Okinoshima Has Been Worshipped Since Ancient Times As Shimbaru- City Airport Kokura Sta
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Miare Festival Visiting this World Heritage Site Every year on October 1st shermen bring portable shrines across the Travel to the Munakata Region water from Oshima to Hetsu-miya, which is located on the main island Oshima Is. of Kyushu, so that the three deities Okitsu-miya Yohaisho Kitakyushu Airport Mojiko IC can gather there. Ferry min. Nakatsu-miya Passenger Boats min. Mojiko A Sacred Island Nishitetsu Bus Hetsu-miya Kokura min. (nonstop) Konominato Hatoba (Pier) min. (via Nakatani) Orio Located approximately kilometres o the western coast of Munakata Kitakyushu Kyushu, Okinoshima has been worshipped since ancient times as Shimbaru- City Airport Kokura Sta. Nuyama Munakata Fukutsu Kitakyushu JCT an island inhabited by deities, or kami. Ancient ritual sites unlike JR Roadside Station Mounded City Togo min. Tomb Group Fukuma Yahata JCT those found anywhere else have survived on the island to this day. Bus Wakamiya IC Togo Sta. Hetsu-miya Koga IC ey reveal much about the rituals that were conducted there to JR pray for safe ocean voyages during a period of active cultural Kashii min. exchange among the polities of East Asia, from the latter half of Bus Fukuoka IC Fukuma Sta. Shimbaru-Nuyama Hakata the fourth century to the end of the ninth century. ree Female Deities Kyushu Expressway Fukuoka Airport JR Mounded Tomb Group Tenjin Shinkansen min. e ancient Munakata clan performed rituals on Okinoshima, JR and their faith in the kami that inhabited the island eventually Hakata Sta. Dazaifu IC Nishitetsu Omuta Line led to the worship of the ree Female Deities of Munakata that Subway Subway min. min. Nishitetsu Bus View of Okinoshima from continues today. Okinoshima forms one part of Munakata Taisha, min. (nonstop) Fukuoka Airport Tenjin *Please note that landing on Okinoshima is prohibited. Okitsu-miya Yohaisho the shrine dedicated to the these three deities that also includes A site was created from which Okinoshima sacred sites on the island of Oshima and the main island of Kyushu. could be viewed and worshipped from a distance, since taboos have long prohibited is set of beliefs has been passed down together with traditions the public from visiting the island. associated with Okinoshima, such as taboos concerning visitors Okinoshima Finder (iOS / Android App) and the worship of the island from afar. Free Download is app indicates the location of the sacred island of Okinoshima, which is situ- ated 60 km o the western coast of Okitsu-miya, Munakata Taisha Kyushu. e map function within the app World Heritage (Okinoshima, Koyajima, Mikadobashira, Tenguiwa) oers a multilingual introduction to the Tagorihime-no-Kami component sites that make up this World Heritage property and the specic points e Sacred Island of from which Okinoshima is visible. Okitsu-miya Yohaisho, Munakata Taisha Okinoshima Nakatsu-miya, Munakata Taisha A World Heritage Site for Future Generations Tagitsuhime-no-Kami and Associated Sites e Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Asso- ∙ Entry into ritual sites and tomb areas is prohibited. Hetsu-miya, Munakata Taisha in the Munakata Region Busan ciated Sites in the Munakata Region was Korea Ichikishimahime-no-Kami inscribed on the World Heritage list in July ∙ e sightseeing route passes through private residen- tial areas. Please do not enter private lots or discard Okinoshima Is. Shimbaru-Nuyama 2017. As you explore the property we ask for your consideration and care in making litter on private property. km Mounded Tomb Group Tenguiwa sure that this treasure for all humanity will ∙ Please use caution during your visit, as the sightseeing Mikadobashira be protected for future generations. route traverses dangerous spots such as roadways and narrow mountain paths. Koyajima Tsushima Is. A km km A Okitsu-miya, Munakata Taisha Genkai Sea (Okinoshima, Koyajima, Mikadobashira, Tenguiwa) B For additional details, please contact us as follows: B Okitsu-miya Yohaisho, Munakata Taisha Oshima Is. Shimonoseki www.okinoshima-heritage.jp C Nakatsu-miya, Munakata Taisha C D Preservation and Utilization Council of “Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region” D Hetsu-miya, Munakata Taisha Headquarters: World Heritage Division, Fukuoka Prefecture Iki Is. E Fukuoka E Shimbaru-Nuyama Mounded Tomb Group Phone: -- Fax: -- E-mail: [email protected] Fukuoka Prefecture Illustration by Yoko Kitano March Japan Component Sites Near the huge rock formations found at the center reveal much about how people at that time prayed Okitsu-miya (Okinoshima ritual site) Okitsu-miya, Munakata Taisha of Okinoshima, several ritual archaeological sites for safe ocean voyages in a way that reflected their (Okinoshima, Koyajima, Mikadobashira, Tenguiwa) have