Since ancient times Hachiman was worshiped by peasants as the god of agriculture and by fishermen who hoped he would fill their nets with much fish. In the Shinto religion, he became identified by legend as the Emperor Ōjin, son of Empress Consort Jingū, from the 3rd – 4th century AD.
A Hachiman shrine (八幡神社 Hachiman Jinja, also Hachiman-gū (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 (see Inari Shrine).[1]
Originally the name was read Yawata or Yahata, a reading still used in some occasions.
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.
- 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)
- Hakozaki Shrine 筥崎宮 (Fukuoka)
- Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū 鶴岡八幡宮 (Kamakura, Kanagawa)
