Kotozaki-hachimangu, Shinto shrine in Ube, Japan
Kotozaki-Hachimangu is a Shinto shrine in the city of Ube, in Yamaguchi Prefecture on the island of Honshu. The grounds feature traditional wooden structures surrounded by trees, with a paved path leading to the main hall.
The shrine is dedicated to Hachiman, a deity that warrior clans venerated from early medieval Japan onward. Over time, it became one of the officially recognized Hachiman shrines across the country.
The shrine serves as the tutelary deity of Ube, and its grounds are associated with the Hachiman cult brought from Usa to Iwashimizu in 859. The main deities are Hachiman and the three Munakata goddesses, and the shrine holds the former rank of prefectural shrine, now a Beppyo shrine of the Association of Shinto Shrines.
The shrine is open at all hours and sits in a residential part of Ube, most easily reached by car or bicycle. When entering, it is customary to bow at the main gate and to keep voices low throughout the visit.
The shrine's name comes from its move: in 1377, a divine oracle led it from Ube-go's Kotoshiha inlet to the present Kotozaki site. It is the general tutelary shrine of Ube, listed as a prefectural shrine in 1938 and added to the Association of Shinto Shrines' Beppyo list in July 1966.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,048 contributors worldwide.