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Another Buddhist monk, [[Nisshu Shonin|Nisshû Shônin]], is said to have himself, in [[1522]], carved three sculptures - one of [[Amida]], one of Thousand-Armed [[Kannon]], and one of [[Yakushi]] - and placed them in three halls at Naminoue. These statues were later moved to the Gokoku-ji, and so escaped harm when the main hall of the Naminoue temple burned down in [[1633]]/6, when [[Raiyu osho|Raiyû Oshô]] was chief priest there. Two years later, [[Raikei osho|Raikei Oshô]] of [[Kooji|Kôôji]], who had been sent to Japan by King [[Sho Ho|Shô Hô]] to obtain three Buddhist sculptures, returned and rebuilt the temple.<ref name=jiten>"Naminoue-gû" 波上宮。 ''Okinawa Encyclopedia – Okinawa daihyakka jiten'' 沖縄大百科事典。Naha: Okinawa Times, 1983. vol. 3. pp78-79.</ref>

Another Buddhist monk, [[Nisshu Shonin|Nisshû Shônin]], is said to have himself, in [[1522]], carved three sculptures - one of [[Amida]], one of Thousand-Armed [[Kannon]], and one of [[Yakushi]] - and placed them in three halls at Naminoue. These statues were later moved to the Gokoku-ji, and so escaped harm when the main hall of the Naminoue temple burned down in [[1633]]/6, when [[Raiyu osho|Raiyû Oshô]] was chief priest there. Two years later, [[Raikei osho|Raikei Oshô]] of [[Kooji|Kôôji]], who had been sent to Japan by King [[Sho Ho|Shô Hô]] to obtain three Buddhist sculptures, returned and rebuilt the temple.<ref name=jiten>"Naminoue-gû" 波上宮。 ''Okinawa Encyclopedia – Okinawa daihyakka jiten'' 沖縄大百科事典。Naha: Okinawa Times, 1983. vol. 3. pp78-79.</ref>

The shrine then came to be associated with protection of the many ships coming and going from Naha's port, as Okinawa's trade with Korea, China, Japan, and regions to the south expanded. Prayers were made for safe journeys, and ''kami'' of the sea, of navigation and related matters were enshrined there. In addition, at the beginning of each year, the King visited the shrine and formally prayed on behalf of all the nation for good harvests and good fishing, and for the peace and prosperity of the nation. Thus, Naminoue came to be the top shrine of the kingdom. It was officially recorded as such in 1605, in ''Ryûkyû Shintô-ki'' (A Record of Ryûkyû Shinto) by Taichû Shônin, a Japanese Buddhist monk.

The shrine then came to be associated with protection of the many ships coming and going from Naha's port, as Okinawa's trade with Korea, China, Japan, and regions to the south expanded. Prayers were made for safe journeys, and ''kami'' of the sea, of navigation and related matters were enshrined there. In addition, at the beginning of each year, the King visited the shrine and formally prayed on behalf of all the nation for good harvests and good fishing, and for the peace and prosperity of the nation. Thus, Naminoue came to be the top shrine of the kingdom. It was officially recorded as such in [[1605]], in ''[[Ryukyu Shinto ki|Ryûkyû Shintô-ki]]'' (A Record of Ryûkyû Shinto) by the Japanese Buddhist monk [[Taichu|Taichû Shônin]].

Following the [[Meiji Restoration]], the Kingdom of Ryûkyû was dissolved and formally annexed by Japan as Okinawa Prefecture. The shrine was formally established as a Shinto shrine under the [[Imperial Household Agency]] on [[1890]]/1/20<ref name=jiten/>, and designated as the shrine for the protection of the tranquility of all Okinawa (沖縄総鎮守社, ''Okinawa sôchinshu sha''). In 1924, it was officially designated the center of religious affairs on the island. Symbols of [[Minamoto no Tametomo]], and Ryukyuan kings [[Shunten]], [[Sho En|Shô En]], [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]], and [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] were enshrined there as the primary objects of worship, as part of efforts to integrate the Ryukyuan royal line into the Japanese system of [[kazoku|nobility]] and Imperial authority<ref>Kerr, George H. (2000). ''Okinawa: the History of an Island People''. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing. p452.</ref>.

