【福岡観光】世界遺産の島「宗像・大島」で立入禁止の島を拝んできた

【福岡観光】世界遺産の島「宗像・大島」で立入禁止の島を拝んできた

Good morning. Right now, I’m in Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Munakata is located right between Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City. It’s a town situated in the middle of those two cities. The population is about 96,000 people. And nearby here is Munakata Taisha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Actually, when I went to Ainoshima before, I stopped by Munakata Taisha too, but there was a place I couldn’t visit then— and that’s my goal this time. So today, I’m going to explore Munakata City. Munakata Taisha is one of the oldest shrines in Japan and appears in Japanese mythology. It enshrines the three Munakata goddesses. They are the daughters of the famous sun goddess, Amaterasu. Each of the three sister goddesses is enshrined in a different location. The farthest one is Okitsu-miya on Okinoshima Island. This island is also called “the island where gods dwell,” and it’s still off-limits—a sacred place. The middle one is located on Oshima Island and is called Nakatsu-miya. And the one on Kyushu mainland is here in Munakata City, called Hetsu-miya. These three shrines together make up Munakata Taisha. Hetsu-miya here enshrines Ichikishima-hime-no-kami. The other two Munakata goddesses are enshrined at separate sites. I’m planning to visit them this time. Hetsu-miya also has second and third shrines with divided spirits, so even if you can’t visit Nakatsu-miya or Okitsu-miya, you can still pay your respects to all three goddesses here. Also at Hetsu-miya, you’ll find Takamiya Saijo, an ancient ritual site with no shrine building, and the Shinpokan, a museum where most of the exhibits are National Treasures. There’s so much to see. I covered it in a previous video, so check that out too. It’s so hot outside… I ended up buying ice cream first thing in the morning. Delicious. On a day like this, you can’t even last 30 minutes outside. As expected of Munakata Taisha—it’s a World Heritage Site, so even on a weekday morning, there are quite a few visitors. Now that I’ve visited Hetsu-miya, I’m heading to Oshima Island, where Nakatsu-miya is located. Alright, now I’ve arrived at Kounominato. It only took about 10 minutes by car from Hetsu-miya. From here, I’ll take a ferry to get to Oshima Island. I’ve just boarded the ferry. There are more passengers than I expected—I’m surprised. No wonder—it’s the largest remote island in Fukuoka Prefecture. Fukuoka has eight main remote islands. Among them, the largest one is Oshima Island, part of Munakata City. It has about 540 residents and a 15 km perimeter. The ferry ride from Kounominato Port takes about 25 minutes. We’ve arrived before I knew it. There are two ferries that connect Kounominato and Oshima: the passenger ship “Shiokaze” and the ferry “Oshima.” Inside the terminal, there’s also a shop where you can buy souvenirs. Now I’m renting a bicycle from the terminal. (Staff) When you return, please check your number on the form. Got myself a rental bike—it’s electric. I heard Oshima has a lot of steep hills and curves. Wearing a helmet is mandatory. Let’s go with this look! It feels like hell outside, but I’ll do my best. It’s hot, but riding the bike feels great. Since it’s already noon, I’m heading out for lunch. Each island in Fukuoka has such different scenery. It’s exactly 12 noon now. After biking a bit, I spotted the coastline. There’s a shower room over there, so looks like you can swim here too. There are little islands, and the view is amazing. A frog-shaped water fountain! The water pressure is pretty strong! The inside of the shop is small and cozy, but there’s a beautiful beach right in front—perfect location. This place specializes in hot sandwiches. Today I ordered the Natural Sea Bream Sandwich, made with wild-caught sea bream from the island. It was way more filling than I expected. Thick, juicy fish and crunchy cabbage—an amazing combo. So good! You could really taste the ingredients—it was incredibly delicious. I had lunch at KITCHEN KAIKYU. At first I thought 1,200 yen for a hot sandwich was island pricing, but it was so filling, I’m totally satisfied. I feel recharged and ready to explore the island now. The staff were also super friendly and kind. And right in front of the shop, there’s a beach! That island you see over there is Yume-no-Sayoshima. There’s a torii gate—a great photo spot. Looks like a moss bonsai floating in the ocean. It’s scorching hot, but I’m off to explore the island. First stop: a visit to Nakatsu-miya Shrine. I’ve arrived at Nakatsu-miya, part of Munakata Taisha on Oshima Island. The enshrined deity here is Tagitsu-hime-no-kami. Nakatsu-miya is also said to be the birthplace of the Tanabata legend. Every August, around the lunar Tanabata, they hold a Tanabata Festival that has continued since the Kamakura period. Right now, they’re putting up decorations for the Tanabata Festival. Compared to Hetsu-miya, the grounds are more