Miyajidake Shrine

 

Like Kashii Shrine which I had visited a few hours earlier, Miyajidake Shrine is yet another major shrine in Fukuoka connected to the mythical Empress Jingu.

The long approach road runs from the shrine to the sea and is known as the Path of Light as twice a year it aligns with the setting sun.

According to the myth, Jingu prayed at the top of the mountain for success in her upcoming invasion of Korea, so she is the primary Kami enshrined here along with Katsumura no Okami and Katsuyori no Okami, said to be two brothers of the powerful ruling family of the area.

The shrine is famous for Japan's Best Three, the three being a giant taiko drum, a giant copper lantern, and the huge shimenawa.

Many sources claim this to be the biggest shimenawa in Japan, but by every metric I can figure the one at Izumo Taisha is bigger.

Behind the main shrine is the Inner Shrine area which has a group of eight other shrines.

The most interesting is the Fudo Shrine, not least because Fudo Myoo is a Buddhist deity with Hindu roots.

It is located within the stone burial chamber of an ancient kofun. While the mound itself is not particularly large, the stone burial chamber was claimed to be the biggest in Japan, though nowadays "among" the biggest is more common.

Dated to the end of the 6th or start of the 7th century, many grave goods have been found nd now registered as National Treasures.

It is not known for sure who was buried here but some historians suggest it was a notable of the Munakata Clan who is said to have ruled the area.

The Munakata were involved in trade with mainland Asia and the Munakata Shrines were links to the mainland by sea. Incidentally the Munakata Ptncesses, the name given to the three female kami of the Munakata Shrines, were "daughters" of Susanoo which has led some historians to suggest that Northern Kyushu was within the control of the Izumo polity.

Mitajidake Shrine has many festivals throughout the year, but one of the most popular is the Tsuitachi Mairi, held every month. Previously held on the new moon, since switching to the solar calendar it has shifted to the first day of each month.

The previous post was on Kaishinji Temple a short distance away on the Path of Light.