Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project
Heritage Impact Assessment Report (Draft)
The Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project is an expansion project to be
carried out on a fishing harbor that already exists within the buffer zone of the
Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region. The
project will have no negative impact on the historical or cultural value, landscape,Outstanding Universal Value or related attributes of this property.

1. Overview
・This document is a heritage impact assessment report created by Munakata City
for the Kanezaki fishing harbor improvement project, which is located within
the buffer zone of the Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the
Munakata Region.

・An ICOMOS evaluation report notes that for the Kanezaki fishing harbor
improvement project it is necessary to conduct a heritage impact assessment
and submit the evaluation results to the World Heritage Committee prior to thecommencement of construction.1In addition, a decision of the World Heritage
Committee (Draft Decision: 41COM 8B.19_4e) recommends that it isnecessary to conduct a heritage impact assessment for any project plan that may
affect the Outstanding Universal Value or related attributes of the property2.

・

The Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project is an expansion of work on
the fishing harbor that Munakata City is carrying out from 2002 to 2022. The
large-scale construction of a loading dock, which has not yet commenced but isscheduled to start in August 2019, has raised concerns about its impact on thelandscape. Therefore the Council for Preservation and Utilization for the Sacred
Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region convened a

1“The most significant development projects concern the improvement of the Kanezaki fishing harbour in Munakata

City and a new photovoltaic facility. ICOMOS considers that it would be advisable that Heritage Impact Assessments
be prepared for these projects and the results submitted to the World Heritage Committee before any decision is takenwith regard to their final implementation.” ICOMOS, Sacred Island of Okinoshima (Japan) No 1535, Advisory Body
Evaluation, WHC/17/41.COM/INF.8B1, 2017, P.144 https://whc.unesco.org/archive/2017/whc17-41com-inf8B1en.pdf
2 4. Recommends that the State Party gives consideration to the following: e) Developing specific HIAs for planned
projects that may impact on the Outstanding Universal Value and the attributes of the property, and submitting theirresults to the World Heritage Committee and ICOMOS for review before any final decision is taken with regard totheir approval and implementation.

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group of academic and other experts to study the impact of this improvement
project, and their assessment of its effects on this heritage property are as
follows.
・

The Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project is related to the second of
the five attributes of Outstanding Universal Value of this property, the attributeof the “Open views from Kyushu and Oshima towards Okinoshima” which ispart of the “Worship of Okinoshima that retained its sacred status.”
The project has no effect on this attribute because it does not inhibit the view
from the main island of Kyushu toward Okinoshima.

・No archaeological sites having to do with ancient historical harbors or rituals
have been identified within the planned construction site, so there is no impact
on the historical or cultural value of the property.

・The height and color of the loading dock to be constructed have been plannedwith consideration of the surrounding landscape.

・This improvement project contributes to the sustainable development offisheries, a key industry in the region, and will have a positive impact on thevalue of the property as a “cultural tradition that continues to the present day.”・

Therefore, the Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project does not have anegative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value or related attributes of thisheritage property.

2. Table of contents
1． Overview
2． Table of contents
3． Introduction
4． The value of heritage and its preservation and management methods
5． Overview of development project
6． Assessment of the impact of development and modification
7． Review process
8． Conclusion
9． Works cited
10．Drawings and photographs
Figure 1: Location map
Figure 2: Kanezaki fishing harbor improvement area
Figure 3: Okinoshima visible range map
Figure 4: From the peak of Mt. Yugawa toward Okinoshima
Figure 5: Planned construction locations
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Figure 6: Illustration of Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Plan
Figure 7: Illustrations of planned loading dock and elevations
Figure 8: Computer graphic of planned completion of Kanezaki Fishing
Harbor Improvement Project

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3. Introduction
1) Name
Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region2) Component properties and coordinates

3) Component sites affected・None4) Information used for Heritage Impact Assessment
・ Japan (2016)
Nomination Dossier, the Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in
the Munakata Region
・ Fukuoka Prefecture, Munakata City, Fukutsu City (2016)
Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan for the Sacred Island of
Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region5) Author of Heritage Impact Assessment Report
・ Munakata City
6) Subject of Heritage Impact Assessment
・ Preservation and Utilization Council of the Sacred Island of Okinoshima
and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region

