Circle around Iki Island and visit the shrines!

An island where gods dwell, brimming with power spots

Iki Island, floating in the Genkai Sea, is a small island measuring about 17 kilometers north to south and 15 kilometers east to west. You can drive around it in about two hours. On this island, there are over 150 shrines registered with the Shinto Shrine Association alone, and including small shrines, the number reaches 1,000.At one point, they even aimed for a Guinness World Record. Using the catchphrase "The Island Where the Gods Dwell," they offer diverse shrine-hopping tourist courses. Let's go around the island and soak up some shrine power!

Standing tall and alluring in the restaurant district!? Sai Shrine

There are ferry routes to Iki Island from Hakata Port to Gōnoura Port and from Karatsu Higashi Port to Ashibe Port. Travel times are nearly identical. Starting from Gōnoura Port in the southwest of the island, I planned an eastern loop shrine pilgrimage route heading north via Katsumoto Fishing Port and then onward to Ashibe.

Just a three-minute drive from Gōnoura Port brings you to Sai Shrine in the heart of Gōnoura.Glance beside the main hall... and there it is—a massive male symbol! The enshrined deity is Sarume-no-Mikoto, the combined spirit of Sarutahiko-no-Mikoto and Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto. This deity grants blessings ranging from good marriages, safe childbirth, and marital harmony to healing sexual ailments. The offerings dedicated here are also quite erotic (laugh).The chief priest is absent, so reserve your goshuin seal in advance at the office of Kunitsukami Shrine. That shrine is about a 3-minute drive from Sai Shrine.

Location	113 Katahara-sokushu, Gounoura-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-47-0675(Kokutsu Ikami Shrine)
remarks	No parking lot. No restroom.

Hercules Surrounded by Beautiful Goddesses Amanotanagao Shrine

Heading north along National Route 332 lined with suburban shops, next is Amano-Tachinaga-no-Mikoto Shrine. Just a step off the highway, the countryside spreads out. The approach to the shrine is a narrow uphill path. And the parking lot is atop an even steeper slope. Standing in a quiet, small wooded hill, the main hall is modest in size. Yet, this is the prestigious shrine designated as the principal shrine of Iki Province.Three deities are enshrined here. One, Amaterasunokami, possessed the immense strength that forced open the Heavenly Rock Cave. Furthermore, the five goddesses enshrined together at the "Amanotanahime Shrine" are all considered goddesses of unparalleled beauty. The shrine offers many blessings: good marriage, safe childbirth, child-rearing, and industrial development. The goshuin stamp is pre-written; the offering fee is 300 yen.

Location	730 Tanaka-sukuri, Gounoura-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-47-5748
remarks	Parking available; no restrooms

Great Camphor Tree for Praying for Marital Harmony Sumiyoshi Shrine

Returning to National Route 332, we continued north to visit Sumiyoshi Shrine in Ashibe Town. It is one of the "Iki Seven Shrines," the seven shrines visited during Iki's New Year pilgrimage, and has ample parking that is easy to use. It is also highly prestigious, being one of the "Four Great Sumiyoshi Shrines of Japan."It houses numerous valuable cultural assets dating from the Heian to Muromachi periods. Its annual December "Iki Kagura" performance, with a history of about 700 years, is a nationally designated Important Intangible Cultural Property.

Within the shrine grounds stands a large "Married Couple Camphor Tree," attracting many visitors who pray for good matches and marital harmony. That day, I saw a young couple paying their respects. It is said that the man should walk around it clockwise and the woman counterclockwise, each completing one full circuit. With a trunk circumference of 5.2 meters, it is the largest tree on the island, though its age remains unknown. Goshuin stamps can be obtained at the shrine office, but they strongly request reservations whenever possible.

Location	470-1 Sumiyoshi Higashi-sokku, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-45-3002
remarks	Parking available Restrooms available Official Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sumiyoshijinja_iki

Stroke for blessings, pass through for wishes granted Kunikatanushi Shrine

Turn right at the Kameishi traffic light on National Route 332 and proceed along Prefectural Route 172. At the T-junction with Prefectural Route 174, you'll find the Kunikata Shrine. This is also one of the "Seven Shrines of Iki." Its principal deity is Sukunahikono-mikoto, and it also enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning. Incidentally, Sukunahikono-mikoto is the deity who inspired the legend of Issun-boshi.The shrine's blessings include academic improvement, health and longevity, and protection from misfortune.

Within the shrine grounds stand three small wish-granting torii gates, and it's customary to pass through them while praying. Scattered throughout are stone statues of the "Stroke Boy," "Stroke Ebisu," and "Stroke Daikokuten," said to bring blessings when rubbed. Furthermore, the stone statue of the beckoning cat, "Fortune Cat," is said to grant wishes if women circle it counterclockwise and men clockwise while reciting their prayers.Handwritten goshuin stamps are available at the shrine office.

