Miyajidake Shrine is a revered Shinto shrine located in Fukuoka Prefecture, famous for its massive shimenawa, sacred straw rope, which symbolizes purification and protection from evil spirits. It is 13.5 meters long, weighs 5 tons, and is 2.6 meters in diameter, which is the largest in Japan.
The cosy pathway through 8 small shrines at the back of the shrine called “Okunomiya” would also be perfect for taking a little walk.
The main building of the shrine is on a mountainside and can be reached after climbing 40 steps of stairs, but the shrine is so kind as to offer a free ride of a car to go up the building for aged and other needy prayers.
The stairs to the main building, the approx. 100m approach to the shrine at the foot of the mountain and the approx. 1km road from the shrine to the nearest sea shore are lined perfectly straight and they can be seen from the top of the stairs. That view is called “Hikari no Michi”, Path of Light, as twice a year, in late February and October, the setting sun aligns perfectly with the shrine’s approach, creating a breathtaking view of the sunlight extending down the pathway all the way to the distant sea. This unique phenomenon draws thousands of visitors during these periods.
But even if you visit the shrine other than those periods, you could definitely enjoy the view from the top of the stairs.