34. The value of heritage and its preservation and management methods
1) The Outstanding Universal Value of the Sacred Island of Okinoshima andAssociated Sites in the Munakata Region
Located 60 km off the north-western coast of Kyushu Island, the Island of Okinoshima is an
exceptional repository of records of early ritual sites, bearing witness to early worship
practices associated with maritime safety, which emerged in the 4th century AD andcontinued until the end of the 9th century AD, at a time of intense exchanges between thepolities in the Japanese Archipelago, in the Korean Peninsula, and on the Asian continent.
Incorporated into the Munakata Grand Shrine (Munakata Taisha), the Island of Okinoshimacontinued to be regarded as sacred in the following centuries up until today.
The entirety of the Island of Okinoshima, with its geomorphological features, the ritual sites
with the rich archaeological deposits, and the wealth of votive offerings, in their original
distribution, credibly reflect 500 years of ritual practices held on the Island; the primeval
forest, the attendant islets of Koyajima, Mikadobashira and Tenguiwa, along with the
documented votive practices and the taboos associated with the Island, the open views from
Kyushu and Oshima towards the Island, altogether credibly reflect that the worship of theIsland, although changed in its practices and meanings over the centuries, due to external
exchanges and indigenisation, has retained the sacred status of Okinoshima.
Munakata Taisha is a shrine that consists of three distinct worship sites – Okitsu-miya on
Okinoshima, Nakatsu-miya on Oshima, and Hetsu-miya on the main island of Kyushu, allof which are located within an area that measures some 60 kilometers in breadth. These are
the living places of worship that are linked to ancient ritual sites. The form of worshipping
the Three Female Deities of Munakata has been passed down to the present day in rituals
conducted mainly at the shrine buildings and safeguarded by people of the Munakata
region. Okitsu-miya Yohaisho, built on the northern shore of Oshima, has functioned as ahall for worshipping the sacred island from afar. The Shimbaru-Nuyama Mounded Tomb
Group, located on a plateau overlooking the sea that stretches out towards Okinoshima, iscomposed of both large and small burial mounds, bearing witness to the lives of membersof the Munakata clan, who nurtured a tradition of worshipping Okinoshima.

(Excerpt from the statement on Outstanding
Universal Value from the World Heritage
Committee resolution)42) Outstanding Universal Value Attributes of the Sacred Island of Okinoshima
and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region
Attribute 1

Attribute 2

Attribute 3

500 years of
ritual practices
held onOkinoshima

Worship of
Okinoshima thatretained its
sacred status

Worship of theThree Female
Deities of
Munakata, which
has been passed
down to thepresent day

Worship of asacred islandfrom afar

Witness to thelives of those
who nurtured the
tradition ofworshipping
OkinoshimaComponent site

Component site

Component site

Component site

Component site

Okinoshima

Okinoshima
Koyajima
MikadobashiraTenguiwa

Munakata Taisha
Okitsu-miya
Nakatsu-miya
Hetsu-miya

Munakata Taisha
Okitsu-miya
Yohaisho

ShimbaruNuyama
Mounded TombGroup

FeaturesFeaturesFeaturesFeaturesFeatures Three distinct
worship sites
located within
an area thatmeasuressome 60
kilometers inbreadth Living placesof worshiplinked toancient ritualsites
 Shrinebuildings

 Hall for
worshipping
Okinoshima,built on thenorthern shoreof Oshima Moundedtomb grouplocated on aplateau
overlooking
the sea thatstretches out
towards
Okinoshima Large andsmall burial
mounds Geomorphological  Primeval forestfeatures Attendant Ritual sites
islets ofwith rich
Koyajima,
archaeological
Mikadobashiradeposits
and Tenguiwa
 Wealth of Documented
votivevotiveofferings
practices Taboos
associated with
Okinoshima Open views
from Kyushu
and Oshima
towards
Okinoshima

Attribute 4

Attribute 5

Please note: The site is not visible from the Kanezaki fishing harbor, but its location isrelated to the attribute of the “Open views from Kyushu and Oshima towards
Okinoshima” which is part of the “Worship of Okinoshima that retained its sacredstatus.”53) Delineation of the buffer zone and methods for its preservation andmanagement
・Delineation of the buffer zone