Location	766-4 Kokubun Higashisokushu, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-45-4145
remarks	Parking available; no restrooms
Official Site	https://kunikatanushijinja.com/

Tsukuyomi Shrine, the Birthplace of Shinto Tsukuyomi Shrine

Leaving Kunikata-no-Kami Shrine and continuing straight along Prefectural Route 172, you'll soon arrive at Tsukuyomi Shrine. There is no dedicated parking lot; park your car in the space in front of the torii gate. The worship hall is reached by climbing steep stairs from the torii gate.The enshrined deities are Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, Tsukuyumi-no-Mikoto, and Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. All are moon deities. The Tsukuyomi Shrine in Kyoto, which established Shinto, received a branch spirit from this Tsukuyomi Shrine on Iki Island. In other words, it is the original shrine for all Tsukuyomi shrines nationwide and is considered the birthplace of Japanese Shinto.

The moon is believed to influence calendars, tidal movements, and the biorhythms of living beings, bestowing divine blessings such as the birth of life (safe childbirth) and the prosperity of fishing and agriculture (bountiful catches and harvests). Every year on the 23rd day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, Iki Kagura is dedicated. Goshuin stamps can be obtained at the shrine office.

Location	464 Kokubun Higashisokushu, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-45-4145
remarks	No parking lot. No restroom.
Official Site	https://kunikatanushijinja.com/

The Holy Mother is not Mary, but Empress Jingū! Holy Mother Shrine

Now, backtracking along Prefectural Route 172, we head north again on National Route 332. After about 15 minutes, we reach Katsumoto Fishing Port. Turning left, we drive along the port and loop around to the residential area behind the port's tip. Passing through the entrance torii gate, we head to Seiboku Shrine standing on the corner lot. The parking lot can hold two cars. Though small, it serves as Katsumoto's guardian deity.

The Virgin Mary refers to Empress Jingu, who is said to have departed from this land for the expedition to the Three Han. The shrine's origins can be traced back to the year 200 AD, according to the chief priest. It is one of the oldest shrines on Iki Island and is also one of the "Seven Shrines of Iki."The front gate and stone walls surrounding the shrine were donated by Kato Kiyomasa, while the rear gate was donated by Nabeshima Naoshige of the Hizen Nabeshima domain. Within the precincts stands a massive giant clam shell used as a water basin. This was donated from Palau. Goshuin stamps can be obtained at the shrine office, but advance phone reservations are required.

Location	554-2 Katsumoto-ura, Katsumoto-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-42-0914
remarks	Parking available; no restrooms

Three Monkeys Statues Line Up to Welcome You Onodake Shrine

From Katsumoto Fishing Port, head east toward Mount Otake. Though Mount Otake is Iki's third-highest peak at just 156 meters, the road is naturally narrow in many places. Until the Meiji era, the entire mountain was considered sacred, a restricted sanctuary where commoners were forbidden to enter. At its summit stands Otake Shrine. Its enshrined deity is Sarutahiko Ōkami, who served as the guide for the descent of the heavenly grandchildren.

Stone statues of the Three Monkeys are enshrined throughout the shrine, numbering about 250. Believed to ward off misfortune and bring good relationships, the presence of stone oxen also indicates that prayers for the safe birth of livestock were once offered here. The sacred rock (Iwakura) behind the worship hall is the divine object.In fact, this place is a magnetic field that disrupts compasses—a true power spot. Some people report feeling heat or even pain when they touch it. Note that the shrine currently does not issue goshuin stamps.

Location	1678 Hakozaki Honmura, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	090-5400-2581
remarks	Parking available Restrooms available
Official Site	https://ondakejinja.com/

Pray together at Otake Shrine for your wishes to come true! Men-dake Shrine

Men-dake Shrine is paired with its counterpart, Onna-dake Shrine. Visiting both is said to strengthen marital bonds. Located across the dam from Onna-dake, you'll ascend a narrow mountain path to reach it.An old saying goes, "Prayers made at Otake Shrine are half-fulfilled; visit Menadake Shrine to see them fully realized." To achieve complete fulfillment of your wishes, Menadake Shrine is essential. The deity enshrined here is Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, wife of Sarutahiko.

After visiting the shrine, follow the signposts down the slope from the grounds to find a giant rock adorned with a sacred shimenawa rope. This is Sukuiishi, the sacred object of Megatake Shrine, and like Otokotake Shrine, it's a magnetic field. Compass needles start spinning wildly, letting you feel the power spot.

