Hayasuhime Shrine in Oita Prefecture
During my immersion in All Things Octopus, I heard of this crazy shrine where the resident cats had delayed the installation and consecration of the deity figure because they kept using it as a scratching post.
And the more I looked at that picture, the more I wanted to pay a visit to that octopus god myself! I discovered it was “close” to Beppu, where my Japan travel partner-in-crime Susan Spann* and I had been talking about going for some time, and I was able to wheedle her into taking a flyer on this additional excursion to the Hayasuhime Shrine while we were, uh, “in the area.” Which turned out to be two hours of travel by train, bus and foot (laughs nervously) for something I had only the sketchiest assurance would be worth seeing.
When we finally arrived, the gate looked reassuringly legit, so in we went.
It was one of those shrine gates that makes you feel like you’re passing into another world, and as we emerged out the other side…
we saw why! Octopuses, octopuses, everywhere. The path was guarded by little octopuses…
And when I looked closer, it was clear they weren’t just any old octopuses—they’re octopus PRINCESSES. See how they have those little capes? Those aren’t like the bibs that the faithful gift to Jizo figures, they represent the trains tied on over the most formal of formalwear by the Empress and female members of the imperial family on state occasions.
And where do they lead? Following Her Majesty’s road deeper into the shrine grounds, we passed octopuses manning the rack where you can tie your o-mikuji fortune if it’s not lucky enough…
octopuses perching on every stump…
every bench…
and sitting on every lantern under the giant wisteria (that just happened to be in full bloom, which is usually a destination in itself for me, so whew, already winning)…
but even the my favorite purple flowers could not compete with what we discovered at the end of the road!
This octopus god was so much better than I’d dared dream, I was speechless with delight! First of all, it’s huge. And beautifully crafted of some sort of supernaturally durable papier mache-like material.
The story of why it’s here is that the Emperor Jimmu—who (Wikipedia informs me) reigned from 660-585 BC, which means he spent a whopping 125 years warming the Chrysanthemum Throne (yeah, I did the math twice too!)—hears that one of the gods has hidden a sword deep in the ocean, guarded by a giant octopus. He sends his two best female divers down to fetch it, and when they bring it back up, he builds a sanctuary to venerate it at Hayasuhime Shrine, where its guarded in perpetuity by this giant octopus deity.
An octopus deity, I might add, whose souvenirs pack a special punch: they don’t do anything as ordinary as convey safety in traffic or exam prowess, the giant octopus at the Hayasuhime Shrine gives these amulets and charms the power to GRANT WISHES. (How many did I buy as gifts? Let me just say the shrine store lady had to fetch more from the back…)
But what about the sword, you ask? When do we get to see the famous sword? Naturally—and if you’ve ever been to the Ise Shrine, where you’re not even allowed to see the building where the sacred things are kept, you won’t be surprised—the super Shinto answer is, “Never.” Ordinary humans are not permitted to see the sacred artifact.
But here, they do at least let you see the beautiful sanctuary that houses the holy of holies (protected behind a stout lacquered fence)…
and Susan noticed something strange about the roof. See those two beams sticking out the top like crossed chopsticks?
All sacred Shinto buildings are constructed this way, with the beams crossing at the peak of the roof, then trimmed. If the end cut is horizontal, the deity enshrined there is female; if the cut is vertical, the deity is male. But look at the beams of the building where the sword is kept—one is horizontal, one is vertical. Does that mean the octopus deity is neither male nor female? Or both? Inquiring minds are off to another rabbit hole!
So what do you think? Worth the trip?
*Susan writes about climbing and hiking in Japan, as well as being the author of a great mystery series set in the 1500s that features the dynamic crime-investigating duo of Father Matteo (a Portuguese missionary) and Hiro Hattori (his sworn ninja bodyguard). If you haven’t checked these out yet, you should!
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Here’s where the Hayasuhime Shrine is:
As you can see, it’s a little, uh, remote. But if you’re an intrepid Japan warrior bent on going where no one you know has gone before, it’s a little less than two hours from Beppu, which is hot spring heaven, a traveler must-see, and a worthy stop if you’re coming to explore the delicious food, gorgeous kilns and wonders of Kyushu (more in the June Japanagram after I get my pictures sorted!) To figure out how to get to the small town of Saganoseki and the Hayasuhime Shrine from where you are, use the Japan Navigation phone app, plugging in your location, travel date and preferred arrival/departure time. Here’s where to get the app and how to use it.
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Will this be your new favorite mystery too?
“The Samurai’s Octopus is a truly remarkable book, one that surprised and charmed me at every turn of the page…an enchanting, fascinating journey. You’re in for a treat.”
—James Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone mysteries
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly Japanagram newsletter, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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