Karasaki-jinja Shrine (唐崎神社)

Karasaki-jinja Shrine is a shrine in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture.
It is one of the Hiyoshi-taisha Sessha Shrines (auxiliary shrines dedicated to a deity closely-related to that of a main shrine)

It is located on the west coast of Lake Biwa. The precinct is a historic site designated by Shiga Prefecture.

The tradition of Hiyoshi-taisha Shrine says that Ushimaro no Sukune of the Kotonomitachi family lived here and named the region 'Karasaki' in 633. The enshrined deity Wakesuki Hime no Mikoto is his wife. The shrine is said to have been founded during the age of Empress Jito. It used to be called 'Onna-betto-sha Shrine', and was widely believed to be wonder-working for women's diseases.

In the precinct is 'Karasaki no Matsu' (the pine at Karasaki), which is said to have been planted by Ushimaro no Sukune.
Karasaki no yau' (Night Rain at Karasaki) by Hiroshige UTAGAWA, in which Karasaki no Matsu was depicted against the background of Lake Biwa from the precinct, is well known and classified as one of Omi Hakkei (the Eight Views of Lake Biwa)
The first pine tree planted by Ushimaro no Sukune fell over due to wind in 1581, and the present pine tree is the second one planted in 1591.

[Original Japanese]