A buffer zone has been delineated that surrounds all component parts of the property in order toprevent any adverse effect on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. Taking into
consideration the surrounding natural landforms such as the sea, hills and rivers that are visible
from each component part of the property, as well as each site’s administrative boundaries, anarea of 79,363.48 ha has been designated as the buffer zone that encompasses the entire
property, including all its component parts. The purpose of the buffer zone is threefold:
1) To conserve the views among component parts, and also the views of the sea.
2) To conserve the setting, including the natural terrain, and uses of the sea and land that form
an integral environment together with the property area itself.
3) To encompass the area where other historical and cultural elements closely related to theproperty are distributed.
・ Management policies for sub-zones of the buffer zone
Sub-zones:Area between Oshima and Kyushu
・Conservation of the views of the main island of Kyushu from the summit of Mt. Mitakesan.
・Control of the construction of offshore structures that would disrupt ocean views.
Sub-zones:Area surrounding Hetsu-miya(Kyushu)
・Conservation of landscape around the component part (Hetsu-miya).
・Conservation of visibility of the Tsurikawa River from the area of the Shimotakamiya ritualsite at Hetsu-miya.
・Coordination to avoid disrupting the daily life of local communities.
・ Protective designations within the buffer zone
Roads connecting one component part of the property with another, as well as ports, harbors, andrelated facilities, have all been designated as Public facilities of Landscape importance under theLandscape Act, and efforts are made accordingly to protect the landscape by establishingpolicies and standards for landscape development.

（Excerpt from the “Comprehensive Conservation andManagement Plan for the Sacred Island of Okinoshima
and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region”

4) Positional relationship between buffer zone and Kanezaki
The Kanezaki fishing harbor, which is the subject of this heritage impact assessment, islocated at the northern end of Kyushu, within the buffer zone of Sacred Island of
Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region.
5) History of Kanezaki
According to one historical record (the Shoku nihongi), in 767 Munakata-no-Ason
Fukatsu, chief administrator of the Munakata district, received a promotion from thestate for having constructed a harbor at Kanezaki, and today Kanezaki is still the most6

important base for the fishing industry in the Munakata region. Kanezaki’s fishing fleet
also plays an important role in transferring the portable shrine by sea during the Miare
Festival, which symbolizes a living cultural tradition that has been passed down to thepresent day. During the festival, a large fleet of several hundred boats surround one boatthat carries the female deities Tagorihime of Okitsu-miya and Tagitsuhime of Nakatsumiya to Konominato harbor, where Ichikishimahime on Hetsu-miya awaits them. Thus
Kanezaki is important as a place that speaks of the relationship between the people ofthe Munakata region and the sea that has existed since ancient times, and has historicaland cultural elements that are closely connected to this property (corresponding to thedelineation of the buffer zone, which is described in section 3).
6) Preservation of the Kanezaki fishing harbor landscape
The Kanezaki fishing harbor has been designated as an important fishing harboraccording to the Munakata City Landscape Plan, and the landscape regulations andguidelines are being monitored through procedures for obtaining permission andapplications concerning the position, height, and morphological design for new
construction on the fishing harbor.
Munakata City Landscape Plan
Standards of Permission for Important Fishing Ports for Landscape
When beginning a new project at an important fishing ports for landscape, weshall apply to the administrator and receive permission after considering thefollowing matters.
(1) Position and height.
・ Position and scale should not affect views of the property from key observation
points.
(2) Morphological design
・Avoid excessive decoration and establish a morphological design that
harmonizes with the surrounding natural landscape, historical and cultural
resources, and public facilities.
・The color of the structure should be in harmony with the surrounding
landscape, and it should be made of a material that can withstand aging and beproperly maintained.

