is a Shinto shrine located in Himeji. It is one of the three main shrines of the Gion cult alongside Yasaka Shrine, and Tsushima Shrine. Until the Muromachi period the shrine was perceived as highly prestigious, on par with Kumano Taisha, but little remains of its past glory. In contrast to other shrines of the Gion cult the shrine is associated with agriculture.
It has branch shrines such as one in Obama, Fukui. and many others.
The shrine is between Enokuma Shrine in Bingo Province and Gion Shrine in Kyoto. This location helped spread the Gozu Tennà  cult eastward.
According to the Nijà «nisha chà «shiki, which was compiled between 1532 and 1573 by Yoshida Kanetomo, Gozu Tennà  first made his presence known at Akashi in Harima province. From there, he shifted to Hiromine, subsequently relocating to Tà Âkà Âji in Kitashirakawa, Kyoto. By the Gangyà  era (877âÂÂ885), he had moved to the Kanjin-in of Kankeiji, now known as Gion Shrine.
Kibi no Makibi (695âÂÂ775) founded the Hiromine Shrine. He was an Onmyà Âji in the Chinese royal court and when he returned to Japan he spent a night in Hiromine. In the year 733 . That night, he dreamed that a nobleman appeared to him. He said Kotan refused him hospitality and had found shelter in Somin Shà ÂraiâÂÂs house. But since then he had been wandering, and remembering a pact made with Kibi no Makibi in China, he had now come to see him. The role of Kibi no Makibi is significant in this context because he posthumously became the âÂÂancestorâ of Onmyà Âdà  and also played an instrumental role in the development of the legend of Abe no Seimei.
Later that year he built the beginnings of the shrine. The next year the main building was built. It was moved to the present location in 972.
In the ninth and tenth centuries, onmyà Âji, particularly those from Harima province, performed rituals focusing on deities of pestilence. Harima was renowned for onmyà Âji who operated outside the traditional . Ashiya Dà Âman was prominent enough to rival Abe no Seimei.
The Genko shakushà  attributes the Indian ascetic, Hà Âdà  Sennin, with promoting the Hiromine Shrine's cult. As per this legend, Gozu Tenno appeared to Hà Âdà  Sennin as a protector against misfortunes during his time at Ichijà Âji on Mount Hokke. In another instance documented in the Saimyà Âji engi, when Hà Âdà  Sennin was preparing to exorcize a malevolent tree stump, Gozu Tennà  manifested as an old man riding a yellow ox and requested the stump. Following Hà Âdà  Sennin's refusal, Gozu Tennà  granted him land to establish a temple and further the (Senju) Kannon's cult in à Âmi province.
Gozu Tennà Â's is represented as an old man because he represents a jinushigami giving land to monks to build a temple.
He is also often presented as a god of war.