Munakata Okitsu-miya Legend

The Munakata Okitsu-miya legend records the cult of Okitsu-miya on Okinoshima in the Genkai Sea, where Tagori-hime-no-Kami, eldest of the three Munakata goddesses, is enshrined. The upper scroll of the Kojiki (712 CE), in the ukei (oath) section, recounts the birth of three goddesses from the oath of Amaterasu-Omikami and Susanoo-no-Mikoto, who were settled in Munakata in Tsukushi to protect the northern sea routes. The three are enshrined separately on Okinoshima, on Oshima and on the mainland at Munakata, with Okitsu-miya at the farthest point. The structure has three layers: the birth of the three goddesses through the oath of Amaterasu and Susanoo; the descent of the three goddesses to Tsukushi and their guardianship of the northern sea routes; and the establishment of the taboos of Okinoshima (women excluded, restricted landing, nothing to be taken from the island). The survival into the modern period of a taboo-bound community organised around ancient maritime-route worship is a rare case. The site is Okinoshima and the Okitsu-miya of Munakata Taisha in Munakata, Fukuoka. Okinoshima lies some 60 km offshore and was inscribed in 2017 as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region,' together with the shrine's Nakatsu-miya on Oshima and Hetsu-miya at Tajima. Ritual remains from the fourth century onwards have been excavated, and many of the dedicated objects are designated National Treasures. Sources include the ukei section of the upper scroll of the Kojiki and the age-of-the-gods sixth section of the Nihon Shoki. The Engishiki Jinmyocho records 'Chikuzen-no-Kuni Munakata-gun Munakata Jinja Sanza' as a myojin taisha. The Munakata Dai-Bosatsu Goengi, Munakata Taisha shrine records and the Cultural Affairs Agency World Heritage materials provide further documentation.