Time and Watch Culture: Insights from Omi Jingu’s Chief Priest Amitani
Omi Jingu
目次
Where Clocks and Prayer Meet: Visiting the Sacred Site of Time
Our online watch academy is,Activities aimed at conveying the charm and culture of mechanical watches to the futureWe are working on this project. I value it in that step,Returning to the origins of culture and deepening our learning.It is. This time, we visited the Omi Jingu Shrine in Shiga Prefecture, the sacred site of the "Memorial Day of Time," a symbolic place of this event. Omi Jingu is a shrine dedicated to the 38th Emperor Tenchi, who lived some 1,360 years ago. In this article,Omi Jingu Shrine's chief priest and principal of the watchmaking school, Miyashiro Amiya.We spoke to the following people. We will unravel their thoughts on the inheritance of watch culture, their message to the world, the role of shrines as places of prayer and industry, and their desire to pass it on to the future.
(Left) Instructor Fujimoto, Online Watch Academy; (Right) Chief Priest Amitani, Omi Jingu
The Shrine’s Role and Its Mission for the Future
According to Miyashi Amiya, shrines have three major roles.The first is to serve as a religious facility, a place of prayer where people can communicate their concerns and wishes to God and find peace of mind; the second is to properly honor the achievements of the deities and the history, traditions, and culture of the shrine and pass them on to future generations; the third is to preserve and maintain the ancient Japanese culture of the shrine grounds, including the shrine buildings and the trees within, for posterity. The third is to maintain and preserve the ancient Japanese culture of the shrine grove, including the shrine pavilions and trees within the shrine grounds, for posterity. In this role, Omi JinguTo tell the story of Emperor Tenchi and convey to the next generation the significance of the foundation of the temple in the land of Otsu.The mission of the company is toThe Daily Duty of Maintaining “Purity”
「Cleanliness comes first and foremost at the shrine.He emphasizes the importance of keeping the shrine pavilions in good condition for the rituals, and to perform the Shinto rituals in a clean environment.
Clock and Treasure Museum (exterior):
Established in 1963 as Japan's first clock museum, the Clock and Treasure Museum exhibits traditional Japanese clocks (wadokei) and foreign-made pocket watches on the first floor, and cultural treasures on the second floor.
Sundial: A sundial installed in the shrine grounds. As a traditional timekeeping device that tells the time by the shadow of the sun, it attracts the attention of visitors.
Ancient Fire Clock: A reconstructed model of a fire clock. It measures time by burning incense or thread, and is a precious example of an analog timekeeping device still preserved in the shrine grounds.
”Nakaima” and the Philosophy of Time
It appears in the proclamation of the 41st Emperor Monmu, who ascended to the throne after Emperor Tenchi, "Thethe present (esp. as a privileged moment in eternity)The word "kami". This is an important concept for Shinto and has two meanings. A document declaring the emperor's imperial command (used in the Nara period)]. One, "Every moment is irreversible, and we must live in the present moment."。 The second is that "our existence is based on the flow of life and activities of our many ancestors, and that we have a responsibility to pass this flow on to future generations."It is also important to note that Emperor TenchiWater clockThe date of June 10 is "the first day of the year" in honor of the legend that the time was first told by striking a bell and striking a drum.Anniversary of the TimeThe day was designated as the "Day of the Dead". Omi Jingu Shrine still celebrates this day and continues to convey the preciousness of time.The Rokokusai and the Meaning of Clock Offerings
Leak Festival on June 10At the "Tenchi Watch Festival", people in the watch industry from Japan and abroad dedicate new watches and clocks to honor Emperor Tenchi's commencement of the time signal. Mr. Amiya, the chief priest of the shrine, spoke about the unique charm of this festival, noting the special nature of the dedication of modern clocks in a ritual that originates from an ancient leaky hourglass (water clock). The Leakkoku Matsuri is a unique ritual that cannot be found at other shrines, allowing visitors to experience the charm of water clocks and the evolution of modern clocks all in one place. Omi Jingu Shrine is also known as a sacred place for the Hyakunin Isshu competitive karuta, a form of Japanese culture that attracts many foreign tourists,Recognition as a source of watch cultureThe number of people who have been able to use the product has also been increasing.
Rokoku (Water Clock): This reproduction is based on the water clock said to have been built by Emperor Tenji. It is a precious symbol of Japan’s "origin of time."
Bugaku dedicated during the Rokokusai at Omi Jingu.
Omi Horological Institute and Learning Amid Nature
The Clock School operated by Omi Jingu opened in 1969 and has been in operation for more than half a century. The head priest Amiya also serves as the school's principal, and is the "Director of theThere are similarities between the technical education of mechanical watches and the state of mindHe said, "I am very happy to be here. He said that the environment of learning in the rich nature of the premises near Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, is similar to that of a Swiss watchmaking school. Students will acquire watchmaking skills along with traditional Japanese culture,Graduates are active nationwideThere are also cases where two generations of parents and children are enrolled in the school. In some cases, parents and children have enrolled in the school for two generations. Because of its long history, the school is considering the introduction of new equipment and hopes to welcome even more students in the future.
Inside Omi Horological Institute
Message to International Learners
In recent years, students from China have also studied here, and it appears to be a valuable place of learning for people from other countries as well. Omi Jingu Shrine is located close to Lake Biwa, providing an environment where students can learn watchmaking skills while experiencing nature and culture. Mr. Amiya, the chief priest of Omi Jingu, gave a lecture to foreign watch enthusiasts who want to experience Japanese traditions and techniques, saying, "We hope you will visit!and warm messages.A Deity Who Links Culture and Industry
Emperor Tenchi is known as the god of various industrial promotions, such as the Bensui Festival related to the oil industry, the Hyakunin Isshu competitive karuta game, and watch culture. The Amiya priest is the deity of the Tenchi Emperor's name, Amemikoto Hirakasunowake-no-Okami, as in the following wordsBlessings of Emperor Tenchi, the God of Opening and Pioneeringand expressed his gratitude at the sight of so many worshippers praying for the development of culture and industry. He hopes that Omi Jingu Shrine will continue to play an important role in the world as a place of prayer and as a center for the future of watch culture and industry.
Omi Jingu (precincts)