Munakata Taisha is a group of three Shinto shrines in Munakata, northern Fukuoka Prefecture, and it heads roughly 6,000 Munakata shrines nationwide. Hetsu-gū, the main shrine, is on mainland Kyushu. Nakatsu-gū stands at the foot of Mt. Mitake on Ōshima, and Okitsu-gū occupies the entire island of Okinoshima in the Genkai Sea. The shrine's history is recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
The three Munakata goddesses are enshrined, one in each shrine. The Hetsu-gū main hall was rebuilt in 1578 and the worship hall in 1590, and the main hall is noted for its large thatched roof. Both are Important Cultural Properties, and the Shinpō-kan treasure hall houses six National Treasures.
Okinoshima is closed to women, and men must perform a purification ceremony before landing. It gained UNESCO World Heritage status in July 2017.
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