Munakata Taisha

Munakata Taisha 宗像大社
Hetsu-no-Miya Honden of 1578 (ICP)
Religion
Affiliation	Shinto
Deity	Ichikishima Hime-no-Kami Tagitsu Hime-no-Kami Tagori Hime-no-Kami
Type	Munakata Shrine
Location
Location	2331, Tashima, Munakata Fukuoka 〒811-3505 1811, Ōshima, Munakata Fukuoka 〒811-3701
Shown within Japan
Geographic coordinates	33°49′53″N 130°30′50″E
Website
www.munakata-taisha.or.jp
Glossary of Shinto

Munakata Taisha is a group of three Shinto shrines located in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is considered the head shrine among approximately 6,000 Munakata shrines throughout the country. While the name Munakata Taisha refers to all three shrines - Hetsu-gū, Nakatsu-gū, and Okitsu-gū - it is commonly used to specifically refer to Hetsu-gū. As mentioned in Japan's second oldest book, Nihon Shoki, the shrines are dedicated to the three Munakata goddesses known as Munakata-sanjojin.

These deities, known as Munakata-sanjojin, are believed to be either daughters of the goddess Amaterasu, who is considered the ancestress of the imperial family, or daughters of Susanoo, who has been worshipped at Munakata Taisha as the god of mariners for many years. Over time, Susanoo has also come to be revered as the god of traffic safety on land.

Munakata Taisha is also home to many Japanese treasures. Hetsu-gū's honden (main shrine) and haiden (main prayer hall) are both designated Important Cultural Properties and the precincts are a Historic Site

Munakata Taisha is not only a place of worship, but also home to many precious Japanese treasures. The honden (main shrine) and haiden (main prayer hall) of Hetsu-gū are designated as Important Cultural Properties, and the entire precincts are recognized as a Historic Site. In addition, the shrine's treasure hall called Shinpō-kan, located at the southwest corner of Hetsu-gū's grounds, holds numerous valuable relics, including six National Treasures of Japan. The Shinpō-kan houses over 120,000 artifacts that were excavated on Okinoshima, an island associated with Munakata Taisha..

Three shrines

Gate of Hetsu-no-miya

All three shrines of Munakata Taisha are located in Fukuoka Prefecture, but they are situated on separate islands. The main shrine, Hetsu-gū, is located on the mainland of Kyūshū. Nakatsu-gū is situated at the base of Mt. Mitake on the island of Ōshima, which is off the west coast of Kyūshū. The last shrine, Okitsu-gū, is located on the island of Okinoshima, which is situated in the middle of the Genkai Sea. The entire island of Okinoshima is considered sacred, and as a result, women are not allowed to set foot on the island. Men must also perform a purification ceremony before landing on Okinoshima according to the shrine's customs..

In 2009, the three shrines of Munakata Taisha were submitted for potential inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of a serial nomination called "Okinoshima Island and Related Sites in Munakata Region.".

In July, 2017 Japan's Okinoshima Island gained UNESCO World Heritage Status.

Shrine Name	Enshrined Deity	Island Location	Coordinates
Hetsu-gū (辺津宮)	Ichikishima-hime-no-Kami (市杵島姫神)	Kyūshū	33°49′53″N 130°30′50″E
Nakatsu-gū (中津宮)	Tagitsu-hime-no-Kami (湍津姫神)	Ōshima	33°53′49″N 130°25′56″E
Okitsu-gū (沖津宮)	Tagori-hime-no-Kami (田心姫神)	Okinoshima	34°14′33″N 130°6′14″E

The three shrines correspond to the three daughters of Susanoo shown on the left

Related pages

• Munakata Saikaku
• List of Shinto shrines
• List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials)
• World Heritage Sites in Japan

References

Media related to Munakata-taisha at Wikimedia Commons