In 1890, the koma-inu (guardian dog statues) were replaced by 'koma-inoshishi' (guardian wild boar statues), and the shrine is also familiarly known as 'Inoshishi-jinja' (lit. Wild Boar Shrine) after the legend that WAKE no Kiyomaro was saved by a 300-headed wild boar when, after being exiled to Usa, he was attacked by an assassin sent by Dokyo.
和気清麻呂が宇佐へ配流の際に、道鏡から送り込まれた刺客に襲われたのを、突如現われた300頭のイノシシによって難事を救われたとの伝説から、明治23年（1890年）から狛犬の代わりに「狛猪」が置かれており、「いのしし神社」の俗称もある。