Mekari Shrine

Mekari Shrine is located in the Mekari area of Moji Ward, Kitakyushu City, standing beside the majestic Kanmon Strait. Since ancient times, it has been revered as an important guardian shrine for maritime safety. According to legend, the shrine’s origin dates back to around the year 200, when Empress Jingū, after her victorious campaign against the Korean Peninsula, established the shrine in gratitude. The main deity enshrined is Tsuburano Himeno Mikoto (撞賢木嚴之御魂天疎向津媛命), also known as Seoritsuhime, a goddess who governs the tides and protects seafarers.

Throughout history, Mekari Shrine received patronage and restoration from influential lords such as Ashikaga Takauji, the Ōuchi clan, the Mōri clan, and the Hosokawa clan. The current shrine buildings date back to 1767, when they were reconstructed under Ogasawara Tadamasa, the feudal lord of Kokura Domain.

The most distinctive ritual of the shrine is the Mekari Shinji (Seaweed-Cutting Ritual). Rooted in the legend that Empress Jingū herself harvested seaweed as an offering to the gods, this sacred ceremony takes place at dawn on the lunar New Year. During low tide, three Shinto priests wade into the Seto Sea of Hayatomo to cut fresh wakame seaweed, which is then offered at the altar, symbolizing prayers for peace and bountiful harvests in the new year. In the past, the ritual was considered so sacred that even watching it was believed to cause blindness, and only selected individuals could participate. Today, however, the ceremony is open to the public. In 1958, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukuoka Prefecture.