Heitate Jingu
A hidden sanctuary of Kyushu, keeper of the Takamagahara legend.
History and Divine Virtue
Heitate Jingu stands on a hilltop south of the outer rim of the Aso caldera, near the geographic center of Kyushu. According to shrine tradition, Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto, grandson of Emperor Jimmu, stopped here on his way down to Aso and set up heihaku — sacred offerings — to worship the gods of heaven and earth, giving the shrine its name. Its deities are led by Kamurogi no Mikoto and Kamuromi no Mikoto, together with Ame no Minakanushi no Okami, Amaterasu Omikami, and others. The shrine carries a tradition naming this place as the legendary birthplace of the Takamagahara myth — the Plain of High Heaven — and having been quietly kept for centuries away from public notice, it is also called the Hidden Shrine. Within the grounds rises a sacred hinoki cypress said to be thousands of years old, and the ancient shrine forest holds a deep and enduring stillness. The annual festival on August 23 is called the Goshiki-sai, the Festival of Five Colors; at the grand festival held every five years, five-colored divine masks — said to represent the ancestral gods of the world's peoples — are displayed to the public.
Visiting Notes
- The great trees flanking the stone-stepped approach are a highlight in themselves; the sacred hinoki cypress, said to be thousands of years old, is breathtaking.
- Down a path behind the main hall springs the Higashi Mitarai, a pure water source enshrining a water deity, long held in careful reverence.
- Takachiho in Miyazaki Prefecture is only about 40 minutes away by car, making the shrine a key waypoint on any journey through the lands of Japanese myth.
Deities and Location
- Enshrined Deities
- Kamurogi no Mikoto, Kamuromi no Mikoto, Ame no Minakanushi no Ōkami, Amaterasu Ōmikami
- Location
- 熊本県上益城郡山都町大野 (Kumamoto)
- Access
- About 1.5 hours by car from central Kumamoto along National Route 218, or about 40 minutes by car from Takachiho.
- Lineage
- Moto-Ise & Mythology
Visiting hours, goshuin (shrine stamps), and festival dates change; please confirm the latest information through each shrine's official announcements. If you find an error in this entry, we would be grateful if you let us know.
