The monk Dokyo, who had the ultimate trust of Empress Shotoku (an empress regnant, a second enthronement of Empress Koken), obtained a revelation from Hachiman-Daibosatsu stating 'Dokyo is to be the next Emperor' but Empress Shotoku dispatched WAKE no Kiyomaro in order to reaffirm the divine will to Usa-jingu Shrine in Kyushu where Hachiman-Daibosatsu was enshrined.
称徳天皇（女帝・孝謙天皇重祚）の信任が厚かった僧・道鏡は「八幡大菩薩のお告げ」により皇位を継ぐ者とされていたが、称徳天皇は神意を再確認すべく、和気清麻呂を八幡大菩薩が鎮座する九州の宇佐神宮へ派遣した。