地域観光資源の 多言語解説文データベース

Exploring the Hetsu-miya Precincts

Hetsu-miya Shrine, located near the Tsurikawa River, is commonly referred to as Munakata Taisha and is the most accessible of Munakata’s three shrines. The main sanctuary and worship hall have been designated Important Cultural Properties. Hetsu-miya enshrines Ichikishimahime no Kami, the youngest sister of the Three Female Deities of Munakata.

Entering the Shrine

Passing through the torii gate and proceeding along the path, you come to the main gate (shinmon), decorated with the gold chrysanthemum seal of the imperial family, commonly seen at Shinto shrines. Beyond the main gate are the worship hall and the main sanctuary. Before passing through the main gate, most visitors stop at the temizuya water pavilion to wash their hands and mouth with cool, flowing water in an act of purification.

The Main Sanctuary

The worship hall, the first structure you see after passing through the main gate, was constructed in 1590. The main sanctuary behind the worship hall was rebuilt after a fire in 1578 by Munakata Ujisada, who was at the time the highest-ranking priest at the shrine. The appearance of the sanctuary, from its curved roof thatched with cypress bark to its intricately carved red eaves, is similar to the design of Itsukushima Shrine at Miyajima in Hiroshima (which was also built to honor the Three Female Deities). Adjacent to the main sanctuary and worship hall are several small subsidiary shrines, which were relocated here from other sites in the Munakata region in 1675.

An Ancient Ritual Site

To the right of the main sanctuary, a path leads up to Takamiya Saijo, the site where the Three Female Deities are said to have descended to earth from the heavens. Takamiya Saijo has been an important ritual site for over a thousand years, predating the shrine itself. To the northwest of the ritual site you can see the sea route linking Hetsu-miya with Okinoshima across the Genkai Sea. As you descend, watch for a path leading to two subsidiary shrines venerating Tagorihime no Kami of Okitsu-miya, and Tagitsuhime no Kami of Nakatsu-miya.

To learn more about the ancient rituals conducted in the Munakata region, visit the Shimpokan Museum within the Hetsu-miya precincts. The museum holds around 80,000 artifacts found at ritual sites on Okinoshima.

探訪邊津宮

通常，宗像大社是指位於釣川旁的邊津宮，它在宗像三神社中交通最為便捷。邊津宮供奉宗像三女神中的小妹「市杵島姬神」，本殿（正殿）與拜殿被指定為國家重要文化財產。

進入神社

穿過鳥居（神社入口的牌坊式建築），沿參道（參拜道路）前行抵達神門（正門），門上裝飾著代表皇室的金色菊花紋章，這在日本神社中十分常見。神門對面為拜殿和本殿。在進入神門之前，需要先在手水舍（凈水池）用涼水洗手、漱口，以淨化身心。

本殿

穿過神門後見到的第一棟建築是建於1590年的拜殿，後面便是本殿。原來的本殿已毀於火災，眼前的建築由宗像大社的大宮司（神社最高負責人）宗像氏貞（1545-1586）於1578年重建。如今的本殿為「檜皮葺」坡狀屋頂，紅色屋簷雕刻精美，其外觀與廣島縣宮島上的嚴島神社風格相似，後者同樣供奉著三女神。本殿與拜殿旁還有幾座末社（附屬神社），均為1675年從宗像地區其他地方搬遷而來。

古祭場

本殿右側道路通往高宮祭場，這裡是傳說中三女神下凡的地方。早在1000多年前，高宮祭場就已經是重要的祭祀場所，其歷史遠遠早於宗像大社。祭場西北方是玄界灘海面，從邊津宮出發，過海即可抵達沖之島。從祭場往下，有道路通往兩座末社，一座供奉沖津宮的「田心姬神」，另一座供奉中津宮的「湍津姬神」。

邊津宮的神寶館內收藏約8萬件沖之島祭場出土的國寶文物，在那裡可以更深入地了解宗像地區的古代祭祀歷史。