Sasaki Shrine

Overview

Sasaki Shrine stands in the Joraku-ji district of Azuchi, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture. Listed in the Heian-era Engishiki register as a Shikinaisha, it once held the rank of prefectural shrine. Revered as the guardian deity of the Omi Genji, it is regarded as the birthplace of the widespread Sasaki family name. Set among the quiet villages of the Koto plain near the foot of Azuchi, it draws visitors connected to the Sasaki lineage from across Japan.

Highlights

• ●A calm old shrine revered as the guardian deity of the Sasaki clan of the Omi Genji
• ●Its standing as the reputed birthplace of the nationwide Sasaki surname
• ●History as a Shikinaisha recorded in the Engishiki
• ●The quiet sacred grove set within the historic landscape below Azuchi

History

The shrine has long been venerated as the tutelary deity of the Omi Genji, the Sasaki clan. Its name appears in ancient records as a Shikinaisha, and as the ancestral shrine of those bearing the Sasaki name it is said to have gathered the devotion of families across the country. The Azuchi area is also famous as the site of Oda Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle, and this old shrine has endured nearby through the passing eras. For detailed shrine legends and dates, it is best to check official sources.

Map

35.1368, 136.1344 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Walk from JR Azuchi Station and pass through the shrine torii
2. 2Pay respects at the main hall and learn of the Sasaki origins
3. 3Stroll slowly through the quiet grounds and sacred grove
4. 4Combine the visit with nearby sites such as the Azuchi Castle ruins

Did you know?

💡 As the reputed birthplace of the nationwide Sasaki surname, the shrine attracts many who come to trace their own family roots. For anyone curious about their name and ancestry, this connection to the Omi Genji gives the shrine a special meaning.

Nearby spots