Omiwa Jinja Shrine is widely believed to be one of the oldest shrines in Japan. Found in Nara prefecture, it is so old that it is and has always been without a main shrine. Rather, the object of worship is Mt. Miwa itself. It is believed that the Omononushi no Kami, a guardian deity of human life, placed its soul for all of eternity in Mount Miwa. Accordingly, prayer is conducted by climbing Mt. Miwa. The act of praying on Mt. Miwa is quite sacred and, accordingly, rather difficult. For tourists interested in seeing the sights offered, it is recommended that they just explore Omiwa Jinja Shrine and take in the ancient architecture while learning about Japanese Shinto.