compact, but it’s built atop a hill with steep stairs and surrounded by trees, giving it a very calm and peaceful atmosphere. I love that you can see the port from the main shrine building. I’m really glad I got to visit Nakatsu-miya. Still, it’s hot. Seriously, it’s unbelievably hot. Coming here during summer might be a bit rough. And things are about to get even tougher— I’m going to head to the place where you can view Okinoshima Island. Apparently, there are no vending machines or anything like that in the mountain area (north side of the island), so “Don’t forget to bring water with you.” That’s what everyone at the info center told me. Definitely something to keep in mind. So glad I’m on an electric bike. It feels like a typical countryside summer— it’s hot, but the scenery is so refreshing. These mountains are amazing! This place really gives you a sense of the island’s scale. What a spectacular view. This is incredible. Having a shrine in the middle of such nature really creates a unique, sacred atmosphere. Okitsu-miya on Okinoshima has always been considered sacred and off-limits. Even so, people built this worship site to pray from afar. It shows the depth of their devotion. And just beyond here, 50 kilometers ahead, is Okinoshima and Okitsu-miya. The weather’s not bad, but it’s a bit hazy, so you can’t really see it with the naked eye. This spot is truly impressive. I can’t go to Okitsu-miya itself, but I’m still glad I came to Oshima. It really feels worth the trip. Alright, next I’m heading even higher— to Mount Mitake, the highest peak on Oshima Island. Staying hydrated is important. 2.2 kilometers, huh? That’s gonna be tough. It’s a long, gentle uphill slope. Brutal. It’s so hot. Feels like a mountain road made for cars. I seriously can’t make it without taking breaks in the shade. Looks like it’s 700 meters to the summit, but it’s really wearing me down. This is way too tough. And spider webs keep getting on my face. Spider webs keep hitting me, but I’m so sweaty I don’t even care anymore. Whoa, look at that tree! Did I make it? I made it! I’m seriously at my physical limit. I’m totally wiped out. It’s way too hot. I’m sweating so much, I feel like jumping into the sea right now. The view is definitely amazing, but… it’s too hot to even think straight. Ahh, the breeze… Please blow a little stronger! Alright, let me get myself together… You can see all of Munakata City from up here— it’s a spectacular view. But man, getting up here was really tough. With this summer heat, you could honestly get heatstroke. So I wouldn’t recommend it too casually. You can see a ferry leaving from Oshima Port. The mountain is so overgrown, it looks like a jungle. The scenery really is stunning. I’m satisfied now that I’ve visited the shrine. But my legs are already completely worn out. There’s a ranch here. That caught me off guard. A horse suddenly appeared. Wait—it’s not a real horse. Oh! That one is real! This is the Canadian Camp Riding Club. It’s a facility where both beginners and advanced riders can enjoy horseback riding across Japan. There’s a horse right in front of me! Its mane looks so cool. Glad there’s a hydration spot here. You can get cold water for 100 yen. Someone on a riding lesson just passed by. Hello! You look awesome! Being able to try horseback riding on a remote island like this— it’s pretty amazing. After hydrating, I’ve regained some energy. The horseback riding looks fun, but… I’m still heading onward! Whoa! Amazing! A vast grassland as far as the eye can see. After descending from the Mt. Mitake observation deck and climbing again, I passed by the Oshima Ranch and made it to the old battery site. There are remains of an artillery battery and a windmill observatory here. From this point on, bikes aren’t allowed, so I’ll continue on foot. The contrast of green and blue feels so summery and refreshing. This is the artillery battery site. I’ve visited this place several times on this channel. So cool. Underneath the command center, there’s another space. It was probably a munitions storage room. It really feels like I’ve come to a highland. What’s this? There’s some kind of spinning-top-looking sculpture. Looks like an art piece that was displayed during an art festival. The artwork blends in nicely with the historical ruins of the battery site. Very cool. I climbed to the top of the old battery site. This might be the best view yet. 360 degrees of grasslands and ocean—absolutely breathtaking. There’s not much time before my ferry leaves, but I’m going to check out the windmill while I can. Alright, I can see it now— the windmill and observation deck. Up close, it’s kind of intimidating how massive it is. Beyond here stretches the Genkai Sea. Take a look at this. This huge grassland. Incredible, right? Honestly, I didn’t expect Oshima to have views this amazing. It really feels like a getaway from the everyday. That was fun. It’s the perfect place to soak in the feeling of summer. If you go a bit farther down the