1.3.1 Suwa Daimyojin and the “Remote Meeting”#

Legend speaks of Suwa Daimyojin, a mighty warrior deity from Nagano Prefecture revered as a guardian of wind, rain, and pioneering. He is often said to manifest in the form of a massive dragon or serpent.

According to tradition, when he first journeyed to Izumo for the divine assembly, his size proved problematic. One account claims that while his head had already arrived in Izumo, his tail was still trailing back in Suwa (another version suggests his true dragon form was simply too earth-shaking to be accommodated). Since the gathering strictly observed collective decorum and was held inside a specific hall (the Jogu), his gargantuan frame simply wouldn’t fit.

Consequently, the gods passed a special resolution: Suwa Daimyojin was excused from physical attendance. Instead, he could remain in Suwa and participate “remotely.” One could argue this was history’s very first concept of a video conference.

This ancient myth ended up resonating with our day in a curiously modern way. One of the reasons my wife had originally argued against visiting the shrine on December 19th was that I had a work meeting scheduled. Even for a short call, Japan is a nation of strict etiquette, and conducting business on a phone in public spaces is generally frowned upon.

Fortunately, we managed to complete our worship just before the call began. We found a quiet café along the Omotesando (the main approach), settled in, and—keeping my voice respectfully low—I finished my work. There, in the land of myths, a mere mortal like myself got to experience his own version of Suwa Daimyojin’s “remote meeting,” thankfully without causing a scene.