Munakata City

Munakata City

Munakata City is a city in northern Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, situated midway between Kitakyushu City and Fukuoka City, and belongs to both the Fukuoka Metropolitan Area and the Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the city is a hub for transportation and culture, boasts a fascinating history, and is known as an “academic and cultural city” that preserves rich natural beauty.

Munakata Taisha is a famous historical site in Munakata City. It is a Shikinaisha (a nationally significant shrine) and was formerly classified as a Kanpei Taisha (Imperial Shrine of the First Rank). It collectively refers to three shrines: Okitsu Shrine on Okinoshima Island, Nakatsu Shrine on Oshima Island in Chikuzen, and Hetsubyo Shrine on Tajima Island in Munakata City. According to legend, Shorinji Temple was the first Buddhist temple established in Japan in the first year of the Daidō era (806), when Kōbō Daishi returned from China. It flourished as the shrine’s temple and built a seven-structure temple complex within its grounds. Zōfuku-in, located at the foot of Mount Hakusan, is a Zen Buddhist temple that houses a Chinese-made bronze bell and features 80 humorous paintings drawn by the 14th head priest on the ceiling of its main hall. Other must-visit sites include Sōshō-ji Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Orihata Shrine, Marishiten Shrine, Yamada Jizōson, and the Great Maze.

Munakata

Why you should go: A renowned academic and cultural city in Japan

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Japan[Japan]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Fukuoka Prefecture [Fukuoka Prefecture]

City where the attraction is located: Munakata City [Munakata]