Kyushu, Japan (May 2024)

Usa Jingu and Nakatsu, Kyushu, Japan (May 2024)

Back to main Japan May 2024 page

Both Usa Jingu and Nakatsu are located in the north of the Oita Prefecture, west of the Kinusaki peninsula. Founded in the 8th century, Usa Jingu, also called Usa Hachimangu, is the head shrine of thousands of Shinto shrines across Japan that are dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war. Nakatsu, the third largest city in the Oita Prefecture, is the home town of Fukuzawa Yukichi and a former castle town on the coast of the Seto Interior Sea.

Usa Jingu

Located about 3.5km west of the Usa station, this Shinto shrine covers an extended area, with multiple shrines, ponds, a treasure hall, a Noh stage, and more. Unfortunately, at the time of my visit, the main shrine was undergoing renovation.

The Kure bridge with its thatched roof, built over the Orimo river, on the western edge of the compound. The doors of this sacred bridge are opened only on very rare occasions.

Small Inari shrine in the compound, close to the Kure bridge.

Another tiny shrine located nearby.

The Yasaka shrine further inside the compound.

Wall of sake barrels and bottles. This kind of wall celebrates the spiritual connection that the people of Japan make between the gods and the sake they produce.

Immediately after passing the sake wall, the path splits into two branches, each marked by a torii. The left branch leads to the main shrine of the compound, which sits on top of a hill. The right branch goes to the second main shrine, Shimoniya.

Pedestrian bridge over a narrow road. The bridge is used by a walking path that connects the main shrine and Shimoniya.

The Shimoniya shrine.

Views of the Hishigata pond and its beautiful bridges, north of the main shrine.

View of the Noh stage (building with a red balustrade) built on an islet in the pond.

Giant stone lanterns and torii at the entrance of the O-o and Go-o shrines, located on the west side of the Usa Jingu compound.

Nakatsu

Nakatsu is well-known across Japan as the home town of Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901). Born into a samurai family of the Okudaira Clan of the Nakatsu Domain, Fukuzawa Yukichi became a famous educator, philosopher and writer, and was the founder of the Keio University. Today he is considered one of the most influential people who helped Japan modernize into the country it is today. His face appears on the 10,000-yen banknote.

Former residence of Fukuzawa Yukichi.

Views of the castle, built next to the Nakatsu river. (The original castle was built in the late 16th century. Abandoned after the Meiji restoration, it was destroyed in a fire in 1877 during the Satsuma rebellion, a samurai rebellion led by Saigo Takamori against the Meiji government. The present castle, a 5-story keep, was built in 1964 by descendants of the Okudaira clan that ruled Nakatsu for nine generations from 1717 until the Meiji restoration in 1871. It is said that no images of the original castle existed, so that the new castle was modelled on the keep of the Hagi castle. But when I visited Hagi in 2019, the only remains of the Hagi castle were some of its walls. So, I assume that images of the Hagi castle were used to build the new Nakatsu castle. Anyway, the new Nakatsu castle is beautiful.)

Samurai armors on display in the castle.

View over roofs of Nakatsu houses from the top floor of the castle.

The area around the castle is dotted with several small Shinto shrines. Okudaira-jinja, shown below, is the closest to the castle and also seems to be the most important.

Priests bringing food to the kami of Okudaira-jinja in the morning.

Morning prayer in another Shinto shrine near the castle.

Tiny folk shrine near the castle.

Wood sculpture in a shrine near the castle.

Kuranashihama-jinja, a Shinto shrine located north of the castle.

Shimada-jinja, located in the central part of Nakatsu. Two of the stones in front of the shrine suggest that it celebrates fertility.

The Teramachi street in central Nakatsu is a long series of Buddhist temples (probably more than a dozen). Below are photos of three of them.

- Temple with a dry garden.

- Gogan-ji, probably the best-known temple in this street, perhaps because it is the only one with walls painted in bright red color.

- Daiho-ji, a Buddhist temple of the Nichiren sect.

- Statue and painting representing Nichiren (1222-1282), the founder of the sect, in Daiho-ji.

- Statue in the front yard of Daiho-ji. It represents Kishimojin, an important figure in Nichiren Buddhism. Initially a demon, Kishimojin later became a goddess protecting children.

Komo-jinja, located 5km southeast of the Nakatsu center. Founded in the 9th century, this Hachiman shrine covers a large area next to a scenic pond, the Misumi pond.

- Alley leading to the shrine.