One goal of this series is not just to introduce the most popular and well-known tourism sites in Shiga, but also lesser known attractions. Otsu specifically is a very old city, and many of its shrines, temples, and roads have their own interesting story to tell.
このシリーズの目的の一つは、滋賀県の最も有名かつ人気である観光地だけではなく、知名度の低い場所も紹介することです。大津市はことに古い都市で、数ある神社、お寺、道路などにそれぞれの歴史や逸話があります。
This time we visited Semimaru Jinja, a lesser known shrine that is unique in that it has three separate locations: Seki-semimaru Jinja (kamisha) (“upper shrine”), Seki-semimaru Jinja (shimosha) (“lower shrine”), and Semimaru Jinja. If it seems confusing, don’t worry, it was to us as well.
今回訪れたのは蝉丸神社で、知名度はあまり高くなく、3箇所に位置していることが特徴の神社です。その3箇所は関蝉丸神社の上社、関蝉丸神社の下社、そして蝉丸神社です。ちょっと分かりにくいですが、紹介します。
Shrine locations:
神社の場所
Semimaru Shrine
蝉丸神社
Semimaru Shrine is very easy to get to! It is located about a 30-second walk from Keihan Otani Station, on the Keishin Line. There is not much to the shrine itself, but it is evident that it is an old site, and you are sure to be able to take a few interesting pictures of the stairs leading up to the torii gate.
蝉丸神社はとても分かりやすい場所にあります！京阪京津線の大谷駅から徒歩約30秒で、神社自体は大きくありませんが、古い歴史のある場所だとすぐ分かり、鳥居へと続く特徴的な階段の写真も撮ることができます。
History:
歴史・成り立ち
This shrine is dedicated to the poet/musician Semimaru, who lived during the early Heian Period. He was a blind, accomplished musician, who played the lute, biwa, and more, and is also well known for having penned the poem known as “Semimaru” in the Hyakunin-Isshu. It is said that he wrote this poem after seeing the bustling road that led to the Kyoto capital. Its English version translates to: “So this is the place! The crowds, coming, going, meeting, parting, the known, the unknown, the Ausaka Barrier.”
平安時代の詩人でかつ音楽家の蝉丸が祀られている神社です。蝉丸は盲目でありながら琵琶などの楽器の名手であり歌人で、百人一首の「蝉丸」を詠んだ人物としてよく知られています。蝉丸は京都方面へ向かう人の往来の激しい道路を見て、「これやこの行くも帰るも別かれては、知るも知らぬも逢坂の関」と詠みました。
Lunch
ランチ
After checking out the first shrine, simply called Semimaru Shrine, we had lunch at one of Otsu’s most popular restaurants, Kaneyo. This restaurant is surrounded by beautiful Japanese gardens, creating the most peaceful atmosphere despite its location next to a busy road. They are most well-known for unagi (fresh water eel), and their most well-known method of serving it is an unagi rice bowl with a large tamago-yaki, or omelet, served on top. This is unique to this particular restaurant, making it an Otsu specialty!
蝉丸神社に行った後の昼食は、大津市で最も有名なお店の一つ、「かねよ」で食べました。このお店はとても綺麗な庭園に囲まれ、交通量の多い道路の近くにあるにも関わらず、すごく平和で、静かな雰囲気です。鰻の名店として知られるかねよでは、うな丼の上に大きい卵焼きをのせるのが特徴で、それは大津の名物でもあります。
I was so hungry and so excited to eat (eel is probably my absolute favorite food in Japan) that the pictures I took were impatient ones. It was of course, incredibly delicious. We also reserved a private room, so we were able to enjoy a spectacular view of the garden out the window while we ate.
鰻は私にとって日本で一番好きな食べ物で、正直に言うと楽しみのあまり、写真を焦って撮ってしまいました。もちろん、大変おいしかったです。個室を利用し、食べながら窓からの綺麗な庭の景色も楽しみました。
Seki-semimaru Shrine (Kamisha)
関蝉丸神社（上社）
We then took a walk toward the kamisha, or upper shrine, of Seki-semimaru Shrine. This shrine is located closer to Kamisakae-machi Station, also on the Keishin Line. It can be a bit awkward to get to as it is located along a very busy road (the road the poem Semimaru penned is describing), but it also makes a very picturesque view from the street across from its entrance.
次は関蝉丸神社の上社に行きました。京阪京津線の上栄町駅から近くにあり、蝉丸が和歌で書き表した賑やかな東海道に沿って位置しているので少し行きにくいですが、道路の反対側から見るととても良い写真を撮れるでしょう。
Seki-semimaru Shrine (Shimosha)
関蝉丸神社（下社）
After exploring and taking pictures, we walked the rest of the way to the shimosha, or lower shrine. This shrine’s most unique feature is that you need to cross railroad tracks in order to enter.
神社を回って写真をたくさん撮ってから、下社に進みました。この神社の特徴は、入るために線路を渡らないといけないことです。
Because this shrine has always been associated with Semimaru’s great musical ability, a music and arts festival is held every year in May to celebrate its roots. It is at this location that the festival takes place.
この神社は蝉丸の音楽の素養にちなみ、毎年5月には音楽と芸術のお祭りがこの起源を祝うため行われます。お祭りは毎年関蝉丸神社の下社で開催されます。
These shrines are unique and a few are maybe slightly hard to get to, but if you are grabbing some delicious unagi at Kaneyo or hiking up Ousaka mountain, be sure to stop off by one of the locations!
この3箇所の神社はとてもユニークで少し行きにくいかもしれませんが、かねよで美味しい鰻を食べに行ったり、逢坂山に登ったりすることがあれば、ぜひお立ち寄りください！
Yo! Biwako 