Overview
Fujigasaki Ryu Shrine (Fujigasaki-ryu-jinja) sits at a scenic spot facing Lake Biwa in Makicho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture. The name refers to two shrines together: Fujigasaki Shrine on the lake side and Myotoku Ryuo Shrine on the mountain side. A dragon king is enshrined atop a great rock overlooking the water, while the dragon deity's wife is said to be enshrined in a cave nearby, making this a mystical place of faith bound to water and dragons. The scene of a torii and massive boulders on the lakeshore is known as one of Omihachiman's most photogenic sights.
Highlights
- ●A dragon king enshrined atop a great rock facing Lake Biwa
- ●The rare tradition of enshrining the dragon deity's wife in a cave beside the rock
- ●A twofold structure of lake-side Fujigasaki Shrine and mountain-side Myotoku Ryuo Shrine
- ●A superb lakeside view created by the torii and massive boulders
History
Fujigasaki Ryu Shrine is an off-precinct shrine of Gosha Shrine in Makicho, Omihachiman. According to its brief origin legend, in the second year of Tengyo (939) under Emperor Suzaku, Fujiwara no Hidesato, who was marching to suppress the rebellion of Taira no Masakado, granted the wish of a dragon deity disguised as a great serpent at the Seta no Karahashi bridge and slew a giant centipede that infested Mount Mikami in Yasu. Later invited to this land by the dragon and given ever-replenishing bales of rice, Hidesato is said to have received one character from the Fujiwara name, called the place Fujisaki, and made a cave at the foot of the mountain the second home of the dragon deity's wife. In time, villagers enshrined the dragon, and the shrine endures to this day.
Access
The shrine is located in Makicho, Omihachiman City, Shiga (roughly 35.143°N, 136.043°E), facing the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. By public transport, a bus or taxi from JR Omihachiman Station on the Biwako Line is convenient; by car, it can be reached via roads along the lake. Because the shrine sits on a great rock at the water's edge, watch your footing and the weather, and confirm details for your visit through official information.
Best season
An annual festival is held in early April, when you can experience the atmosphere of the rite central to the dragon faith. Spring through early autumn, when the lake is calm and the light is beautiful, and the hours when the torii and boulders are set aglow at sunset, are also recommended.
Map
35.1428, 136.0426 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Head from Omihachiman Station to Makicho on the eastern lakeshore
- 2Worship the dragon king atop the great rock at lakeside Fujigasaki Shrine
- 3Visit mountain-side Myotoku Ryuo Shrine and the cave enshrining the dragon's wife
- 4Enjoy the sunset over the lake, then close with Omihachiman's sights and specialties
Did you know?
💡 The dragon deity has long been revered as a god who governs matters of weather and water. This area is also where, in the Muromachi period, the shogun Ashikaga Yoshizumi took refuge from Kyoto and was sheltered by Kuri Jochin, a retainer of the Sasaki clan; the nearby ruins of Suikuki Okayama Castle are said to be the birthplace of the twelfth shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu, layering historical memory onto this lakeside.
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