Cultural Properties of the Munakata Region
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Island Guarded by Taboos |
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Even after the ancient rituals on Okinoshima ceased in the ninth century, the island continued to be protected by taboos upheld by Shinto priests and the local community. These prohibitions preserved the island in an untouched state for over a thousand years, leaving its ritual sites and artifacts remarkably intact.
The sanctity of Okinoshima has long been maintained by strict rules, which include heavily restricted access. Priests from Munakata Taisha stay on the island for ten days to perform rites. Before landing, they must first undertake misogi, a purification ritual involving bathing naked in the sea. They are forbidden to speak of what they see or to remove anything. On Oshima, many taboos continue to be observed as part of the local culture. These include avoiding uttering certain words traditionally deemed impure or inauspicious.
In the early seventeenth century, the dangers of violating the established taboos were felt when Kuroda Nagamasa (1568–1623), the first lord of Fukuoka, ordered local Christians to remove certain sacred treasures. Soon after, unexplained disturbances reportedly occurred, ceasing only after the items were hastily returned. This incident reinforced the belief in the island deity’s divine protection.
In the twentieth century, authorities allowed limited archaeological surveys under controlled conditions to assess the island’s ritual sites and large body of offerings. Surveys were conducted in three phases between 1954 and 1971 by the Society for the Restoration of the Munakata Taisha. The surveys yielded over 80,000 ritual artifacts, confirming Okinoshima’s exceptional cultural value and helping to secure its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site. |
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