Usa-jinjū facts for kids
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Usa-jingū (宇佐神宮), also known as Usa Hachiman-gū (宇佐八幡宮), is a Japanese Shinto shrine in the city of Usa in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu.
History
The shrine was founded in the Wadō era (708-714).
A Buddhist temple called Miroku-ji was built next to it in 779, making it what is believed to be the first shrine-temple (jingū-ji) ever. The shrine-temple complex, called Usa Hachimangu-ji (宇佐八幡宮寺), lasted until 1868.
Usa first appears in the chronicles of Imperial history during the reign of Empress Shōtoku.
Usa jingū was designated as the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) for the old Buzen Province. It serves today as one of the ichinomiya of Oita and Fukuoka Prefectures.
From 1871 through 1946, Usa was officially listed among the first rank of government supported shrines.
Branch shrines
Usa is today the center of over 40,000 branch Hachiman shrines. In Shinto belief, the many Hachiman shrines have extended the reach of the kami at Usa.
