Munakata Sanjoshin (Three Munakata Goddesses)

The three Munakata goddesses—Tagorihime, Tagitsuhime, and Ichikishimahime—were born from the ritual oath (ukehi) between Amaterasu and Susanoo. In this pivotal scene, the siblings exchanged personal items and breathed upon them to produce offspring, thereby testing Susanoo's sincerity. The three goddesses emerged from Amaterasu's act of chewing Susanoo's sword.

Each goddess is enshrined at a different location within the Munakata Taisha complex: Tagorihime at Okitsumiya on the remote island of Okinoshima, Tagitsuhime at Nakatsumiya on Oshima Island, and Ichikishimahime at Hetsumiya on the mainland. Together, they guard the vital sea routes between Japan and the Korean peninsula.

Okinoshima, where Tagorihime is enshrined, is one of Japan's most sacred sites—for centuries, women were forbidden from setting foot there, and visitors were required to purify themselves in the sea. The island's treasure trove of votive offerings, spanning the fourth to ninth centuries, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017.