Rice paddy on the premises of Oyamazumi Jinja

The shimanami scenic sea route has lots more to offer besides cycling. Having said that, it must be very special to ride a bike and visit the attractive places on the route, or rather off the beaten path, away from the cycling route directly linking Hiroshima (Honshu side) and Ehime (Shikoku side).

This is part of the Oyamazumi Jinja Shinto shrine in Omishima island. Some thirty minutes’ pedaling from the Tatara Grand Bridge connecting Omishima and Ikuchijima. This shrine has a small patch of rice field. The rice is already harvested as you can see. In front of the hall in the photo is held an interesting and rather humorous ritual biannually in spring and fall: Sumo bouts are fought between a human and a numen of rice grain. They compete three times and always the spirit wins. This is like a pre-celebration of good harvest.

The Records of Ancient Matters (Kojiki), a Japanese mythological history book, does not specify the gender of Oyamazumi deity but another old book writes the deity is female but another says male. Whoever he or she is, the deity has been revered by all, including commoners, warriors, and nobles.