Why had ancient Japanese people praised Amano-kaguyama?
A month ago, I went to Amano-kaguyama and the surrounding area in Nara Prefecture to do some sightseeing.
Amano-kaguyama is an unpopular sightseeing spot, but I was very interested in that place.
Amano-kaguyama is the name of a mountain, and I knew it through the “Waka”, which is a classic Japanese poem.
According to legend, that mountain fell down from heaven.
So it made me imagine a divine and solemn mountain.
However, that was actually different than what I was expecting.
Amano-kaguyama was a small mountain that had no particularly outstanding features.
I strolled on the deserted mountain.
Fresh green leaves covered the mountain brightly.

There were only some unmanned small shrines.

I wonder why ancient Japanese people had praised this small mountain.
Amano-kaguyama was not so much a mountain as a hill.
I thought that I would see this small mountain from some distance.
I left there, and I headed to the ruins of Fujiwara-kyo, which was one mile away.
Fujiwara-kyo was the capital of ancient Japan. Today, that place is open ground.
I stood on the place where there was an imperial palace over 1,300 years ago, and I gazed at Amano-kaguyama from there.
Amano-kaguydma looked like a low hill from far away. I thought that it was hardly noticeable.

Why did ancient Waka poets write beautiful poems that were based on Amano-kaguyama?
I think that they must have seriously believed a legend. For them, Amano-kaguyama was a gift from heaven.
The legend must have stimulated their sense of beauty.
Amano-kaguyama must have appeared solemn or spectacular to them.
On the other hand, we modern people cannot believe a legend or superstition.
We cannot believe something that cannot be scientifically explained.
So Amano-kaguyama just looked like a low hill to me. It may be unfortunate for me.
