Hayasuhime Shrine

At the eastern edge of Oita City, in the port town of Saganoseki jutting into the Bungo Channel, sits Hayasuhime Shrine. This ancient shrine, whose very name is unusual to read, carries a grand legend tied to the eastern campaign of Emperor Jimmu.

According to shrine tradition, when Emperor Jimmu tried to cross the Hayasui Strait of the Bungo Channel, a giant octopus living on the seafloor was guarding a sacred sword that calmed the tides. A pair of female diver sisters living in Seki dove deep, received the sacred sword from the octopus, and presented it to the emperor. Hayasuhime Shrine enshrines that sacred sword as its object of worship and is a shrine of warding off misfortune and inviting good luck.

Highlights

• Octopus motifs — The octopus motifs seen here and there on the grounds derive from the giant octopus that guarded the sacred sword.
• Octopus-abstaining prayer — A rare prayer in which you dedicate a picture of an octopus and make a wish while refraining from eating octopus for a set period, said to bring fulfillment.
• Halls tied to Kato Kiyomasa — After being lost to the flames of war in 1600, the halls are said to have been rebuilt by Kato Kiyomasa in 1602 and thereafter maintained by successive Hosokawa lords of the Kumamoto domain. The main hall, tower gate, and priest office are designated tangible cultural properties of the city.

Enjoying the Seasons

You can worship here all year round while feeling the sea breeze of a port town. In spring you enjoy calm sea views, and in summer the fresh air beneath blue sea and sky. From autumn into winter the air grows clear, and it is also recommended to visit alongside the liveliness of the Saganoseki fishing port. Combined with the local cuisine of the port town, known for its prized horse mackerel and mackerel, it makes for a fulfilling day.

Access and Basic Information

• Location: 3329 Saganoseki, Oita City, Oita Prefecture
• Access: From in front of JR Oita Station, take an Oita Bus bound for Saganoseki and get off at Saganoseki (about 80 minutes), then walk about 10 minutes. By car it is about 60 minutes from JR Oita Station.
• Parking: Available
• Visiting: Grounds open freely

Practical Travel Notes

• Best time of day: Saganoseki is best enjoyed along with the daytime bustle of the port. The bus takes about 80 minutes, so without a car it is best to set out in the morning and tour with time to spare.
• Avoiding crowds: Worship is usually quiet, but the new year and festival periods get lively. For a calm visit, choosing a weekday is a good idea.
• Time needed: Worship and hunting for the octopus motifs take about 30 minutes. To savor the octopus-abstaining prayer and view the halls carefully, allow 45 minutes to an hour.
• Nearby spots: The Saganoseki fishing port, famous for its prized horse mackerel and mackerel, and the Saganoseki roadside station are close by, and this is also the port for the Kokudo Kyushi ferry crossing to Shikoku. It is a classic plan to combine the visit with a meal of local seafood.
• Budget sense: Worship is free. Prayers and amulets are mainly a few hundred to just over a thousand yen. Meals of the prized horse mackerel and mackerel use premium ingredients, so allow a slightly generous budget for lunch.

A Quick Tip

The octopus-abstaining prayer is a unique custom worth trying for anyone with a wish they hope to grant. It is also fun to walk around searching for the octopus motifs hidden across the grounds. After worship, savoring the prized horse mackerel and mackerel landed at the Saganoseki port and giving thanks for the bounty of the sea is a fine way to end the visit.

📚 Sources

For information on Hayasuhime Shrine, the main references are the shrine's own guidance and the Saganoseki tourism guidance published by the Oita City Tourism Association. The legend of the sacred sword tied to Emperor Jimmu's eastern expedition, the octopus motifs and octopus-abstinence prayers, and the rebuilding of the halls by Kiyomasa Kato (a city tangible cultural property) can be traced through such guidance and on-site historical notices. Festival dates and Oita Bus services may change, so please confirm the latest details through official sources before you visit. Cultural-property designations can also be checked in public records.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: Worshiping and searching for the octopus motifs takes about 30 minutes; savoring the octopus-abstinence prayer and the halls, allow 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• What to bring: Carry coins for prayers or amulets, and since Seki-aji and Seki-saba use premium ingredients, allow a slightly generous lunch budget. The bus from Oita Station takes about 80 minutes, so without a car an early-morning start is reassuring.
• Suggested route: While worshiping, search for the octopus motifs hidden on the grounds and, if you have a wish, try the octopus-abstinence prayer; then enjoy Seki-aji and Seki-saba at the Saganoseki fishing port or Michi-no-Eki Saganoseki noted in the article. It can also fold into a trip crossing to Shikoku by the Kokudo 94 ferry.
• Crowd tips: Usually calm, but the New Year and festival times get lively, so choose a weekday for a relaxed visit.