Hachiman Shrine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Iwashimizu Shrine, a Hachiman Shrine in Yawata, Kyoto.

Hachiman Shrine (八幡神社, Hachiman Jinja^?) (or 八幡宮 Hachiman-gū) is a shinto shrine dedicated to the kami Hachiman. It is the second most numerous type of shinto shrines after ones dedicated to Inari.

Originally the name was Yawata or Yahata, is still used in some occasions.

Famous Hachiman Shrines include:

The following four shrines are made 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.
- Usa Shrine 宇佐神宮 (Usa, Ōita) -- Sōhonsha (the head shrine) of Hachiman Shrines.
- Iwashimizu Shrine 岩清水八幡宮 (Yawata, Kyoto)
- Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine 鶴岡八幡宮 (Kamakura, Kanagawa)
- Hakozaki Shrine 筥崎宮 (Fukuoka)
Other Hachiman Shrines
- Hakodate Hachiman Shrine 函館八幡宮 (Hakodate, Hokkaido)
- Morioka Hachiman Shrine 盛岡八幡宮 (Morioka, Iwate)
- Ōsaki Hachiman Shrine 大崎八幡宮 (Sendai, Miyagi)
- Tomioka Hachiman Shrine 富岡八幡宮 (Koto, Tokyo)
- Tamukeyama Hachiman Shrine 手向山八幡宮 (near Todaiji, Nara)
- Umi Hachiman Shrine 宇美八幡宮 (Umi, Fukuoka)
- Omiya Hachiman Shrine 大宮八幡宮 (Suginami, Tokyo)
- Omiya Hachiman Shrine (Hyogo) 大宮八幡宮 (Miki, Hyogo)
- Hachiman Shrine (Saipan,Northern Mariana Islands)