Munakata Taisha

Shrine · Fukuoka

Hetsu-gu

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In short

Three goddesses, daughters of Amaterasu, enshrined across three halls, with some eighty thousand national treasures excavated from the island of Okinoshima confirming traces of state ritual.

The main hall of Munakata Taisha at Hetsu-gu. — そらみみ (Soramimi) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Quick facts

Address: 2331 Tashima, Munakata, Fukuoka
Spiritual entities: Amaterasu Ōmikami (天照大御神)

About this place

Munakata Taisha is in Munakata, Fukuoka. Its deities are the three goddesses, daughters of Amaterasu, enshrined severally at Okitsu-gu, Nakatsu-gu and Hetsu-gu. The three are Tagorihime, Tagitsuhime and Ichikishimahime. Some eighty thousand national treasures excavated from Okinoshima confirm traces of state ritual here. The shrine describes itself as one of the oldest shrines in Japan, appearing in Japanese mythology. Its account of its origins states no benefit that may be prayed for.

Origin and history

The deities are the three goddesses, daughters of Amaterasu, enshrined severally at Okitsu-gu, Nakatsu-gu and Hetsu-gu.

The three are Tagorihime, Tagitsuhime and Ichikishimahime.

Some eighty thousand national treasures excavated from Okinoshima confirm traces of state ritual here.

What it is locally associated with

Origin
The three daughters of Amaterasu
The deities are Tagorihime, Tagitsuhime and Ichikishimahime, enshrined severally at Okitsu-gu, Nakatsu-gu and Hetsu-gu.
documented history
Power spot
Some eighty thousand national treasures
Some eighty thousand national treasures excavated from Okinoshima confirm traces of state ritual here.
documented history
What people do here
One shrine in three places
The shrine is divided across Okitsu-gu, Nakatsu-gu and Hetsu-gu, Okitsu-gu standing on the island of Okinoshima.
documented history

What this shrine offers as proof of its own age is a count of objects. Some eighty thousand national treasures excavated from Okinoshima confirm traces of state ritual — an archaeological number, not a legend, given as the grounds. Almost nowhere else on this list does an institution reach for excavation figures when telling its origins.

What is enshrined here are the three daughters of Amaterasu, divided across three halls: Okitsu-gu, Nakatsu-gu and Hetsu-gu. One shrine in three places, one of them out on an island.

One of the three, Ichikishimahime, appears in Nara on this list as well. She is the chief deity of Tenkawa Daibenzaiten, where she is venerated as Benzaiten. The same goddess is enshrined in Kyushu as a daughter of Amaterasu and in Yamato as Benzaiten.

The shrine’s account of its origins names no benefit, so this page carries no tag for what may be prayed for.

Claims and evidence levels 2

The three daughters of Amaterasu — Tagorihime, Tagitsuhime and Ichikishimahime — are enshrined at Okitsu-gu, Nakatsu-gu and Hetsu-gu. documented history
Some eighty thousand national treasures excavated from Okinoshima confirm traces of state ritual at the shrine. documented history

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