Karasaki Shrine

Karasaki Shrine is one of Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine’s auxilary shrines. It is an ancient shrine said to have been constructed during the time of 7th century monarch Empress Jito. The deity enshrined at Karasaki Shrine is Princess Wakesuki no Mikoto, and because the shrine’s deity is a goddess, it is popular among female pilgrims, many of whom come from far away to visit the shrine. During the Heian Period (794-1185), the shrine was established as one designated location for Shinto purification rituals to ward off disaster for the Emperor.
The scenery here has been made famous in the “Eight Views of Omi” collection painting, “Night Rain at Karasaki,” and the shrine grounds are also the site of the pine tree mentioned a poem by the famous Matsuo Basho, reading “The pine at Karasaki is hazier than the blossoms.”