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5. Overview of development project1) Project name
Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project2) Entity conducting project
Department of Fisheries Promotion, Industry Promotion Division, Munakata City
3) Project location
Kanezaki, Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture4) Project timeline・Timeline of entire project: 2002-2022

・Timeline of loading dock construction
Design = August 2019 – March 2020
Construction = August 2019 – March 2022

5) Project content
This project consists of expansion work on the Kanezaki fishing harbor, which islocated within the buffer zone at the northern tip of the main island of Kyushu. For
the safety of fishing boats, we are improving mooring facilities and harbor facilitysites related to breakwater, seawall, and harbor improvement functions. The
construction of the loading dock and improvement of its periphery is planned forthe near future (as a facility to sort landed fish in a sanitary manner).
6) Purpose of loading dock construction
The Kanezaki fishing harbor is currently having problems with hygiene and work
efficiency because landed fish are being processed a loading area without proper
roof covering. Therefore the aim is to improve the reliability and safety of marine
products as well as the work environment of local fishermen by constructing a
new loading dock.
7) Project scale (planned future construction)① Levee （L=45m）② Wharf (L=120m)③ Wind barrier (L=200m)④ Road (L=383m)⑤ Parking lot (A=1,230 ㎡)⑥ Levee removal (L=56m)⑦ Loading dock (site area=3,390.00 ㎡, building area=2,500 ㎡, maximum
height 5m)

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6. Assessment of the impact of development and modification
1) The Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project is related to the second of thefive attributes of Outstanding Universal Value of this property, the attribute of the“Open views from Kyushu and Oshima towards Okinoshima” which is part of the“Worship of Okinoshima that retained its sacred status.” Okinoshima is not visible fromthe Kanezaki fishing harbor, however; and from the point on the main island of Kyushu
from which there is a clear view of Okinoshima (the peak of Mt. Yugawa), Kanezaki
fishing harbor is not within the field of view, so the project has no effect on this
attribute of the property.
2) No archaeological sites or artifacts having to do with ancient historical harbors or
rituals have been identified within the planned construction site of the Kanezaki Fishing
Harbor Improvement Project, so this project has no impact on the historical or culturalvalue of the property.
3) Construction of the loading dock and the improvement of its surroundings that arescheduled to begin are intended to enhance and reinforce the existing fishing harbor,and will not significantly change the current fishing harbor landscape. In addition, thebuilding height is the minimum necessary for a loading dock, and its color will be a
subdued tone that will blend in with the existing breakwater. Because this site is somedistance away from each point of view specified in the “Comprehensive Preservationand Management Plan,” it will be difficult to detect with the naked eye the change frombefore to after development is carried out. The above points suggest that there will beno effect on the landscape of the property.
4) The continuation of the fishing industry, the lifeblood of the region, is a foundationthat supports the “cultural tradition that continues to the present day” 3 that is a corevalue of this property, and a series of fishing harbor improvements, including thisconstruction project, contribute to the sustainable development of the fishing industry.
5) The Preservation and Utilization Council for the Sacred Island of Okinoshima andAssociated Sites in the Munakata Region consists of academic experts and convenes
studies of this property by experts, and the assessment of this group is that the project inquestion will have no negative effect on the Outstanding Universal Value of thisproperty or its attributes.

3 World Heritage Committee Decisions (Draft Decision:41COM 8B.19）

Criterion (iii):
The Sacred Island of Okinoshima is an exceptional example of the cultural tradition of worshipping a sacredisland, as it has evolved and been passed down from ancient times to the present.

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7. Review process
・Munakata City Landscape Advisor Meeting
Members:
NAKAMA Koichi (landscape engineering), HITAKA Keiichiro (urban planning),
SHIBATA Hisashi (landscape engineering), TSUCHIYA Jun (architecture)Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2018
・Subcommittee on Preservation and Management of Component Sites, Experts
Meeting for the Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the
Munakata Region
Members:
NISHITANI Tadashi (archaeology), HATTORI Hideo (medieval history),
KAWAKAMI Nobuyuki (architectural history), SHIGEFUJI Teruyuki (archaeology)
Dates: Friday, October 12, 2018; Thursday, December 13, 2018; Friday, February
22, 2019
・Subcommittee on Buffer Zone Conservation, Experts Meeting for the Sacred
Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region
Members:
SUGIMOTO Masami (landscape architecture), KINDA Akihiro (historical
geography), NAKAMA Koichi (landscape engineering), HITAKA Keiichiro (urban
planning), OMORI Yoko (urban planning)
Dates: Friday, October 12, 2018; Thursday, December 13, 2018; Friday, February
22, 2019
・Experts Meeting for the Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in
the Munakata Region
Members:
NISHITANI Tadashi (archaeology), SATO Makoto (ancient history), SUGIMOTO
Masami (landscape architecture), MIWA Karoku (archaeology), KINDA Akihiro(historical geography), INABA Nobuko (architectural history), OKADA Yasuyoshi(architectural history), MIZOGUCHI Koji (archaeology)
Date: Friday, March 15, 2019
・Field Investigation Conducted by Experts Meeting for the Sacred Island of
Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region
Members:
NISHITANI Tadashi (archaeology), SUGIMOTO Masami (landscape architecture)Date: Thursday, March 28, 2019
・Experts Meeting for the Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in
the Munakata Region
Members:
NISHITANI Tadashi (archaeology), SATO Makoto (ancient history), SUGIMOTO
Masami (landscape architecture), MIWA Karoku (archaeology), KINDA Akihiro(historical geography), INABA Nobuko (architectural history), OKADA Yasuyoshi(architectural history), MIZOGUCHI Koji (archaeology)
Date: Friday, May 31, 201910

