The Goddesses of 神宿る島 (Kami Yadoru Shima): “宗像・沖ノ島関連遺産群 (Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region)”
In October 2026, the Autumn Grand Festival was held at 宗像大社 (Munakata Taisha) in Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The “みあれ祭り (Miare Matsuri)” (a magnificent festival in which local fishermen escort the princesses by boat) was held on October 1. The “高宮神奈備祭 (Takamiya Kannabi-sai)” (a festival in which the three princesses (daughters) of 天照大神 (Amaterasu Omikami), who usually live on different islands, meet once a year at 高宮祭場 (Takamiya Saijo) in 宗像 (Munakata)) was held on October 3. The very first film I shot and published for this site, which I launched to share “the dignified beauty of Japan with the world” both in Japan and abroad, was this “宗像三女神物語 (Munakata Sanjoshin Monogatari / The Story of the Three Female Deities of Munakata).” That was in 2018, the year after the sites were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many people attended, including the mayor of 宗像 (Munakata) at the time of the inscription and the former head priest of 仁和寺 (Ninna-ji) Temple (now Honorary Chief Priest of 鎮国寺 (Chinkoku-ji) Temple in 宗像 (Munakata)). As a “映像奉納 (eizo hono), a film dedication,” something rare even in the world, I offered the film to the deities together with a 玉串 (tamagushi) sacred branch, as a film director and as CEO of Japan-search.jp. That same day, the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage festival “戸畑祇園山笠 (Tobata Gion Yamakasa)” was dedicated at midday, and in the evening Ichikawa Ebizo performed a “歌舞伎奉納 (kabuki hono), a kabuki dedication,” with all three dedication ceremonies conducted under Chief Priest 葦津 (Ashizu) of 宗像大社 (Munakata Taisha).
高宮祭場 (Takamiya Saijo) is a mysterious place that seems to recall the age of 卑弥呼 (Himiko), a place where you can feel a solemn “気 (ki), a spiritual power.” If you visit 宗像大社 (Munakata Taisha), worship at the 本宮 (hongu), the main shrine, of course, but please be sure to stop by 高宮祭場 (Takamiya Saijo) as well. You cannot enter, but I believe you will be able to feel the dignified air of the forest. As a behind-the-scenes story from the filming of “宗像三女神物語 (Munakata Sanjoshin Monogatari)”: the sites selected as a World Heritage Site under 神宿る島 (Kami Yadoru Shima) “宗像・沖ノ島関連遺産群 (Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region)” also include the 古墳 (kofun), ancient burial mounds, scattered around 宗像 (Munakata). Many of these 古墳 (kofun) look like green hills when filmed in daytime, so I quietly went out on a full-moon night to film their silhouettes and added them to the end credits.
Please forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. My name is AMIY MORI, and I am the general producer of this site, “Japan-search.jp.” I am also the CEO of this company. In producing this site, I travel all over Japan to visit the people of the regions I have been fortunate to connect with. Partly because of this, I received requests from many people and decided to start a blog. Although the timing will not be in real time, I would like to introduce the wonderful journeys through Japan that I experience, and write in a way that you can enjoy them together with me. Beyond places where you can experience Japanese culture, I will also introduce master artisans, the wonderful people who live in each region, delicious food, and more, presenting “the dignified beauty of Japan,” which is also the theme of this site, in ways that I hope will be as helpful as possible for your own “journey through Japan.”