Following the [[Meiji Restoration]], the Kingdom of Ryûkyû was dissolved and formally annexed by Japan as Okinawa Prefecture. The shrine was formally established as a Shinto shrine under the [[Imperial Household Agency]] on [[1890]]/1/20<ref name=jiten/>, and designated as the shrine for the protection of the tranquility of all Okinawa (沖縄総鎮守社, ''Okinawa sôchinshu sha''). In 1924, it was officially designated the center of religious affairs on the island. Symbols of [[Minamoto no Tametomo]], and Ryukyuan kings [[Shunten]], [[Sho En|Shô En]], [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]], and [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] were enshrined there as the primary objects of worship, as part of efforts to integrate the Ryukyuan royal line into the Japanese system of [[kazoku|nobility]] and Imperial authority<ref>Kerr, George H. (2000). ''Okinawa: the History of an Island People''. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing. p452.</ref>.

During the [[First Sino-Japanese War|Sino-Japanese War]] (1894-5) and [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904-5), it was common for women to come to Naminoue to pray that their sons be deemed unfit for military service to the Japanese Empire<ref>Kerr. p460.</ref>.

During the [[Sino-Japanese War]] (1894-5) and [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904-5), it was common for women to come to Naminoue to pray that their sons be deemed unfit for military service to the Japanese Empire<ref>Kerr. p460.</ref>.

The shrine was rebuilt in 1923 to better match Japanese Shinto shrine architectural styles, and so, today, the unique or distinctive Ryukyuan elements of the shrine's architecture have been lost.

The shrine was rebuilt in 1923 to better match Japanese Shinto shrine architectural styles, and so, today, the unique or distinctive Ryukyuan elements of the shrine's architecture have been lost.

===Bell===

===Bell===

The shrine contained for many years a temple bell cast in Korea in [[956]]. The bell was designated a [[National Treasure]] in [[1907]], but was destroyed in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. Only the dragon-shaped head of the bell (the loop from which it would be hung) survived; this today resides at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum.

The shrine contained for many years a temple bell cast in Korea in [[956]]. The bell was designated a [[National Treasure]] in [[1907]], but was destroyed in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. Only the dragon-shaped head of the bell (the loop from which it would be hung) survived; this today resides at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum. No other examples of [[Goryeo]] bells survive in Okinawa.<ref>Gallery labels, ''Okinawa fukki 50 nen kinen tokubetsu ten Ryukyu'' 沖縄復帰50年記念　特別展「琉球」exhibit, Tokyo National Museum, 2022.</ref>

According to the ''[[Nanto fudoki|Nantô fudoki]]'', the bell was 2 ''shaku'', 7 ''sun'', 1 ''bu'' (roughly 80 cm) tall, and roughly 1 ''shaku'', 8 ''sun'', 8 ''bu'' in diameter (about 55 cm). It had a rather typical form overall, but is said to have been decorated with [[apsara]]s and bodhisattvas, a rare feature. The ''Nantô fudoki'' records the full inscription on the bell, and its author, [[Higaonna Kanjun]], writes that the bell was cast in 956, and was at one time the oldest bell in [[Goryeo]]. The bell originally hung in a temple in Korea; how it came to be in Okinawa and at Naminoue remain unclear.<ref>"Naminoue-gû bonshô" 波上宮梵鐘。 ''Okinawa Encyclopedia''. vol 3. p79.</ref>

According to the ''[[Nanto fudoki|Nantô fudoki]]'', the bell was 2 ''shaku'', 7 ''sun'', 1 ''bu'' (roughly 80 cm) tall, and roughly 1 ''shaku'', 8 ''sun'', 8 ''bu'' in diameter (about 55 cm). It had a rather typical form overall, but is said to have been decorated with [[apsara]]s and bodhisattvas, a rare feature. The ''Nantô fudoki'' records the full inscription on the bell, and its author, [[Higaonna Kanjun]], writes that the bell was cast in 956, and was at one time the oldest bell in Goryeo. The bell originally hung in a temple in Korea; how it came to be in Okinawa and at Naminoue remain unclear,<ref>"Naminoue-gû bonshô" 波上宮梵鐘。 ''Okinawa Encyclopedia''. vol 3. p79.</ref> but some have suggested it may have been plundered from the Korean temple by ''[[wako|wakô]]'' who then brought it to Ryûkyû.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 45.</ref>

==References and Notes==

==References and Notes==