it is believed that a supercontinent called Gondwana existed, including South America, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.

The split of the Gondwana continent gave rise to the current six continents, and the movement of these continents is explained by a theory called plate tectonics. The Earth is covered with solid rock slabs called plates, and these plates move on the convection mantle.

According to this theory, the hypothesis is that Ibaraki Prefecture may have been connected to the past with an area with the same strata as the strata discovered around Hitachi City 500 million years ago. Regions that may have been connected to this are northeastern China and the far east of Russia. Since strata dating back about 500 million years have been found in these areas, it is thought that Ibaraki Prefecture was a volcanic area at the eastern end of the Gondwana continent, which may be the beginning of the Japan archipelago.

Formation of the Japan archipelago, the continent of Bangea and sediments

Even further back, 240 million years ago, Ibaraki Prefecture became part of the new continent of Bangea, where sediments and rocks carried from land were deposited as the seabed moved. It is believed that part of it was solidified by pressure and high temperature deep underground, and became the foundation of the Japan archipelago. Then, about 25 million years ago, the edge of the continent began to crack, and the prototype of the Japan archipelago was formed around 20 million years ago.

The stones in the stream that flows through the shrine are exactly 500 million years old, and a large area of the ground of the shrine and the ground of Hitachi City is called the Taga Mountains, and it is made up of 500 million years old Cambrian strata. Mt. Kabire, which is located behind the Oiwa Shrine, is a sacred mountain that has been revered as a sacred place where gods live since ancient times, and this 500-million-year-old geological formation itself has been revered as a mountain of gods.

Mt. Oiwa and Kabire Shrine, a god dwelling in a 500-million-year-old stone

The "Kabire Shrine" on the side of Mt. Oiwa enshrines a 500-million-year-old deity. Its presence is overwhelming, and the history of the earth seems to be engraved on the rock surface that has weathered over the years. In addition, there are many shrines in Hitachi City and Hitachi-Ota City, such as the Omikajinja Shrine, which have been worshipped for a long time and are still visited by pilgrims from all over the country, but all of these shrines and stone statues are made of 500 million years old stones.

Previously, I told you that the sacred bodies near the summit of Tsukubasan Shrine and the nearby Tsukiishimizu Shrine and Iina Shrine are porphyry rocks that are 75 million years old, but the Taga Mountains around Oiwa Shrine are much older than that, 500 million years ago. The divine body, which is said to be inhabited by God, is engraved with a mind-boggling history of the earth.

A trip to Hitachi City's ancient history and mysteries

Hitachi City is not just an industrial city, but a mysterious place where the history of the ancient earth is alive. The beautiful design of Hitachi Station by Kazuyo Sejima, the Oiwa Shrine, where the legend of an astronaut saw the light, and the 500-million-year-old geological formations that unravel the secret of the birth of the Japan archipelago. The combination of these elements will make Hitachi City deeply moving and surprising to visitors.

When visiting Hitachi City, we recommend that you take a leisurely stroll with plenty of time to spare. By walking through the precincts of Oiwa Shrine and touching the 500-million-year-old stones, you will be able to become a part of the history of the earth. Also, if you look at the Pacific Ocean from the observation deck of Hitachi Station, you may feel as if you are connected to the vast universe.

Hitachi City is a place full of elements that can be enjoyed by various people, such as history lovers, shrines and temple lovers, and nature lovers. Please come and experience the ancient history and mysteries. It will be an unforgettable experience that will change your outlook on life.

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