path, there’s apparently a cave once used by hidden Christians. But I don’t have time to go there today. What a shame. I’m physically worn out, but I’m heading back to the port. If I had more time, I would’ve tried horseback riding, but I’ll save that for next time. Goodbye, horses! The way back is way easier. I can’t believe I actually biked all the way up here. Alright, I’m back. I’ve returned to the port. The uphill and downhill parts are totally different levels of difficulty. The ride back was over in no time. It was exhausting, but fun. I was worried I wouldn’t make the ferry in time, but the downhill was fast and I made it. I’ve only got about 10 minutes left until the ferry departs, so I’ll drop by the souvenir shop in front of the port real quick. Here, you can buy souvenirs mainly featuring seafood products. I didn’t have time to browse leisurely, but I grabbed a few things that caught my eye. I’ve returned to Kounominato from Oshima. I totally passed out on the ferry ride back. Originally, my plan after returning from Oshima was to explore places like Michi-no-Eki Munakata, but I ran out of time, so I’ll save that for another visit. The sun is starting to set nicely now, so I think I’ll go watch the sunset before heading home. By the way, here are the two souvenirs I grabbed in a rush at the Oshima gift shop. A red bean–filled monaka sweet made with Oshima salt— apparently it was recommended on TV. And a sweet jelly made with Oshima-grown amanatsu citrus. I’ve got a little time left, so I’ll check out a few more spots before I go. The clouds are starting to look suspicious… I’ve arrived at the Shinbaru-Nuyama Kofun Group, about 10 minutes from Kounominato and Munakata Taisha. But the weather suddenly turned, and now it’s pouring rain. Unfortunately, I can’t go outside right now. The rain has eased up, so I’ll give a quick introduction. At first glance, this looks like an ordinary rice field, but it’s actually part of the Munakata Taisha UNESCO World Heritage site. There’s Okitsu-miya on Okinoshima and the Okinoshima worship site, Nakatsu-miya on Oshima, and Hetsu-miya on the Kyushu mainland, and this place, the Shinbaru-Nuyama Kofun Group. Since I can’t visit Okinoshima itself, coming here means I’ve now visited every component of the heritage site. If you’re already visiting Munakata Taisha, I recommend coming here too, if you have the time. So many mosquitoes flying around though… These are burial mounds built in the 5th or 6th century by the ancient Munakata clan. That same clan began worshiping the three Munakata goddesses at three separate locations. That tradition continues to this day. These rice fields in front of me used to be the Genkai Sea long ago— a gateway from the ocean. That’s why they’ve worshiped sea deities here to protect ocean voyages. You can actually still see the Genkai Sea from here. To be honest, it’s really just a plain-looking rice field, but the wide-open view is quite beautiful, so I’d recommend stopping by after visiting Munakata Taisha. This spot is technically not in Munakata, but in the neighboring city of Fukutsu. There are 41 kofun burial mounds built by the Munakata clan here. Keyhole-shaped and round-shaped mounds, just like the ones you see in history textbooks. Even from this elevated viewpoint, you can see several of them, so just looking from here is worthwhile. There’s also an information center here. They probably have volunteer guides available on weekends and holidays. For historic sites like this, having a local guide is the best way to learn. Luckily, the rain was just a passing shower, so I managed to see the site from outside—glad I waited. Last stop of the day: Fukuma Beach. It’s cleared up beautifully, like the rain never happened. This beach stretches for 3 km with shallow waters. It’s known as a great spot for watching sunsets. It’s 6 PM now, but the sun is still pretty high. Still, there’s a beautiful path of light reflected on the water. In an earlier video, I introduced Miyajidake Shrine, which is located here in Fukutsu. Its approach leads straight to the ocean, and if you follow it down, you’ll end up here at the beach. In the end, I got to see a beautiful sunset—it’s the perfect ending. So that wraps up my trip around the Munakata area. I’m really glad I finally made it to Oshima. It was bigger than I expected, with lots of sights to explore. It was more wild and natural than I imagined, and I really got to enjoy the unique appeal of a remote island. Instead of an electric bike, there are rental cars too, so unless you want to sweat it out like me, you could use a car or even a bus to get around more efficiently—especially in summer. The untouched nature and escape-from-everyday-life vibe of these islands is surprisingly easy to access from the city— and that’s one of the great things about Fukuoka. There are eight remote islands in Fukuoka, and I’d love to visit all of them someday. I hope this video was helpful to you, and thank you so much for watching to the end.