been preserved almost untouched for more nature-oriented faith. Boat-shaped object Tagorihime-no-Kami Perform rituals Okitsu-miya, Munakata Taisha Worship from afar than a thousand years. ese rituals evolved e entire island constitutes the precinct of from Okinoshima (Okinoshima, Koyajima, Mikadobashira, Tenguiwa) through four stages over a span of some five hun- Okitsu-miya, which is part of the Munakata Taisha Ancient Rituals and Overseas Exchanges dred years, during which active overseas cultural shrine complex, and the island has long been pro- Nakatsu-miya Shimbaru-Nuyama Okitsu-miya Yohaisho, exchanges with other polities in the region were tected by taboos that prevent people from visiting Shimbaru-Nuyama (Mitakesan ritual site) Mounded Tomb Group Munakata Taisha taking place. ese important archaeological sites it, since it is known as a place where kami dwell. Mounded Tomb Group Tagitsuhime-no-Kami Boat-shaped object Changes in Okinoshima Ritual Sites from Mitakesan CE 400 500 600 700 800 900 e sacred island that forms the core of this property. Rituals were performed here from Partial rock-shadow the fourth to the ninth centuries, and many Rock-top rituals Rock-shadow rituals Open-air rituals ritual sites have survived intact to this day. rituals A site that preserves evidence con- Okinoshima Taboos cerning members of the ancient . Munakata clan, who performed Place of worship on the northern . Hetsu-miya religious rituals on Okinoshima and coast of Oshima that is linked to Visitors must not speak of anything (Shimotakamiya ritual site) sustained the living tradition of wor- the living tradition of venerating the . they have seen or heard on the island. shipping the sacred island. sacred island from afar. Ichikishimahime-no-Kami Boat-shaped object from Shimotakamiya . Visitors must not take anything from the island, ree Female Deities . Gilt-bronze miniature pentachord not even a twig, a blade of grass or a stone. of Munakata Site . Fragments of Tang-style . Hetsu-miya, Munakata Taisha Nakatsu-miya, Munakata Taisha . Mirror with tuo-dragon design . Sites (right) and (left) . Gold ring tricolored vase with . TLV mirror . Gilt-bronze harness . Shards of a cut-glass bowl elongated neck Visitors to the island must purify themselves by bathing naked in the sea, a Shinto ritual called misogi. Site . Site . Human-shaped steatite object Okinoshima and the ree Female Deities of Munakata . Iron ingots . Boat-shaped steatite object . Horse-shaped steatite object Place of worship on the main island of Place of worship on the island of Oshima . Nara-style tricolored small jar Okinoshima has long been viewed as a guardian deity of the sea Kyushu that originates from an ancient site that originates from an ancient site linked ● Rock-top ritual linked to Okinoshima rituals. to Okinoshima rituals. Site . Gilt-bronze miniature spinning and weaving tools . Perforated pottery routes leading from the Japanese archipelago to the Korean ● Rock-shadow ritual peninsula, and for this reason state rituals were conducted there ● Partial rock-shadow ritual for centuries. From the latter half of the seventh century onward, ● Open-air ritual similar rituals began to take place on Oshima and Kyushu. Char- ●Site acteristic objects similar to those used in rituals on Okinoshima ●Site World Heritage Site Characteristics have been discovered at the summit of Mt. Mitake, the highest ●Site ●Site Criteria (ii) Criteria (iii) ●Site point on Oshima, and on the grounds of Hetsu-miya (the Shimotakamiya ritual site) on Kyushu. e oldest historical Korea ●Site Exhibits an important interchange of human values, over a Bears a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultur- ●Site records in Japan, the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) and span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on develop- al tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has Okitsu-miya Shrine Buildings Nihon shoki (Chronicles of Japan), both compiled in the early ments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, disappeared. ●Site eighth century, indicate that the Munakata clan performed ritu- town-planning or landscape design. Japan Okinoshima is an exceptional example of the cultural tradi- Tenguiwa als dedicated to the three female deities in these three places. e sacred island of Okinoshima exhibits important inter- tion of worshipping a sacred island, as it has evolved and Iran China Koyajima Okinoshima is tradition reflects the origin of the three shrines of Munaka- changes and exchanges amongst various polities in East Asia been passed down from ancient times to the present. ta Taisha, each of which enshrines one of the three deities. from the fourth to the ninth centuries, which is evident from Remarkably, archaeological sites have been preserved e three female deities’