Shirahige Shrine
白鬚神社
A shrine with a great vermilion torii standing in Lake Biwa. Called "the Itsukushima of Omi", it frames sunrises and island views across the lake.
A shrine of long life, said to be the oldest in Omi
Shirahige Shrine stands on the western shore of Lake Biwa in Takashima, Shiga Prefecture. It is dedicated to Sarutahiko no Mikoto. True to its name, Shirahige ("white beard"), it is known as a deity of long life, and is also worshipped as a guide in every part of daily life, from finding a partner to safety on the road. Locals call it "Shirahige-san" or "Myojin-san".
It is said to have been founded about 2,000 years ago and is described as the oldest shrine in Omi (today's Shiga Prefecture). It is regarded as the sohongu, the head shrine of all the Shirahige shrines around Japan. The present main hall was built by Toyotomi Hideyori, following the will of his father Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and is a national Important Cultural Property.
The great torii in the lake
The biggest attraction is the vermilion-lacquered great torii standing in the lake. A torii is the gate that marks the entrance to a shrine, and because this one rises from the water like the one at Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, it is called "the Itsukushima of Omi".
A torii in the lake has long been part of local legend, and one appears in a folding-screen painting from the Muromachi period and in an Edo-period engi emaki (a picture scroll telling the shrine's origins). But a torii was actually built only in 1937 (Showa 12), donated by a merchant from Osaka. The present torii was rebuilt in 1981.
Beyond the torii you can see Okishima island floating in Lake Biwa, along with fishing boats coming and going across the lake. The shrine's website also shows photos of the sunrise seen through the torii.
Poem stones and the autumn festival
The shrine buildings stand on the opposite side from the torii, on the mountain side across National Route 161. Dotted around the grounds are stones inscribed with poems that the poets Yosano Tekkan (Hiroshi) and his wife Akiko composed here, as well as ones bearing a haiku by Matsuo Basho and a poem by Murasaki Shikibu.
At the great autumn festival (Shirahige Matsuri) on 5 and 6 September every year, many worshippers come from Kyoto, Osaka and elsewhere.
Getting there
The nearest station is Omi-Takashima, about 40 minutes from Kyoto Station by Special Rapid train on the JR Kosei Line. The shrine is about 3km from the station: roughly 40 minutes on foot or about 5 minutes by taxi. By car, it is about 40km north from Kyoto-Higashi Interchange via the Kosei Road and National Route 161. The shrine has a car park.
You can also stop off here while cycling around Lake Biwa, and Shiga Prefecture's tourism website has information for cyclists who drop by.
Tips
- A busy national highway runs between the shrine buildings and the torii in the lake. Crossing the road to reach the shore is dangerous, so please don't. Visitors are asked to photograph the torii from Ranko Shirahige-dai, the viewing platform in front of the shrine office.
- As of September 2026, the evening illumination of the lake torii is suspended. If you are going for the night view, check the latest information beforehand.
- Omi-Takashima Station is some distance away, so it is easier to get around by bike or to take a taxi timed to your train home.
Sources
Updated 29 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