8. Conclusion
The Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement project is an extension of the fishingharbor that Munakata city is carrying out from 2002 to 2022. The large-scaleconstruction of a loading dock, which has not yet commenced but is scheduled to startin August 2019, has raised concerns about its impact on the landscape.
Although Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Project is related to the second of
the five attributes of Outstanding Universal Value of this property, “Worship of
Okinoshima that retained its sacred status,” the project has no effect on this attributebecause it does not inhibit the view from the main island of Kyushu toward
Okinoshima.
The scheduled construction of the loading dock and the improvement of its
surroundings are intended to enhance and reinforce the existing fishing harbor, and will
not significantly change the current fishing harbor landscape. In addition, the height,
color, and other features of the loading dock have been designed with the landscape inmind, and it will be difficult to detect the change from before to after development iscarried out, so the construction will have no negative effect on the landscape of theproperty.
No archaeological sites having to do with ancient historical harbors or rituals havebeen identified within the planned construction site, so there is no impact on thehistorical or cultural value of the property.
The continuation of the fishing industry, the lifeblood of the region, is a foundationthat supports the cultural tradition that continues to the present day which is a core valueof this property, and a series of fishing harbor improvements, including thisconstruction project, can be assessed as contributing to the sustainable development of
the fishing industry.
Therefore the Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement project does not have anegative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value or related attributes of thiscompound heritage property.
9. Works cited・ Japan, 2016, Nomination Dossier, The Sacred Island of OKINOSHIMA and
Associated Sites in the Munakata Region
・ Japan, 2016, Additional Information, November 14, 2016, Part1-71.80
・ Fukuoka Prefecture/Munakata City/Fukutsu City, 2016, Comprehensive Preservationand Management Plan, The Sacred Island of OKINOSHIMA and Associated Sites in
the Munakata Region1110. Drawings and photographs
Figure 1: Location map
Figure 2: Kanezaki fishing harbor improvement area
Figure 3: Okinoshima visible range map
Figure 4: From the peak of Mt. Yugawa toward Okinoshima
Figure 5: Planned construction locations
Figure 6: Ground plan for the Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement Plan
Figure 7: Illustrations of planned loading dock and elevations
Figure 8: Computer graphic of planned completion of Kanezaki Fishing Harbor
Improvement Project12

Figure 1. Location map

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Figure 2. Kanezaki fishing harbor improvement area

Figure 3. Okinoshima visible range map※ To identify the visible range of Okinoshima, the topography was reproduced based onelevation data (digital terrain model), and a visual analysis diagram was created. Since visible
range in this diagram does not account for trees or buildings, it includes some locations
where Okinoshima cannot be seen because the view is obscured by trees or other obstacles.

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Figure 4. From the peak of Mt. Yugawa toward Okinoshima (photo 2019)

Figure 5. Planned construction locations

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Figure 6. Ground plan for the Kanezaki Fishing Harbor Improvement ProjectFigure 7. Illustrations of planned loading dock and elevations

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Figure 8. Computer graphic of planned completion of Kanezaki Fishing Harbor
Improvement Project (areas in red are planned construction sites)19