Usa, Ōita

Usa (宇佐市, Usa-shi) is a city located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1967. On March 31, 2005, the towns of Ajimu and Innai (both from Usa District) were merged into Usa.

Usa

宇佐市
City
Flag
Location of Usa in Ōita Prefecture
Usa
 
Coordinates: 33.5319719°N 131.3495446°E / 33.5319719; 131.3495446
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureŌita Prefecture
Government
 • MayorShuji Korenaga
Area
 • Total439.12 km2 (169.55 sq mi)
Population
 (March 1, 2017)
 • Total55,534
 • Density130/km2 (330/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeQuercus gilva
- FlowerRhododendron
Phone number0978-32-1111
Address1-1030 Ōaza-Ueda, Usa-shi, Ōita-ken
879-0492
WebsiteCity of Usa

Usa is notable for being the location of the Usa Jingū, the head shrine of all of Hachiman shrines in Japan. Nearby is the Ōita Prefectural Museum of History.

As of March 2017, the city has an estimated population of 55,534 and a population density of 130 persons per km². The total area is 439.12 km².

Geography

Usa is made up of three areas.

  • Usa, the area surrounding the Usa Jingū (also known as the Usa Shrine)
  • Yokkaichi, the area surrounding the Hongan-ji temple, and an administrative town from the Edo Period
  • Nagasu, a port area

Attractions

Futaba no Sato, a museum dedicated to sumo wrestler Futabayama Sadaji, is located in the city. There is a statue outside the museum, built by the government in 1999, depicting the names and hand prints of three sumo wrestlers who have won more than 60 competitive bouts. In addition to Futubayama, Tanikaze Kajinosuke and Hakuhō Shō are represented on the statue.[1]

A Shinto shrine known as Usa Jingū is situated in the city, and attracts as many as 1.8 million visitors annually.[1]

Product labeling
West gate of Usa Shrine

There have been false claims that products made in this town and exported to the US in the 1960s carried the label "MADE IN USA", for it to appear as if the product was made in the United States.[2] The urban legend has also stated that the name of the town was changed to "Usa" for this purpose, although it was actually already so named hundreds of years before the United States came into existence.

Notable people

References
  1. "A visit to Usa, the Japanese city that knows how to win". Japan Times. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  2. "Made in USA". Snopes. January 16, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2009.

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