Takebe Shrine

Takebe Taisha Shrine is located just a short distance from Seta no Karahashi Bridge over the Seta River. It is about a 15-minute walk from Karahashi-mae Station on the Keihan Line. With a long history as Omi Province’s Ichinomiya (the highest-ranking shrine), Takebe Taisha enshrines Yamato Takeru, a legendary hero who appears in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. The shrine and Yamato Takeru were depicted on Japan’s first 1,000-yen banknote issued shortly after World War II, but because most of the notes were recalled within a year, it is known as the "phantom 1,000-yen note." Within the grounds, you can also see the sacred Three Cedars, said to have grown dramatically overnight, and these cedars are used in the shrine crest. To the right of the main hall stands Shiga Prefecture’s oldest stone lantern, dedicated during the Kamakura period amid the Mongol invasions and now designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Another noteworthy site is Ono Shrine, once worshipped here as the local tutelary deity before Takebe Taisha was relocated to this area; it has long been believed to bring blessings for matchmaking and good relationships. Every summer, the Funakosai Festival—one of Otsu’s three major festivals—reenacts the great achievements of Yamato Takeru and is a highlight of local culture and tradition.