Experience the grandeur of Munakata Taisha’s Autumn Grand Festival, an annual three-day event held from October 1st to 3rd. The festival kicks off with the breathtaking “Miare Festival,” a maritime ritual that serves as a meeting point for the goddesses enshrined in the three shrines that make up Munakata Taisha. On this day, sacred objects are transported from Okitsu-Miya (on Okinoshima Island) and Nakatsu-Miya (on Oshima Island) to Hetsu-Miya, the central hub of Munakata’s Three Goddesses faith.
The maritime parade is a sight to behold, starting its voyage at 9:30 am from Oshima Port. Accompanied by more than 100 fishing boats adorned with colorful flags, the procession heads toward the sacred harbor in a captivating spectacle that marks the beginning of the Autumn Festival.
On the second day, attendees can look forward to Yabusame (horseback archery) rituals and regional dance performances as offerings to the deities. These ceremonies aim to give thanks for national tranquility, agricultural abundance, maritime safety, and bountiful fishing. The festival concludes on the final evening with a traditional “Yūkyū Dance,” bringing the event to a serene and timeless close.
Miare Festival
• 10/1 (Sun.)
• Leave Oshima Port 9:30, arrive Konominato Port 10:40
• Konominato Port area
• 487-29 Konominato Port, Munakata City, Fukuoka
Autumn Festival
• 10/1 (Sun.) ~ 10/3 (Tue.)
• Munakata Shrine
• 2331 Tajima, Munakata City, Fukuoka
• https://munakata-taisha.or.jp/hetsu_saiji.html
• https://www.instagram.com/munakata_taisha/