福岡が誇る世界遺産「宗像大社」を有する宗像市（むなかたし）。

その中心にあるのが、“神宿る島”として知られる沖ノ島（おきのしま）です。この島は、島全体がご神体とされ、今も一般の立ち入りが禁じられた聖域。そのため、人々は古来より、海の向こうから遥かに拝む「遥拝（ようはい）」という形で祈りを捧げてきました。

今回の旅では、その沖ノ島を遠くに望むことができる離島、「大島」へ行ってきました！実は以前、“猫島”の相島を旅したときに、宗像大社・辺津宮までは訪れたんですが、そのとき行けなかったんです。

そんな宗像市は、2024年の「全国住み続けたい街ランキング」（生活ガイド.com調べ）で、なんと全国1位に選ばれ、道の駅「むなかた」は全国道の駅グランプリで九州1位、全国7位（じゃらん調べ）。宗像市は、まさに福岡でいま注目されているエリアでもあるんです！

海と信仰、そして静けさに包まれた“福岡の世界遺産エリア”宗像市。この動画で、その魅力を少しでも感じていただけたら嬉しいです。

動画が良ければチャンネル登録、グッドボタンよろしくお願いします👍

📍 今回訪れた場所
・宗像大社 辺津宮
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AUEzwGhX4kofaUFB9
・Kitchen KAIKYU
https://maps.app.goo.gl/q9eVMo7EDLo5hTS59
・宗像大社 中津宮
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ACJuBL7bnvfYPgsA7
・宗像大社 沖津宮遥拝所
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mKaeaZYdLLRrSUG7A
・御嶽山展望所
https://maps.app.goo.gl/nUgWEfkZCAs8kyFv7
・風車展望所
https://maps.app.goo.gl/GHe4vNq1rk3oT9HV6
・新原・奴山古墳群
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qBMQJ8h8R2xkXxHZ6
・福間海岸
https://maps.app.goo.gl/XZfjHjsmEgcDcjg16

🎦 関連動画
【福岡観光】人口より猫が多い猫島「相島」へ行ったら口角上がった

🎵使用している音楽
Artlist（以下から登録で2ヶ月分無料になります！）
https://artlist.io/referral/c48a3ef8-a079-4f03-82ba-aa274ebf0700