Visiting to the Munakata-taisha Grand Shrine

After leaving Miyajidake-jinja in Fukutsu, we went to the Munakata-taisha (宗像大社) Grand Shrine. This shrine is a collection of three shinto shrines in Munakata city. It is the head of the about 6,000 Munakata shrines all over the country.

Going through the gate (see the photo above) on sando, finally we got into Haiden or the hall of worship. We prey for the family of health and welfare.

Ema-do. 

Yohai-jo (遥拝所), the distant Shinto prayers place, leads to the all Munakata shrines around the country.

A roof of Honden or the main shrine.

Just across the main shrine, there's an entrance towards to the second and third shrines. We didn't go there this time because we don't have much time. Maybe we'll go there next time.

A view of Shinji-ike (心字池) Pond from the west. The Taiko-bashi (太鼓橋) moon bridge across the pond on sando approaching the main shrine.

The Shinpo-kan (神宝館) treasure hall, located on the southwest corner of the shrine, has many important historical relics including six National Treasures of Japan. Over 120,000 artifacts housed in the Shinpo-kan were unearthed on Okinoshima.