Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region

Summary

Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (「神宿る島」宗像・沖ノ島と関連遺産群), officially Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region, is a group of sites in northwest Kyūshū, Japan, that was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017, under criteria ii and iii.[1]

Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region
UNESCO World Heritage Site
LocationMunakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan
CriteriaCultural: (ii)(iii)
Reference1535
Inscription2017 (41st Session)
Area98.93 ha (244.5 acres)
Buffer zone79,363.48 ha (196,111.4 acres)
Coordinates34°14′42″N 130°6′20″E / 34.24500°N 130.10556°E / 34.24500; 130.10556
Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region is located in Japan
Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region
Location of Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region in Japan

Background edit

The three Munakata kami are said in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki to be daughters of Amaterasu, spawned upon the sun-goddess' consumption of giant swords.[2][3] Okitsu-Miya on the island of Okinoshima is part of the Shinto shrine complex of Munakata Taisha; no formal shrine buildings were constructed on the island; instead rock piles or yorishiro provided the focus for veneration.[4] Over 80,000 artefacts were ritually deposited at the site from the fourth to the tenth centuries.[1] These have been designated a National Treasure.[5][6] They include mirrors and bronze dragon-head finials from Wei China; gold rings and horse-trappings similar to those found in Silla tombs in Korea; and fragments of a glass bowl from Sassanian Persia.[2] The Munakata clan (宗像氏), powerful local rulers, controlled the route to the continent and "presided over the rituals".[1][2] The many kofun or tumuli in the area are believed to be their burial ground.[1]

Component Sites edit

Site Municipality Comments Image Coordinates
Okinoshima
沖ノ島
Okinoshima
Munakata the island's primeval forest is a Natural Monument and the island a Wildlife Protection Area[7][8]   34°14′48″N 130°06′15″E / 34.24676121°N 130.10412967°E / 34.24676121; 130.10412967 (Okinoshima)
Munakata Taisha - Okitsu-Miya
宗像神社境内 沖津宮
Munakata Jinja keidai - Okitsumiya
Munakata on the island of Okinoshima; Tagori-hime (田心姫神) is enshrined; the precincts of Munakata Taisha are an Historic Site[9]   34°14′29″N 130°06′14″E / 34.241448°N 130.103853°E / 34.241448; 130.103853 (Okitsumiya)
Munakata Taisha - Nakatsu-Miya
宗像神社境内 中津宮
Munakata Jinja keidai - Nakatsumiya
Munakata on the island of Ōshima; Tagitsu-hime (湍津姫神) is enshrined   33°53′49″N 130°25′56″E / 33.896992°N 130.432222°E / 33.896992; 130.432222 (Nakatsumiya)
Munakata Taisha - Hetsu-Miya
宗像神社境内 辺津宮
Munakata Jinja keidai - Hetsumiya
Munakata on the mainland of Kyūshū; Ichikishima-hime (市杵島姫神) is enshrined; the ICP honden and haiden date respectively to 1578 and 1590[10][11]   33°49′52″N 130°30′52″E / 33.831089°N 130.514347°E / 33.831089; 130.514347 (Hetsumiya)

Original submission edit

The following sites were included in the original nomination, but were excluded from the final inscription:[12][13]

