写真は福岡県福津の「宮地嶽神社」本殿であります。福津市の宮地嶽神社は日本最大級の大注連縄で知られ、正月三が日には例年およそ150万人が参拝に訪れる。大注連縄は長さ11メートル、太さは２メートルを超え、重さは３トン。
　わたしは昨日から故あって夫婦で福岡県に移動してきました。到着は午後２時くらいになってカミさんの調査に基づいて、わたしはレンタカーの運転手で「次どこ行くの？」状態。あっちこっち、と連行される容疑者のようでありますが、こういう容疑者状態というのは決してキライではない。たまに自分ではない主体の指示にすべてお任せして、従順に従うというのは、一種の思考の安息、「ボーッとした」無念無想の境地に至らしめられる。
　梅雨最盛期の九州ということで、覚悟の上ではありましたが、最後福岡市内のホテルへの道程でクルマの中で大雨に遭遇しましたが、なんとか歩行移動中にはそれほどの困難な局面には立ち至らなかった。ありがたい。
　で、連れ回された容疑者は、この神さまの前に引き出された次第であります。
　とうに観念はしているので淡々と神さまの前で無実をお祈りしたところ、どうやら神意に通じたようで、カミさんもニコニコとしてくれておりました。ありがたや。
　まったく予備知識なく、カミさんの命令に従ってあちこち移動する、彼女の「きっとここが好きに違いない」という判断は、自分でも非常に楽しいのであります。自分との対話という意味で、すこし客観的に分析できるメリットがある。
　出雲大社もかくやという大注連縄がシンボルマークなのですが、主祭神は神功皇后。社歴は1700年を超えるという古社。光の道という参道を通ってこの社殿に至るのですが、さすがに海外出兵を指揮された神功皇后の来歴に符合したたたずまいになっていました。
　この福津市周辺にはたくさんの「古墳地形」が観察される。古代の「ヤマト王権」にとって、非常に重要な地域であったことは、クルマで走りながらでも伝わってきます。玄界灘から海上を日本海ルートに乗っていけばたぶん出雲も「おとなり」みたいな感覚なのでしょう。
　古代社会での朝鮮半島地域との主要な窓口であった北九州地域は歴史の宝庫。乗ってきた飛行機もずっと雲の中でしたが最後の一瞬だけは、海に浮かぶ「宗像神」の社殿の赤い屋根瓦を空から見下ろすことができました。なかなかに神々しい瞬間。
　ということで旭川往復に続いて、北九州行脚。神さま探訪を畏れ多い女神・カミさんの指示命令に従順になって、神妙に旅したいと思います。ありがたや。

English version⬇

Wet Fukuoka” in the peak of the rainy season
The trip to Fukuoka, which was not of my own volition but of my wife’s, was an opportunity for me to see myself from a slightly objective point of view. I’m just grateful for that. I am very thankful.

The photo shows the main shrine of Miyajitake Shrine in Fukutsu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Miyajitake Shrine in Fukutsu City is known for one of the largest sacred straw ropes in Japan, which attracts approximately 1.5 million worshippers every year on the first three days of the New Year. The large shimenawa is 11 meters long, over 2 meters thick, and weighs 3 tons.
　For some reason, I traveled to Fukuoka Prefecture with my wife yesterday. We arrived at about 2:00 p.m. and based on Kami’s research, I was the driver of the rental car and asked, “Where are we going next?” I was the driver of the rental car. I feel like a suspect being taken from place to place, but I don’t mind being a suspect in such a situation. Sometimes I leave everything to the direction of an entity other than myself, and obediently follow its instructions, which brings me to a kind of restful state of thought, a state of “absentmindedness” or “absentmindedness.
　I was prepared for this in Kyushu during the height of the rainy season, and although I encountered heavy rain in the car on the way to the hotel in Fukuoka City at the end of the tour, I managed not to run into too many difficulties during the walking trip. Thank goodness.
　So, the suspect who was taken around was brought out before this God.
　I had already given up on the idea, so I prayed to the god in a calm manner for his innocence, and it seemed that the god’s will was understood and my wife was smiling at me. Thank God.
　I was very happy to see her “I must like it here” judgment as she moved from place to place following Kami’s order without any prior knowledge of the place. It has the advantage of allowing me to analyze things a little more objectively, in the sense of a dialogue with myself.
　The main deity is Empress Jingu, and the shrine has a history of more than 1,700 years. The main deity is Empress Jingu, and the history of this ancient shrine is over 1,700 years old. The approach to the shrine is via a path called “Hikari no Michi,” and the appearance of the shrine is in keeping with the history of Empress Jingu, who commanded overseas military operations.
　Many “kofun landforms” can be observed in the Fukutsu City area. The fact that this was a very important region for the ancient “Yamato Royalty” can be felt even while driving in a car. If you take the Sea of Japan route from the Genkai Sea to the sea, perhaps Izumo is like a “neighbor” to you.
　The Kitakyushu area, which was the main window to the Korean Peninsula in ancient times, is a treasure trove of history. The plane ride was in the clouds for a long time, but for the last moment we were able to look down from the sky at the red roof tiles of the shrine of the Munakata God floating on the sea. It was quite a divine moment.
　So, following the round trip to Asahikawa and back, I made a trip to Kitakyushu. I would like to travel in a mysterious way, obeying the instructions and orders of Kami, the Goddess of Awesome, in my exploration of God. Thank you.

Posted on 6月 28th, 2024 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 歴史探訪