The 7th Fellowship Program is being held!
The 7th Fellowship Program was held on October 4, 2025. This time, we welcomed Mr. Takayuki Ashizu, the chief priest of Munakata Taisha Shrine (Munakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture), who gave a lecture on the theme of “The History of the Munakata International Environmental Conference.”
“Exploring the history and faith of Munakata Taisha Shrine”
First, there was a talk about the history of Munakata Taisha and the background of its faith. Munakata Taisha is a historic shrine that appears in Japanese mythology, and enshrines the three goddesses of Amaterasu Omikami (Takamihime, Takumihime, and Ichikishimahime). Each of these goddesses is enshrined in three shrines on Okinoshima, Oshima, and the mainland, and these three shrines are collectively known as “Munakata Taisha.” It was explained that diplomacy and rituals via the sea have been carried out at Munakata Taisha since ancient times, and that it has deep ties with the Imperial Court and has supported maritime worship throughout its long history.
“World Cultural Heritage Initiative”
During the talk, he also touched on the journey to the inscription of “Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region, the Sacred Island” on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017.
Rather than simply treating it as a regional heritage site, the nomination document was written from a “SEA (Spiritual, Ecology, Animism)” perspective, carefully expressing Munakata’s cultural and spiritual value, in order to convey to the world the connection between faith, nature, and culture. In particular, he said, the “Okinoshima faith,” which developed during a period of international exchange in ancient East Asia, has been passed down as a living tradition to the present day, and that there is physical evidence to support this, was highly evaluated, leading to its inscription on the World Heritage List.
“Progress and Practice of the Munakata International Environmental Conference”
The focus of this lecture was on the efforts of the Munakata International Environmental Conference. Facing the sea, Munakata Taisha Shrine has long been deeply connected to the local community as a center of marine worship. However, in recent years, the marine environment has been undergoing rapid changes, including rising sea temperatures, coastal debris, and coastal denudation (a phenomenon in which seaweed declines and ecosystems collapse). The shrine faces serious challenges. In response to these circumstances, the Munakata International Environmental Conference was established in 2014. Under the concept of a “Sea Shrine Forest,” the conference has promoted ocean restoration and environmental proposals while continuing to communicate with both the local community and beyond.
Key initiatives include:
• Annual hosting of the Munakata International Environmental Conference (the 12th conference is scheduled for the end of October 2025);
• Marine restoration activities (bamboo fishing reef construction, coastal cleanups)
; • Development programs for local high school students
; • Reaffirming our connection with nature through traditional events such as fish release and fertility festivals
; • Educational and information-raising activities to raise environmental awareness.
These activities are run by an executive committee that includes not only Munakata Taisha Shrine, but also Munakata City, the Munakata Tourism Association, local organizations, universities, high schools, local businesses, etc. A major feature of these activities is that they are a community-wide effort that brings together religion, education, government, and the private sector.
“Learn from faith, nature, and practice”
GreenFaith Japan has learned a lot from Munakata’s efforts, which combine a scientific perspective and practical actions while building on faith-based values. Their approach of confronting changes in the ocean and protecting the future from both cultural and environmental perspectives has provided significant insights into new roles and possibilities for connecting faith and society. The sense of living in harmony with nature and respecting it as sacred are values that can be shared across religions and regions. We at GreenFaith Japan are also planning to participate in the Munakata International Environmental Conference, which will be held at the end of October. We hope to
use this opportunity to encounter diverse voices from both within Japan and abroad and further deepen our faith-based environmental actions.