Tagitsuhime no Mikoto

湍津姫命

Goddess of the middle sea; one of the Munakata Three Goddesses

Tagitsuhime Tagitsu-hime
多岐津姫命 湍津姫
Kojiki & Nihon Shoki

About

Tagitsuhime is the second of the three Munakata goddesses, enshrined at Nakatsumiya on Oshima Island. Positioned between the mainland and the remote Okinoshima, she guards the middle waters of the maritime route between Japan and the continent.

Her name has been interpreted as relating to rapids or swiftly flowing water (tagitsu), connecting her to the dynamic power of ocean currents. Together with her sisters, she forms a divine network of maritime protection spanning from the coast to the open sea.

As part of the UNESCO World Heritage designation of the Munakata sacred sites, the worship of Tagitsuhime on Oshima preserves ancient ritual traditions that illuminate the importance of maritime trade routes in the formation of Japanese civilization.

Mythology

Family Relationships

Shrines Dedicated to This Deity

Shrine Prefecture Network Role
Enoshima Shrine 江島神社 Kanagawa major_branch
Itsukushima Shrine 厳島神社 Hiroshima head
Munakata Taisha 宗像大社 Fukuoka head
Tajima Shrine 田島神社 Saga

Frequently Asked Questions

Information provided by Jinja DB Editorial Team

Who is Tagitsuhime no Mikoto in Japanese mythology?

Tagitsuhime no Mikoto (湍津姫命) is Goddess of the middle sea; one of the Munakata Three Goddesses. This deity appears in Kojiki & Nihon Shoki and is enshrined at 4 shrines across Japan.

What shrines are dedicated to Tagitsuhime no Mikoto?

There are 4 shrines in our database dedicated to Tagitsuhime no Mikoto, including Enoshima Shrine, Itsukushima Shrine, Munakata Taisha and more.

What myths involve Tagitsuhime no Mikoto?

Tagitsuhime no Mikoto appears in 1 myths including The Cave of the Sun Goddess (Ama-no-Iwato). These stories come from Kojiki & Nihon Shoki.