By ando 
In Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture, not far from the bustling Shiogama Jinja and Shiwahiko Jinja, lies a quiet yet overwhelmingly impactful shrine. This is Okama Jinja (Okama Shrine).
This is no ordinary jinja. It is a place where mysterious kettles, counted among Japan’s ancient “Three Great Wonders” (Nihon Sanki), are enshrined, and it has been revered by people since ancient times. This article will introduce the amazing legends associated with this jinja, as well as curious episodes related to the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Basic Information
Location: 6-1 Honcho, Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture
Enshrined kami: Shiotsuchi-no-Ojikami
History: An auxiliary shrine (massha) located outside the precincts of Shiogama Jinja. This area is traditionally believed to be the first place in Japan where salt was produced, which is also the origin of the place name “Shiogama” (meaning “salt kettle”).
The Mystery of the “Four-Spouted Sacred Kettles,” One of Japan’s Three Great Wonders
The biggest highlight of Okama Jinja is the “Yonku-no-Shinkama” (Four-Spouted Sacred Kettles) enshrined in the offering hall within the shrine grounds. Alongside the “Ishi-no-Hoden” in Hyogo Prefecture and the “Ama-no-Sakihoko” in Miyazaki Prefecture, they are counted as one of Japan’s Three Great Wonders.
These four iron kettles possess mysterious characteristics that cannot be explained by science.
1. Water neither dries up nor overflows: Despite being placed in an uncovered area, legend says that the water never dries up even during a drought, nor does it overflow even during heavy rain.
2. “Water color” that predicts disasters: It is said that the color of the water in the kettles changes before major anomalies occur in the world. During the Edo period, this prediction was so highly regarded that there was a rule to report to the Sendai Domain if the water color changed.
The Great East Japan Earthquake and the “Transparent Water”
This prophetic power continues to be recounted even today. On the morning of March 11, 2011, the day the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, the person in charge of managing the sacred kettles confirmed that the water, which is usually reddish-brown and murky, in two of the four kettles had become “so transparent and clear that the bottom was visible.”
Even more surprisingly, there is an anecdote that the massive tsunami that struck Shiogama City split into two just before reaching Okama Jinja, sparing the shrine itself from flood damage. This event further deepened the faith of local residents in the jinja as a truly divine place.
“Moshioyaki Shinji,” Conveying Ancient Wisdom
The “Moshioyaki Shinji” (Seaweed Salt Burning Ritual), held annually from July 4th to 6th, is a very rare festival designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Miyagi Prefecture.
This ritual recreates the ancient salt production method said to have been taught to people by the enshrined kami, Shiotsuchi-no-Ojikami, by baking salt using seaweed (hondawara). The “moshio” (seaweed salt) refined in this shinji is extremely valuable and is even offered at the annual festival (reisai) of Shiogama Jinja.
Anime “Kannagi” Pilgrimage
Shiogama City, where Okama Jinja is located, and the neighboring town of Shichigahama are also known as pilgrimage sites (seichi) for the popular anime “Kannagi.”
While Hanabusa Jinja in Shichigahama Town served as the main model, the townscape where the story unfolds is modeled after the area around Shiogama City, making Okama Jinja a popular spot on fan pilgrimage routes. The mysterious atmosphere of “ubusunagami” (local guardian deities) that pervades the work strongly resonates with the ambiance of Okama Jinja itself.
Points for Visiting
To view the sacred kettles, you need to pay a small offering (hatsuhoryo) of 100 yen at the shrine office (shamusho). The door to the offering hall, which is usually locked, will be opened for you, allowing you to venerate the mysterious kettles up close (Please note that photography is prohibited inside).
When you visit Shiogama City, be sure to not only see Shiogama Jinja but also make your way to Okama Jinja, which is both the “origin of the place name” and a “place of prophecy.” There, ancient mysteries that still breathe await you.
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