日本武尊の孫である小津君がこの地（現在の杉江町付近）を開拓して農耕に従事し、子々そのこころざしをついで農産の発展をはかり、のち祖神をまつったのが、現在の神社であると伝えられています。

允恭天皇（いんぎょうてんのう）の皇姫である玉津姫の願により、大宅臣木事連に命じて、宇迦之御魂命（ウカノミタマノミコト）をまつって主神と仰ぎ、更に素盞鳴命（スサノオノミコト）、大市姫命をまつって現在に至ります。

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“Ozu Shrine”:

“Ozu-Kimi”, the grandson of “Yamato Takeru”, developed the land near present-day “Sugie-cho” and engaged in agriculture. Descendants carried on the will of Ozu-Kimi to strive to advance agricultural production and then they enshrined Ozu-Kimi, as the ancestral deity, in “Ozu Shrine”. This is said to be the origin of Ozu Shrine.

Later, “Oyake no Omikikotomuraji” enshrined “Ukanomitama no Mikoto” as the main deity in Ozu Shrine according to the order by “Emperor Ingyo". It was because “Tamatsuhime”, princess of Emperor Ingyo, wished it. And later “Susanou no Mikoto” and then “Oichihime no Mikoto” were also enshrined in Ozu Shrine. It has stayed that way ever since, as they say.

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Religious festival of “Ozu Shrine”:

“Kenketo Dance" of “Ozu Shrine” in Sugie-cho, Moriyama-City is performed annually on a rotating basis of every eight years by the total 11 towns of “Ozu area” and “Tamatsu area”.

 Religious festival at Ozu Shrine is said to originate from shrine parishioners’ dedication of Kenketo Dance. They say that a large-scale flood washed off Ozu Shrine into “Lake Biwa” about 1,450 years ago and the shrine parishioners dedicated their dances at reconstruction of Ozu Shrine. It was during the era of “Emperor Kinmei”.

The performances conducted at the festival parades toward Ozu Shrine are so various.  Those are “Naginata Swinging” by a large number of performers, cute dances by many children in beautiful “Kimono” costumes and “Dengaku Dance” for a bountiful rice harvest. And lastly, the acrobatic Naginata Swinging is also attempted. Performers swing naginatas left and right, throw naginatas high into the air and even rotate their own bodies round and round.

・Date :  　May 5th every year

・Location : 495, Sugie-cho, Moriyama-City, Shiga-Pref.

            Take Omi bus

from JR Moriyama Station

to the “Sugie” bus stop

(Walk 3 minutes from the bus stop.)