Site Municipality Image Coordinates
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Katsuura Takahara Tumulus Cluster
津屋崎古墳群 勝浦高原古墳群
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Katsuura Takahara kofun-gun
Fukutsu 33°50′29″N 130°29′16″E / 33.84132612°N 130.48766519°E / 33.84132612; 130.48766519 (Katsuura Takahara Tumulus Cluster)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Katsuura Minenohata Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 勝浦峯ノ畑古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Katsuura Minenohata kofun
Fukutsu 33°50′15″N 130°29′08″E / 33.837556°N 130.485628°E / 33.837556; 130.485628 (Katsuura Minenohata Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Katsuura Inoura Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 勝浦井ノ浦古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Katsuura Inoura kofun
Fukutsu 33°50′16″N 130°29′10″E / 33.837734°N 130.486164°E / 33.837734; 130.486164 (Katsuura Inoura Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Shinbaru-Nuyama Tumulus Cluster
津屋崎古墳群 新原・奴山古墳群
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Shinbaru-Nuyama kofun-gun
Fukutsu   33°48′59″N 130°29′16″E / 33.816379°N 130.487752°E / 33.816379; 130.487752 (Shinbaru-Nuyama Tumulus Cluster)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Yukue Ōtsuka Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 生家大塚古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Yukue Ōtsuka kofun
Fukutsu 33°48′38″N 130°29′02″E / 33.810657°N 130.483868°E / 33.810657; 130.483868 (Yukue Ōtsuka Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Ōishi Okanotani Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 大石岡ノ谷古墳群
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Ōishi Okanotani kofun
Fukutsu 33°48′15″N 130°29′04″E / 33.804149°N 130.484340°E / 33.804149; 130.484340 (Ōishi Okanotani Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Sudata Kaminokuchi Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 須多田上ノ口古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Sudata Kaminokuchi kofun
Fukutsu 33°48′11″N 130°29′01″E / 33.802936°N 130.483503°E / 33.802936; 130.483503 (Sudata Kaminokuchi Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Sudata Amafurijinja Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 須多田天降天神社古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Sudata Amafurijinja kofun
Fukutsu 33°48′12″N 130°28′54″E / 33.803453°N 130.481787°E / 33.803453; 130.481787 (Sudata Amafurijinja Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Sudata Shimonokuchi Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 須多田下ノ口古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Sudata Shimonokuchi kofun
Fukutsu 33°48′10″N 130°28′54″E / 33.802687°N 130.481744°E / 33.802687; 130.481744 (Sudata Shimonokuchi Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Sudata Misotsuka Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 須多田ミソ塚古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Sudata Misotsuka kofun
Fukutsu 33°48′09″N 130°28′50″E / 33.802526°N 130.480435°E / 33.802526; 130.480435 (Sudata Misotsuka Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Sudata Nitatsuka Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 須多田ニタ塚古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Sudata Nitatsuka kofun
Fukutsu 33°48′16″N 130°28′42″E / 33.804398°N 130.478396°E / 33.804398; 130.478396 (Sudata Nitatsuka Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Araji Tsurugizuka Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 在自剣塚古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Araji Tsurugizuka kofun
Fukutsu 33°47′47″N 130°29′10″E / 33.796303°N 130.486228°E / 33.796303; 130.486228 (Araji Tsurugizuka Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Miyajidake Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 宮地嶽古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Miyajidake kofun
Fukutsu 33°46′50″N 130°29′18″E / 33.780645°N 130.488428°E / 33.780645; 130.488428 (Miyajidake Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Miyaji Idenokami Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 宮司井手ノ上古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Miyaji Idenokami kofun
Fukutsu 33°46′43″N 130°29′21″E / 33.778657°N 130.489275°E / 33.778657; 130.489275 (Miyaji Idenokami Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Tebika Namikirifudō Tumulus
津屋崎古墳群 手光波切不動古墳
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Tebika Namikirifudō kofun
Fukutsu 33°46′18″N 130°29′59″E / 33.771745°N 130.499725°E / 33.771745; 130.499725 (Tebika Namikirifudō Tumulus)
Tsuyazaki Tumulus Cluster - Tebika Yunoura Tumulus Cluster
津屋崎古墳群 手光湯ノ浦古墳群
Tsuyazaki kofun-gun - Tebika Yunoura kofun
Fukutsu 33°46′43″N 130°29′31″E / 33.778532°N 130.491958°E / 33.778532; 130.491958 (Tebika Yunoura Tumulus Cluster)
Sakurakyō Tumulus
桜京古墳
Sakurakyō kofun
Munakata 33°50′38″N 130°29′43″E / 33.84389006°N 130.4953238°E / 33.84389006; 130.4953238 (Sakurakyō Tumulus)
Tōgō Takatsuka Tumulus
東郷高塚古墳
Tōgō Takatsuka kofun
Munakata 33°47′56″N 130°32′26″E / 33.798889°N 130.540688°E / 33.798889; 130.540688 (Tōgō Takatsuka Tumulus)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region". UNESCO. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Brown, Delmer M, ed. (1993). The Cambridge History of Japan I: Ancient Japan. Cambridge University Press. pp. 312–6. ISBN 0-521-22352-0.
  3. ^ Aston, W.G. (1972) [1896]. Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. Vol. I. Tuttle. p. 37. ISBN 0-8048-0984-4.
  4. ^ Watanabe Yasutada (1974). Shinto Art: Ise and Izumo Shrines. Weatherhill. p. 125. ISBN 0-8348-1018-2.
  5. ^ "福岡県宗像大社沖津宮祭祀遺跡出土品" [Excavated Artefacts from Rites at Munakata Taisha Okitsu-no-Miya] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  6. ^ "伝福岡県宗像大社沖津宮祭祀遺跡出土品" [Excavated Artefacts attributed to Rites at Munakata Taisha Okitsu-no-Miya] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  7. ^ "沖の島原始林" [Primeval Forest of Okinoshima] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  8. ^ "国指定沖ノ島鳥獣保護区" [Okinoshima National Wildlife Protection Area] (in Japanese). Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  9. ^ "宗像神社境内" [Munakata Jinja Precinct] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  10. ^ "宗像神社辺津宮本殿" [Munakata Jinja Hetsumiya Honden] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  11. ^ "宗像神社辺津宮拝殿" [Munakata Jinja Hetsumiya Haiden] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  12. ^ "宗像・沖ノ島と関連遺産群" [Okinoshima Island and Related Sites in Munakata Region] (PDF) (in Japanese). World Heritage Promotion Committee of "Okinoshima Island and Related Sites in Munakata Region". pp. 5f. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  13. ^ "Okinoshima Island and Related Sites in Munakata Region" (PDF). World Heritage Promotion Committee of "Okinoshima Island and Related Sites in Munakata Region". pp. 6f. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2012.

External links edit

  • Okinoshima Island and Related Sites in Munakata Region
  • Proposal document
  • Pamphlet