This was the beginning of my 2-day Kunisaki peninsula road trip, which started in Usa. Usa Jingu is one of the oldest and most important Shinto shrines in Japan: the first Hachimangu. All other plentiful Hachimangu shrines across the country are spiritually linked to this place.

The shrine sits on spacious foresty grounds, with numerous red torii gates hiding beneath tree canopy (there’s quite some distance between the very first big entrance gate and the main shrine gate). There’s a picturesque lotus pond, various smaller structures, and the vibrant red-colored main shrine, a feast for the eyes. I spent one pleasant and leisurely hour here with my camera.

The shrine didn’t feel crowded (I visited on a weekday), but there were a couple of tourist buses with large groups of Japanese pilgrims, which attests to the popularity of this place.

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