It is said that sugidama originated from the Ōmiwa Shrine in Nara Prefecture, which is dedicated to the god of sake. Every year on November 14, the Ōmiwa Shrine decorated a sugi leaf ball with a wish for the production of delicious sake, and this custom spread to sake breweries throughout Japan from the early Edo period (1603-1868). It is believed that sugidama were created because sugi trees grow abundantly in the area around Mount Miwa, where the Ōmiwa Shrine is located, and because the sugi trees of Mount Miwa are considered sacred. Originally, it was customary to display sugidama made from the sugi leaves from Mount Miwa, but since modern times, sake breweries around Japan often make their own sugidama or commission them to be made by a vendor.