This Ema (絵馬) plaque is a commemorative offering from Oyama Shrine (Tateyama Summit) (立山頂上雄山神社), the summit shrine located on Mount Tate, one of the famed Three Sacred Mountains of Japan (三霊山) alongside Mount Fuji and Mount Haku. Situated at an altitude of 3,015 meters, the shrine marks the spiritual peak of the Tateyama mountain range and has long been a site of pilgrimage and mountain worship.
The plaque features a striking three-dimensional mask of a Tengu (天狗)—a powerful supernatural being in Japanese folklore associated with mountains, ascetic practice, and spiritual guardianship. With its vivid red face, intense gaze, and black beard, the Tengu embodies both fierce protection and supernatural authority. Tengu are often regarded as guardians of sacred mountains and companions of yamabushi (mountain ascetics), making them an especially fitting symbol for a shrine located at the summit of a revered peak.
On the right side, the calligraphy 「厄難消除 開運招福」 expresses traditional wishes for warding off misfortune and inviting good fortune. A small hanging bell (鈴, suzu) attached to the cord adds a typical Shinto element; its sound is believed to purify the space and attract the attention of the kami.
Combining carved ornament, bold symbolism, and sacred inscriptions, this ema functions both as a devotional offering and as a pilgrimage souvenir. It reflects the spiritual atmosphere of Mount Tate—where nature, ascetic tradition, and mountain deities converge—and invokes the protective power of the Tengu to guard travelers, climbers, and worshippers alike.
Size: 15 x 11 x 5cm
