Learn about the Mythology of Japan in Miyazaki

Miyazaki Prefecture calls itself the birthplace of Japan, and the claim is not
just marketing. The oldest surviving Japanese chronicles — the Kojiki (712) and
the Nihon Shoki (720) — place a string of foundational myths here: the birth of
the sun goddess Amaterasu, the cave she hid in, the council of gods that lured
her back out, and the descent of her grandson to earth. The shrines below are
the actual sites those stories are attached to, and most of them are still
working places of worship rather than monuments.

Nearby, Obi Town is worth adding to a Nichinan trip: a preserved samurai
district around the ruins of Obi Castle, with traditional restaurants including
Hattoritei and Itotei.

Shrines

Hyuga: the dragons of Omi Jinja

The Omi-jinja Shrine is a religious site dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu, also known as the “Ise Shrine of Hyuga.” Located on a cliff overlooking the ocean, this shrine offers a beautiful view and the chance to see several depictions of dragons. One such depiction can be found in a cave near the shrine, where a crack in the rock appears to show a dragon ascending. Another dragon can be found in the form of a giant boulder made of conglomerate rock, which has a bowl-shaped hole with spiraling lines carved into it. In the center of this bowl sits a small, egg-shaped stone, which is believed to represent a dragon’s egg. Visitors to the Omi-jinja Shrine can appreciate these unique dragon-themed features while paying tribute to the deity Amaterasu.

Nichinan: The Legend of Emperor Jimmu and the Nourishing Water at Udo Shrine

Udo Jingū is built inside a sea cave on the Nichinan coast, and it enshrines
Ugayafukiaezu — the father of Emperor Jimmu, Japan’s mythical first emperor.
The legend goes that Ugayafukiaezu was abandoned as an infant and nursed on water
dripping from two breast-shaped rocks in the cave. (His own father was
Yamasachihiko, which makes Yamasachihiko Jimmu’s grandfather — the two are
easily confused.) Today, expectant mothers and those hoping to conceive come to
drink the water.

The shrine also has one of the more enjoyable rituals in Miyazaki: you buy a set
of five small clay balls called undama and throw them at a rope-ringed hollow
in the Kameishi turtle rock below. Men throw with the left hand, women with the
right. Land one in the hollow and your wish is said to come true.

Miyazaki City: The Eda Shrine: A Holy Site for the Gods Izanagi and Izanami

Eda Shrine enshrines Izanagi and Izanami, the pair who in the Kojiki create
the islands of Japan. The site matters because of what happened next. Izanami
died and went to Yomi, the land of the dead; Izanagi followed to bring her back,
failed, and fled. What he performed at the nearby Misogi Pond was not an
attempt to free her — it was misogi, a washing-off of the pollution he had
carried out of the underworld. Amaterasu the sun goddess, Tsukuyomi the moon
deity and Susanoo the storm god were all born from that act of purification.

The shrine is in Shimin-no-Mori in the northern part of Miyazaki City. From
Miyazaki Airport take the Miyazaki Kuko line to Miyazaki Station, then a short
bus ride to the Yamasaki stop and a few minutes’ walk.

Miyazaki City: Miyazaki Shrine

Located in the middle of the City, Miyazaki Shrine is an easy to reach place to relax.

Takachiho: The Amano Iwato Shrine: A Mystical Cave and Observation Deck

The Amano Iwato Shrine is a spiritual site located near a cave about 10 km outside of Takachiho. According to legend, this cave is where the goddess Amaterasu hid away, causing darkness to fall on heaven and earth until the other gods of Japan performed a special ceremony to coax her out. Visitors can view the cave from an observation deck, but only as part of a guided tour led by a priest. To get to the Amano Iwato Shrine, take the Limited express Nichirin from the Miyazaki Airport to Nobeoka Station, then a Miyazaki Kotsu bus on to the Takachiho Bus Center. From there, take the Iwato bus ten stops to Iwato, which is just a two-minute walk from the shrine. The address of the Amano Iwato Shrine is 1073-1 Iwato, Takachiho-cho, Nishiusuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture 882-1621.

Takachiho: Exploring the Amano Yasukawara Shrine: A Site for Divine Discussions

The Amano Yasukawara is a simple, yet significant shrine that is believed to be the place where gods and goddesses gathered to discuss how to persuade Amaterasu to leave her hiding place in the cave. A highlight of this shrine is the numerous stone piles left by visitors. The Amano Yasukawara shrine is just a short, 10-minute walk down the path from the Amano Iwato Shrine.

The Takachiho Shrine: Home of the Sacred Kagura Dance

The Takachiho Shrine is known for its performances of the Kagura dance, a sacred ceremony with roots in shamanism that is said to have convinced Amaterasu to leave her cave. Kagura celebrates the Shinto gods and is performed at the Takachiho Shrine on a daily basis at 8 PM. There is also an all-night performance of Takachiho Kagura on November 22 and 23 each year, which includes dancing, music, and plenty of sake and shochu. Getting there is the same journey as for Amano Iwato above: the Nichirin limited express from Miyazaki Airport or Miyazaki Station to Nobeoka, then a Miyazaki Kotsu bus on to the Takachiho Bus Center. The shrine is about a 10-minute walk from there. Allow roughly three hours each way from Miyazaki City — Takachiho is much easier with a car, and better as an overnight than a day trip.

Some of the shrine descriptions on this page draw on JAL’s Miyazaki: Land of Mythology guide.