Location	101 Kuginoo-sasare, Hakozaki, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	090-5400-2581
remarks	Parking available (space within shrine grounds)・No restrooms
Official Site	https://ondakejinja.com/mendake/

The decorations on shrine architecture are surreal. Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine

Descending the mountain path from Mt. Onna toward Prefectural Route 23, you can reach Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine, one of the "Seven Shrines of Iki," in just about three minutes.Established on Mount Otake in the late 8th century as the "Shikinaigetsuyomi Shrine," it later received a divine transfer from Hakozaki Shrine in Hakata, adopting the name "Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine." Its enshrined deities include Toyotamahiko-no-Mikoto and Tamayorihime-no-Mikoto. Revered as the guardian deity of seafarers, it attracts devotion for prayers for safe voyages and bountiful catches.

The vermilion-lacquered worship hall and the main shrine beyond it feature carvings of carp and birds on the frog-leg brackets above the beams, birds and shachi on the roof supports, and dragons and elephants on the wooden noses of the beams. Still, I can't help but inwardly quip: Why an elephant on Iki? Why an elephant for a sea god?The chief priest serves concurrently at both Otake and Megata Shrines. For goshuin stamps, please make reservations via text message.

Location	1294 Kuginoo-sasare, Hakozaki, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	090-5400-2581
remarks	Parking available; no restrooms

Ryūda Shrine facing the blue sea of Iki

Iki is an island. I still want to visit a shrine while gazing at the open sea.From Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine, turn right onto Prefectural Route 23 and drive. The destination is Ryūja Shrine, but park at the lot in front of Shōni Park Campground. The drive takes about 7 minutes. Passing through the walking path, a rugged landscape unfolds against the backdrop of the blue sea, with numerous exposed stones of various sizes. A simple vermilion torii gate stands, and a small shrine is set there, standing alone.

Located on a small cape called Ryujinzaki, it is said that the Dragon-Snake Deity was welcomed from Izumo Grand Shrine and enshrined here in the mid-Meiji period. Visitors clap their hands while gazing down at the sea below, where waves crash and foam white. The shrine seal can be obtained by making a prior reservation at Iki Shrine near the campground.

Location	Setoura, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-45-1276(Iki Shrine)
remarks	Parking available (use the parking lot in front of the campground) Restrooms available (public restroom next to the parking lot)

Dragon God at Sakyo-hana Cape Iki's Scenic Spot

From Ryūja Shrine, head back out onto Prefectural Route 23 for about 16 minutes, aiming for Sakyō-hama near the tip of the Hachiman Peninsula. Along the way, you'll find Konpira Shrine, with its torii gate standing against the sea—a good spot for a detour.Park your car at the Sakyo-hana parking lot. At the end of the promenade, you'll see another vermilion torii gate. That gate is all that stands there. The island's scenic highlight is the approximately 1-kilometer stretch of sheer cliffs and columnar jointed basalt formations jutting out from the sea.

According to legend, this rock is one of eight "Kannon pillars" said to have anchored the island to prevent it from drifting away. Another tale recounts how, during a prolonged drought in the early Edo period, an onmyōji performed rain rituals here, bringing heavy rains that saved the villagers from the drought. This may also be the origin of the dragon god enshrined here.

Location	1512 Morokichi Honmura, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	nashi (Pyrus pyrifolia, esp. var. culta)
remarks	Parking available (use Sakyo-hana Parking Lot) Restrooms available (public restrooms at parking lot)

Iki's Mont Saint-Michel: Kojima Shrine

Retracing the path from Sakyo-hana, it takes about 6 minutes to reach Kojima Shrine in Uchime Bay. Among Iki's tourist spots, this shrine stands out as the most popular. Accessible only via a path that appears at low tide, it's a path to the gods guided by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon, truly befitting a power spot. The shrine stands on a small island, and it has come to be called "Iki's Mont Saint-Michel."

The principal deities enshrined here are Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the younger brother of Amaterasu-ōmikami, and his mother, Izanami-no-Mikoto.It is said to grant blessings for love fulfillment, matchmaking, business prosperity, and good fortune. While checking low tide times beforehand is necessary, a worship hall for high tide is also provided near the parking lot. Plus, there are three ♡ stones to look forward to. Goshuin stamps can be received with handwritten inscriptions at the nearby Yori Hachiman Shrine with advance reservation. Note that the approach to Kojima Shrine at Indōji Temple does not appear at low tide.

Location	1969, Moroyoshi Ni-Mata, Ashibe-cho, Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone number	0920-45-1263(Yori Hachiman Shrine)
remarks	Parking available; no restrooms