Usa, Ōita

Usa (宇佐市; -shi) is a city located in Oita, Japan. Usa City is famous for Usa Shrine, built in 725, the head shrine of all of Hachiman shrines in Japan. Usa Shrine is noted as the most important of all the shrines dedicated to Hachiman.

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 49,021 and the density of 274.94 persons per km². The total area is 178.30 km².

The town was promoted to a city on April 1, 1967.

Product labeling

There has been a myth that Japan renamed a town "Usa" following World War II so that goods exported from Japan could read "Made in USA." The claim is false: [1]

• The town had this name long before the war, at least from 8th century.
• Regulations in most countries require imports to be marked with the country, rather than the city, of origin.

Nevertheless, it was commercially convenient to label goods 'made in Usa' in the post-war period.

External links

• Usa official website in Japanese
• Usa Special Attack Monument