MIYAJIDAKEJINJYA
from Fukutsu-shi Fukuoka, JAPAN.

3 deities enshrined in Miyajidake Jinja
ご祭神

息長足比売命Okinagatarashihimenomikoto Goddess
The ‘KAMI’ is called Okinagatarashihimenomikoto Goddess. Inaddition, there are brothers to support it, called Katsumura andKatsuyori. These two deities are said to be based on the royal family that
ruled the whole area of Miyajidake. Together, the three deities are called
Miyajidakemihashiraookami. From the golden legend of ancient times“The ‘KAMI’ of Wealth and Victory”, there are many people whobelieve that any prayers can come true as in “‘KAMI’ of Good Luck inOvercoming Everything”. Miyajidake Jinja is now well-known among
the people, and is enshrined all over the country, with the number
amounting to 200 now.

MIYAJIDAKEJINJYA
Sanctuary with a history that spans 1600 years, Miyajidake Jinja
In Japan, there are as many as 80,000 Shinto
temples and Shinto shrines (Jinja). Many of thejinja are closely related to holy mountains andforests. For ancient Japanese, holy mountains,waterfalls and forests, as well as big rocks, arebelieved to be places where deity (KAMI) areenshrined and therefore are objects worship. In
these locations where the ‘KAMI’ is thought to live
in, are built into a jinja.
Out of the 80,000 jinja, jinja with the oldest history
are concentrated in Kyushu. There is the Miyajidake
Jinja, which is located in the northern area ofKyushu. Miyajidake Jinja, among the many old jinja
in Kyushu, is thought to be one of the oldest jinja,
and is located at the foot of the holy Miyajidake
Mountain.
There were many national treasures excavated fromthe grounds of the Miyajidake Jinja sincethe ancient times. From an ancient
tomb 1600 years ago, treasures
like gilt bronze crowns, gold
sword fittings andgold harness hadbeen excavated. In

other words, the Miyajidake Jinja used to be a royalsanctuary that reigned in ancient northern Kyushu.
From the many national treasures that had been
excavated from the grounds, Miyajidake Jinja hadsince gathered the faith of the local people on the‘KAMI’ called Wealth. In Japan, in the beginningof the month or New Year’ s Day, there is a custom
to worship at the jinja. During these days, you cansee the spectacle where many people will come toworship the ‘KAMI’ called Wealth.

MIYAJIDAKE JINJYA

7-1, Miyaji Motomachi, Fukutsu-shi Fukuoka 811-3309, JapanOﬃcial Website

http://www.miyajidake.or.jp/

This road is the road of faith.
The distant road of culture that has arrived
from far beyond the sea
2000 years ago in northern Kyushu, there are about

Silk Road

100km of white sandy beaches and green pine trees.
The road straight from Miyajidake Jinja leads to agentle coastline.
And across the sunset is the Eurasian continent.
Silk Road was the trade route that connected theMediterranean and China, and the end point acrossthe ocean is here, Japan.
Ships that came from across the continent riding on thecurrents will naturally arrive in northern Kyushu, Japan.
1600 years ago, this land was the holy land of the royalfamily of northern Kyushu, and culture from the far west
flowed in here through this route. You will be able tosee the testimony of this when you look at the treasures
excavated from the grounds of Miyajidake Jinja. For
example, from the pattern of the gilt bronze, there is
the influence of the far Orient.

筑紫神舞

Chikushi Kanmai

Ancient dance and Tsukushi dance,
the roots of Japan’s performing arts

In the middle of the Miyajidake Jinja, there is thelargest megalithic ancient tomb in Japan. Thestone chamber has been presumed to exist fromthe end of the sixth century to the beginning of theseventh century. This large-scale stone chamberthat has a total length 23m is made by stacking
the large stones exceeding 5m in height andwidth. This tomb is now one of the sanctuaries ofMiyajidake Jinja, and rituals are performed in theancient tomb.

Things that are propagated from 1600 years ago in Miyajidake are not
only the national gold treasures. Maboroshi Dance and Tsukushi
Dance, which were said to be the roots of Kabuki, are carefully
handed down. In ancient China, there was a tradition of dedicationof dance and music for the emperor. This dance and music wereconveyed in order to be embraced by the King of northern Kyushu by
the Azumi clan which had a deep connection with mainland China.
The Tsukushi Dance was recorded in a history literature in year 731,
and is also recorded in the Shoku Nihongi. It originally had morethan 200 songs but only 4 dances are left today. Even now, it is still
being dedicated to the ‘KAMI’ of Miyajidake Jinja.
Staggering gait and Luzon leg to approach dance, Nabae etc.,
European entertainment hand-shaking that had flowed into Luzon(Philippines), and the puppet (yarn dolls)-like movements thatflowed from China from the Silk Road were maintained, and cultural
influence from Europe and Middle East that made it an intangible
culture asset.

国宝National Treasures
Miyajidake, a golden history

From the tomb of Miyajidake Jinja, there are over 300 items like large swords and sword fittings, horse saddles,
lapis lazuli pots and balls shining in green, and glass plates etc., and among them, 20 items are classified asnational treasure. Among these items, the eye-catching ones are the gold items. The Lord of the Miyajidake
tomb received a crown of gold and owned items like gold sword fittings and horse saddles, was truly a person
who deserved to be called the King of the northern Kyushu dynasty.
Gilt bronze, pots and stirrups
6C. Height 26cm.

This cast has been thickly plated in copper, and is an
excellent item in this era. Part of it is impacted by lily coatof arms design, suggesting influence from medieval
European culture.

DiademCrown made of gilt bronze. Carvings of dragon andtiger were made in gold.

Gilt bronze head sword (reproductions)
6C

Pommel, habaki and iron sword are left. Thewatermarks bracket of the sheath has a sentence indiamond and a large round crest and is a uniquepattern. The size is presumed to be around 3 meters,
the largest of those in existence in Japan. It suggests
the position of the buried party.

Lapis lazuli, pot
6C Height 12.5cm

Urn made from lapis lazuli (glass).
The manufacturing method of thisitem was made by blowing withthe familiar mouth even today.