The Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture is a sacred place where Japan’s native Shinto beliefs first intermingled with Buddhism newly arrived from the continent. Food culture and art, such as rice cultivation, writing, and stonemasonry from the continent also first took root here.

The area is also the birthplace of worship of the Shinto deity Hachiman, headquartered at the Usa Jingu Shrine, as well as the locally unique Rokugo Manzan Buddhist culture.

Rokugo Manzan developed into a unique Buddhist practice by combining the native local mountain animism, newly introduced Buddhism, and the cult of Hachiman. It is a truly distinctive local faith that includes the worship of the terrifying wrathful deity Fudō Myōō (the Japanese name for the Buddhist deity Acala) and a fire festival called the Shujo Onie held every lunar new year.

Additionally, there was a special Shinto ritual called gyokoe, with origins in Hachiman worship, that was held once every six years starting from around 700 CE.

The main object of worship at Usa Shrine is the komo makura. Every six years, a new one was made, marking a sort of rebirth of Hachiman. The old komo makura was moved to Yawata Nada Shrine. This was the gyokoe, Shinto ritual for transporting the new sacred object to Usa Shrine and the old one to Yawata Nada Shrine on the Seto Inland Sea.

On this pilgrimage, between 1,000 and 2,000 people joined the procession of the sacred object as it visited the eight Hachiman shrines connected with Usa Shrine. The ceremonies and festivities welcoming the procession were held all throughout the area, and helped in revitalizing the local economy.

Then, as the numerous komo makura aged and were remade, older ones were distributed to various shrines hoping to share in the blessings. This is the rather romantic way in which the Hachiman faith spread throughout Shikoku and the rest of Japan. If we also consider the legend that Hachiman came from the continent, then this connection becomes a global one. With the other legend that holds that a princess fled a marriage on the Korean Peninsula to settle on Himeshima (literally “Princess Island”) in Oita, the proximity of the Korean Peninsula has provided deep cultural ties between the two regions.
Unfortunately, this ritual has not been held since 1616, except for the time it was revived in a simplified form once during the Showa period. However, with limited financial and human resources, this was the last time the gyokoe was held.

Heartland Japan was invited by the local tourism bureau, Toyonokuni Millennium Heritage Tourism Zone, to create a cycling tour that follows the route of the gyokoe.

Covering 160 km over 3 days, with an elevation rise and fall of 1630 meters each, this is quite the adventure.

Along the way, participants get to visit the eight shrines, interact with locals, and taste the same food traditionally served during the procession.

The year 2025 marks the 1,300th anniversary of the founding of Usa Jingu Shrine. Participating in this tour plays a part in passing on the history of the religious rites of the region to the next generation, passing on these stories through the experience.