Hachiman shrine

Iwashimizu Hachimangū, a Hachiman shrine in Yawata, Kyoto.

A Hachiman shrine (八幡神社 Hachiman Jinja, also Hachimangū (八幡宮^?) ) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to kami Hachiman.^[1] It is the second most numerous type of Shinto shrine after those dedicated to Inari Ōkami (see Inari shrine).^[1]

Originally the name was read Yawata or Yahata, a reading still used in some cases. Many towns and cities incorporating the names Hachiman, Yawata or Yahata grew around these shrines.

Famous Hachiman shrines

The following four shrines are often grouped into groups of three, either as Usa-Iwashimizu-Hakozaki or Usa-Iwashimizu-Tsurugaoka, and both of these groupings are known as the Three Major Hachiman Shrines of Japan (三大八幡宮).

• Usa Jingū 宇佐神宮 (Usa, Ōita), the Sōhonsha (head shrine)
• Iwashimizu Hachimangū 岩清水八幡宮 (Yawata, Kyoto)
• Hakozaki Shrine 筥崎宮 (Fukuoka)
• Tsurugaoka Hachimangū 鶴岡八幡宮 (Kamakura)

Other notable Hachiman shrines

• Hakodate Hachiman Shrine 函館八幡宮 (Hakodate, Hokkaido)
• Hatogamine Hachiman Shrine 鳩峰八幡神社 (Tokorozawa, Saitama)
• Morioka Hachimangū 盛岡八幡宮 (Morioka, Iwate)
• Ōsaki Hachimangū 大崎八幡宮 (Sendai, Miyagi)
• Shiroyama Hachimangū, Nagoya
• Tomioka Hachiman Shrine 富岡八幡宮 (Koto, Tokyo)
• Tamukeyama Hachiman Shrine 手向山八幡宮 (near the Tōdai-ji, Nara)
• Umi Hachiman-gū 宇美八幡宮 (Umi, Fukuoka)
• Ōmiya Hachiman Shrine (Tokyo) 大宮八幡宮 (Suginami, Tokyo)
• Ōmiya Hachiman Shrine (Hyōgo) 大宮八幡宮 (Miki, Hyōgo)
• Ōshio Hachiman Shrine 大塩八幡宮 (Echizen, Fukui)
• Saipan Hachiman Shrine (Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands)

See also

• Inari Shrine

References

1. Motegi, Sadazumi. "Shamei Bunpu (Shrine Names and Distributions)" (in Japanese). Encyclopedia of Shinto. Retrieved 23 March 2010.

External links

• Bender, Ross. "Usa Shrine 宇佐神宮". Retrieved 2008-05-25.
• Bender, Ross. "Miyazaki Hachiman Shrine 宮崎八幡宮". Retrieved 2008-05-25.